Bengal BJP worried over ban on Awami League in Bangladesh
The Statesman | 16 May 2025
A day after India has formally expressed concern over the ban imposed on Awami League in Bangladesh, Bengal BJP and religious leaders from the state expressed severe concerns over the ongoing crisis in Bangladesh.
The ministry of external affairs in New Delhi addressed the development during a Press briefing on Tuesday evening, with spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal calling the sudden imposition of the ban “deeply troubling.” “Imposing such a ban without following due process is a cause for concern,” Jaiswal said. “As a democratic nation, India naturally views any curtailment of democratic freedoms in its neighborhood with alarm.” The development has sparked reactions from political and spiritual leaders across India.
Advertisement
Rahul Sinha, a senior BJP leader and former national executive member, called the situation in Bangladesh “worrisome for both India and West Bengal.” “The way democratic space is shrinking in Bangladesh and how a legitimately elected government has been overthrown, followed by brutal targeting of minorities, is not just disturbing for India but for the people of Bengal as well,” Sinha said. He further questioned how democracy could be restored in the absence of a major political player like the Awami League. Tensions escalated on Monday night following the arrest of Momtaz Begum, a popular folk singer (popular both in Bengal and Bangladesh) and three-time former Member of Parliament for the Awami League. Dhaka Metropolitan Police detained her at her residence in the capital’s Dhanmondi area for interrogation. Known for her powerful performances and famous track Amar haat bandhbi, pa bandhbi, mon bandhbi kemne? (You can tie my hands and feet, but how will you bind my soul?), Momtaz had retreated from public life since the mass anti-government student protests that swept across Bangladesh in mid-2024.
Her arrest drew condemnation from human rights advocates and religious leaders in India. Swami Paramatmananda Maharaj of the Sri Panchayati Akhara, Mahanirbani, a leading figure of the Hindu monastic order, said: “The way legal crackdowns have begun against Awami League leaders following the ban is a grave violation of human rights.” He added that the Indian religious community “strongly condemns” the developments. Swami Pradiptananda, alias Kartik Maharaj of Bharat Sevashram Sangha in West Bengal’s Beldanga, echoed India’s diplomatic stance, backing the call for “a swift, free, and inclusive election in Bangladesh.”
“India has consistently urged Bangladesh to ensure the prompt conduct of democratic elections since the political upheaval in August 2024,” Kartik Maharaj said. The ban on the Awami League follows months of political turbulence in Bangladesh, marked by street protests, accusations of electoral fraud, and rising authoritarianism. The sudden crackdown on opposition leaders and activists has raised alarms internationally about the erosion of democratic institutions in the South Asian nation.
India, which shares deep historical and cultural ties with Bangladesh, has taken an unusually vocal stance in recent weeks, urging Dhaka to restore political plurality and protect fundamental rights. Analysts say the situation could strain bilateral ties and disrupt regional stability unless addressed through diplomatic channels and internal reforms.