Bangladesh no longer in India’s shadow; stands as equal: Hasnat 

Hasnat Abdullah, convener of the Anti-discrimination Student Movement, has called for a new approach in the way Bangladesh engages with neighbouring India. 

"For the past fifty years, Bangladesh has sought to engage with India through compromise, submissive and kneel-down dialogue. Yet, the results have often been disheartening—betrayal, exploitation, and disregard for our sovereign rights," he said in a Facebook post today (2 December). 

The time has come for a new approach, Hasnat said, adding that in the days ahead, Bangladesh will engage with India as an equal, with unwavering resolve and clarity. 

There will be no more unjust compromises. We will firmly protect and claim what is rightfully ours, he added. 

"Bangladesh aspires to stand not in India's shadow but as a confident and capable partner—or, when necessary, as a determined competitor.

"Our sovereignty and interests are non-negotiable, and we are prepared to act decisively to safeguard them," he said. 

Earlier today, Hasnat called a procession at Dhaka University's Raju Memorial Sculpture where a group of students gathered at 9pm to protest against the attack on the Bangladesh Assistant High Commission in Agartala in the afternoon. 

The attack took place when thousands of people took out a massive rally in the Tripura capital to protest the arrest of ISCKON leader Chinmoy Krishna Das, demand his immediate release, and the stoppage of attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh.