A year before Sheikh Hasina was forced to resign and leave the country, Indian officials told their US counterparts to stop pressuring the government. former prime minister of BangladeshThe Washington Post reported this news quoting Indian and American officials.
Hasina, 76, has been publicly criticised by US diplomats for jailing thousands of her rivals and critics ahead of national elections in January 2024.
The US administration has imposed sanctions on a Bangladesh police unit accused of carrying out extrajudicial kidnappings and killings under the leadership of an Awami League leader. It has also threatened to impose visa restrictions on Bangladeshis who undermine democracy or violate human rights.
Liberal pro-democracy rhetoric: from India to the US
During several high-level meetings, Indian officials urged the United States to tone down its pro-democracy rhetoric regarding Bangladesh. They argued that if the opposition gained power through open elections, it could turn Bangladesh into a hub for Islamist groups, threatening India’s national security.
“You look at it at the level of democracy, but for us, these issues are much more serious and existential,” said an Indian official, speaking to The Washington Post on condition of anonymity.
He said, “There were a number of conversations with the Americans in which we said, ‘This is a core concern for us, and until we have some sort of strategic consensus, you cannot take us as a strategic partner.'”
This led to the Biden administration to soften its criticism and drop threats of further sanctions against Hasina’s regime, disappointing many Bangladeshis. However, according to the report, US officials said it was a deliberate move linked to Indian lobbying.
Was the situation in Bangladesh not handled properly?
Protesters defying curfew orders imposed by the military marched on Prime Minister Hasina’s official residence, forcing her to flee to India. Policymakers in New Delhi and Washington are now forced to reevaluate whether they mishandled the situation in Bangladesh.
“There’s always a need to strike a balance in Bangladesh because the situation on the ground is complex in many places, and you want to work with your partners in a way that is consistent with the expectations of the American people,” said one U.S. official, who, like several others interviewed, spoke on condition of anonymity because of the diplomatic sensitivity of the matter.
Ahead of elections in January, differences emerged in the Biden administration over how to deal with Bangladesh. Some in the US State Department, including then-ambassador Peter Haass and others, sought a tougher stance against former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, people familiar with the matter told The Washington Post.
Meanwhile, others argued that further isolating the Awami League leader would not do the US much good.
According to the report, some US officials also considered the consequences following India’s protest, urging the Biden administration to ease pressure on Sheikh Hasina, including during a meeting between External Affairs Minister Jaishankar, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin in New Delhi in November last year.
National Security Advisor Ajit Doval also played an important role in presenting the Indian side during his visit to the US that autumn.
A U.S. official said, “The United States’ approach to Bangladesh has always tried to be consistent with our values — and we’ve talked about this publicly on a number of occasions — but also pragmatic about the reality that the situation in Bangladesh is very complex and we and other countries have many interests there.”
“We had to try to find a constructive way to engage with that administration, as we do everywhere. So our policy was about trying to find a balance between those two things.”
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