What does India think about the interim government?

India is not going to make any comment on Bangladesh situation without further caution and observation. India initially wants to fathom the public support of the interim government led by Dr Muhammad Yunus and the new system. Out of caution, India has already taken back over 200 officials of its embassy in Bangladesh. Operations of India’s visa centers are also suspended.

India’s primary concern is about anti-Indian sentiment. Delhi’s South Block is deeply concerned about the anti-Indian slogans chanted during the movement. Houses and temples and businesses of Hindus were attacked in different districts, which also worries India. The authorities in India are contacting the army to control the situation. The relief for India is that different sections of the society have taken initiative to rein in such crimes.

Although India is yet to make any official comment, people in connection with the Modi government assumes that fundamentalist forces such as Jamaat are behind the attacks of Indian cultural center and Hindus. They are also stoking the anti-India sentiment. This group could not make their presence known much during the reign of Sheikh Hasina. In the changing situation, they are making their presence felt. India also thinks this group is behind breaking Bangabandhu’s sculpture and different establishments. India is keenly keeping an eye of Jamaat’s stake and influence in the new government.  

India thinks Jamaat’s rise will be a headache for the votaries of progressive and democratic Bangladesh. India is also keeping a close eye on how the new generation, who is the mainstay of this revolution, and the interim government, deal with Jamaat issue. South Block thinks this will be the determinant in the future relations of the both countries.  

That’s why the Indian government is eager to see who are in the advisory council of Dr Yunus. India is assured about Dr Yunus’ acceptability as the interim administrator. However, it is not yet known as to how competent he is as an administrator.  Bangladeshi media already reported that difference of opinion exists among BNP, Jamaat, student platform’s leaders and civil society member over advisory council members. The army’s position about this is not so clear. India will be looking forward to seeing how Yunus deals with this issue.

Some quarters of India have also question about the role of India amid the turmoil. The role and initiative of army behind the departure of Hasina is clear to all. The army did not also want to use force on the protesters. But it is not clear to them as to why army remained inactive to prevent rioters, save key installations and give support to police which lost its morale.

Question has arisen as to why the army, which works under UN supervision in peacekeeping missions abroad, failed to maintain peace inside its own country.

Some from the Modi government thinks that the army did not want to fall out of favour of the protesters during the movement; some think that the army tried to allow people vent their pent-up anger. Whatever might be the reasons, India thinks that outrage has done substantive damage to the country.

India is also in vacillation and worry about Sheikh Hasina. India does not want to shelter Hasina for long as the new force in Bangladesh won’t like it and it might affect the bilateral relations in coming days. Meanwhile, India cannot leave Hasina in uncertainty due to its long time relations with her.

This is why external affairs minister of India told all party leaders that Hasina would stay there for the time being and would leave the country once she gets political asylum in any third country. India hopes this process to be expedited. Dr Yunus has already told Indian media that it is not warranted that Hasina gets shelter in India.

It is not still unknown as to what will be the trajectory of relations between Bangladesh and India in the coming days.