Dhaka\u2019s already strained relationship with New Delhi has come under renewed pressure after a Bangladeshi opposition leader threatened to offer shelter to separatist groups targeting India\u2019s sensitive northeast, citing alleged Indian interference in Bangladesh\u2019s upcoming elections.<\/p>\n
Hasnat Abdullah, a leader of the newly formed National Citizen Party (NCP), issued the warning at a rally in Dhaka on Monday, saying the move would be considered if Bangladesh believed India was attempting to influence the February election.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf Bangladesh is destabilised, the fire of resistance will spread beyond borders. Since you are housing those who destabilise us, we will give refuge to the separatists of the seven sisters too,\u201d Abdullah said, referring to India\u2019s seven northeastern states.<\/p>\n
\u201cI want to say clearly to India that if you shelter forces who do not respect Bangladesh\u2019s sovereignty, potential, voting rights and human rights, Bangladesh will respond.\u201d<\/p>\n
The remarks were seen as highly provocative in India, where security in the northeast is a longstanding concern due to insurgencies, porous borders and the region\u2019s strategic position between Bangladesh, Myanmar and China.<\/p>\n
Abdullah accused unnamed \u201cvultures\u201d of seeking to exert control over Bangladesh despite its 54 years of independence. He also called for resistance rallies on Victory Day, commemorated on Tuesday, marking Pakistan\u2019s military defeat in the 1971 liberation war. The date coincides with India\u2019s Vijay Diwas, which honours India\u2019s role in the conflict alongside Bengali resistance forces.<\/p>\n
The NCP, which draws much of its support from students who led last year\u2019s protests that toppled former prime minister Sheikh Hasina\u2019s Awami League government, has played a role in the appointment of Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus as head of Bangladesh\u2019s interim government, despite its limited support base.<\/p>\n
Relations between Dhaka and New Delhi have remained tense since Hasina fled to India following her ouster last year. She has criticised the interim government\u2019s decision to bar the Awami League from contesting the upcoming election.<\/p>\n
Tensions escalated further after an assassination attempt on Sharif Osman Hadi, a prominent figure in last year\u2019s student-led uprising against Hasina. Hadi was shot outside a mosque in Dhaka and was later flown to Singapore for treatment. He remained in critical condition as of Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Bangladesh police have launched a manhunt for the attackers, releasing images of two suspects and announcing a reward of about US$42,000 for information leading to their arrest. The Bangladeshi foreign ministry has also summoned Indian High Commissioner Pranay Verma, seeking cooperation in apprehending suspects believed to have fled to or found shelter in India.<\/p>\n
Abdullah and other NCP leaders have accused India and the Awami League of colluding in the attack to destabilise Bangladesh, allegations New Delhi has rejected. India\u2019s Ministry of External Affairs summoned Bangladesh\u2019s High Commissioner Riaz Hamidullah, expressing \u201cstrong concerns\u201d about Bangladesh\u2019s \u201cdeteriorating\u201d security situation.<\/p>\n
India said it \u201ccompletely rejects the false narrative\u201d being promoted by extremist elements and criticised the interim government for failing to conduct a thorough investigation or share credible evidence. New Delhi reiterated its support for peace, stability and \u201cfree, fair, inclusive and credible elections\u201d in Bangladesh.<\/p>\n
Analysts say anti-Awami League sentiment following last year\u2019s violent crackdown on student protests\u2014reportedly resulting in up to 1,500 deaths\u2014has spilled over into anti-India feeling. A special tribunal last month sentenced Hasina to death in absentia for her role in state-led violence against protesters.<\/p>\n
Bangladesh is set to elect 300 lawmakers and vote on a landmark democratic reform package on February 12. Authorities have pledged heightened security, saying political leaders, candidates, rallies and online spaces will be protected.<\/p>\n
Observers warn that rising political violence could undermine the interim government\u2019s efforts to restore stability and democracy, while inflammatory rhetoric risks damaging Bangladesh\u2019s regional standing and further straining ties with India.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Dhaka\u2019s already strained relationship with New Delhi has come under renewed pressure after a Bangladeshi opposition leader threatened to offer shelter to separatist groups targeting India\u2019s sensitive northeast, citing alleged Indian interference in Bangladesh\u2019s upcoming elections. Hasnat Abdullah, a leader of the newly formed National Citizen Party (NCP), issued the warning at a rally in …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":50564,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[28,26],"tags":[81],"class_list":["post-50563","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-opinion","category-south-asia","tag-headline"],"yoast_head":"\n