On the partitions of Dhaka College, a slogan captures the political temper: “Delhi na Dhaka? Dhaka Dhaka.” The graffiti highlights the query — ought to or not it’s Delhi [ruling] or Dhaka [ruling]?
The mantra, which gained prominence through the July 2024 rebellion that ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, focused her authorities, accusing it of sustaining energy with help from India.
With Ms. Hasina’s get together, the Awami League, barred from contesting the February 12 election, the slogan and the sentiment behind it stay potent and have now been deployed as each protect and sword on the electoral battlefield.
As Bangladesh heads right into a landmark election, anti-India sentiment is reshaping political discourse.
Out of race
With the traditionally dominant and India-friendly Awami League out of the race, the 2 most important contenders, the Bangladesh Nationalist Get together (BNP) and the Jamaat-e-Islami alliance, are locked in a fierce contest to weaponise “pro-India” sentiments, utilizing it to discredit rivals earlier than an citizens deeply disillusioned with what many see as a long time of extreme Indian affect. Bijoy Talukder, an worker at a Dhaka-based consultancy agency who actively participated within the rebellion and is voting for the primary time, mentioned the slogan helped unite protesters towards the Awami League.
“We consider the get together managed to remain in energy with India’s all-out help. Now, on this election, main events are accusing one another of being pro-Indian as a result of they consider this label can nonetheless win or lose votes,” he mentioned. “This slogan really united us through the rebellion. It was some of the highly effective chants towards Sheikh Hasina.”
Political analysts say that being perceived as “pro-Indian” has turn out to be a political legal responsibility in Bangladesh.
Whereas events proceed to pledge cordial relations with neighbouring nations, together with India, they’re concurrently desperate to painting rivals as aligned with New Delhi, calculating that such a picture would damage them amongst voters.
Depending on Delhi
Ahsanul Mahbub Jubair, a central committee member of the Nationwide Citizen Get together (NCP), fashioned by pupil leaders who spearheaded the rebellion, advised The Hindu Ms. Hasina’s administration was outlined by exceptionally shut ties with India throughout safety, commerce and transit.
“Folks consider she subordinated nationwide pursuits to India. Her fall and subsequent flight to India bolstered this notion. India’s refusal to extradite her, regardless of the chief receiving a demise penalty from a home warfare crimes tribunal in Bangladesh, has turned her right into a dwelling image of Indian interference,” he mentioned.
“Most individuals consider India doesn’t need what’s finest for Bangladesh,” he added.
“Sheikh Hasina stayed in energy by means of three disputed elections with India’s help. Any get together that takes selections towards Bangladesh’s pursuits will now be branded pro-Indian.”
The NCP chief, whose get together has fashioned an electoral alliance with Jamaat-e-Islami, Bangladesh’s largest Islamist get together, alleged that India is now making an attempt to domesticate ties with the BNP as an alternative choice to the Awami League. “With the Awami League gone, India desires to fill that vacuum,” he mentioned. “That’s the reason this discourse stays central to the election.”
Anti-Indian sentiment continues to form marketing campaign rhetoric throughout the nation. Platforms that emerged after the rebellion regularly invoke the slogan at rallies, usually alongside leaders of main political events.
The BNP and Jamaat are engaged in an intense contest of nationalist one-upmanship, every accusing the opposite of inheriting what they name the Awami League’s “Delhi-dependent politics”.
As polling day approaches, Jamaat-e-Islami, traditionally nearer to Pakistan, which lengthy opposed Ms. Hasina’s rule, has repositioned itself as a defender of Bangladeshi sovereignty. Its manifesto emphasises mutual respect and equal dignity in overseas relations, pointedly rejecting any particular standing for India. Its marketing campaign subtly suggests {that a} BNP-led authorities would proceed Ms. Hasina’s India-centric overseas coverage.
However, the BNP, historically seen as a centrist get together, is treading fastidiously. Its manifesto guarantees an impartial and balanced overseas coverage, whereas get together supporters regularly counter Jamaat’s allegations by highlighting its controversial position through the 1971 Liberation Battle, when it sided with Pakistan.
Take a web page from India
M. Zakaria, an writer and political analyst, mentioned that even after the Awami League became an deserted entity in Bangladeshi politics, the follow of blaming one another as pro-Indian stays.
This has became frequent rhetoric among the many events. The core motive behind that is the dearth of cautious nurturing of the people-to-people contact between the 2 neighbouring states, he mentioned.
“Mockingly, this has now became an obsession amongst Bangladeshi youth, changing into a software for othering. One group in Bangladesh labels the opposite as ‘pro-Indian’ to have interaction in divisive politics,” Mr. Zakariah mentioned. “In India too, we see anybody with opposing political opinions usually being labelled as ‘Pakistani’ or ‘Bangladeshi’ and threatened with expulsion from the nation. The phenomenon in Bangladesh is solely a response to that”.
Printed – February 11, 2026 12:38 am IST