Bangladesh Unrest: How Yunus Endorsing Hadi’s Radical Ideology Could Impact India

Bangladesh faces unrest as Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus praises slain radical leader Osman Hadi, raising concerns over anti-India sentiment, minority safety, and regional stability ahead of elections.

New Delhi: As political developments unfold in Bangladesh and scrutiny of the interim leadership intensifies, foreign affairs expert Robinder Sachdev on Monday raised concerns over recent statements attributed to Bangladesh's Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus, cautioning that they reflect a troubling ideological direction with potential implications for India-Bangladesh relations. Sachdev's remarks were made in the context of Yunus's public statements at the funeral of slain radical leader Sharif Osman Hadi, where the chief adviser pledged to carry forward Hadi's political ideology.

Referring to Yunus's remarks made a day earlier, Sachdev said, “Yesterday, Yunus said that Hadi, we are making a pledge that your political outlook we will always carry, and we will make sure that generations to come of Bangladeshis will adhere to and work on the political philosophy that you espouse.”

Regional Concerns and Anti-India Sentiment

Linking this pledge to Hadi's political worldview, Sachdev said Yunus appeared to be endorsing the central idea of Hadi's political Inquilab, which he described as deeply problematic for Bangladesh's regional relationships.

"The top issue of Hadi in his political Inqualab was that democracy in Bangladesh cannot prosper unless Bangladesh moves away from all its relations and linkages with India," he said.

Highlighting the implications of such a stance, Sachdev cautioned that Yunus's public alignment with this ideology raised serious concerns.

"It is a worrying thing that Yunus is championing such a thought," he said, pointing to India's long-standing role as a key partner in Bangladesh's political stability, economic development and regional security.

The remarks that triggered this criticism were delivered by Yunus on Saturday while paying homage to Osman Hadi at his funeral, where he asserted that Hadi's influence would endure in Bangladesh's political life.

Addressing a large gathering of mourners, Yunus said Hadi continued to resonate deeply with people across Bangladesh and among the diaspora.

"Dear Osman Hadi, we have not come here to say goodbye. You live within our hearts. As long as Bangladesh exists, you will remain an inseparable part of this nation," he said.

Reflecting on Hadi's political style, Yunus said he had demonstrated how to engage with people respectfully and conduct political activity with dignity.

"We accept this lesson and wish to implement it. We want to elevate our political culture to a level where Hadi's example remains vividly alive," Yunus said.

He further asserted that the leadership would act with confidence on the global stage.

"We will walk before the world with our heads held high. We will not bow before anyone," Yunus said.

Recalling Hadi's desire to contest elections, Yunus described his approach as a model for democratic participation.

"You wanted to participate in the election, and in doing so, you showed us the process of how an election campaign should be conducted. You taught us everything, and we have accepted this teaching. You will not be lost. No one will ever forget you. You will remain with us for ages, reminding us again and again of your mantra," he said.

As an uneasy calm prevails over Dhaka after days of violent protests last week, former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina also weighed in, sharply criticising the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government in the wake of violence that followed Hadi's killing and warning that continued instability was damaging Bangladesh's relations with neighbouring countries.

Sheikh Hasina’s Sharp Criticism

In an email interview with ANI, Hasina alleged that "lawlessness" that uprooted her government has multiplied under Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus.

"This tragic killing reflects the lawlessness that uprooted my government and has multiplied under Yunus. Violence has become the norm while the interim government either denies it or is powerless to stop it," she said.

Hasina said such incidents were undermining Bangladesh's credibility abroad.

"Such incidents destabilise Bangladesh internally but also our relationships with neighbours who are watching with justified alarm. India sees the chaos, the persecution of minorities, and the erosion of everything we built together. When you cannot maintain basic order within your borders, your credibility on the international stage collapses. This is the reality of Yunus's Bangladesh," she said.

Osman Hadi, a young activist and a prominent figure associated with last year's July uprising, was shot at close range on December 12 while travelling in a rickshaw in Dhaka's Bijoynagar area.

He later died on December 18 after being airlifted to Singapore for treatment. His death triggered protests and unrest in the capital, with activists gathering at Dhaka's Shahbagh intersection to demand justice.

In her interview, Hasina also raised concerns over the growing influence of radical Islamist forces in Bangladesh, alleging administrative complicity under the interim government.

"I share this concern, as do the millions of Bangladeshis who prefer the safe, secular state we once were. Yunus has placed extremists in cabinet positions, released convicted terrorists from prison, and allowed groups linked to international terrorist organisations to take roles in public life," she said.

"This should alarm not only India, but every nation invested in South Asian stability," Hasina added, stressing that Bangladesh's secular political character was being eroded.

Hasina further expressed concern over the strain in India-Bangladesh relations amid anti-India protests and the killing of 27-year-old Hindu youth Dipu Chandra Das, holding the interim government responsible for failing to protect minorities and issuing hostile statements against New Delhi.

"The strain you are witnessing is entirely of Yunus's making. His government issues hostile statements against India, fails to protect religious minorities, and allows extremists to dictate foreign policy," she said, adding that ties between India and Bangladesh were "deep and fundamental" and would outlast the interim government.

Her remarks came as unrest continued across Bangladesh, with reports of protests, vandalism and attacks on media houses, and as the Indian Visa Application Centre in Chittagong announced the suspension of visa services following a security incident.

Calling India's concerns justified, Hasina said, “This hostility is being manufactured by extremists who have been emboldened by the Yunus regime.”

She added, “A responsible government would protect diplomatic missions and prosecute those who threaten them. Instead, Yunus grants immunity to hooligans and calls them warriors.”

Bangladesh remains on edge amid political uncertainty, security concerns and mounting scrutiny of the interim government ahead of elections scheduled for next year.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)