THE assumption that the Two-Nation Theory has lost relevance is not only historically lazy but deliberately evasive. Its central premise—that Muslims of the subcontinent represent a distinct political, cultural and civilizational community—has survived borders, wars and sustained attempts at erasure. Far from fading, this reality continues to assert itself across South Asia, including in Bangladesh, where a renewed engagement with history is unfolding despite years of Indian interference. Bangladesh’s re-emergence as a sovereign state, unperturbed by Hindutva regime mechanization, reinforces that the theory was never defeated; it was merely obscured by imposed narratives.
Pakistan and Bangladesh are bound by a common struggle rooted in faith, ideology and resistance to Hindu majoritarian domination. Their separation was not a negation of the Two-Nation Theory but the outcome of Indian conspiracy, a fact increasingly exposed with time. Language differences did not negate shared values or aspirations; instead, they revealed the dangers of centralized power that ignored regional voices. Today, though they exist as separate nation-states, Pakistan and Bangladesh remain siblings shaped by shared trauma, historical resistance and enduring civilizational ties. Brotherhood is not defined by borders alone but sustained through common struggles and mutual respect.
India’s persistent discomfort with this reality explains its continuous interference in Bangladesh’s internal affairs. A stable, sovereign Bangladesh that asserts an independent foreign policy and reconnects with its Muslim identity directly challenges New Delhi’s carefully constructed claim that 1971 permanently buried the Two-Nation Theory. To counter this, India has consistently relied on political engineering, media manipulation, economic pressure and selective diplomacy—deploying a carrot-and-stick approach to keep Bangladesh confined within a narrow strategic orbit.
Whenever Bangladesh asserts autonomy, questions Indian intervention, revisits its historical narrative or seeks balanced regional relations, it is immediately branded “unstable.” This is not concern but coercion, designed to manufacture chaos and delegitimize sovereignty. India fears a Bangladesh that refuses to remain a junior partner, that openly engages Pakistan, and that remembers history without Indian mediation.
Attempts to influence Bangladeshi politics or frame internal dissent as security threats are not acts of goodwill; they are instruments of control aimed at ensuring Bangladesh’s sovereignty remains under Indian influence.
The growing warmth between Bangladeshis and Pakistanis—rooted in shared faith, cultural affinity, and people-to-people connections—is viewed by India as a strategic threat. New Delhi seeks to keep these brotherly nations separated, aware that mutual solidarity undermines divisive narratives. India’s use of terror proxies and destabilization tactics against both Pakistan and Bangladesh reflects this anxiety. Indian conspiracies, including targeted killings intended to destabilize Bangladesh, will not succeed. The recent killing of Osman Hadi stands as a stark indication of these designs, further exposing Hindutva-driven interference.
Yet, with firm support from Pakistan and sustained resistance within Bangladesh, these efforts are increasingly being cornered. Pakistan and Bangladesh, bonded by common faith and ideology, will not allow Hindutva ideology to interfere in their internal affairs. The Two-Nation Theory has not only succeeded; it remains a continuous source of bonding between Pakistani and Bangladeshi brothers, reaffirming a shared civilizational truth that external pressure cannot erase.
—The writer is contributing columnist.
