🇧🇩 Tensions Soar: India Slams Yunus Over ‘Unknown Gunmen’ Claims After Activist Shooting; Diplomatic Crisis Deepens Over ‘Greater Bangladesh’ Map
New Delhi Blasts Dhaka’s Handling of Political Violence as Controversy Over Controversial Map Gifted to Pakistan General Reignites Regional Fury
India Challenges Bangladesh’s Narrative on Political Violence
Relations between India and the interim government of Bangladesh, led by Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus, have plummeted to a new low following sharp criticism from New Delhi regarding Dhaka’s handling of recent political violence. The friction intensified dramatically after the shooting of prominent radical cultural activist Sharif Osman Hadi in Dhaka.
Hadi, a spokesperson for the anti-Awami League group Inqilab Mancha and an election candidate, was shot by assailants on a motorcycle. While Dr. Yunus’s administration condemned the shooting by “unknown gunmen” and ordered a swift probe, Indian security and diplomatic circles have dismissed the narrative of domestic political violence, viewing it against the backdrop of the Yunus government’s perceived failure to address extremism. New Delhi has repeatedly slammed the Yunus regime for previous statements, including the Chief Adviser’s controversial dismissal of reports concerning attacks on the Hindu minority as “fake news” allegedly floated by India.
Controversial Map Gift Reignites ‘Greater Bangladesh’ Row
The ongoing diplomatic strain was severely exacerbated by a symbolic gesture that provoked outrage across India. Dr. Muhammad Yunus was photographed presenting a book, The Art of Triumph, to Pakistan’s Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, General Sahir Shamshad Mirza. The cover of this book featured a highly distorted map of Bangladesh that appeared to include parts of India’s Northeast, including Assam and other states.
This image immediately triggered a massive backlash in India, as the map was interpreted as promoting the dangerous and extremist political concept of a ‘Greater Bangladesh’. Indian politicians and media outlets lambasted the gifting of such a sensitive item, particularly to a high-ranking Pakistani military official, viewing it as a clear attempt to undermine India’s sovereignty and regional stability. Although the Bangladeshi side attempted to downplay the issue by claiming the image was merely an amateur student graffiti drawing, the incident has cemented fears in New Delhi regarding Dhaka’s shifting geopolitical alignment towards Beijing and Islamabad.
Osman Hadi Shooting Linked to Fugitive Suspects and Diplomacy
The shooting of Osman Hadi, a figure known for his strong anti-India rhetoric, has also become a diplomatic flashpoint. Reports suggest that the prime suspect, identified as Faisal Karim Masud, may have fled to the Indian border region. This led the Bangladeshi government to summon the Indian High Commissioner, seeking cooperation for the arrest of the alleged perpetrator and raising concerns over cross-border security disruptions ahead of the February elections. The combination of the shooting, the controversial map, and the diplomatic exchange underlines the severe deterioration of India-Bangladesh ties under the current interim leadership.