[caption id="attachment_2067" align="alignleft" width="387"] The British Prime Minister was pictured kneeling close to the 76-year-old Bangladeshi Prime Minister and engaging in an animated conversation[/caption] Rishi Sunak faced backlash after his friendly display with Bangladesh's hardline leader Sheikh Hasina Wazed at the G20 summit in Delhi. The British prime minister was photographed kneeling next to a 76-year-old woman and engaged in animated conversation, in what Hasina's supporters hailed as a show of support for a leader who has been in power since 2009. Although Bangladesh is not a member of the G20, it was invited due to its status as an emerging economy and Hasina's close relationship with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. However, critics have criticized his participation as a public relations exercise designed to make him appear victorious on the international stage, blending in with the likes of Sunak and US President Joe Biden . It comes as protests by opposition parties in Bangladesh demanding free and fair elections have turned violent - with angry protesters taking to the streets in recent months to demand Hasina step down. Human Rights Watch reported that authorities indiscriminately fired rubber bullets, tear gas and water cannons, and beat opposition party supporters with batons during a protest in late July. In recent years, the group has also highlighted what it sees as the "forced disappearance" of hundreds of critics and other authoritarian tactics used to silence opponents of the government. [caption id="attachment_2069" align="alignleft" width="458"] Angry protesters have taken to the streets over recent months demanding that Hasina resign[/caption] The hashtag “StepDownHasina” has recently become popular online, as activists shared videos of police cracking down on peaceful protests. Massive rallies organized by the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party have led to calls for free and fair elections before the country goes to polls next year, in a vote that Hasina will easily win. win.     Writer Deep Halder tweeted: “Bangladesh will soon decide whether to bring Sheikh Hasina back to power or not. “As for optics, if she needed approval from the outside world, #G20SummitDelhi gave it to her.” The photo of Sunak kneeling next to Hasina is now promoted by her party, the Awami League, as an image of her as a veteran world leader respected. Although known by many as a ruthless dictator and the "Iron Lady" of South Asia, Hasina is nicknamed the "Mother of Mankind" by her supporters. The title came after she allowed more than a million Rohingya refugees to seek refuge in her country to escape genocide and persecution in Myanmar. One Hasina supporter said in a Facebook post: “When the British Prime Minister spoke to Mother Humanity, our Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.