Fresh diplomatic tension over Khagrachari: India denies, Bangladesh insists on allegations
Chittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh has always been a sensitive area. The region is often discussed due to long-standing conflicts, land grabs and violence between the Pahari and Bengali communities. A recent rape-allegation and subsequent violence in Khagrachari district has once again created instability. It has been alleged by Bangladesh that India may be fueling the unrest. But India directly denied the allegations. This counter statement is pushing the relationship of the two countries to a new controversy.
Bangladesh Allegations: India's Role and Fueling Fascists
Home Affairs Adviser Lieutenant General (Retd.) Jahangir Alam said in response to questions from journalists at an event at Puran Ramna police station in the capital.
"A faction is trying to destabilize the situation in Khagrachari. It is fueled by India or fascists."
His speech created a stir not only in Bangladesh but also in the international arena. Because directly accusing a neighboring country is diplomatically sensitive.
India's denial and counterclaim
India's External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Randhir Jaswal said at the weekly briefing on Friday—
"We reject such baseless allegations. Bangladesh's interim government is failing to maintain law and order and is blaming others to cover up its own inefficiency."
He also claimed that the real problem is inside Bangladesh. Extremist groups are engaged in occupying the land of hill minorities and torturing them. In his words—
"Dhaka should look into itself. The real truth will come out only after a proper investigation into the attacks on hill communities and land grabbing."
Khagrachari rape allegation: The beginning of the incident
On September 23, a girl was raped unconsciously in Singinala area of Khagrachari district headquarters. The next day his father filed a case against the three unknown accused. Police quickly arrested a 19-year-old Shayan Sheel.
But the situation took a different turn as the investigation progressed. According to the medical report, the girl was not actually raped. That is, the allegation was not proved.
Spread of violence
Tension spread in the area before the truth of the incident was confirmed. The miscreants organized and ransacked hundreds of houses and shops. Even cases of arson occur. As a result, panic spread throughout Khagrachari district. Many people left their homes and took refuge in safe places.
Law and order forces were deployed to control the violent situation. Still the unrest did not subside; Rather, it gradually began to take a political form.
Why did the subject of Sheikh Hasina come forward?
In the context of Bangladesh's recent relations with India, the topic of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has also come up for discussion. On August 5, 2024, he was ousted in a mass coup and took refuge in India and is still staying there.
Bangladesh government is repeatedly complaining that Hasina is trying to create instability in the country from India. As a result, when Khagrachari incident occurs, many people associate it with this context.
Chittagong Hill Tracts: A long-standing complex context
Chittagong Hill Tracts has always been a politically and socially complex region.
land grab,
Conflict between minority and majority,
Activism of armed groups,
and mistrust of central government—
All in all, the region became less turbulent. Many analysts believe that Khagrachari's recent unrest is a manifestation of this long-standing problem.
New tension in Bangladesh-India relations
In the past, India claimed that it was never directly involved in Bangladesh's internal crisis, but many circles inside Bangladesh questioned India's influence. This time too the same controversy has come forward.
The government of Bangladesh believes that outside forces are fueling the unrest within the country. On the other hand, India says that it is Dhaka's political failure. Thus, the lack of trust between the two countries is again visible.
Future implications
These counter-allegations will not only affect diplomatic relations but may also complicate the security situation in Khagrachari and Chittagong Hill Tracts.
On the one hand, there is growing fear among the local population.
On the other hand, the political instability of Bangladesh is being discussed again in the international arena.
If the situation is not brought under control soon, the stability of the region will suffer in the long run.
The recent violence in Khagrachari is not just a local phenomenon; Rather, it is a reflection of Bangladesh's internal political situation and relations with neighboring India. Bangladesh's direct accusation against India and India's counter-reaction prove how fragile the relationship between the two countries is at present.
Therefore, the most urgent thing now is not to blame politically, but to identify the real criminals and instigators and bring them under the law. Otherwise the Chittagong Hill Tracts will once again burn in the flames of unrest and it will bring instability to the entire country.
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