From Chanakya to Jaishankar, Dhaka’s Intellectuals Reassess Delhi as Interim Regime Faces a Reality Check
-- Observers in Dhaka described it as “Chanakya niti in action”—a strategic blend of empathy, foresight, and timing.
One detail stood out: Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s letter, handed personally by Jaishankar. Had it been routine, Dhaka watchers noted, India’s envoy could have delivered it.
Equally telling was what did not happen. Despite reported attempts, Jaishankar skipped a meeting with Muhammad Yunus, citing time constraints—an omission widely read as deliberate.
As one Bengali commentator quipped: “Jaishankar Bangladesh-e machhi marte ashen nai (He did not come to Dhaka to catch flies.)”
The message from Dhaka’s thinking class is increasingly clear: mob politics cannot deliver development, Pakistan cannot anchor stability, and India understands diplomacy better than anyone in the region.
Yunus Tilts to Pakistan, But Bangladesh Knows: India Still Matters
It is called fact-checking, and it arrived barely 17 months after an interim regime assumed power in Dhaka following what many quietly describe as an orchestrated regime change that pushed Sheikh Hasina aside.
Ironically, this turbulent phase may be remembered as one of the most instructive periods for Bangladesh to rediscover Bharat—and the strategic depth attached to it.
Across Dhaka’s television studios, an unusual consensus is emerging. Eminent journalists, former bureaucrats, and strategic commentators are openly questioning the interim regime’s growing proximity to Pakistan.
One panelist put it bluntly: “In this situation, no one is standing with you except Pakistan—and Pakistan itself is unsure of its own standing.”
Another striking comparison came from a retired senior civil servant who recalled Lal Bahadur Shastri’s resignation as India’s Railway Minister after a train accident—an act still cited in Bangladesh as a benchmark of political accountability.
“Leaders here would never resign,” he remarked acidly, adding: “At best, they cling to office.”
Amid this churn, one Indian name is repeatedly mentioned in Dhaka—and often with admiration: External Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar.
During televised debates, one Bangladeshi expert ranked him among the top 10 diplomats globally, some even placing him in the top five. His recent visit to Dhaka—to pay respects to former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia—has been dissected threadbare.
What truly caught attention was Jaishankar’s carefully choreographed meeting with Tarique Rahman, widely seen as a future prime ministerial contender.
The optics mattered: a handshake, a message, and a visible acknowledgment of Bangladesh’s next political chapter.
It is called fact-checking, and it arrived barely 17 months after an interim regime assumed power in Dhaka following what many quietly describe as an orchestrated regime change that pushed Sheikh Hasina aside.
Ironically, this turbulent phase may be remembered as one of the most instructive periods for Bangladesh to rediscover Bharat—and the strategic depth attached to it.
Across Dhaka’s television studios, an unusual consensus is emerging. Eminent journalists, former bureaucrats, and strategic commentators are openly questioning the interim regime’s growing proximity to Pakistan.
One panelist put it bluntly: “In this situation, no one is standing with you except Pakistan—and Pakistan itself is unsure of its own standing.”
Another striking comparison came from a retired senior civil servant who recalled Lal Bahadur Shastri’s resignation as India’s Railway Minister after a train accident—an act still cited in Bangladesh as a benchmark of political accountability.
“Leaders here would never resign,” he remarked acidly, adding: “At best, they cling to office.”
Amid this churn, one Indian name is repeatedly mentioned in Dhaka—and often with admiration: External Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar.
During televised debates, one Bangladeshi expert ranked him among the top 10 diplomats globally, some even placing him in the top five. His recent visit to Dhaka—to pay respects to former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia—has been dissected threadbare.
What truly caught attention was Jaishankar’s carefully choreographed meeting with Tarique Rahman, widely seen as a future prime ministerial contender. The optics mattered: a handshake, a message, and a visible acknowledgment of Bangladesh’s next political chapter.
(Courtesy - The Raisina Hills )
- Nirendra Dev
ends
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