India must atone for Bangladesh’s lost decade

In the annals of South Asia’s political history, India’s role in sustaining Sheikh Hasina’s regime in Bangladesh stands as a stark lesson in the dangers of prioritizing short-term strategic interests over long-term regional stability.

As Bangladesh emerges from the shadow of Hasina’s autocratic rule, India must grapple with its culpability in propping up a regime that choked the democratic aspirations of a nation.

The seeds of Bangladesh’s lost decade were first sown in 2013 during a pivotal visit by Sujata Singh, then India’s Foreign Secretary. Her visit, just weeks before Bangladesh’s controversial general elections, included a meeting with General Hossain Mohammad Ershad to persuade him to participate in an election abandoned by all major opposition parties.

This direct intervention to instill a dummy opposition in an election devoid of meaningful competition started Bangladesh’s lost decade, turning its fragile yet functional democracy into fascism with Indian backing.

For many Bangladeshis, it was a defining moment—marking the point when India chose to side with a regime rather than the democratic aspirations of the people.

In 2018 and again in 2024, much of the international community distanced itself from the Awami League’s manipulated elections. Yet, India stood firm as Hasina’s sole backer, providing her government with the international legitimacy it desperately needed.

This unwavering support, combined with New Delhi’s silence on human rights abuses and electoral fraud, cemented India’s image as the enabler of a dictatorship. Without India’s backing, Hasina’s grip on power could not have endured.

Decade of exploitation

India’s support for Hasina was not altruistic. Throughout her tenure, key agreements favored Indian interests, from transit routes to energy exports, often at Bangladesh’s expense.

These deals were perceived by many as Hasina’s “return of favor” for India’s political backing, reinforcing the narrative that she served Indian interests rather than her own people. The suspicion that Hasina was turning Bangladesh into a client state of India—akin to the fate of Sikkim—further eroded trust.

This perception is central to Bangladesh’s national consciousness. While Hasina’s government leaned heavily on India, ordinary Bangladeshis saw this relationship as exploitative. The Awami League’s rule became synonymous with not just domestic oppression but also external subjugation.

Yet, India, remarkably, seems oblivious to the deep resentment this has fostered. Indian policymakers have historically viewed their relationship with Bangladesh through the prism of Hasina, failing to engage meaningfully with the people of Bangladesh.

India’s missteps were compounded by its media establishment, which played a significant role in distorting the narrative around Bangladesh’s political student-led revolution that ousted Hasina, as she shamefully fled to India by helicopter.

A recent study by Rumor Scanner exposed how 49 Indian media outlets spread 13 false stories about Bangladesh, many of which painted the country’s democratic uprising as an Islamist insurgency.

One of the most glaring examples was Indian media’s coverage of the post-Hasina uprising. Outlets like Firstpost and The Economic Times pushed unfounded claims that the protests were orchestrated by Pakistan’s ISI intelligence agency and China to install an anti-India government.

Such propaganda was not limited to fringe outlets. Even West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee joined the chorus, calling for a UN mission to intervene in Bangladesh—a statement that inflamed tensions further.

India framed the post-revolution backlash against the Awami League’s oppressive apparatus as targeted Hindu oppression, ignoring its roots in widespread political grievances.

By reducing the uprising to a communal narrative, India distorted Bangladesh’s struggle and further alienated its people, viewing it as an attempt to shield a discredited regime under the guise of protecting minorities.

The attacks on the Bangladeshi High Commission in Agartala, combined with the communal framing of events in Indian media, have only deepened anti-India sentiment in Bangladesh.

Indeed, these narratives ignored the democratic essence of the uprising, portraying it instead as a threat to regional stability. By perpetuating such disinformation, Indian media and politicians alienated the Bangladeshi populace further.

Rebuilding trust

As Bangladesh transitions from Hasina’s authoritarianism, India faces a critical choice: continue the policies of the past or recalibrate its approach to reflect the aspirations of a democratic Bangladesh. The latter requires New Delhi to undertake a fundamental shift in its engagement strategy.

1. Engage without an agenda to restore Sheikh Hasina: India must abandon its fixation on restoring the Awami League to power. Any attempts to engineer Hasina’s return or influence Bangladesh’s domestic politics will be met with resistance and could irreparably damage bilateral ties. Instead, India should focus on engaging with Bangladesh’s new leadership and fostering relationships that prioritize mutual respect and democratic values.
2. Recognize its role in the decade of oppression: Indian policymakers must acknowledge their role in enabling Hasina’s repressive regime. This is not merely an exercise in introspection but a necessary step to rebuild trust. By propping up Hasina, India choked a nation that had fought valiantly to restore democracy in the 1990s. This betrayal of democratic ideals will not be forgotten unless India actively seeks to atone for its mistakes.
3. Promote equity in partnerships: Bangladeshis widely perceive India’s deals with Hasina’s government as exploitative, benefiting India at Bangladesh’s expense. Moving forward, New Delhi must prioritize equitable agreements that serve both nations’ interests. This includes transparent negotiations on trade, energy, and transit that reflect a genuine partnership rather than a power imbalance.
4. Combat misinformation and communal narratives: Indian media must end its systematic campaign of misinformation about Bangladesh. Recognizing the democratic essence of Bangladesh’s struggles, rather than framing them as communal or Islamist threats, is crucial. This also extends to Indian political discourse, which must shed its communal lens when analyzing Bangladesh’s internal affairs.

Burying the Hasina past

India’s relationship with Bangladesh cannot remain tethered to the Hasina era.

To forge a new path, India must atone for its role in sustaining a regime that stifled democracy and alienated its people. This begins with acknowledging the harm caused by its actions, from political interference to exploitative deals and divisive media narratives.

Bangladesh’s fight for democracy has been long and arduous. Having emerged from the shadows of dictatorship, the nation now seeks a partner, not a patron. For India, this is an opportunity to build a relationship rooted in equality, respect and shared aspirations.

But if New Delhi fails to adapt and continues to provoke during Bangladesh’s transition toward forming a new national identity, it risks driving the nation toward a path like Pakistan’s—defined by resistance to Indian influence.

India’s choice is clear: rebuild trust and embrace a democratic Bangladesh, or remain haunted by the legacy of a lost decade.