In West Bengal, Yunus' in-laws react to worsening India-Bangladesh ties: 'Have only one dua'

Bangladesh interim chief Muhammad Yunus’s in-laws in West Bengal's Burdwan have said they are hoping for a thaw in India-Bangladesh relations, even as they avoid commenting on politics amid the growing strain between the two neighbours.

In an interview to The Times of India, Yunus’s brother-in-law Ashfaq Hossain said he has made “only one dua (prayer) .... that relations between India and Bangladesh become good again.”

Hossain stressed that the bilateral relationship remained important despite the current phase. “The bond between India and Bangladesh is very special,” he said. “It might be facing a temporary setback, but everything will be fine. You mark my words.”

The remarks come in the backdrop of a spate of incidents targeting Hindu minorities in the country, adding strain to the tensions between the two countries.

Residents in Lashkardighi, where Yunus’s wife Afrozi Yunus (Begum before marriage) grew up, told TOI that the family is closely tracking developments in Dhaka and Delhi but prefers not to speak openly, given the ongoing scrutiny around the interim administration in Bangladesh.

Hossain recalled Yunus’s visit to the family after the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006. “Our mother was alive then. She cooked several varieties of fish. Yunus bhai relished them ... Those were such good times. So many relatives came to meet him and congratulate my sister,” he said.

He expressed confidence that Yunus will play a big role in "establishing peace in Bangladesh.”

Hossain also flagged the importance of restoring normal economic linkages. “India will earn foreign exchange, and Bangladesh will get things at affordable rates. We want good relations with Bangladesh — in fact, with all neighbouring nations," he told TOI/

However, when asked about allegations of attacks on Hindu minorities in Bangladesh, Hossain fell silent and later excused himself, citing health reasons. “So much stress is not good for me. I find it difficult to even talk to people,” he said, adding that his sister was unwell in Dhaka. “It has been ages since I spoke to her. She is unable to speak now. I keep praying for her health,” he said.

In a nearby home, Afrozi’s nephew Mohammad Kalimuddin, who has been bedridden for several months, told TOI that the developments in Bangladesh were worrying but expressed confidence things would improve. “Whatever is happening in Bangladesh is concerning, but it will be fine, I am confident,” he said. His son urged restraint, saying: “Why are you talking? Don’t you see what is happening in Bangladesh? It is better you don’t say anything.”

The brutal lynching of 27-year-old Dipu Chandra Das, a Hindu garment factory worker in Bhaluka, Mymensingh district, was one of the most brutal incidents of violence against minorities in Bangladesh.

On the night of December 18, Das was accused of making derogatory remarks about Islam at a factory event and was attacked by a large mob that beat him, stripped him, hanged him from a tree and set his body on fire, according to police reports and multiple media accounts. Investigators later said no evidence was found to support the blasphemy allegation that triggered the attack, and arrests were made in connection with the lynching.