Bangladesh protests push India ties to the brink, fanning regional security fears

People take part in a protest organised by cultural organisation Chhayanaut against arson and vandalism of cultural institutions in Dhaka on December 23, 2025. The killing of popular student leader Sharif Osman Hadi in Dhaka set off protests on December 18 as angry mobs torched several buildings, including two major newspapers Prothom Alo and the Daily Star deemed to favour India as well as a prominent cultural institution. (Photo by Munir UZ ZAMAN / AFP)

People taking part in a protest organised by cultural organisation Chhayanaut against arson and vandalism of cultural institutions in Dhaka on Dec 23.

PHOTO: AFP

Nirmala Ganapathy

and

Kalicharan Veera Singam

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India-Bangladesh relations are strained due to the ousting of Sheikh Hasina and rising instability and anti-India sentiment in Bangladesh.
Recent events, including the death of a student leader and a Hindu man, sparked anti-India protests and raised security concerns for India.
Analysts suggest India needs a new approach, engaging with all political entities, and supporting democracy to restore trust and stability.

AI generated

NEW DELHI/SINGAPORE – The chill in India-Bangladesh ties shows little signs of thawing ahead of Bangladesh’s February election, with the

killing of a student leader

and lynching of a Hindu man in Bangladesh emerging as the latest triggers in a widening set of disputes that could carry grave security implications for South Asia.

Once the model of neighbourliness in a tumultuous region, India-Bangladesh ties spiralled

after the August 2024 ouster of then Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina,

who enjoyed the trust and support of New Delhi throughout her 15-year tenure. She now lives in self-imposed exile in the Indian capital and is increasingly a political liability for India.

Bangladesh protests push India ties to the brink, fanning regional security fears

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