'Recall 1971': Russian Envoy Asks Bangladesh To Ease Tensions With India

Amid continued domestic unrest and strained geopolitical ties, Russia has called on Bangladesh to ease tensions with India at the earliest, stressing that stable relations between the two South Asian neighbours would be in the interest of regional stability. Speaking in Dhaka, Russian Ambassador to Bangladesh Alexander Grigoryevich Khozin underscored the importance of de-escalating tensions with India, "the sooner the better," while stressing New Delhi's crucial role in Bangladesh's independence in 1971.

"The sooner you reduce the tension...the better. Because...historically, since 1971, when Bangladesh gained independence, [it was] mostly because of Indian help. And Russia also supported this in this regard. And shoulder to shoulder, India, Bangladesh, and Russia, we work together," Khozin said.

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He also cautioned against any escalation of tensions beyond the current level, as Dhaka grapples with mob violence, minority protests, and political uncertainty ahead of the February 12 national elections. He said Russia is not interfering with the two countries' bilateral relations, but stressed that Moscow thinks it will be wise to find a way so that the tension does not escalate further from the current level.

Unrest In Bangladesh

Bangladesh has witnessed a fresh wave of unrest following the death of student leader Sharif Osman Hadi last week. Hadi was a prominent face in the anti-government protests that forced the collapse of the Sheikh Hasina government. Hadi's Inqilab Moncho group, which was formed after the ouster of Hasina last year, has been organising street protests and campaigns denouncing Hasina and India.

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Some of the protesters last week also directed their anger against India. Last week, a group of angry protesters tried to storm India's assistant high commission in Chittagong. India subsequently suspended its visa services at the mission. The country's Islamists and other Hasina opponents have blamed her government for being subservient to India during her rule.

Amid protests, a Hindu man, Dipu Chandra Das, was killed in Bangladesh's Mymensingh, while an angry mob targeted Bangladesh's leading dailies, Daily Star and Prothom Alo. It was not clear why the protesters attacked the newspapers whose editors are known to be closely connected with the country's interim leader, Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus. Protests were organised in recent months outside the offices of the dailies by Islamists who blamed the newspapers for their alleged link with India.

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India on Wednesday summoned Bangladesh envoy Riaz Hamidullah and conveyed its strong concern over the rise of extremist elements and the deteriorating security situation around the Indian mission in Dhaka.