Narrative Warfare: Indian Media's Deflection Strategy After Hadi's Martyrdom

The Trigger: Hadi’s Martyrdom

Anti-India sentiments in Bangladesh have reached their peak. Even during last year’s historic revolution — which ousted the pro-India government of Sheikh Hasina — the level of anti-India feeling was not as intense as what we are witnessing today. The trigger for this new wave of sentiment is the martyrdom of student leader Sharif Osman Hadi.

Hadi was a prominent Bangladeshi nationalist and advocate for Greater Bangladesh. He stood firmly against Indian interference in Bangladesh’s internal affairs. His assassination has ignited massive protests across the country, with crowds gathering at the Benapole border in such numbers that law enforcement agencies struggled to prevent them from crossing into India.

“Friends would tell him: ‘You’re a big figure now, you should keep security with you.’ But he was a brave man. He would refuse, saying there’s no need.”

The Blame Game Begins

In response to this surge of anger, Indian media has launched what can only be described as a narrative warfare operation. The objective: divert attention from India’s own role and redirect blame toward Pakistan.

News18, a major Indian outlet, published a piece titled “How Pakistan ISI Exploiting Bangladesh Unrest” — claiming that Pakistan is playing a “far more calculated and dangerous role in the narrative-driven mobilization unfolding in Bangladesh ahead of the upcoming general elections.”

The Pakistan Deflection Playbook

This is not a new strategy. India has historically deflected blame for its own actions onto Pakistan. This pattern dates back to the Mujib era and continues today. When India faces criticism for its interference in Bangladesh’s affairs, the standard response is to shift the narrative toward ISI involvement.

The News18 article itself acknowledges a telling limitation: “Pakistan’s involvement is not in the open direction of unrest but in exploiting it.” This admission reveals the weakness of the narrative — they cannot claim Pakistan triggered these events, only that it is somehow benefiting from them.

The Logic of Reaction

When a major event occurs, a major reaction follows. This is common sense. Those who planned Hadi’s killing — and Bangladeshi authorities are pointing fingers at the Awami League and, by extension, India — surely understood what reaction would follow.

The youth of Bangladesh, the same generation that removed a 15-year dictatorial regime, were never going to remain silent. Their response was natural, predictable, and organic. It was not manufactured by social media campaigns operating from Pakistani servers.

“When a big event happens, the reaction is big. Did they think Bangladesh would stay quiet after a leader like Hadi was martyred?”

Generation Z’s Media Literacy

Bangladesh’s Generation Z has developed sophisticated resistance to Indian propaganda. Having grown up during an era of intense information warfare, they can recognize propaganda patterns that older generations might miss. The “blame Pakistan” narrative rings hollow to a population that has witnessed:

• Sheikh Hasina fleeing to India after the revolution
• Awami League leadership operating from Kolkata and New Delhi
• Accused killers escaping across the Indian border
• India refusing extradition of wanted individuals

The Pattern of Indian Provocation

A careful examination of the digital environment in Bangladesh reveals an important pattern: most anti-India content is reactive, not proactive. Bangladeshi responses typically follow provocations from Indian politicians, RSS figures, or BJP leaders.

When Hasnat Abdullah recently made remarks about India’s seven northeastern states becoming destabilized if Bangladesh is destabilized, this came as a reaction to India sheltering Sheikh Hasina and convicted Awami League figures. When India’s own actions trigger responses, it cannot simply sweep those responses under the carpet by blaming external actors.

Why the Narrative is Failing

The Indian media’s narrative warfare is failing for several interconnected reasons:

1. Logical inconsistency — The accused fled to India, not Pakistan. The Awami League operates from India, not Pakistan. The claim of ISI involvement lacks any factual foundation.
2. Overuse of playbook — Decades of blaming Pakistan for everything has created narrative fatigue. Bangladeshis recognize the pattern.
3. Real-world evidence — The protests are happening in response to actual events on the ground, not social media campaigns. Streets filled with protesters are not manufactured by tweets.
4. Generational shift — Bangladesh’s youth are more media-literate and less susceptible to these deflection tactics than previous generations.

Implications for Bangladesh-India Relations

The failure of India’s narrative warfare strategy carries significant implications for bilateral relations:

Erosion of Soft Power

Each failed propaganda attempt further erodes whatever soft power India retained in Bangladesh. The credibility gap between Indian media narratives and observable reality undermines India’s ability to shape perceptions in its favor.

Hardening of Public Opinion

Rather than calming tensions, the transparently false narrative of ISI involvement is hardening anti-India sentiment. Bangladeshis see it as an insult to their intelligence and an attempt to obscure legitimate grievances.

Strengthening of Nationalist Consciousness

Hadi’s martyrdom and India’s response are catalyzing a stronger nationalist consciousness in Bangladesh. The generation that toppled Hasina is unlikely to accept subordination to Indian interests, regardless of how the narrative is framed.

Conclusion: Actions Have Consequences

The fundamental lesson of the current crisis is simple: actions have consequences that cannot be narrated away. When India harbors accused killers, shelters a toppled regime, and allows its territory to serve as a base for those wanted in Bangladesh, backlash is predictable and organic.

No amount of narrative warfare — no matter how sophisticated — can substitute for genuine policy correction. As long as India continues on its current course, anti-India sentiments in Bangladesh will persist and intensify. The “blame Pakistan” playbook has reached its expiration date.

“Basically, whatever is happening there is happening because of your own actions.”

This Delta Dispatch represents the analysis of the Inqilab Delta Forum research team. It is intended to contribute to informed public discourse on matters of national importance.

Source: Analysis based on regional media coverage and video commentary, December 2025.