What is Bangladesh going to do? Retired troops threaten to conquer Kolkata and Assam.
News Mania Desk / Piyal Chatterjee / 10th December 2024
Several videos of retired Bangladeshi army men expressing anti-India comments have gone popular on social media platforms as tensions between the two countries remain high. In the films, which have been widely downloaded and disseminated on social media platforms, ex-Bangladeshi army members are heard uttering provocative anti-India language, including promises that they could seize Kolkata in West Bengal and Assam “within four days.”
In one video, a retired army officer argues that a core group of 5,100 army troops could make this a reality and seize Kolkata and other critical Indian regions in days if three million Bangladeshis joined them in their objective. In another recording, a former general is heard saying that the Bangladeshi Army is “better trained” and “battle-ready” to defend their homeland.
The troubling comments by Bangladesh’s ex-servicemen come amid deteriorating ties between India and Bangladesh, which have taken a tumble after the overthrow of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and the establishment of an interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad in Dhaka.
Bangladesh has witnessed widespread communal violence against minorities, particularly Hindus, which has strained relations between Dhaka and New Delhi, with the latter accusing the Yunus-led interim government of failing to do enough and turning a blind eye to atrocities committed by radical Islamist elements against the country’s minority Hindu community.
Though the comments made by Bangladeshi ex-servicemen appear to have been made in a personal capacity and do not represent the official stance of the Bangladeshi government or its armed forces, they do raise concerns about the overall atmosphere regarding how Bangladesh and its citizens’ perceptions of India have changed in recent times.
