Anti-India sentiment in Bangladesh has reached its peak before the upcoming elections. Transgressing land borders, Bangladesh has started provocations in maritime boundaries. For the past two months, an unusual pattern of Bangladeshi intrusion into Indian waters in the Bay of Bengal has been observed. On December 15, it took a brutal turn. Allegedly, a Bangladesh Navy ship forcefully rammed and sank a trawler with 16 Indian fishermen in the middle of the sea. Is this incident merely an accident, or is there a larger geopolitical conspiracy behind it? Is Bangladesh following Pakistan's blueprint?
Indian fisherman killed with spear
Sixteen fishermen from West Bengal had gone fishing with a trawler named 'FB Paramita'. Horror struck as they were preparing to cast their nets. The fishermen allege that the Bangladeshi vessel came almost silently in the darkness without any lights and rammed the Indian trawler, sinking it. Later, the Indian Coast Guard rescued 11 people. The rest are still missing.
The brutality of the incident does not end here. The rescued fishermen claim that among their five missing companions, one named Rajdul Ali Sheikh was killed with a 'spear'-like weapon.
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Intrusion in Indian waters rising
After the ousting of the Sheikh Hasina government, Dhaka has been continuously trying to increase its influence in the Bay of Bengal region. At the same time, the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus is more focused on restoring relations with Islamabad.
Meanwhile, the Pakistani Navy chief had come on a visit to Dhaka. This was the first visit by a Pakistani Navy chief to Dhaka since 1971.
Simultaneously, Bangladeshi intrusion into India's Exclusive Economic Zone in the Bay of Bengal has risen. On December 6 itself, the Indian Coast Guard detained two Bangladeshi fishing boats within Indian territorial waters. Thirty-five Bangladeshi fishermen were detained, and 500 kg of fish was confiscated. The boat had come well inside Indian territorial waters. In total, the Coast Guard has detained several Bangladeshi boats and 170 fishermen in the past two months.
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Pakistan-China nexus behind this?
Diplomatic relations analysts refuse to accept this as coincidental. According to them, this is possibly a well-planned trap. Continuous provocation is being carried out so that India is forced to take an extreme step. And after that, a surprise attack could be launched.
In fact, Indian intelligence has reported that fundamentalists in Bangladesh are showcasing the detention of Bangladeshi fishermen as 'India's oppression', further inciting anti-India sentiments.
Overall, Muhammad Yunus's Bangladesh is increasing India's concerns in the waters alongside the land. Clear indications of a well-planned attempt to increase India's discomfort in South Asian waters are being observed. Intelligence suspects that behind this lies the blueprint of the Pakistan-China axis.
