The brutal killing of student leader Usman Hadi in Bangladesh has sent shockwaves across South Asia. It raises urgent questions about the resurgence of a deadly pattern once familiar to the region. The Awami League appears to be reviving the same violent tactics it deployed under the Mukti Bahini model, which was once used to destabilise Pakistan.
This is far from an isolated incident. Hadi, a central figure in the movement against Sheikh Hasina Wajed, was deliberately targeted. Protests have erupted, and Awami League offices have been set on fire. The message is clear. The Awami League, with its long history of sowing chaos and unrest, may be using violence as a political weapon once again. In East Pakistan, the Mukti Bahini unleashed mass killings, looting, and arson, forcing the military to respond to restore order. Today, the same pattern appears to be emerging in Bangladesh, with India once again playing the role of patron.
It is important to correct a widespread historical distortion. Some narratives claim Pakistan’s military operations in 1971 caused the breakup of the country. The truth is very different. The Mukti Bahini initiated widespread violence, targeting civilians, burning property, and undermining social stability. Military operations were a response to this rebellion, not the cause of it. Ignoring this fact is not only historically inaccurate but also dangerously misleading.
The parallels with the past are striking. The first wave of Mukti Bahini violence targeted students like Abdul Malik, who were affiliated with Islami Chhatra Shibir. Today, the first victim of this renewed violence is again a student, Usman Hadi, who belongs to the same student organisation. The pattern is clear. India-backed proxies aim to destabilise societies from within, and Bangladesh is once again the battlefield. Yet the difference now is that the Bangladeshi public has grown aware of these manipulations. The movement against Sheikh Hasina Wajed’s supporters shows that society is no longer passive in the face of foreign-backed terror.
Bangladesh’s public resistance, rooted in awareness and courage, is a vital first step.
Even India’s strategic calculations reveal its fear. In previous crises, New Delhi considered direct military intervention in Bangladesh to protect its proxies. It refrained because it feared the resistance of a new generation unwilling to accept the narrative crafted in 1971. Citizens are no longer willing to surrender their sovereignty to Indian designs.
India today is the region’s greatest threat to stability. Its Hindutva doctrine, built on the fascist idea of “Akhand Bharat,” does not recognise the sovereignty of neighbouring nations. Independent countries are seen as illegitimate unless they submit to Indian dominance. The Awami League has historically facilitated this policy in Bangladesh, acting as India’s proxy. The killing of Usman Hadi demonstrates how this proxy model continues to operate, targeting dissenters and inflaming unrest.
But the tide is turning. Bangladeshis are waking up to the truth. The Awami League’s cult of loyalty, its post-truth propaganda, and its violence are no longer accepted. Protests against Hadi’s murder signal that society is ready to confront India-backed terrorism and hold accountable those who act against national interest. This societal awakening is a long-overdue reckoning, correcting decades of foreign manipulation and political exploitation.
The world must understand the urgency. Regional stability and global peace depend on curbing India’s ambitions and restraining its use of proxies to destabilise neighbouring countries. Bangladesh’s public resistance, rooted in awareness and courage, is a vital first step. Pakistan, which endured the consequences of such proxies in 1971, understands the stakes. The struggle against foreign-backed subversion is not historical. It is unfolding now. Vigilance, awareness, and decisive action are essential to ensure history does not repeat itself.
Bangladeshis are standing up. They are resisting India-backed terrorism.
The writer is a freelance columnist.