Dr. Arun Kumar Goswami*

Could the power changes in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Nepal in 2022, 2024, and 2025 resemble the violent power shift at Plassey in 1757? The relevance of the question could be found in the argument of historian E. H. Carr, who describes history as “an endless dialogue between the present and the past”. It is important to remember that the British ruled the Indian subcontinent for 190 years after the Battle of Plassey in 1757. At the same time, it is widely discussed and proven that internal protests and conspiratorial activities orchestrated by Western powers, especially the American Deep State, have resulted in bloody shifts of power in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Nepal.

            We witnessed the first instance of leaving ‘power’ in Sri Lanka in 2022. In the early hours of July 13, 2022, beleaguered President Gotabaya Rajapaksa made a hasty departure from the South Asian country, just days after thousands of furious protesters stormed his official residence, swam in his pool, and demanded his resignation.

            The second incidence of leaving ‘power’ was seen in Bangladesh in 2024. Former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resigned on 5 August 2024, as large crowds of demonstrators surrounded the Gano Bhaban, the official residence of the prime minister. Later that day, Sheikh Hasina fled to India in a chaotic departure. Afterwards Prime Minister’s official residence Ganobhabon was ransacked and looted and parliament building was stormed by the violent protesters.

         However, the latest and most recent in the series of leaving ‘power’ forcefully has been in Nepal. On September 10, 2025 former Prime Minister of Nepal, KP Oli, stepped down and is said to have escaped in a military helicopter during a significant uprising against corruption and a prohibition on social media. Intense demonstrations set fire to the homes of officials, looted the residence of the president, and stormed the parliament, while many swam in his pool and insisted on his departure.

            The abdication of ‘power’ in three South Asian states in 2022, 2024 and 2025 could be viewed in the light of Nawab Siraj-ud-Daula’s defeat and assassination 268 years ago in 1757.

The battered body of Nawab Siraj-ud-Daula was being paraded through the streets and bazaars of Murshidabad, mounted on the back of an elephant! The purpose was to inform the residents of Murshidabad that Siraj had been killed! The date was July 3, 1757. Siraj was captured from Rajmahal while fleeing and brought to Murshidabad on July 2. Then, on the night between July 2 and 3, Nawab Siraj-ud-Daula was hacked to death and his dismembered body was taken on elephants for a parade around the city of Murshidabad. During Nawab Siraj’s ‘horrific funeral procession’, the mahout unknowingly or intentionally and purposefully stopped the elephant carrying the body in front of the residence of Hussain Quli Khan. Siraj-ud-Daula had killed Hussain Quli Khan two years earlier. Now a few drops of blood flowed from his dead body on the road where Hussain Quli Khan was killed.’ This description is found in “Siyar-ul-Mutakhkhairin” written by Syed Ghulam Hussain. As the dead body was being paraded around the capital city of Murshidabad, both the ‘closeness’ and ‘distance’ of Nawab Siraj-ud-Daula from ‘power’ were beyond all measure!

            The Battle of Plassey began at 8:00 AM on June 23, 1757. Then, around noon, a storm and rain hit, which soaked the ammunition of the Nawab’s side. Then, Mir Madan was killed by a bullet fired by the English side. After the death of Mir Madan, Mohan Lal was fighting bravely against the British forces. During this war, Siraj-ud-Daula’s chief commander, Mir Jafar, with his large armed forces, simply stood by silently, facilitating the defeat of his own master, Nawab Siraj-ud-Daula, and thus hastening the victory of the English. However, on the advice of such an inactive Mir Jafar, Nawab Siraj-ud-Daula announced his decision to retreat. The Nawab’s troops then scattered and began to flee. In this situation, the Nawab issued an order to withdraw the troops and he himself left the battlefield for the palace.

