As Bangladesh Slides Into Chaos, Yunus Government Rakes Up Anti-India Plank

As Bangladesh descends into chaos, the interim government's Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus is now facing criticism at home. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), the main opposition party during ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina's regime, has blamed the Muhammad Yunus government for the deteriorating law and order situation in the country.

"You have seen this (the unrest) in the transitional period because of the failure of the government. We expected that the government led by Professor Yunus would be able to prove their capability and in at least these few months, they would run the country efficiently," BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said in Dhaka.

"I thank them that they have kept their word and announced elections on February 12, 2026. But creating an atmosphere to hold elections is what they need to be more aware of and take proactive steps for. They have to take concrete steps. We hope they will pay more attention to this so that there is a conducive atmosphere and we expect they will focus on this," Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir added.

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has also announced a seat-sharing agreement with Jamiat Ulama-e-Islam (JUI) Bangladesh. The JUI is different from the hardline radical Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) Bangladesh, and even though both are Islamist parties, they have different ideologies. The JUI focuses on religious scholars and traditional Islamic law, while the radical Jamaat-E-Islami Bangladesh aims for a comprehensive Islamic state and is pro-Pakistan. The Jamaat-E-Islami Bangladesh has its origins in Pakistan and is also anti-India and therefore supports Yunus as he leads Bangladesh into disorder and chaos.

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Under the Yunus government, while law and order has deteriorated, minorities have also come under attack in Bangladesh. India-Bangladesh ties have nosedived under Yunus, who came to power in August 2024, as he redirected Bangladesh's foreign policy and pushed for reconciliation with Pakistan at the cost of historic ties with India.

Pranay Verma, India's High Commissioner to Bangladesh, was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Dhaka on Tuesday amid protests at Bangladesh missions located in India, including New Delhi and Kolkata. Bangladesh's Foreign Secretary Asad Alam Siam summoned the Indian High Commissioner for the second time in 10 days. The Indian High Commissioner has been summoned at least six times during Yunus's tenure.

Between August 2024 and now, the government, led by Yunus, has escalated the rhetoric several times, starting with his visit to China in March of this year. His comments on India's northeast received a sharp response from India.

A mourner holds Bangladesh's national flag during Sharif Osman Hadi's funeral. (Credit: AFP)

Release Of Anti-India Terrorists From Jail

Mufti Jashimuddin Rahmani, who heads the Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT), an Al-Qaeda-inspired terrorist group, was released from prison soon after Yunus took over. Rahmani had been convicted in the murder of a blogger-activist Ahmed Rajib Haider. Rahmani is a supporter of Al-Qaeda and its offshoot Al Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS). In January this year, the Assam Police's Special Task Force (STF) arrested members of the Ansarullah Bangla Team. The police also recovered arms, ammunition, explosives and other materials, and various incriminating documents and mobile phones from the ABT members.

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The Assam Police had launched Operation Praghat in November last year after a detailed and prolonged examination of intelligence inputs regarding the clandestine anti-national activities being carried out by a group of individuals under the direction of Mohammad Farhan Israk, a close associate of Jashimuddin Rahmani. Rahmani reappeared at protests after radical leader and poet Sharif Osman Hadi's killing and made anti-India statements.

Yunus' Comments On Northeast, PM Modi's Sharp Response

"The seven states of India, in the eastern part of India - called the seven sister states - are completely landlocked. They have no way to reach the ocean. We (Bangladesh) are the only guardian of the ocean for the entire region (northeast India)," Yunus told an audience in China. He added, "So, this opens up a huge possibility for China - this could become an extension of the Chinese economy. Build things, market them, take them back to China, or export to the rest of the world."

In April, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Yunus met on the sidelines of the BIMSTEC Summit in Bangkok. PM Modi raised India's concerns on the safety of minorities in the neighbouring country. He also suggested Dhaka to avoid a "rhetoric that vitiates the environment", weeks after Yunus' remarks on the Northeast drew sharp responses from India.

People set fire to The Daily Star newspaper office building following the death of Sharif Osman Hadi.
Photo Credit: Reuters

Blaming India For Law And Order Incidents

Days after the attack on Hadi, the administration in Dhaka sought India's help to arrest and hand over the shooters. New Delhi strongly rejected the allegations that the attackers had any connection with India. "We have consistently reiterated our position in favour of free, fair, inclusive and credible elections being held in Bangladesh in a peaceful atmosphere," a statement by India's Ministry of External Affairs said. "India has never allowed its territory to be used for activities inimical to the interests of the friendly people of Bangladesh," the statement added.

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Now, investigators in Bangladesh have admitted that they have no idea where the killers of Hadi are. Bangladesh's Special Branch Chief Khandaker Rafiqul Islam and Detective Branch Chief Shafiqul Islam held a press conference and said they had no information about the whereabouts of Hadi's suspected killer. Notably, both officials admitted they have no specific information about the suspect's last known location. They also confirmed they have no concrete evidence that the suspect crossed the border into India.

Cosying Up to Pakistan At The Cost Of India

Since taking charge, Yunus has emphasised strengthening ties with Pakistan to boost cooperation and explore trade and business potentials. Yunus said he always preferred closer ties and added that Bangladesh and Pakistan should exchange more youth and cultural programs between the two countries to increase the people-to-people bonding. Yunus also invited top Pakistan military officials to Bangladesh, and the current wave of anti-India statements in Bangladesh has been attributed to a 'Pakistan hand' by former diplomats who have studied the India-Bangladesh relationship.

Supporters block the Shahbagh Square as they protest the death of Sharif Osman Hadi.
Photo Credit: Reuters

Attack On Indian Establishments In Dhaka

India has been compelled to close visa application centres in Bangladesh's Chittagong, Rajshahi and Khulna amid a worsening security situation in the country. The development came a day after a group of radical Islamists, under the banner of "July Oikya", organised a protest march near the Indian High Commission, pressing several demands, including the return of ousted premier Sheikh Hasina. The Yunus government has dismissed India's repeated reminders to rein in anti-India elements. Dismissing India's concerns, Bangladesh's Foreign Affairs Advisor Touhid Hossain distanced Dhaka from the student leader who publicly threatened to sever India's "seven sisters" - a term used to describe the country's northeastern states - from India. He also denied the deterioration of the law and order situation, saying, "We have ensured that security is not affected."