Border alert, blocked channels: Indo-Pak crisis has impact on Bangladesh

As tension between India and Pakistan escalated — before the “conditional” ceasefire was announced on Saturday (May 10) evening — the Bangladesh police were directed to take three-pronged preventive measures amid a spurt in anti-India sentiment in the country.

In a related development, YouTube blocked access to at least six Bangladeshi television channels in India, adhering to New Delhi’s take-down request.

Police circular

Bangladesh police’s Dhaka-based headquarters, in a circular to all its units, alerted about possible disturbances in the areas bordering India and attacks on Hindu minorities in the wake of a “war-like situation” in India and Pakistan.

Bangladesh’s interim government earlier accused India of pushing people into its country. It made the allegation after the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) detained more than 100 people for “illegal entry” on Wednesday (May 7).

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The BGB claimed 44 people were detained in Kurigram and 66 more in Khagrachhari after they were allegedly pushed into Bangladeshi territory by India’s Border Security Force (BSF).

Border alert

An alert was declared in the country’s 34 bordering districts amidst a call by leaders of the recent student-led uprising to ensure that national sovereignty is not compromised.

"Let us all remain united to protect national security and sovereignty," Hasnat Abdullah, convener of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, said in a Facebook post.

This was an oblique expression of concern over potential implication in Bangladesh of the India-Pakistan military confrontation, which generated global concern.

Daily Star flays India

Abdullah was one of the leading leaders of the uprising that led to the fall of India-friendly Sheikh Hasina’s Awami league government in August last year.

“At a time when tensions between India and Pakistan have reached their highest point in years, it is shocking that India would choose this moment to push individuals into Bangladesh without consulting the Bangladeshi authorities,” read an editorial of the Daily Star, the leading English newspaper of Bangladesh.

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Concern over Hindus

The border districts have been put on high-alert to ensure that “our national security is not compromised in the wake of the India-Pakistan conflict”, an official told The Federal over telephone.

“Special attention should be given and necessary security measures should be taken in the bordering areas to prevent any attempt by the miscreants to incite the situation or create disturbance,” read a circular drafted in Bengali.

The police units were also asked to ensure the safety and security of lives and properties of Hindu minorities against any possible attacks on them.

On India and Pakistan

Be vigilant against attempts to create unrest by spreading rumours and provocative propaganda, the police were told in the circular, a copy of which is available with The Federal.

Earlier, Bangladesh's interim government took a neutral position on the India-Pakistan tensions, issuing a nuanced statement.

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“The government of Bangladesh is closely observing the evolving situation in India and Pakistan. Bangladesh expresses its deep concern over the situation, and urges both the countries to remain calm, show restraint and refrain from taking any steps that could further aggravate the situation,” its foreign affairs ministry said.

Vigil along border

India also increased its vigil along the 4,096-km-long India-Bangladesh border since the spiralling of tension with Pakistan.

Night curfew was clamped in vulnerable stretches of the border, while drones were being used for surveillance in unfenced areas, BSF sources said.

Islamist voices boom

Meanwhile, the Bangladesh media claimed that on India’s request, YouTube has restricted access to at least six Bangladeshi television channels citing India’s “concerns related to national security and public order”.

The public discourse in Bangladesh is now dominated by Islamist narratives as voices of secularists and the country's pro-liberation forces have been muzzled or marginalised following the ouster of the Awami League government.

Also read: 'If India attacks Pak, Bangladesh should...' : Yunus' aide issues warning

YouTube channels

The blocked channels, according to the Daily Star, are Jamuna TV, Ekattor TV, DBC News, Somoy TV, BanglaVision NEWS and Mohona TV.

“The restriction appears to have been implemented in phases, with four channels becoming inaccessible yesterday. Two additional channels — DBC News and Somoy TV — were added to the block list today (May 10),” the Daily Star reported.