Anti-India sentiment serves as both shield and sword in Bangladesh polls

In Bangladesh's election, anti-India sentiment shapes political discourse, as rivals weaponize pro-India views to gain voter support.

On the walls of Dhaka University, a slogan captures the political mood: “Delhi na Dhaka? Dhaka Dhaka.” The graffiti highlights the question — should it be Delhi [ruling] or Dhaka [ruling]?

The chant, which gained prominence during the July 2024 uprising that ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, targeted her government, accusing it of maintaining power with support from India.

With Ms. Hasina’s party, the Awami League, barred from contesting the February 12 election, the slogan and the sentiment behind it remain potent and have now been deployed as both shield and sword on the electoral battlefield.

As Bangladesh heads into a landmark election, anti-India sentiment is reshaping political discourse.

With the historically dominant and India-friendly Awami League out of the race, the two main contenders, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and the Jamaat-e-Islami alliance, are locked in a fierce contest to weaponise “pro-India” sentiments, using it to discredit rivals before an electorate deeply disillusioned with what many see as decades of excessive Indian influence. Bijoy Talukder, an employee at a Dhaka-based consultancy firm who actively participated in the uprising and is voting for the first time, said the slogan helped unite protesters against the Awami League.

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