Anza Kanwal
Reportedly, communal violence has stirred the peace in Branhmanbaria district located east of Dhaka, bordering with the Indian Northeastern state of Tripura. Violence erupted when a Hindu youth posted a picture on his Facebook showing the Hindu deity Shiva atop Holy Kaaba. Supporters of Hefazat-e-Islam and Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat brought out rallies demanding capital punishment for the Hindu boy. They also attacked Hindu homes and temples and demanded that the young Hindu man who created the image be put to death. Hundreds of peoples entered a Hindu neighborhood, where they ransacked 15 temples and the homes of more than 100 families. The mob used long, hard sticks and locally made sharp weapons to assault Hindus they found there, and that at least 20 people, including a priest, were wounded.
Indian External Affair Minister Sushma Swaraj expressed concerns over the safety and well being of the Hindu community in Bangladesh and asked the Indian High Commissioner to covey the concerns directly to Bangladeshi Prime Minister Hasina Wajid. However, statement from the Sushma Swaraj has drawn criticism for using undiplomatic language and interfering in Bangladesh’s internal affairs. It is pertinent to mention that Indo-Bangladesh relations have never been cordial. In Bangladesh, India is viewed as a bully, throwing its weight around and threatening the sovereignty of its smaller neighbors. There are several issues between the two countries, which are the cause of grave concern for Bangladesh. These include water issue, land issue, fencing of border, Indian support to Chakma community, smuggling from India etc. India is continuously interfering into the internal affairs of Bangladesh. She is supporting the Chakma refugees of Bangladesh in order to create unrest in that country. Her expansionist designs envision a subservient Bangladesh towing the Indian line without question. For this purpose India is supporting many separatist groups for covert and overt operations.
Human Rights Congress of Bangladeshi Minorities (HRCBM), a Hindu organization is creating communal violence in Bangladesh. It is facilitating the settlement of Hindus in border districts of the country in order to facilitate Indian annexation of border territory of Bangladesh. This organization is portraying Bangladesh as a Talibanized society, propagating that Islam is the root cause of all ills, damaging relations between UN and Bangladesh, creating social unrest in Bangladesh and encouraging the boycott of Bangladeshi products.
Most important issue that mars bilateral relations between India and Bangladesh is water. Bangladesh, which shares 54 rivers with India as lower riparian, has serious differences with New Delhi regarding water sharing. Indian also prepared a master plan to deprive Bangladesh of its rightful share of water to build a big river-linking-project that includes diversion of water from Ganges and Brahmaputra rivers, this has become yet another source of antagonism between the two countries who have not been able to sort out their differences over a whole range of issues that continue to fuel political tension which, in turn, does not allow the resolution of differences over water. Moreover,
The unique geographic location of Bangladesh which limits approach to the troubled North East region of India from the mainland constitutes a significant security weak point for India for the fact that the region shares border with China and that various insurgent groups are active within the region who are fighting against the Indian government for self determination.
Of late, Indian intelligence agencies have flooded Bangladesh with fake paper money to ruin its economy. These smugglers cum agents freely bring fake paper currency to Bangladesh because it is not only profitable but also easy and less risky. The smugglers get 40% to 50% commission from Indians for spreading fake currency in Bangladesh. Presence of fake currency has created a serious problem in normal transaction of money in the region, as people are suspicious of the authenticity of money that they receive even from the banks. The law enforcing agencies of Bangladesh have arrested more than a hundred agents of Indian intelligence agencies and recovered fake currency.
To make Bangladesh totally dependent on and subservient to India, Indian expansionists ruined Bangladesh’s education, culture, social value, economy, agriculture, industries. India designs to imbalance Bangladesh to such degree that it becomes dysfunctional and failed State totally dependent on India for survival. India has sunk its claws deep into Bangladeshi policy. Many Bangladeshi policymakers, politicians, intellectuals, bureaucrats, business magnets, etc., who directly and indirectly control the state crafts of Bangladesh have either become India’s pawns to grab their self-interest, who give priority to their immediate gains instead of national interest and sovereignty. It should be the foremost responsibility of India to adopt a policy of non-interference in the internal affairs of neighbouring peace-loving countries. If only India realizes the importance of peace in the region, problems of neighbouring countries bordering India would solve automatically. Alas, the Indian government realizes this responsibility and let peace prevail in the region by adopting a policy of non-interference.
