India, Nov. 18 -- The death sentence given to former Bangladesh premier Sheikh Hasina by a domestic war crimes court for ordering the use of lethal force against student-led protests that led to the ouster of her government last year is unlikely to reduce the political instability in the country. Hasina, who has been in self-exile in India since she left Bangladesh in August 2024, and her former home minister were tried in absentia by the International Crimes Tribunal set up by the current regime and both sentenced to death for their complicity in the death of protesters during the tumultuous movement that rocked the country for weeks. The tribunal cited Hasina's remarks in recent interviews to the Indian media, acknowledging "supreme command responsibilities" for the handling of the protests, as proof of her complicity in the killings. According to a United Nations report, 1,400 people were killed during the protests. The verdicts, in a way, reflect the vendetta politics that have harmed India's neighbourhood for a long time. In the past, Hasina's Awami League and its main opponent, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, resorted to similar measures against each other whenever they were in power. Events of recent days, including two nationwide lockdowns called since last week by the Awami League, have shown that it remains a political force in Bangladesh, though its capabilities may have been diminished. The decision of the caretaker government led by Muhammad Yunus to ban the activities of the Awami League certainly does not bode well for its promise of holding free and fair elections. It is in this context that the Indian side has maintained that Bangladesh's general election, scheduled for February, must be free, fair and inclusive. Following Hasina's conviction and sentencing, Bangladesh's interim government has doubled down on its demand for the extradition of the former premier - a request that New Delhi has not acted upon since it was received late last year. This will further strain India-Bangladesh relations that have been on the downturn since the Yunus-led regime assumed office. For the Indian side, any further chaos and instability in Bangladesh comes with the potential for affecting the security and economic progress of the country's sensitive northeastern states, which have already been affected by the curtailing of connectivity and trade ties with Dhaka. India will do well to prepare for what is likely to be another disruptive spell in relations with Bangladesh....