            He arrived at the palace the next morning, June 24 of 1757. No one came to meet him at the palace at that time. In this regard, Syed Ghulam Hossain Khan writes, ‘. . . Nawab Siraj-ud-Daula fled from his palace at about three in the morning; it was the seventh day of the month of Shawwal.’ At 3 a.m., he fled in disguise, first leaving Murshidabad for Bhagwangola. Nawab Siraj-ud-Daula and his companions were suffering from hunger and thirst along the way. It is known from the Siyar-ul-Mutakhkherin that Siraj-ud-Daula, trapped in the clutches of fate, was conveyed to the opposite bank of the palace, where he disembarked for about an hour. The intention was to prepare some khichdi(South Asian dish made from rice and lentils) for himself, his daughter, and his wife and others to eat. For three days and nights after leaving the palace in Murshidabad, none of them could taste food. Incidentally, a Fakir lived in that neighborhood. This man was the one whom Siraj had hurt during the days of his ‘closeness’ with ‘power’. Many say Siraj-ud-Daula had cut off his ear! This Fakir’s name was Shah-Dana. He had been harboring his anger against Siraj for so long. The Fakir was delighted at this golden opportunity to take revenge as Sirajuddaula had appeared at the Fakir’s hideout. He (Fakir Shah Dana) expressed joy at his arrival; and under the pretext of preparing some food for him, he sent the news of Siraj’s arrival to the people of Siraj’s enemy, Mir Jafar.

            In two chapters titled ‘Muzaffarnama’ by Karam Ali Khan, titled ‘Murder Plot’, it is described how Alivardi became desperate to kill Hussain Quli Khan. There was only one reason behind this—Alivardi Khan believed that Hussain Quli Khan was the only person who had the power to dethrone Siraj (in the future). Therefore, he (Alivardi Khan) considered it inevitable to remove him from the world. This was ultimately done.

            Syed Ghulam Hussain Khan, in his Siyar-ul-Mutakhkherin, described the death of Hussain Quli Khan as ‘innocent bloodshed’. He says that this murder set in motion a series of events that proved fatal to the power and dominance that Alivardi Khan had built with so much physical labor and nurtured through hard work. It kindled a blind fire which began to emit smoke immediately after these two murders; and which finally destroyed all the numerous families in its progress; and its devastation spread far and wide, devouring everything in that once happy region of Bengal. This revealed the truth of the great saying: What you do; you will get.

            Siraj-ud-Daulah was captured by his own servants and brought back to Murshidabad, eight days after he had fled the palace. The date was 15 Shawwal 1170 AH. Siraj was in such a pitiful state at this time that those who saw him in that plight and remembered the delicacy, dignity, care and splendor with which he had been raised since childhood, recalled the sharpness of his temper. After losing power, the Nawabs forgot the shameful deeds of Siraj-ud-Daula’s life and surrendered to feelings of pity as they watched him pass by. Some of those present could not bear the exorbitant plight of Nawab Siraj-ud-Daula, but they did not want to immediately rescue the fallen Nawab from his detention.

            Meanwhile, the new Nawab Mir Jafar had occupied the palace and sat on the throne. When Siraj was brought near the palace, Mir Jafar was asleep during the day. At this time, Mir Jafar’s son ordered Siraj to be detained near his apartment and also told a large group of his friends, who were present at the time, to go directly and humiliate, insult and hurt the unfortunate Siraj. But all of them rejected this proposal outright. They did not want to disgrace themselves by treating Nawab Siraj-ud-Daula badly. Some even opposed this proposal. After many angrily refused, finally, a man named Mohammadi Beg agreed to do the job. Mohammadi Beg was able to change his fate, both personally and familially, with the help of Nawab Siraj-ud-Daula’s father. It was that person who had agreed to do the terrible deed to Siraj-ud-Daula.

It is known from the Siyar-ul-Mutakhkerin that when Mohammadi Beg was preparing to kill the deposed and imprisoned Nawab, Siraj-ud-Daula recalled his own killing of Hussain Quli Khan and vowed to avenge that killing. Sirajuddaula was saying, ‘… the death of Hussain Quli Khan has been avenged. . .’, as soon as these words were spoken, Siraj fell face down.  Siraj’s body was dismembered by numerous blows and the body was thrown onto the back of an elephant to circle the most densely populated area of ​​the city. Siraj’s body was paraded throughout the city of Murshidabad, conveying the message of the new Nawab’s seizure of power to everyone.

Revenge or vengeance was sought through the killing of the Nawab Siraj-ud-Daula. However, Siraj-ud-Daula’s political commitment to independence is universally felt in the consciousness of the freedom-loving people of the Indian subcontinent! Although recent protests in SriLanka, Bangladesh and Nepal were organized by Gen-G, only in Bangladesh have students gained positions on the government’s advisory council following the movement. Mob violence and corruption have broken all past records throughout Bangladesh. While there are signs of normalcy returning in Sri Lanka and Nepal after the change of power, however, Bangladesh continues to experience mob violence.

Dr.Arun Kumar Goswami, Researcher and Columnist, Director,Centre for South Asian Studies (CSAS), Dhaka