Are Bangladesh’s Actions Aimed At Provoking India In Bay Of Bengal? | India News

As anti-India protests intensify across Bangladesh, tensions at sea are also rising; A series of maritime incidents in the Bay of Bengal have Indian officials worried. Over the past two months, India has observed a marked increase in the entry of Bangladeshi fishing boats into its waters; This has raised concerns about the security and safety of fishermen operating near the international maritime border.

The situation reached an explosive point on December 15 when a Bangladesh navy patrol ship allegedly collided with the Indian fishing trawler FB Parmita, which was carrying 16 fishermen from West Bengal. It was reported that the impact of the impact caused the trawler to capsize and everyone on board was thrown overboard. The incident coincided with rising anti-India sentiment in Bangladesh ahead of general elections scheduled for February.

According to reports, the navigation lights of the Bangladeshi vessel were turned off, preventing the Indian trawler from spotting it in the dark. The Indian Coast Guard managed to rescue 11 fishermen around 6 am the next morning, while five are still missing. A report in The Times of India claimed that a fisherman identified as Rajdul Ali Sheikh was killed with a “spear-like weapon”.

Claiming an attempt to kill everyone on board, survivors told investigators that the Bangladeshi ship rammed into the trawler as the fishermen were preparing to cast their nets. The police launched an investigation following a complaint by the Sundarban Sea Fishermen’s Workers Union.

The Indian Coast Guard is yet to confirm whether the Indian trawler has crossed into Bangladeshi waters or whether the Bangladeshi navy ship has entered Indian territory. Dhaka, meanwhile, described the reports as misleading, claiming the patrol ship was at least 12 nautical miles away from the scene.

This episode sparked intense debate on social media. Foreign affairs expert Raman Murti called the incident a deliberate provocation, tweeting: “Provocation. They want conflict with India. The only way for their miserable existence.” Another analyst wrote: “This is called pre-planned provocation and its purpose is to ambush us.”

Bangladeshi Fishing Boats in Indian Waters

The collision occurred amid a broader pattern of Bangladeshi fishing boats attempting to move deeper into India’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). On December 16, the Indian Coast Guard intercepted two Bangladeshi boats operating illegally in Indian waters, seizing approximately 500 kg of fish and detaining 35 crew members.

These were not isolated cases. In the last two months alone, Indian authorities have intercepted at least eight Bangladeshi boats and detained nearly 170 crew members. The frequency of such incidents, combined with the political climate in Bangladesh, attracted the attention of Indian security institutions.

Intelligence sources told News18 that these detentions were portrayed as harassment of poor fishermen by anti-India groups in Bangladesh, allegedly with the aim of inflaming public sentiment and provoking New Delhi.

Rising anti-India rhetoric

The rise in maritime incidents reflects a sharp rise in anti-India rhetoric since Bangladesh announced its election schedule last month. Following the overthrow of Sheikh Hasina’s government, the interim administration led by Muhammad Younis sought to expand Bangladesh’s influence in the Bay of Bengal. Yunus’ earlier description of Bangladesh as the “custodian of the ocean for this entire region” had irritated Indian policymakers.

Under Yunus, Bangladesh moved closer to Pakistan while giving more space to radical Islamist groups, including the once-banned Jamaat-e-Islami. In November, the Chief of Pakistan Navy paid a three-day visit to Bangladesh, the first high-level visit since 1971.

A parliamentary committee in India has warned that New Delhi faces the most significant strategic challenge linked to Bangladesh since the 1971 war, citing the growing influence of Pakistan and China in Dhaka.

Bangladesh on Friday witnessed a fresh wave of anti-India protests after radical leader and outspoken India critic Sharif Osman Hadi was shot dead by masked assailants. Protesters set fire to the offices of leading newspapers The Daily Star and Prothom Alo, laid siege to India’s diplomatic missions and shouted anti-India slogans outside the residence of the Indian Deputy High Commissioner.

The unrest began earlier in the week when hundreds of demonstrators marching under the “July Oikya” (July Unity) banner tried to approach the Indian High Commission in Dhaka. They demanded the extradition of Sheikh Hasina, who fled to Delhi in August last year.

The provocative words of student leaders further increased the tension. “When we win and reach Parliament, we will cut off Delhi’s head and send it back,” Hasnat Abdullah said at a rally on Thursday. Earlier in the week, he had threatened to isolate India’s “Seven Sisters” and provide shelter to separatist groups if Bangladesh was destabilized.

Although India has not publicly commented on the maritime incident, it summoned the Bangladesh High Commissioner on Wednesday to lodge a strong protest against the increasingly provocative statements and developments.