Anti-India Protests, Minority Violence and Diplomacy Strain Delhi–Dhaka Ties

 Fifty-four years after India played a decisive role in Bangladesh's liberation in 1971, relations between Delhi and Dhaka have reached an unprecedented low, marked by widespread anti-India protests, diplomatic summons, and mutual accusations. Streets in Bangladesh echo with anti-India slogans, while demonstrations outside the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi and other missions have highlighted growing tensions. The shift from close alliance to strained hostility has prompted many in India to question whether Bangladesh, once seen as a younger brother nurtured through India's support, has become a "Frankenstein's monster" that now threatens Hindu minorities and India's strategic interests in the region.

The 1971 Liberation War saw India back the Mukti Bahini freedom fighters against West Pakistan's military crackdown, leading to Bangladesh's independence after a crushing defeat for Islamabad. This created deep bonds, strengthened during Sheikh Hasina's long tenure as Prime Minister, when she repeatedly called India Bangladesh's "closest friend" and "most trusted partner." Ties expanded in trade, defense, connectivity, and water sharing, with Hasina taking refuge in India after her father's assassination in 1975. The contrast is stark today, following Hasina's ouster in August 2024 amid a student-led uprising against her government, forcing her into exile in India once again.

Since the interim government under Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus took over, bilateral relations have deteriorated sharply. Incidents of violence against Hindu minorities, including the brutal lynching of Dipu Chandra Das in Mymensingh on December 18, 2025—where the 25-year-old garment worker was beaten to death by a mob over unverified blasphemy claims, with his body tied to a tree and set on fire—have sparked outrage in India. Protests erupted across Indian cities, with demonstrators clashing with police outside Bangladesh's diplomatic missions. The interim government has dismissed such concerns as "misleading propaganda" while accusing India of interference, further escalating the frost.

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The death of Sharif Osman Hadi, a prominent anti-India activist and key figure in the 2024 uprising, on December 18, 2025—after being shot in Dhaka earlier in the month—triggered fresh unrest in Bangladesh. Protesters chanted anti-India slogans, accused India of sheltering his killers, and vandalized media offices and cultural institutions. Yunus's remarks on India's landlocked Northeast and perceived warming ties with Pakistan and China have raised alarms in Delhi about threats to the Siliguri Corridor. Hasina has blamed the strain entirely on Yunus's administration for emboldening extremists and failing to protect minorities, insisting deep ties will endure beyond temporary governments.

As visa services face suspensions and envoys are summoned in tit-for-tat moves, the relationship—once defined by shared history and mutual support—now stands at a critical juncture. With Bangladesh's elections approaching in February 2026 amid rising radicalism and minority concerns, the path to reconciliation appears uncertain, leaving both sides to navigate a transformed dynamic that has shifted from brotherhood to suspicion.

Also Read: Protest Outside Bangladesh High Commission in Delhi Over Violence Against Hindus