Advisor Nahid Islam has called on India to cease false propaganda against Bangladesh and to uphold respect for democracy and harmony. He expressed his concerns about the undemocratic behavior of the ruling authorities and Hindu nationalist forces in India, contrasting it with the solidarity shown by students in Kolkata and Delhi during Bangladesh’s ongoing mass uprising.
In a post on his verified X page on Tuesday night, Nahid Islam, Advisor for Information, Broadcasting, and ICT, wrote, “During the ongoing mass uprising in Bangladesh, students from Kolkata and Delhi expressed solidarity with us and protested against Sheikh Hasina’s atrocities. These democracy-loving people of India are our friends. However, India’s ruling authorities and Hindu nationalist forces do not desire such democratic relationships and harmony.”
He further stated, “The Indian ruling class engages in divisive politics, repeatedly issuing anti-Bangladesh statements. They perceive Bangladesh’s political awakening and student uprisings as threats, harboring animosity against the country. Using the term ‘minority persecution,’ they attempt to rehabilitate the fascist Awami League and disrupt Bangladesh’s democratic and nation-rebuilding processes.”
Nahid emphasized the cultural and historical ties between Bangladesh and Indian states like West Bengal, Tripura, and Assam, stating, “They are our stakeholders. During the mass uprising, students from Kolkata and Delhi stood in solidarity with us and protested Sheikh Hasina’s brutality. Yet, the Indian ruling authorities and Hindu nationalist forces oppose such democratic relationships.”
Reiterating the need for a paradigm shift in India-Bangladesh relations, Nahid wrote, “We have consistently urged the Indian government to stop viewing Bangladesh through the lens of the Awami League and to build a new relationship based on justice, fairness, and mutual respect. Bangladesh is committed to ensuring full citizenship rights, dignity, and security for all minorities, including Hindus. Under the Awami League, minorities faced the most oppression, yet Delhi unconditionally supported the party. While India fails to ensure the rights of its own minorities, it has harbored and supported the minority-oppressing Awami League in Bangladesh and enabled genocide.”
Nahid accused India of compromising its democratic values by continuing to support Sheikh Hasina, stating, “By sheltering and assisting the fugitive Sheikh Hasina, responsible for genocide and child killings, the Indian government risks undermining its democratic principles. India’s stability and integrity are intrinsically linked to that of Bangladesh.”
He warned against the BJP’s alleged attempts to use Bangladesh as an internal political issue, writing, “If the BJP tries to turn Bangladesh into a domestic political issue, it will harm India’s internal politics. Anti-Bangladesh and anti-Muslim politics will neither serve India’s national interest nor contribute to its unity. Therefore, we urge India to stop false propaganda against Bangladesh and to maintain harmony and respect for democracy.”
