Shome Basu* in Dhaka, Bangladesh
(Special Report for the Kashmir Times Part I)
Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, remains tense. A little over a month ago, then-Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who had ruled the country for nearly a decade and a half, was ousted and fled to New Delhi.
Despite her departure, protests persist, demanding her return from neighbouring India. Public grievances against India have escalated, particularly following accusations that the opening of dams by India led to severe flooding in parts of Bangladesh, causing devastation unseen in many years.
These floods, deemed “man-made” by many, have fueled widespread anger, especially among students and ordinary citizens of Dhaka, who are now vehemently protesting India’s policies towards Bangladesh.
At Dhaka airport, the scene is sombre, with flights to New Delhi predominantly filled with Kashmiri students pursuing medical studies in Bangladesh. Outside, crowds eagerly await their loved ones, particularly those returning from Jeddah after Hajj.
As I board my Toyota Camry, my driver, a young man, respectfully salutes me before opening the door. Driving away from the arrival terminal of Hazrat Shahjalal Airport, formerly known as Zia International Airport, I notice the Bangladesh flag fluttering atop a pole with a broken pedestal.
When I asked about it, the driver explained that a large photo of Sheikh Mujib had been torn down. He smiles wryly as we pass a Soviet-made BTR-80 armoured vehicle, with a weary soldier peering out, maintaining a vigilant watch over the city, which is still in the grip of a civil movement. The soldier tells me they are not fighting a war but maintaining peace – it sounds so professional.
Meanwhile, outside the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi, guarded heavily since the August 5th incident, I met a Kashmiri girl renewing her visa.
She wishes to remain anonymous but says, “Whatever happens in Bangladesh is their problem. We, students from faraway Kashmir, need to return and complete our courses.” She is pursuing her MBBS in Rajshahi, and according to the Indian government’s advisory, students have been warned against rejoining classes due to the volatile law-and-order situation.
However, many Kashmiri students, having already paid their fees and nearing the completion of their degrees, are desperate to return.
Saiba, a final-year MBBS student from North Kashmir, tells me, “We Kashmiris have faced far more problems—like CASO, night raids, and witnessing bullet-riddled bodies—since childhood. Bangladesh may be violent, but we can handle it.”
Yassir, another student from Srinagar, adds, “The Bangladeshi people have been kind to us. Despite the violence, they’ve protected Kashmiri students, and it would be safe for us to continue our education.”
Another student, on his way to Rajshahi, emphasizes that their main concern is that colleges outside Dhaka are still functioning. “The situation in many districts far from Dhaka is fragile, but students can continue,” he says.
The Indian Ministry of External Affairs has maintained its advisory from August 4th, which urges Indian nationals not to travel to Bangladesh due to the ongoing turmoil.
Yet, many Kashmiri students have chosen to remain in the country to complete their studies, unlike the situation in Ukraine during the war with Russia, where Indian students were forced to abandon their courses.
For students in Bangladesh, especially those from Kashmir, it’s just another day of navigating life in a conflict zone. While some Bangladeshis view Indians with suspicion, often labelling them as R&AW agents, Kashmiri students when asked if they face the same prejudice, smile and walk away.
The historical ties between Kashmir and Bangladesh date back to the Mughal era when Kashmiri became the Nawab of Dhaka. His palace, Ahsan Manzil, now a museum, stands as a reminder of the old friendship between the two regions.
This connection is something I’ve come to understand during my years of covering Kashmir from a security perspective.
In the Shahbagh area, between Dhaka University and Sheikh Mujib Medical University (formerly PG Hospital), lies the serene tomb of Bangladesh’s national poet, Kazi Nazrul Islam.
Outside, on the bustling Shahbagh crossing, stands the anti-terrorism statue dedicated to slain student leader Moin Hossain Raju, who was killed while protesting against terrorism in Dhaka.
Resentment for Modi, Amit Shah
Students from various disciplines and ordinary citizens united in protests, many directed against India’s current BJP-led government.
Md Pavel Hossain, a student leader, told this writer, “We want good relations with India, but the way Narendra Modi, Amit Shah, and others in the government behave towards Bangladesh is unfortunate.”
He pointed to India’s sheltering of Hasina, whom many in Bangladesh view as a criminal, responsible for numerous disappearances and custodial killings, and for turning Dhaka into a police state.
Adding to the resentment, India’s unilateral release of river water without informing the Bangladesh government led to disastrous floods in regions like Feni, Chittagong, and Noakhali.
Md Pavel Hossain, now a sales executive and student, argues that India’s approach to Bangladesh has been misguided, focusing too heavily on maintaining ties with one political family rather than the country’s people.
While many Bangladeshis are grateful for India’s help during the 1971 Liberation War, some believe that R&AW’s involvement had ulterior motives to keep Bangladesh under its influence. Although anti-India sentiment is prevalent, a large section of the population condemns the mistreatment of Indians and the media, believing in maintaining a balance.
On another front, the political group Islami Chhatra Andolan Bangladesh, a right-wing organization, has expressed similar concerns. Muntasir Ahmed, the group’s secretary general, remarked that India’s focus on maintaining relations with the Hasina family while neglecting the broader population is absurd.
Anti-India sentiment has also risen following comments by Indian Home Minister Amit Shah, who referred to Bangladeshis as “termites,” a statement that has not been well received.
The Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC) remain contentious issues, with many in Bangladesh viewing them as poorly conceived policies by the Indian government.
While India was once seen as Bangladesh’s saviour during its 1971 independence, over fifty years later, the mood has shifted. Both parties, the Awami League and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party dominate the political landscape, with Jamaat and Islamic student groups having smaller stakes.
Today, however, people from across the political spectrum – whether right-wing, nationalist, liberal, or atheist – demand the ousting of the Awami League from power. Sheikh Hasina’s fifteen-year authoritarian rule, marked by forced disappearances and a police-state atmosphere, has angered the population.
The defacing of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s statues, and murals, and the burning of his residence at 32 Dhanmondi reflect the deep-seated frustration with her regime.
*Shome Basu is a New Delhi-based journalist specialising in conflict and politics. Basu is also the author of the book “Shades Of Kashmir” which delves deep into the insurgency years.
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