Bangladesh’s Chief of Army Staff General Waker-uz-Zaman cooled down the heated anti-India rhetoric that was heard in the student-led “unity rally” of December 31. File
| Photo Credit: Reuters

Bangladesh needs to build an environment that will allow reconciliation among various stakeholders of the nation, Army chief General Waker-uz-Zaman said. In a frank interview with prominent news daily Prothom Alo, he made several critical observations on the policing failures of the current interim administration, and said India and Bangladesh were dependent on each other on many fronts and, therefore, both should remain mindful of this reality while taking decisions.

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“We want a peaceful environment. Peace and stability is very important now for Bangladesh’s economy and social development. Without these two factors, there can be no development or good governance. That is why we need to restore tolerance among ourselves. An environment of national consensus must be created,” Gen. Waker-uz-Zaman said, touching upon some of the critical issues in the country.

Bangladesh came very close to having a public showdown between the Anti-discrimination Students Movement and the military-backed interim administration, on December 31, 2024, when student activists, still triumphant from the successful overthrow of the Sheikh Hasina government five months previously, wanted to “bury” the Constitution of Bangladesh.

The call for a “July proclamation” to do away with the 1972 Constitution, which has been followed even by the former military rulers of Bangladesh, created a tense situation on the streets, and finally, the interim government came out with an assurance that it would declare its own July proclamation to formalise the legacy of the uprising in July-August. Surprisingly, the call to do away with the Constitution found opposition from prominent leaders in the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, with standing committee member Mirza Abbas describing the call to dismantle the 1972 Constitution as “fascist”.

Gen. Waker-uz-Zaman also cooled down the heated anti-India rhetoric that was heard in the student-led “unity rally” of December 31. “India is an important neighbour (of Bangladesh). We are dependent on India in many ways. And India is getting facilities from us, too,” he said.

He depicted the India-Bangladesh relationship as one in which both sides depended on the other for their security needs, economic activities, and the medical requirements of the people of Bangladesh. “See, the thing is that we will not do anything with our neighbour that goes against their strategic interests. At the same time, we will expect that our neighbour does nothing that is contrary to our interests,” the Army chief said. He pointed out that security concerns at the Bangladesh-Myanmar border and the Chittagong Hill Tracts were of great importance to Bangladesh, while reminding India to stop border killings and provide Bangladesh with its “fair share of water”.

The interview with Gen. Waker-uz-Zaman has created a buzz among Bangladesh observers for several reasons, including the message it seeks to convey. In view of the breakdown of law and order, especially the dysfunctional police administration in Bangladesh, there had been growing anticipation that the military would secure a more direct role. In September, the Bangladesh military was given magisterial powers, although it has not used them fully so far.

Gen. Waker-uz-Zaman pledged full support to the interim government led by Chief Adviser Mohammad Yunus but, significantly, declared explicitly that the restoration of institutions in the country would depend on a politically empowered government. “This will require political parties and a government. This will not be possible without politics and without a political government,” he said.

He also expressed eager concern for the recovery of Bangladesh’s policing capacity, with many instances of mob justice having taken place since the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government. “They (the Army) have been five months in the field now. If the police could get organised fast, I would have no worry,” Gen. Waker-uz-Zaman said.

The Prothom Alo interview, however, did not include a question on the issue of Sheikh Hasina’s presence in India, which has greatly disturbed ties between New Delhi and Dhaka in the past few months.

File picture of Bangladesh’s former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina
| Photo Credit: AP

Bangladesh has cancelled the annual birth anniversary celebration of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman along with several other national holidays that the Sheikh Hasina government had introduced, according to an announcement by interim government.

Muhammad Yunus, Chief Adviser of the interim government of Bangladesh, announced on X that eight national holidays introduced by Ms. Hasina would be cancelled, including former president Rahman’s birthday that was celebrated on March 17.

Among the holidays cancelled were the “historic March 7” day, Mujibur Rahman’s birthday on March 17, the birth anniversary of Sheikh Hasina’s brother on August 5, the birth anniversary of Sheikh Hasina’s mother on August 8, the death anniversary of Mujibur Rahman on August 15, the birthday of Sheikh Hasina’s younger brother on October 18, National Constitution Day on November 4 and Smart Bangladesh Day on December 12.

Nobel Peace Prize winner Yunus was appointed the country’s “chief adviser” after the student-led uprising that toppled ex-premier Sheikh Hasina in August.

The 84-year-old microfinance pioneer is helming a temporary administration, to tackle what he has called the “extremely tough” challenge of restoring democratic institutions.

Members of the minority Hindu community hold a protest against violence on minority community in the country, outside Jamuna State Guest House, where Bangladesh interim govt chief Muhammad Yunus is residing, in Dhaka.
| Photo Credit: ANI

Bangladesh’s newly-appointed Home Affairs Ministry adviser has vowed to take swift legal action against those who attack or abuse minorities, stressing that there is no place for violence, conflict, or hatred in the country.

Brigadier General (retd) M. Sakhawat Hussain’s assurance came during a meeting with a delegation from the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) Bangladesh at his office in the Secretariat on Thursday, the Dhaka Tribune newspaper reported.

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Bangladesh saw a spike in violence against members of Hindu communities following the fall of the government led by Sheikh Hasina, who resigned and fled to India on August 5 following massive protests against her government over a controversial quota system in jobs.

Mr. Hussain emphasised that Bangladesh is a country of communal harmony, where people of all religions have grown up together without any divisions.

He said that no one would be spared if they attacked or abused minorities, and swift legal action would be taken.

He said that there is no place for violence, conflict, or hatred and that the country believes in peace.

During the meeting, Satyaranjan Baroi, president of ISKCON Bangladesh, requested the adviser to take priority measures for the safety of minorities and presented eight proposals for ensuring their safety, including enacting laws, establishing monitoring cells, forming a Minority Commission and providing continuous state security for temples.

The adviser assured his full support for these matters.

The Bangladesh National Hindu Grand Alliance said that the minority community faced attacks and threats in 278 locations across 48 districts since the fall of the Sheikh Hasina-led government on August 5 and termed it as an “assault on the Hindu religion.” Bangladesh’s Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus who is heading the interim government on Tuesday reached out to the distressed Hindu community and urged them to “exercise patience” and assured them that his government would punish those who attacked the minority members.

On Monday, Hossain’s ministry set up a hotline asking people to provide information about attacks on temples, churches or any other religious institutions.