Dhaka: In 2014, the Ukrainian capital Kyiv witnessed massive protests against then-President Viktor Yanukovych. Yanukovych was a pro-Russian leader who opposed Ukraine’s inclusion in the European Union. The protests escalated into violence, with some protesters losing their lives, and an enraged populace eventually overthrew the government. Yanukovych had to flee to Russia to save his life.
Victoria Nuland, a former U.S. Deputy Secretary of State, along with others, officially acknowledged that the United States provided every possible support to those anti-government protests in Ukraine. However, toppling the elected government did not end the unrest in Ukraine; instead, Russian-speaking residents in Crimea and Donbas became targets.
The anti-Russian wave that began in Ukraine in 2014 has culminated in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war that the entire world has been witnessing since 2022. A decade later, Ukraine has neither become a member of the European Union nor NATO, but it has become a living example of devastation in its war with Russia. The movement that began with the idea of breaking free from Russian influence has trapped Ukraine in the grip of the United States, a grip from which it may never escape.
The recent coup against Sheikh Hasina in Bangladesh in July-August 2024 seems to echo this pattern. The initial protests against reservations quickly turned their focus to Sheikh Hasina. To save her life, she too had to seek refuge in India. An interim government has already been formed in Bangladesh. Violence against the Hindu minority and anti-India sentiment in Bangladesh has exacerbated the situation.
Based on one of Sheikh Hasina’s statements, it is claimed that the U.S. had asked Bangladesh for St. Martin’s Island to establish a military base, aiming to control China, India, Myanmar, and the entire Indian Ocean. When Sheikh Hasina refused, she lost her position of power. At first glance, this scenario closely resembles the Euromaidan protest model in Ukraine.
India-Bangladesh Relations on a Delicate Edge
Sheikh Hasina’s seeking refuge in India has sparked clear anti-India sentiment among protesting students and others in Bangladesh. The leaders and supporters of the movement seem indifferent to the special relationship between India and Bangladesh. Taking advantage of the situation, incidents of boycotting Indian goods and mistreating Indian nationals are on the rise in Bangladesh.
While there has always been some hesitation in using the Hindi language in Bangladesh, current protesting students openly declare that using Hindi is both insulting and inhumane. Baseless allegations are being made by students, such as Sheikh Hasina using India’s intelligence agency RAW to carry out massacres, and claims that several Indian RAW agents have been arrested by the Bangladeshi interim government.
These rumors are being deliberately spread to incite the new generation in Bangladesh against India. The path Bangladesh takes in the coming days will determine the future of India-Bangladesh relations.
Demand for Sheikh Hasina’s Return to Bangladesh
Protesting students in Bangladesh are demanding that India hand over Sheikh Hasina to the Bangladeshi government so she can be tried for the alleged murders of protesters. They categorically reject any foreign assistance in their movement.
The protesters either deny the ongoing attacks, looting, and arson against the Hindu minority in various parts of Bangladesh or dismiss them as Indian conspiracies to discredit their movement. Establishing a dialogue with this new generation in Bangladesh will prove to be a challenging task for India. The relationship between India and Bangladesh, which has been hailed globally, now faces the risk of following the same path as Russia and Ukraine.