"Jamaat-e-Islami acting at behest of Pakistan": Former diplomat Veena Sikri on anti-India protests in Bangladesh

New Delhi [India], December 18 (ANI): Former Indian diplomat Veena Sikri on Thursday accused Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami of acting at the behest of Pakistan amid an anti-India march to India's High Commission in the neighbouring country, claiming Pakistan's effort to take control of the Bangladesh army.
Speaking to ANI, former diplomat Sikri criticised Bangladesh Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus for his silence over anti-India statements in the country.
Sikri said, "We do know that the regime change operation was supported by external powers, by the Western powers, but it was done through Pakistan. It was done through Pakistan, and Pakistan's biggest conduit in Bangladesh is the Jamaat-e-Islami. The Jamaat-e-Islami is acting at the behest of Pakistan. So this is their plan."
"Pakistan's first effort in Bangladesh is to try to embed itself with the Bangladesh army. They want to take control of the Bangladesh army, and they have sent their officers; they're putting their officers in every division. It's a very dangerous and provocative situation and a great concern for India. When such statements were made, the Yunus regime did nothing. This means you agreed with them," the former diplomat told ANI.
This comes after the Indian Visa Application Centre (IVAC) in Dhaka temporarily closed its operations due to security concerns over an anti-Indian march to its High Commission in Bangladesh.
As Bangladesh is set to undergo elections in February 2026 after the regime change in the nation, Veena Sikri added that Jamaat-e-Islami is trying to "whip up" as they do not have popular support.
"So the Jamaat-e-Islami thinks now that they're in a situation where they will definitely get the vote. But they know that they don't have popular support. So they're trying to whip up," she said.
It is believed that the main competition in the upcoming elections will be between the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), led by former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia, and the Jamaat-e-Islami. The newly formed National Citizens Party (NCP), which led the uprising against Sheikh Hasina, will also participate in the polls.
Further, she said that people of Bangladesh value their friendship with India, knowing that the nation's stability and economic development depend on relations with New Delhi.
"The people of Bangladesh value their friendship with India. They know that their prosperity, stability, and economic development depend on good relations with India. We just hope that we are very keen and strong on the fact that elections must be free, fair, inclusive and credible," she said.
Meanwhile, today, visa application centres in Khulna and Rajshahi in Bangladesh have been shut down due to anti-India protests, an official of the High Commission of India in Dhaka said.
"There were protests in Khulna and Rajshahi today. Whenever the security situation turns bad, we are forced to shut down. We have shut down visa centres in Khulna and Rajshahi," the official told ANI.
"We have resumed the visa application centre in Dhaka," he added.
In Rajshahi, the anti-Indian hegemony platform "July 36 Mancha" organised a march toward the Indian Assistant High Commission. Similar protests have also been called in Khulna.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said it expects Bangladesh's interim government to ensure the safety of Missions and Posts in the country in keeping with its diplomatic obligations.
The protest comes amid heightened concerns in New Delhi about the security environment in Bangladesh.
The MEA had summoned Bangladesh's High Commissioner to India, Riaz Hamidullah, and apprised him of India's strong concerns, particularly regarding the activities of extremist elements who have announced plans to create a security situation around the Indian Mission in Dhaka.
"India completely rejects the false narrative sought to be created by extremist elements regarding certain recent events in Bangladesh. It is unfortunate that the interim government has neither conducted a thorough investigation nor shared meaningful evidence with India regarding the incidents," the MEA said.
"India has close and friendly relations with the people of Bangladesh, rooted in the liberation struggle and strengthened through various developmental and people-to-people initiatives. We are in favour of peace and stability in Bangladesh and have consistently called for free, fair, inclusive and credible elections, conducted in a peaceful atmosphere," it added. (ANI)