Suddenly, Bangladesh, one of the friendliest neighbouring nations to India, turns violent. The students generated unrest, demanding the reform of the quota system for government jobs. They even compelled their Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina, to resign and leave the country, taking shelter in New Delhi. Even after a week, the Union government has not yet come to the conclusion that the ousted Bangladesh premier should be given official asylum or helped to move to a third country. With her presence in India, the anti-Hindu sentiment that turned into violent activities in Bangladesh has seemingly flared up, as she was projected as the saviour of Hindus in the Muslim-dominated populous nation.

The south Asian nation has witnessed massive protest demonstrations since last month. In the middle of July, nearly 200 protesters, including students, died in the violence, which was allegedly instigated by police personnel and a large number of supporters of Hasina’s party, the Awami League. Another series of movements in the last week of July resulted in the deaths of over 150 civilians, which angered most of the people, who later came to the streets with a single demand that Hasina resign. Finally, the longest-serving lady premier in the world had to bow down and quit.

After the removal of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s daughter from the PMO, Bangladesh Army chief Waker-Uz-Zaman announced that an interim government would be formed, which was aimed at guiding their election commission to conduct a national election within three months to hand over power. The chief of the Bangla armed forces fervently appealed to everyone to restrain from violent activities. Accordingly, an interim government headed by Nobel laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus was sworn in by Bangladesh President Muhammed Shahabuddin.

Earlier, President Sahabuddin ordered the release of opposition Bangladesh National Party chairperson Khaleda Zia, who was under house arrest by the Hasina-led government. Soon after her release, Begum Zia expressed her concern over the nationwide violence, vandalism, and looting of state resources amid the uprising, and she too asked the people to maintain peace. After arriving from Paris, where Prof. Yunus was a special invitee of the International Olympic Committee, the soft-spoken gentleman made a clear statement that violence will only create more enemies for the nation.

Urging everyone to stay calm and refrain from all kinds of violence, the octogenarian banker turned social business promoter pointed out that they have to build a beautiful country with lots of exciting possibilities. Talking about the students and young people, Prof. Yunus stated, “Our youth is ready to give this leadership in creating a new world. Let us not miss the chance by going into any senseless violence. If we take the path of violence, everything will be destroyed.”

Prof. Yunus-led interim government comprising over 15 distinguished personalities, including Salehuddin Ahmed (former Governor of Bangladesh Bank), Brigadier General (retired) Sakhawat Hossain (former Election Commissioner of Bangladesh), Md. Nazrul Islam (law professor), Adilur Rahman Khan (human rights activist), Syeda Rizwana Hasan (environmentalist), Farida Akhter (development policy analyst), Farooq-e-Azam (freedom fighter), Supradip Chakma (Bangladesh‘s former ambassador to Vietnam and Mexico), Bidhan Ranjan Roy (psychiatrist), etc., have already started functioning.

The nationwide anti-quota movement had already taken the life of Hasan Mehedi on 18 July 2024, as the reporter of the digital media outlet Dhaka Times, covering the clashes between the police forces and agitating students in the Jatrabari area of Dhaka. The same day witnessed another journo-killing as Shakil Hossain, who worked for Daily Bhorer Awaj, lost his life in Gazipur locality. The next day, Abu Taher Md. Turab, who was associated with Daily Naya Diganta, received bullet injuries as police personnel fired on a procession in Sylhet, and later he succumbed to injuries. Young photojournalist Tahir Zaman Priyo was also shot dead in Dhaka on the same day. Later on 4 August, Pradip Kumar Bhowmik, who worked for Daily Khoborpatra, was killed in Sirajganj by a mob as he was covering the protests, which turned violent.

Expressing serious concern over the fact that a number of working journalists were killed in the recent past across Bangladesh, the Geneva-based global media safety and rights body Press Emblem Campaign (PEC) demanded fair probes into every incident that led to the killing of the media persons. PEC president Blaise Lempen observed that the working journalists continue working in an adverse situation, and the Bangladesh authorities should take precautions to safeguard the media personnel on duty. During the violent days, nearly 100 journalists sustained injuries, and the police forces were joined by the ruling party affiliates, the Chhatra League and Jubo League, to terrorise the media.

Meanwhile, the Bangladesh Hindu-Buddhist-Christian Oikya Parishad claimed that over 250 incidents of violence against religious minority families had taken place in the last few weeks. The forum opined that the relentless attacks on minority houses, business units, and temples across Bangladesh were unprecedented. The Islamists chanted anti-Hindu slogans and asked the minorities to convert to Islam or leave the country, said a statement by Oikya Parishad, adding, “It’s shocking that the Hindu families faced atrocities whenever there were elections as they were seen as potential supporters of Hasina’s Awami League.”

Lately, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) came out with a media statement issued on 9 August in New Delhi expressing serious concern over the incidents of violence against Hindus, Buddhists, and other minority communities in Bangladesh in the last few days. RSS Sarkaryavah Dattatreya Hosabale commented that cruelty like targeted killings, looting, arson, and heinous crimes against women belonging to Hindu and other religious minorities and attacks on Hindu temples in the neighbouring country are intolerable.

Condemning the incidents, Hosabale expected that the interim government in Dhaka would take strict action to immediately stop such incidents. Also, the regime must make proper arrangements to protect the lives, property, and honour of the victims, added the RSS general secretary. Requesting all political parties in India to stand in solidarity with the persecuted communities of Bangladesh, Hosabale urged New Delhi to make every effort to ensure the safety of Hindus, Buddhists, etc. in that country, which was born in 1971 fighting against Islamabad with unconditional support from the Indian armed forces.

Facing the heat, the central government formed a committee to monitor the situation arising on the Bangladesh border so that the safety of Indians as well as Hindus, Buddhists, etc. in Bangladesh can be ensured. Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi wished Prof. Yunus well for his new responsibility and urged the interior government to ensure the safety and security of Hindus and other minorities in his country. External affairs minister S. Jaishankar, while addressing the Parliament on Bangladesh issues, stated that New Delhi was keeping a close eye on developments across the border. He revealed that Hasina’s presence in India was a courtesy move after a short-notice request.

Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, while commenting on the Bangladesh situation, revealed that the current situation there is worrisome. He appreciated the pragmatic role of Hasina in combating militancy in northeast India by sending most of the militants from her country to India. The saffron leader also expressed apprehensions that the post-Hasina period may be exploited by some north-eastern insurgents to run hideouts inside the neighbouring country.

Hasina also deserves appreciation for many initiatives supporting Indo-Bangla trade, including bus and rail communication from Kolkata to Dhaka to Agartala. Moreover, she agreed to allow Indians to use Chittagong port for the benefit of the north-eastern region. Many other projects for strategic and energy security in both countries were also evolving under her rule. After her absence and with no firm engagement with the new regime in Dhaka immediately, the alienated region virtually remains clueless. It’s assumed that New Delhi will redefine the Bangladesh policy (which remained Hasina-centric) for the nation’s interest and make sure that another volatile neighbour is not born on the eastern front.

The writer is a Guwahati-based special representative of The Statesman