Echoing popular sentiment, Dhaka seeks apology from Islamabad

By Nava Thakuria*

Bangladesh's interim government recently requested an apology from Islamabad for the 1971 genocide by Pakistani forces during a foreign secretary-level meeting in Dhaka on April 17. This Foreign Office Consultation, the first in 15 years, also involved other issues raised by Bangladesh, while Pakistan emphasized continued dialogue. Although interim leader Professor Muhammad Yunus seeks to resolve issues with Pakistan, ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had strongly advocated for an unconditional apology until her resignation following student protests last July-August.

The current Dhaka regime echoes this sentiment, despite Hasina's refuge in Delhi. Bangladesh asserts that Pakistani troops killed approximately three million people and raped over two hundred thousand Bengali women in 1971, culminating in Pakistan's surrender on December 16 after Indian support for freedom fighters. Dhaka also pressed for the repatriation of roughly three hundred thousand stranded Pakistani citizens.

Prior to Bangladesh's independence, significant East Pakistani migration to Assam occurred due to linguistic similarities with the Assamese. The liberation war exacerbated this influx, burdening Assam, though locals initially supported the Bengali speakers. However, the situation became alarming for Assamese people, leading to the anti-foreigner Assam Movement in the 1980s demanding detection and deportation of illegal migrants.

The central government's response was the 1985 Assam Accord, asking Assam to accept pre-March 25, 1971 migrants. Shockingly, Assam was left to bear this burden alone, with little concern from Parliament. Subsequent Assam governments also failed to address the continued influx, a recurring issue in state and national elections, exploited by political opportunists.

Now, Dhaka's interim government is reportedly pursuing legal action against Hasina, currently in Delhi, for alleged involvement in mass killings during the monsoon uprising. Bangladesh has appealed to INTERPOL for a Red Notice against Hasina and associates. While not arrest warrants, Red Notices are international requests to locate individuals for legal proceedings.

This development could embarrass New Delhi, given Hasina's asylum without formal declaration. Professor Yunus reportedly reiterated the demand for Hasina's repatriation during a recent meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Bangkok. New Delhi may need to navigate this situation carefully, potentially considering discussions with Dhaka regarding ongoing migration from Bangladesh to India, particularly Assam.

---

*Senior journalist based in Guwahati

Comments

Gujarat minority rights group seeks suspension of Botad police officials for brutal assault on minor

By A Representative A human rights group, the Minority Coordination Committee (MCC) Gujarat, has written to the Director General of Police (DGP), Gandhinagar, demanding the immediate suspension and criminal action against police personnel of Botad police station for allegedly brutally assaulting a minor boy from the Muslim community.

On Teachers’ Day, remembering Mother Teresa as the teacher of compassion

By Fr. Cedric Prakash SJ It is Teachers’ Day once again! Significantly, the day also marks the Feast of St. Teresa of Calcutta (still lovingly called Mother Teresa). In 2012, the United Nations, as a fitting tribute to her, declared this day the International Day of Charity. A day pregnant with meaning—one that we must celebrate as meaningfully as possible.

Targeted eviction of Bengali-speaking Muslims across Assam districts alleged

By A Representative A delegation led by prominent academic and civil rights leader Sandeep Pandey visited three districts in Assam—Goalpara, Dhubri, and Lakhimpur—between 2 and 4 September 2025 to meet families affected by recent demolitions and evictions. The delegation reported widespread displacement of Bengali-speaking Muslim communities, many of whom possess valid citizenship documents including Aadhaar, voter ID, ration cards, PAN cards, and NRC certification.

A comrade in culture and controversy: Yao Wenyuan’s revolutionary legacy

By Harsh Thakor* This year marks two important anniversaries in Chinese revolutionary history—the 20th death anniversary of Yao Wenyuan, and the 50th anniversary of his seminal essay "On the Social Basis of the Lin Biao Anti-Party Clique". These milestones invite reflection on the man whose pen ignited the first sparks of the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution and whose sharp ideological interventions left an indelible imprint on the political and cultural landscape of socialist China.

Gandhiji quoted as saying his anti-untouchability view has little space for inter-dining with "lower" castes

By A Representative A senior activist close to Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA) leader Medha Patkar has defended top Booker prize winning novelist Arundhati Roy’s controversial utterance on Gandhiji that “his doctrine of nonviolence was based on an acceptance of the most brutal social hierarchy the world has ever known, the caste system.” Surprised at the police seeking video footage and transcript of Roy’s Mahatma Ayyankali memorial lecture at the Kerala University on July 17, Nandini K Oza in a recent blog quotes from available sources to “prove” that Gandhiji indeed believed in “removal of untouchability within the caste system.”

'Govts must walk the talk on gender equality, right to health, human rights to deliver SDGs by 2030'

By A Representative With just 64 months left to deliver on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), global health and rights advocates have called upon governments to honour their commitments on gender equality and the human right to health. Speaking ahead of the 80th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), experts warned that rising anti-rights and anti-gender pushes are threatening hard-won progress on SDG-3 (health and wellbeing) and SDG-5 (gender equality).

Is U.S. fast losing its financial and technological edge under Trump’s second tenure?

By Dr. Manoj Kumar Mishra* The United States, along with its Western European allies, once promoted globalization as a democratic force that would deliver shared prosperity and balanced growth. That promise has unraveled. Globalization, instead of building an even world, has produced one defined by inequality, asymmetry of power, and new vulnerabilities. For decades, Washington successfully turned this system to its advantage. Today, however, under Trump’s second administration, America is attempting to exploit the weaknesses of others without acknowledging how exposed it has become itself.

Bhojpuri cinema’s crisis: When popularity becomes an excuse for vulgarity

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat* Bhojpuri cinema is expanding rapidly. Songs from new films are eagerly awaited, and the industry is hailed for its booming business. Yet, big money and mass popularity do not automatically translate into quality cinema or meaningful content. The market has compelled us to celebrate numbers, even when what is being produced is deeply troubling.

What mainstream economists won’t tell you about Chinese modernisation

By Shiran Illanperuma China’s modernisation has been one of the most remarkable processes of the 21st century and one that has sparked endless academic debate. Meng Jie (孟捷), a distinguished professor from the School of Marxism at Fudan University in Shanghai, has spent the better part of his career unpacking this process to better understand what has taken place.

Counterview

Search This Blog