Should not Hasina tender an apology to Hindu society

As Bangladesh slowly returns to normalcy after many days of violence, arson attacks and national chaos following the demise of a young radical leader, Sharif Osman Bin Hadi, the South Asian nation prepares for the general elections scheduled for 12 February 2026 with no possibility of participation by ousted premier Sheikh Hasina’s party, Awami League, in the electoral process.

The Muslim majority nation of 170 million people continues drawing international media attention since  Hasina was ousted by a student-led mass uprising in July-August 2024, following which she took shelter in New Delhi.

Inqilab Mancha spokesperson Hadi, who died in Singapore undergoing treatment following a shooting attack in Dhaka, often made anti-Hasina statements in public forums. As the lady, along with many of her Awami League associates continue to stay in India even after facing a death sentence in a Bangladesh court for her crimes against humanity during last year’s rebellion, his statements eventually went against India. Ignoring repeated official communiqués from the Dhaka-based current interim regime led by Nobel laureate Dr Muhammad Yunus, New Delhi remains non-committal over her repatriation.

Now, many of Hasina's sympathisers have rumoured that the Hadi’s killers had entered India soon after the shooting incident, and they are enjoying hospitality here. So the entire fury has gone against India, and the motivated elements stepped up activities targeting the religious minorities in different parts of Bangladesh.

 The prime accused, Faisal Karim Masud, who was associated with Chhatra League, the student wing of Hasina’s party, continues to abscond, and there is no confirmed report that Faisal actually entered India.

The massive protests and demonstrations that erupted after Hadi’s death put the whole country in chaos. For two days (18-19 December), Bangladesh witnessed a sweeping violent agitation with the demands for justice to Hadi and also the extradition of Hasina to face the trials in her home turf. Many demonstrators raised slogans against New Delhi, blaming it for giving shelter to  Hadi’s suspected killers, besides Hasina and her thousands of associates.

Amid the chaotic situation, a Hindu youth named Deepu Chandra Das was brutally murdered at the Bhaluka area of  Mymensingh locality by an angry mob alleging an unfounded derogatory remark against Islam. Deepu, 27, a local garment worker, faced the brutal assault following an allegation by some of his coworkers on 18 December.

He was lynched to death, and later the body was hanged on a tree branch to be set on fire. Several onlookers were seen in a video clip that went viral on social media, recording the horrible incident on their mobile phones.

 The interim government promptly condemned the lynching incident and assured that the perpetrators would not be spared.

Just a few days back,  another Hindu named Uttam Kumar Barman was lynched to death with the same allegation of blasphemy.  The  Rangpur-based trader was targeted by a mob on 13 December in the Pirgachha area, alleging that the 45-year-old grocery store owner made an objectionable social media post against Islam.

West Bengal’s legislative assembly opposition leader, Suvendu Adhikari, led a protest demonstration recently where thousands joined. The demonstrators outside the Kolkata campus of the Bangladesh deputy high commission demanded effective protection for the Hindus and other religious minorities in that country. Mentionable is that the Bangladesh police have arrested over 12 individuals suspecting their involvement with the murder.

Lately, Hasina came out with a critical comment over the current turmoil in Bangladesh, accusing the Yunus-led interim government of being a failed entity. She termed the tragic killings as a reflection of lawlessness that has become the norm, where the interim government either denies it or remains powerless to address it.

Alleging that the current authority put ‘extremists’ in top positions, released convicted terrorists from prison and allowed international terrorists to play roles in public life, Hasina also blamed it for the strained relations with India. Finally, Hasina rejected any call to return to Bangladesh ‘to face political assassination’ until a legitimate government is installed in Dhaka that supports an independent judiciary. She did not forget to offer thanks to New Delhi for its continued hospitality since her departure from Dhaka last year.

India’s stand on Hasina’s stay is clear, which is guided by its civilizational ethos and humanitarian tradition of offering refuge to individuals facing circumstances of grave distress or existential threat. New Delhi had earlier sent a strong message demanding justice for Deepu, saying that India remains concerned over the deteriorating security situation in Bangladesh affecting the religious minorities.

Now the question that arises is, why should not tender an apology to the Sanatani Hindu society, as she too failed to protect the Hindus and other minority families during her long tenure as the premier of Bangladesh, and today she is compelled to take a temporary shelter in a Hindu majority country after no nation came forward to support her in the time of distress!

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