Bangladeshis demand Hasina’s return to face justice over Indian-backed brutalities
Dhaka: Sheikh Hasina’s unusually-prolonged stay in India has triggered deep suspicion in Bangladesh, where people accuse New Delhi of shielding her from accountability for years of repression, human rights violations, and electoral fraud.
According to Kashmir Media Service, Bangladeshis say Hasina’s political survival was long orchestrated by India, citing her authoritarian crackdowns, mass arrests and killings of opposition members, and the notorious Digital Security Act. Before the 2018 elections, thousands of BNP activists were jailed, while her main rival, Khaleda Zia, was sidelined. Despite widespread claims of fraud, India swiftly congratulated Hasina, which many Bangladeshis saw as New Delhi’s attempt to shield her from global criticism.
International media has also highlighted India’s role. The Guardian observed that Hasina consistently granted India sweeping influence through economic and security concessions, waterways access, and lucrative business deals, while New Delhi overlooked her growing authoritarianism. Hannah Ellis-Petersen, The Guardian’s South Asia correspondent, noted that India was considered Hasina’s strongest ally but now faces a new government demanding accountability for her regime’s abuses.
Rights bodies also censured her rule. The UN Human Rights Office in its June 2022 review of Hasina’s Digital Security Act found it was widely used to suppress dissent and silence political opponents rather than protect cyber security.
Journalist Sanjay Kapoor, reporting for Al Jazeera, recalled that Hasina was received in India by Ajit Doval, the country’s National Security Advisor and overseer of RAW, which has long been accused of meddling in Bangladesh and other neighboring states. For many Bangladeshis, her stay in India symbolizes a dangerous alignment with RAW against their democratic aspirations.
With trust in her leadership at an all-time low, voices across Bangladesh are demanding Hasina’s immediate return to face justice for brutalities carried out during her rule with New Delhi’s backing.
