Bangladesh Army: Amidst ongoing the tensions between India and Bangladesh, several videos of retired Bangladeshi army men making anti-India statements, have gone viral on social media platforms. In the videos, which have been widely shared and circulated on social media sites, ex-Bangladeshi army personnel are heard issuing provocative anti-India rhetoric, make claims like how could capture Kolkata in West Bengal, Assam “within four days.”
We are able to capture Kolkata within 4 days.
Retired Bangladesh Army Major.. pic.twitter.com/9YIQ5RYnw2
— Voice of Bangladeshi Hindus (@VHindus71) December 7, 2024
In one video, a retired army man claims how a core group of 5,100 army personnel could make this a reality and capture Kolkata and other key Indian territories within days if three million Bangladeshis joined them in their mission. In another clip, a former officer is heard making claims about how Bangladeshi Army is “better trained”, and “battle-ready” to defend their nation and teach India “a lesson”.
মোদিকে,অমিত,রাজনাতকে কঠিন হুঁশিয়ারি দিলেন অবসরপ্রাপ্ত সেনারা #bangladesh #army pic.twitter.com/JqGF9M4TYp
— тђᎥ ｋ€Ⓡ (@TuhinhasanT) December 7, 2024
The vexing comments by Bangladesh’s ex servicemen come in the backdrop of deteriorating ties between India and Bangladesh, which have taken a nosedive after the ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, and an interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad, coming to the helm in Dhaka.
Bangladesh has witnessed widespread communal violence against minorities, especially Hindus, which has soured Dhaka’s ties with New Delhi, with the latter accusing the Yunus-led interim government of not doing enough, and turning a blind eye to the atrocities perpetrated by radical Islamist elements against the minority Hindu community in the country.
Though the comments made by Bangladeshi ex-servicemen seem to have been made in a personal capacity, and do not represent the official stance of the Bangladeshi government or its armed forces, they do however raise concerns about the overall atmosphere about how Bangladesh and its citizens’ view of India has seemingly changed in recent times.
