Distinguished Professor Ali Riaz has been quoted by the Voice of America (VOA) and the South China Morning Post (SCMP) on the growing anti-Indian sentiment in Bangladesh. Since the controversial election on January 7, 2024, there is growing resentment against India as it supported the incumbent Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her party.
Riaz told the VOA that backers of the “India Out” campaign (in Bangladesh) assert that without India’s support for the Awami League government, the U.S. might have played a more robust role before or after the election. He told the SCMP that it was widely perceived that the non-action by the U.S. (regarding the flawed election) was due to India’s support for Hasina’s government.
“India has played the role of a positive catalyst in the democratic backsliding in Bangladesh for around a decade,” Riaz told the SCMP. “In large measure, this ‘India Out’ campaign is a reaction to India’s unqualified support to the Sheikh Hasina government for years, particularly during the 2024 election.”
