Millions of new files relating to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein have been released by the US Department of Justice (DOJ), triggering discussion in Bangladesh about whether Hasina and Modi’s relationship is romantic.
Narendra Modi hugged foreign leaders, including President Trump and Putin, but he could not publicly hug female dictator Sheikh Hasina or make his private relationship public.
Reports alleging a “romantic” or “husband-wife” relationship between ousted Bangladeshi dictator Sheikh Hasina and Indian PM Narendra Modi are surfacing in Bangladeshi media, describing a highly close patronage-based relationship and, at times, a controversial, literal romantic or sexual nature.
Some analyses and media commentaries, including discussions around a Bangladeshi news report, have characterised the bilateral relationship between Hasina and Modi as a “romantic affair” or a “husband-wife” dynamic.
The term suggests that the partnership involved intense political and diplomatic support, in which Hasina often prioritised Indian interests (such as transit, national security, and energy deals) in exchange for uninterrupted backing for her regime.
This close relationship fueled anti-Indian sentiment in Bangladesh, with critics arguing that the unwavering support from Modi enabled Hasina’s authoritarianism. Hasina also awarded Indian companies billions of dollars in contracts without any scrutiny or financial assessment.
During Hasina’s 15-year regime, the relationship was portrayed as more than a political alliance that brought India and Bangladesh closer, but it later drew scrutiny following the fall of Hasina’s government.
Indian politicians and media always called Hasina by the standard salutation rather than Madam Prime Minister.
It seems Modi is in trouble due to the poor decisions made by his partner in crime, Sheikh Hasina. The climate in Bangladesh does not indicate any likelihood of Hasina’s return. People are still angry, as the desecration of Dhanmondi-32 has shown. The memories of blood spilled during the student movement are still fresh in people’s minds, and they will not forgive Hasina that easily.
One reason why India supported the misrule of Hasina is that the other political parties in Bangladesh, including the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and the Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, have developed a hatred towards the Indian government, especially Modi’s.
Geopolitically speaking, if India cannot hold its seven northeastern states together, there is a chance that this region will be taken over by Chinese influence, which India fears the most after the Kashmir issue with Pakistan. The only ways to reach the seven sisters, as the northeastern states are commonly known, are either by air or through the narrow Shiliguri Corridor, known as Chicken’s Neck. If India loses the Chicken’s Neck, communication between mainland India and the seven sisters will be cut.
This is why India needs Bangladesh the most. It is connectivity that India has always had in mind whenever it thinks about Bangladesh. However, the ground situation is challenging. A large section of people view India as an enemy, with intentions of inflicting harm and dominance. The idea that India’s mainland will be connected to the seven sisters via Bangladesh’s land, water, and rail communication systems is widely opposed in Bangladesh, who view it as a violation of the country’s independence and sovereignty.
However, during her tenure as Bangladesh’s prime minister, Sheikh Hasina appeared capable of containing such negative sentiment. She gave everything that India wanted from her, including the permission to use Bangladeshi territory and the communication system for reaching the seven sisters. This is why the Indian government has always found a friend in Sheikh Hasina, and the relationship has only deepened since Narendra Modi came to power in 2014, when Hasina was sworn in as the Bangladeshi PM for the second consecutive term.
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