The Economist has chosen Bangladesh as the country of the year. In view of this mouthpiece of the British establishment, the regime change in Bangladesh is a positive development not only for Bangladesh but also for the international community as a whole.

Bangladesh has won this British accolade outcompeting other contenders such as Poland, South Africa, Argentina and Syria. This is odd in itself as one can see no discernible British stake in Bangladesh that is more important than the ouster of Assad from Syria or the importance of Tusk assuming power in Poland in the context of the Ukraine conflict, in which the UK is fully involved.

West’s Hypocrisy

The antipathy of the US and the UK towards Sheikh Hasina is well known. Her ouster has been encouraged on the ground that she had suppressed democracy in Bangladesh. Why should the issue of democracy in Bangladesh have such importance for distant, non-regional countries? Whether Bangladesh is a democracy or not does not impact any decipherable US or UK stake in the country that could be considered vital for their interests.

The hypocrisy in the American and British discourse on democracy is manifest. Both the US and the UK maintain very close ties with countries that are not only not democratic but do not even hold elections—however flawed—or allow political dissent, much less permit the existence of political parties. Many are monarchies or military dictatorships or are ruled by communist parties.

China is not a democracy but the West has flourishing relations with it. The US and the UK have not made democracy an issue in their ties with Vietnam, for example. The Biden government did not invite Singapore to the two Summits for Democracy that it had organised. This did not, however, lead to efforts by the West to make the Singapore polity more democratic.

Bullying Countries

The issue is therefore not one of countries adhering to democracy or Western values for them to be seen as acceptable partners. It is essentially a form of political bullying of weak countries at little cost.
Myanmar has long been targeted by the US with sanctions because of the grip its military junta has retained over the country’s political system. That this has pushed Myanmar increasingly into the arms of China and damaged our strategic interests in that country has been ignored by the US.

In the case of Bangladesh, too, the impact of Sheikh Hasina’s ouster on India’s vital strategic interests in that country has been ignored. Major India-Bangladesh connectivity and development projects were implemented during Sheikh Hasina’s rule, to mutual advantage. A key gain for India was the ouster of insurgent groups operating from Bangladesh soil against India, an issue that the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) government in Bangladesh was unwilling to address.

With the regime change in Bangladesh, the doors are also being opened for increased Chinese influence. Why should the stakes of the US and the UK in Bangladesh be more important than those of India, its immediate neighbour?

Ignoring India’s Concerns

The British (and the US) do not see the rise of Islamist forces in our region as a danger to India’s security. The British have always politically supported Pakistan on India-Pakistan issues. They have not taken adequate cognisance of Pakistan’s use of terrorism as an instrument of state policy towards India. Despite the increasing radicalisation of Pakistani society, the British have not changed their fundamental sympathies for Pakistan.

The insensitivity of the British to the ISI-linked activities of Khalistani extremists against India on UK soil is part of this syndrome. The British also took a position on the Taliban take-over of Afghanistan that did not take into account India’s concerns. This is true of US policies on the rise of Islamic forces in our region, including facilitating the return of the Taliban to power in Afghanistan.

This would explain why the British and the US are not particularly concerned about the Islamist forces gaining power in Bangladesh. Further afield we have seen how the West is welcoming the takeover of Syria by Islamist elements linked in the past to al Qaeda. A suitably adapted narrative is being promoted to present the new leadership in a new political and sartorial attire.

A Convenient Narrative

In the article lauding the regime change in Bangladesh, The Economist welcomes the overthrow of an autocrat. This convenient narrative disregards the fact that Bangladesh has had long spells of military rule. The BNP under Begum Khaleda Zia was, and is, by no means less autocratic, and the current forces in Bangladesh intend to re-write the country’s secular constitution to make it more Islamic. The Economist recognises that the BNP is “venal”. Where are, therefore, the “non-autocratic” or genuinely democratic forces in Bangladesh that The Economist has in mind?

The Economist refers to “Islamic extremism” as a threat, no doubt believing that flagging it pro-forma will protect the journal from being accused of completely ignoring the danger. The reality of Islamists calling the shots in Bangladesh is being overlooked to suit the narrative building on the change in power there. There is no reference to the Jamaat-e-Islami, which is active on the ground.

The paper calls for holding elections after ensuring that the courts are neutral. That seems comical after the Chief Justice has been hounded out of office and the other judges are being coerced into giving the kind of judgments that the mob wants. It also says the Yunus government must ensure that the opposition has time to organise. Which opposition, when the Awami League will not seemingly be allowed to participate in the elections?

The paper claims, contrary to evidence, that the Yunus government has restored order and stabilised the economy. India has more than once flagged its concerns about the law and order situation on the ground in Bangladesh and the persecution of minorities in the country, especially the Hindu minority. But The Economist conveniently ignores this, which shows the bad journalistic faith of this leftover of British imperialist hubris. 

