Are Bangladesh's Actions Aimed At Provoking India In Bay Of Bengal?

The situation reached a flashpoint on December 15, when a Bangladeshi navy patrol vessel allegedly collided with an Indian fishing trawler, FB Parmita, carrying 16 fishermen from West Bengal. The impact reportedly caused the trawler to capsize, throwing all those on board into the sea. 

As anti-India protests intensify across Bangladesh, tensions are also escalating at sea, with a series of maritime incidents in the Bay of Bengal alarming Indian authorities. Over the past two months, India has observed a marked increase in Bangladeshi fishing vessels straying into its waters, raising concerns about security and the safety of fishermen operating near the international maritime boundary.

The situation reached a flashpoint on December 15, when a Bangladeshi navy patrol vessel allegedly collided with an Indian fishing trawler, FB Parmita, carrying 16 fishermen from West Bengal. The impact reportedly caused the trawler to capsize, throwing all those on board into the sea. The incident coincided with rising anti-India sentiment in Bangladesh ahead of its general elections scheduled for February.

According to reports, the Bangladeshi vessel had its navigation lights switched off, preventing the Indian trawler from spotting it in the darkness. The Indian Coast Guard managed to rescue 11 fishermen at around 6 am the following morning, while five remain missing. A report in The Times of India claimed that one fisherman, identified as Rajdul Ali Sheikh, was killed with a “spear-like weapon”.

Survivors alleged there was an attempt to kill all those on board, telling investigators that the Bangladeshi vessel struck the trawler as the fishermen were preparing to cast their net. Police launched an investigation after receiving a complaint from the Sundarban Marine Fishermen’s Workers Union.

The Indian Coast Guard has yet to confirm whether the Indian trawler crossed into Bangladeshi waters or if the Bangladeshi navy vessel entered Indian territory. Dhaka, meanwhile, has dismissed the reports as misleading, asserting that its patrol vessel was at least 12 nautical miles away from the site of the incident.

The episode has triggered intense debate on social media. Foreign affairs expert Raman Murti described the incident as a deliberate provocation, tweeting: “Provocation. They want a confrontation with India. The only way out for their miserable existence.” Another analyst wrote: “This is called pre-planned provocation and is intended to lure us into an ambush.”

Bangladeshi Fishing Boats In Indian Waters

The collision comes amid a broader pattern of Bangladeshi fishing vessels venturing deep into India’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). On December 16, the Indian Coast Guard intercepted two Bangladeshi boats operating illegally in Indian waters, seizing around 500 kg of fish and detaining 35 crew members.

These were not isolated cases. Over the past two months alone, Indian authorities have apprehended at least eight Bangladeshi boats and detained around 170 crew members. The frequency of such incidents, coupled with the political climate in Bangladesh, has drawn the attention of Indian security agencies.

Intelligence sources told News18 that these detentions are being portrayed by anti-India groups in Bangladesh as harassment of poor fishermen, allegedly to inflame public sentiment and provoke New Delhi.

Rising Anti-India rhetoric

The uptick in maritime incidents mirrors a sharp rise in anti-India rhetoric since Bangladesh announced its election schedule last month. Following the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government, the interim administration led by Muhammad Yunus has sought to expand Bangladesh’s influence in the Bay of Bengal. Yunus has previously described Bangladesh as the “guardian of the ocean for all of this region”, a remark that has unsettled Indian policymakers.

Under Yunus, Bangladesh has also drawn closer to Pakistan while allowing greater space for radical Islamist groups, including the once-banned Jamaat-e-Islami. In November, the Pakistan Navy chief paid a three-day visit to Bangladesh, the first such high-level visit since 1971.

A parliamentary committee in India has warned that New Delhi is facing its most significant strategic challenge linked to Bangladesh since the 1971 war, citing the growing influence of Pakistan and China in Dhaka.

On Friday, Bangladesh witnessed another wave of anti-India protests following the death of radical leader and outspoken India critic Sharif Osman Hadi, who was shot by masked assailants. Protesters torched the offices of leading newspapers The Daily Star and Prothom Alo, surrounded Indian diplomatic missions and raised anti-India slogans outside the residence of the Indian Assistant High Commissioner.

The unrest began earlier in the week when hundreds of demonstrators, marching under the banner “July Oikya” (July Unity), attempted to approach the Indian High Commission in Dhaka. They demanded the return of Sheikh Hasina, who fled to Delhi in August last year.

Inflammatory remarks by student leaders have further fuelled tensions. At a rally on Thursday, Hasnat Abdullah declared, “Once we win and reach Parliament, we will behead Delhi and send it back.” Earlier in the week, he threatened to isolate India’s “Seven Sisters” and offer shelter to separatist groups if Bangladesh was destabilised.

While India has not publicly commented on the maritime incident, it summoned the Bangladeshi High Commissioner on Wednesday to lodge a strong protest over the increasingly provocative statements and developments.