Are China and Pakistan behind Sheikh Hasina’s ouster in Bangladesh?

Is a foreign hand behind Sheikh Hasina’s fall in Bangladesh?

According to some media reports, Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and China are behind Hasina’s ouster.

Hasina, the long-time prime minister of Bangladesh, resigned and fled the country on Monday.

The development came after over 100 people were killed in anti-government protests regarding the controversial quota system over the weekend.

The Bangladesh Army has taken over with General Waqar-uz-Zaman calling for peace and saying an interim government is being formed.

But did China and Pakistan conspire to get rid of Hasina?

Let’s take a closer look:

ISI used students?

News18 quoted top intel sources on Monday as saying that that Pakistan’s ISI was using students to pressure Hasina into quitting.

The aim was to establish an anti-India government, sources said.

ISI sleeper cells were also being activated against Hasina, they added.

“ISI is using Jamat and their student unit Chhatra Shivir to aggravate the crisis in Dhaka. Jamat is considered to be very close to Pakistan and secret funding was given to them from time to time. They regular get briefings and instructions from the Pakistan mission in Dhaka,” they said.

“ISI is using Jamat and their student unit Chhatra Shivir to aggravate the crisis in Dhaka. Jamat is considered to be very close to Pakistan and secret funding was given to them from time to time. They regular get briefings and instructions from the Pakistan mission in Dhaka,” they said.

The Times of India reported that the Islami Chhatra Shibir, the student arm of the Jaamati-e-Islami Bangladesh, was adding fuel to the fire of the protests against Hasina.

All this with the aim of toppling the Hasina regime for a government far friendlier to Islamabad and Beijing and which would turn a blind eye to the Islamist terror groups operating out of Bangladesh.

The newspaper said intelligence inputs indicated that members of the ICS had ‘meticulously planned’ to provoke widespread violence across Bangladesh.

“The ISI-backed Jamaat-e-Islami had received substantial financial backing earlier this year to destabilise the Sheikh Hasina govt. A significant portion of this funding is believed to have originated from Chinese entities operating in Pakistan,” an official told the newspaper.

Intelligence agencies have been monitoring the ICS for a while now.

As per the newspaper, the student arm reportedly operates with in sync with the Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami (HuJI) – a Pakistan-based Deobandi terrorist group backed by the ISI.

“The ultimate objective of Jamaat or ICS is to establish a Taliban-type govt in Bangladesh, and the ISI has been assuring them of their support in achieving this goal. Their proximity became flagrant in the wake of the strengthening ties between the Indian and Bangladeshi governments,” an intelligence officer, speaking on condition of anonymity, told the newspaper.

Sources also pointed News18 to an unusual development.

“Recently, an unusual move was seen which is normally not done by Foreign Missions. The Pakistan embassy asked students to take shelter, if needed, in the mission. Diplomatic missions are never seen doing this.”

Sources said the ISI thought the Awami League government had New Delhi’s backing and ought to be removed to “create ripples in this part of the neighbourhood.”

“Through this, they get multiple border entry points into India for all kinds of activities. They want the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) to come to power and support Pakistan,” sources added.

What about China?

According to The Times of India, China’s ministry of State and Security (MSS) is also suspected to have lent a helping hand.

This, as Beijing had tired of Hasina trying to balance her handling of India and China.

An intelligence source told the newspaper a new government in Dhaka with pro-Pakistan leanings will only play to China’s benefit.

 In any case, MSS has lately been more proactive.

“An example of this is a propaganda video recently circulated by the MSS in China, warning of ‘foreign spies being everywhere. This was highly uncharacteristic of MSS,” the officer added.

Meanwhile, ex-Bangladesh High Commissioner Veena Sikri on Monday, speaking to The Tribune, called the developments in Bangladesh “worrisome for India.”

Sikri said she did not rule out a foreign hand in the matters, adding that a students’ movement for abolition of quotas in the neighbouring nation somehow transformed into a political protest.

She noted the presence of members of the banned Jamaat-e-Islami during protests.

Sikri pointed to China’s treatment of Hasina during her recent visit as evidence of a possible foreign hand guiding events.

“I have always been worried about a foreign hand (in the Bangladesh situation). The most recent indicator of this was when Sheikh Hasina’s visit to China went very badly. It shocked me. China did not accord her a proper protocol welcome. Xi Jinping did not give her a separate meeting. This was uncharacteristic of China. One could not fathom why China did this. But now one can see. The Pakistan-China nexus is very strong,” Sikri said.

She said the role played by the Jamaat-e-Islami will trouble New Delhi.

“India is very worried about this instability. We want the situation to calm down. The Bangladesh Army Chief has said an interim government will take charge, but we do not know what shape this interim government will take. Many lists are circulating as of now. We will have to wait and see,” she said.

“Jamaat-e-Islami’s role seems to be a very large one. It forces us to think whether there is a Pakistan-China hand behind development in Bangladesh,” she added.

Conspiracy to take out Hasina?

The Centre at today’s all-party meet to discuss the scenario in Bangladesh said that it is possible that there was a conspiracy to oust Hasina, NDTV quoted sources as saying.

The all-party meet was chaired by Foreign Minister S Jaishankar.

The Centre said numerous political players could be involved in the conspiracy to topple the regime.

Jaishankar also informed leaders about what the Centre was doing to deal with the fallout of Hasina fleeing.

He said the government is keeping an eye on things and is in constant contact with the Bangladeshi Army to ensure the safety of Indian citizens and minorities.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi at the meet posed three questions to Jaishankar – what is the Centre’s short-term and long-term plan to deal with the situation, is Pakistan involved and if the government has foreseen this developments.

Jaishankar replied that the Centre is keeping a close eye on things so it can formulate its response and that the government is looking into whether Islamabad is involved.

“It is too early to rule in or rule out anything, but a Pakistani diplomat did change his social media profile picture to support the agitation in Bangladesh,” Jaishankar was quoted as saying by News18.

Meanwhile, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has voices his concern over the situation.

“We still don’t know who is going to be in the interim government. There are some understandable concerns in India about the increasing influence of the Jamaat-e-Islami, which has taken a very hostile attitude to India in the past, and possible meddling by China and Pakistan…We don’t want an unstable or an unfriendly neighbour,” Tharoor told ANI.

Tharoor also voiced concern over the recent attacks on Hindu homes, temples, and individuals in Bangladesh, warning of a potential refugee crisis if the situation doesn’t stabilise soon.

“There are some disturbing reports coming, of attacks on Hindu homes, temples and individuals. We all saw the pictures of looting yesterday. It may calm down and stabilize in a couple of days, if it doesn’t, then there is a risk even of refugees fleeing to our country and that would be a matter of grave concern. I hope that our High Commissioner and our staff there are safe and monitoring the situation closely,” he told ANI.

With inputs from agencies