From Diplomacy To Dugout: How Bangladesh's Anti-India Turn Spilled Onto Cricket Field (IANS Analysis)

From diplomacy to dugout: How Bangladesh's anti-India turn spilled onto cricket field (IANS analysis (Image Source: IANS)

Indian High Commission:

Dhaka: India-Bangladesh relationship has witnessed historic low since the 2024 July Uprising, a downward trend that is still continuing. With an uprising that forced Sheikh Hasina to flee Bangladesh, New Delhi woke up to a surprising wave of anti-India sentiments in its neighbourhood.

The resurgence of Islamists and attacks on minorities, in addition to the country's social and cultural spaces, confirmed the main force behind such sentiments. The interim government under Muhammad Yunus took little time to gear Bangladesh's geopolitical shift away from India and towards Pakistan in name of ‘recalibration’. There was no doubt that the Islamists forces penetrated the present interim administration, prolonging the diplomatic lows between the two countries.

For every domestic unrest engulfing Bangladesh, the interim government blamed India for ‘harbouring anti-state activities.’ New Delhi’s concerns regarding the increasing atrocities on minorities have been repeatedly dismissed as ‘Indian propaganda’, despite international and Bangladesh’s rights organisations reiterating the same.

The prolonged winter in bilateral relations hit its lowest in December when Inqilab Mancha (an anti-India Islamist-led youth platform) leader Osman Hadi was assassinated, leading to a quick blame game on India, without any evidence. The month witnessed Islamist extremists attacking Bangladesh’s significant cultural centers, as well as two of the most prominent media outlets, alleging them to be ‘pro-India’. The radical mob also organised protest marches outside Indian High Commission in Dhaka and assistant commissions in Rajshahi, Khulna, Sylhet and Chattogram, with the intention of launching similar violent attacks. Indian commissions’ security in Bangladesh, is compromised, which explains its recent decision to recall family members and dependents of Indian diplomats from the country as a precautionary measure, days before the 13th national election.

The Islamist extremist’s onslaught on media freedom and cultural platform coincided with another horrifying incident — the lynching of a Hindu garment worker Dipu Das, a lynching justified for Das’s alleged ‘blasphemous’ remarks and cheered and celebrated by onlookers as his naked corpse hung from a tree was burnt in public. Perhaps this was a signaling to New Delhi, of Bangladesh’s own fate of minority Hindus shielded behind the curtain of ‘non-communal’ framing. This incident prompted India summoning Bangladesh envoy, and for Bangladesh’s tit-for-tat summons. A nasty political atmosphere brewing anti-India hatred also led India to temporarily suspend its visa operations at Visa Application Centers in Bangladesh, a move also reciprocated by Bangladesh with respect to its missions in India.

Amidst this, New Delhi displayed its goodwill gesture and calibrated diplomatic protocol when India's External Affairs Minister visited Dhaka to attend the funeral of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chief Begum Khaleda Zia. Many in Bangladesh perceived this as a positive and stabilising reset of bilateral relations, a forward-looking direction before Bangladesh is to face the 13th national election in February.

Then came the cricket fiasco early January.

The Board of Control of Cricket in India (BCCI)'s direction to Indian Premier League (IPL) team Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to release (the only) Bangladeshi pacer Mustafizur Rahman (auctioned for $1 million) from its 2026 squad, believed to be in line with recent developments in Bangladesh (no official reason cited) did not bode well with Bangladesh, that reciprocated with the decision to not broadcast IPL matches. Just a day after BCCI's direction to release Rahman, Bangladesh abruptly raised ‘security concerns’ for its players to play in India and asked the International Cricket Council (ICC) to relocate its T20 World Cup matches to a ‘neutral’ venue such as Sri Lanka. However, after repeated assessments, the ICC rejected such a request, citing lack of any credible security threats for Bangladeshi players, officials or fans and noted that such a sudden change would compromise ICC's integrity. Following weeks of discussion, ICC gave Bangladesh a 24-hour time on January 23 to communicate its final decision.

It should be noted that of all board members present in this, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) was the only full-time member that expressed support for Bangladesh’s decision. In a formal letter sent before the ICC board meeting, Pakistan even assured Bangladesh to host its matches in Pakistan. PCB also threatened to boycott the T20 World Cup in apparent solidarity with Bangladesh to protest ICC’s refusal for venue shift request. However, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief announced its final decision to be conveyed by January 30 or February 2.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh gave no response within the 24 hours stipulated time, indicating its decision to not participate in the T20 World Cup, leaving way for Scotland to officially replace the country on January 24. This brings into question: why Bangladesh, despite assurances of no security threat by ICC, refused to change its decision?

One obvious development in this fiasco points towards Pakistan — the only one to back Bangladesh. It is believed that Pakistan’s influence has led to BCB taking such a hardline stance. PCB argued for its own agreement with BCCI last year to play ICC matches at a neutral venue until 2027. However, one cannot draw parallels as India has not shown any signs of animosity towards neighbouring Bangladesh, although the same cannot be said for the latter. Neither has Dhaka raised security concerns with the ICC before BCCI’s decision to withdraw the only Bangladeshi player from playing in the IPL, leaving little doubt that ‘security concerns’ are mere reciprocal actions. While one can debate on whether this was the right move on New Delhi’s part, the fact remains that India’s soil does not pose a security threat for Bangladesh.

Rather, India has been a consistent support and played a pivotal role in building Bangladesh cricket. BCCI’s role, especially in the 1990s, in hosting Bangladesh, providing training and infrastructural support to Bangladesh cricket via regular matches paved the way for its exposure and global recognition in the ICC. BCCI aided Bangladesh’s entry into the ODI World Cup in 1999, leveraging the Asian bloc in cricket. Former BCCI chief Jagmohan Dalmiya's tenure as ICC President had also been instrumental behind Bangladesh being granted a full-time membership and Test status in June 2000, overcoming skepticism of Australia and South Africa while showcasing India’s successful cultural diplomacy.

In contrast, Pakistan previously complicated Bangladesh’s cricketing journey by asking for revenues from the Bangladesh team in Pakistan’s home series where Pakistan had hosted Bangladesh twice (2011/12-2015), despite the latter’s non-visit in the 2015 series. Also, Pakistan called off its own players from Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), postponing its tour indefinitely. This time, too, Pakistan’s ‘strong’ political interference through ‘boycott call’ under the garb of cricket diplomacy is believed to be behind Bangladesh Cricket Board’s decision to not take part in this year’s World Cup.

Rather, India has been a consistent support and played a pivotal role in building Bangladesh cricket. BCCI’s role, especially in the 1990s, in hosting Bangladesh, providing training and infrastructural support to Bangladesh cricket via regular matches paved the way for its exposure and global recognition in the ICC. BCCI aided Bangladesh’s entry into the ODI World Cup in 1999, leveraging the Asian bloc in cricket. Former BCCI chief Jagmohan Dalmiya's tenure as ICC President had also been instrumental behind Bangladesh being granted a full-time membership and Test status in June 2000, overcoming skepticism of Australia and South Africa while showcasing India’s successful cultural diplomacy.

Surely, the Bangladesh cricket team, which presently ranks ninth in ICC T20 rankings, did not agree to face such financial repercussions and is facing the consequence of the country's anti-India politics. Ironically, Bangladesh’s security concerns vanished when it approved its shooting team to visit India to participate in the Asian Rifle and Pistol Championships. The cricket fiasco - having aggravated because of Pakistan’s instigation and Bangladesh’s own volatile politics - now only leaves Bangladesh’s vibrant cricket team to pay the price.

Article Source: IANS