India watches with growing alarm as the situation in neighbouring Bangladesh grows volatile. South Block hopes that the nation's civilian government will be able to diffuse the situation without the army having to turn its guns on the border guards of the Bangladesh Rifles (BDR). Should that happen, the new civilian government of Sheikh Hasina might find itself destablised.

India's Border Security Forces have been on alert since Wednesday. Fears that the mutiny is spreading to towns and cities in other parts of Bangladesh have been denied. As a precautionary measure, officers of the border force, many of whom are seconded to it from the army for a term of two to four years, have been asked to abandon their units and rush to nearby cantonments. India is worried that the Jamaat-e-Islami, which was routed in the elections, may be inciting the border guards.

The BDR on Thursday published their list of grievances and demands. The Bangladesh army is irked by accusations made by the border guards of corruption in the army. Some mutineers who aired their grievances to television crews invited into their Headquarters accused the head of the BDR, Major General Shakil Ahmed, of making millions of dollars by stealing money from food funds. Angered, the army is keen on action against the BDR. The Sheikh Hasina government is, however, trying its best to mediate and diffuse the crisis.

"India must be more supportive of the democratic forces in Bangladesh. The Prime Minister is doing a great job and while we are not involved, we need to support her efforts to prevent a bloodbath by the army,'' says Veena Sikri, former Indian envoy to Bangladesh.

There are fears that if the current stand-off continues, the Jamaat and other anti-India forces may gain ground once again in Bangladesh.

Seema Guha/ DNA-Daily News & Analysis Source: 3D Syndication