‘Detrimental’Bangladesh is almost entirely encircled by India, with a deeply intertwined history long before they were partitioned out of the Indian subcontinent in 1947.But while India’s 1.4 billion population and dominating economy overshadows Bangladesh — with a population of 170 million — Hasina also courted China.India and China, the world’s two most populous nations, are intense rivals competing for strategic influence across South Asia, including in Nepal, Sri Lanka and the Maldives.Hasina pursued a delicate balancing act, benefiting from support from New Delhi, while maintaining strong relations with Beijing.New Delhi saw a common threat in groups Hasina viewed as rivals and crushed with brutal force, including the key Bangladesh National Party (BNP).”India… worried that any alternative to Hasina and the Awami League could be detrimental to Indian interests,” said Michael Kugelman, director of the South Asia Institute at the Washington-based Wilson Center.”In New Delhi’s view, the BNP and its allies are dangerous Islamist forces that could imperil Indian interests.”Yunus has said he wants elections in Bangladesh “within a few months”.The BNP could be poised for a comeback, holding a mass rally in Dhaka this week.In the immediate aftermath of Hasina’s fall, some businesses and homes owned by Hindus were attacked, a group seen by some in Muslim-majority Bangladesh as having been her supporters.Hundreds of Bangladeshi Hindus this week arrived on India’s border, asking to cross.Hindu nationalist leader Modi on Thursday said he hoped “for an early return to normalcy, ensuring the safety and protection of Hindus and all other minority communities.”
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