Radical ‘Rule Book’ circulated in Bangladesh brands cooperation with India as betrayal

NEW DELHI: Ties with Bangladesh, which have been strained since the ouster of Sheikh Hasina, worsened with radical mobs targeting the minority Hindus in the country. Over the last week, one got to witness gut-wrenching scenes whereby the minority community in the country was brutally targeted.

In addition, violence broke out at Indian missions, following which New Delhi lodged strong protests. The violence has been largely fanned by ISI-backed radical elements who are hell-bent upon ruining ties with India, which happens to be Dhaka’s most consequential neighbour.

Indian Intelligence agencies have learnt that there is a sustained online campaign that is on, which is not letting the violence die down. Violence erupted following the shooting of two student leaders. The ISI-backed channels took advantage of this and successfully managed to turn this into an anti-India campaign.

The online campaign primarily focuses on an anti-India stance. Right from the shooting of the students to the floods in Bangladesh, a sustained narrative has been set whereby India is being blamed. The same is the case when it comes to politics in the country, and India is blamed for the instability in Bangladesh on online platforms.

Investigators in Bangladesh say there is an Awami League hand behind the killing of student leader Sharif Osman Hadi. Following the murder, the online propaganda focused entirely on how the leader of the alleged killers, Sheikh Hasina, was being shielded by New Delhi.

Indian agencies have also found material where a conspiracy theory was doing the rounds, where India was being blamed for the killing. Many claimed that the Indian agencies had helped the Awami League to carry out the murder to avenge the ouster of Sheikh Hasina. This led to the violence and the targeting of Indian interests in Bangladesh, as well as the minority community, officials say.

ISI-backed elements have also come up with a rule book for the people of Bangladesh to follow. The radical mob specifically targets those who do not follow this rule book, officials have learnt. The people are being told to believe that cooperating with India amounts to betrayal of Bangladesh. (IANS)

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