Some In Jamaat, Bangladesh Government Fuelling Anti-India Rhetoric: Sources

The radical group Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami has been fuelling anti-India sentiment in Bangladesh, sources have told NDTV.

Sources indicate that senior figures within the Yunus administration and Jamaat are seeking to target symbols and legacies of the 1971 Liberation of Bangladesh, with the objective of driving a wedge between India and Bangladesh. 

Their broader aim appears to be the creation of a new, "independent" Bangladesh rooted in Islamist ideology, removing secular foundations and historical ties with India. 

The NCP is also aligning with Jamaat's radical anti-India narrative. Several student leaders have reportedly been provided with high-level security to promote a narrative of facing threats from India.

Background

On December 14, when the Indian High Commissioner was summoned by the Bangladesh Foreign Ministry in Dhaka, the Bangladesh government informed India that the killers of Osman Hadi might have escaped to India. India strongly protested this claim, saying there was no possibility of such individuals entering India illegally or legally.

On December 22, Bangladesh Police and the Home Affairs Adviser publicly confirmed that they had no information regarding the whereabouts of Osman Hadi's killers and did not believe that they had fled to India.

Fallout

There is a growing undercurrent of division between Inquilab Mancho and the Yunus government and following the government's confirmation that India has no connection to the Hadi case, Inquilab Mancho has expressed anger over the perceived inaction against the killers. There is a chance that they might increase pressure on the Yunus administration, potentially even calling for its resignation.