As domestic developments continue to put pressure on the Yunus government in Bangladesh, India has been cautious

Muhammad Yunus, Head of the Interim Government of Bangladesh. file. | Photo credit: AP

India’s response to Bangladesh’s note verbale regarding the extradition of ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is a sign that the South Block does not want to raise any issues with Dhaka and it wants to proceed cautiously. Sources in New Delhi said on Thursday (Dec 26, 2024) that India does not want to add to the difficulties faced by the interim government which has adopted an overtly anti-India stance on the activities of students and right-wing organisations. .

An official spokesperson of the foreign ministry had admitted on Monday that Bangladesh had sent a note verbale to Sheikh Hasina for extradition, saying, “At this time, we have no comment to offer on the matter.” India’s measured response has added the latest layer to the ongoing conversation since Ms Hasina left Bangladesh on August 5 amid dramatic scenes. In October, Bangladesh’s interim administration issued an arrest warrant for Ms. Hasina.

Sources here indicated that they are keenly watching the developments within Bangladesh which led to Prof. indicating “increasing pressure” on the interim government led by Mohammad Yunus. On December 9, Foreign Secretary Vikram Mishri visited Dhaka and participated in a Foreign Office Consultation (FCO) raising issues such as the treatment of religious minorities and the attack on the Indira Gandhi Cultural Center in Dhaka.

After the visit to Misri, various incidents have happened here which have increased the concern. Lt. Gen. Moinul Islam, a former principal staff officer and former director general of Bangladesh’s border guard, was denied permission to travel abroad earlier this week amid reports that he had been detained. On December 26, the interim government announced that legal action would be taken against foreign nationals living in Bangladesh if they said they should regularize their stay before January 31, 2025. The latest move is said to have been taken to address the perceived presence of large numbers of foreign nationals inside Bangladesh.

Meanwhile, mobs aligned with the ruling party have reportedly forced five senior journalists of major news channels to resign. According to a German news outlet DWFive senior journalists Time TV They were asked to leave after a mob led by student-organizer Hasnat Abdullah chased them out. In a Facebook post, Mr Abdullah admitted that he had gone to investors behind Time TV to “protest” against senior journalists. “Samay TV had distorted my comments and was supporting the policies of a corrupt political party,” Mr Abdullah said.

Officials here said India is tracking all developments related to the interim government of Bangladesh and has a fair idea of ​​internal pressure on the power structure brought in by Prof Yunus. The Yunus administration further expanded the advisory council in November to include new advisers, including Mahfuz Alam, a former student coordinator of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, signaling a willingness to accommodate demands for greater representation from youth activists and leaders. Government. The impact of advisors rising from the ranks of anti-Hasina student activists can be gauged from the fact that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh announced to hold a meeting on ‘Building a New Bangladesh: Internal Reforms and Foreign Policy’. 29 December where the two invited speakers will be Naheed Islam and Mahfuz Alam. The program will be moderated by Foreign Secretary of Bangladesh Mohammad Jashim Uddin.