(Kanwal Sibal was Foreign Secretary and Ambassador to Turkey, Egypt, France and Russia, and Deputy Chief Of Mission in Washington.)

Disclaimer: These are the personal opinions of the author

Dhaka:

Bangladesh’s interim leader Muhammad Yunus, who heads the caretaker government installed after an August revolution, said Monday that general elections would be held late next year or in early 2026.

Pressure has been growing on Nobel Peace Prize winner Yunus — appointed the country’s “chief adviser” after the student-led uprising that toppled ex-premier Sheikh Hasina in August — to set a date.

The 84-year-old microfinance pioneer is leading a temporary administration to tackle what he has called the “extremely tough” challenge of restoring democratic institutions in the South Asian nation of some 170 million people.

“Election dates could be fixed by the end of 2025 or the first half of 2026,” he said in a broadcast on state television.

Hasina, 77, fled by helicopter to neighbouring India as thousands of protesters entered the prime minister’s palace in Dhaka.

Her government was also accused of politicising courts and the civil service, as well as staging lopsided elections, to dismantle democratic checks on its power.

Hasina’s 15-year rule saw widespread human rights abuses, including the mass detention and extrajudicial killings of her political opponents.

Yunus has launched commissions to oversee a raft of reforms he says are needed, and setting an election date depends on what political parties agree.

“Throughout, I have emphasised that reforms should take place first before the arrangements for an election,” he said. 

“If the political parties agree to hold the election on an earlier date with minimum reforms, such as having a flawless voter list, the election could be held by the end of November,” he added.

But including the full list of electoral reforms would delay polls by a few months, he said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Bangladesh Hindus hold a protest rally condemning communal atrocities committed against them and other religious groups in the Muslim-majority country, in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Monday, Aug. 12, 2024.
| Photo Credit: AP

The United States will continue to monitor the situation in Bangladesh, the White House said, emphasising that President Joe Biden is “consistent in speaking loud and clear” on human rights issues.

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre was responding to questions regarding calls from Hindu-American groups and Indian-American lawmakers seeking the US government’s intervention in protecting the lives and properties of the minority Hindu community in Bangladesh following the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government.

Also read:Seers concerned over attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh

“We are certainly going to continue monitoring the situation. I don’t have anything else to add beyond that. But, when it comes to any type of human rights issues, the president (Joe Biden) has been very consistent in speaking loud and clear in public and also privately and he’ll continue to do that,” Jean-Pierre told reporters at her daily news conference on Monday (August 12, 2024).

Over the past few days, hundreds of Hindu-Americans in various US cities have been holding peaceful protest rallies against the alleged human rights violations of the minority Hindu community in Bangladesh. Addressing a protest march in Atlanta on Sunday, Congressman Shawn Still appealed to the US State Department to ensure the safety and well-being of minorities in Bangladesh.

Local Atlanta representative Sheikh Rahman also endorsed the sentiments of the Hindu community and said he would do everything in his power by way of aggressive outreach to the Bangladesh regime to curb the violence and bring the violators to justice, a media release said.

The demonstrators displayed large banners and placards, waved American and Indian flags and chanted slogans, such as “Hindu Lives Matter”, “We Want Justice”, “United Nations, Wake Up” and “Jago Jago, Hindu Jago”.

Over 150 people also gathered in Fremont, California and raised similar slogans.

Congressman Rich McCormick, addressing a webinar organised by Coalition of Hindus of North America (COHNA), said he is deeply disturbed by the reports of sectarian violence targeting members of the Hindu minority in Bangladesh.

McCormick assured the Hindu community of working with them to help in protecting the lives and properties of the minority in Bangladesh.

On Saturday (August 10, 2024) more than 100 Hindus and members of the Bangladeshi diaspora gathered in front of the White House to call on President Biden to take decisive action. Chanting “Stop killing Hindus” and “Justice, justice, we want justice,” the crowd urged the US government to intervene and protect Hindus and other minorities in Bangladesh.

A large protest rally, co-hosted by the Washington-based NGO HinduACTion, was also held in the New York City, where protesters raised slogans of “Stop killing Hindus! Bangladesh! Bangladesh! Stop burning temples! Bangladesh! Bangladesh! We want justice! We want justice!”.

Hundreds of people gathered outside the United Nations headquarters and in Times Square to stage protests against the alleged attacks against Hindus in Bangladesh.

“The international community, and particularly the US government, cannot stand idly by as these crimes against humanity continue. We echo the calls for Congressional hearings to investigate these failures and to establish concrete measures that will prevent such violence in the future,” Utsav Chakrabarti, executive director, HinduACTion, said.

Indo-Bangla bilateral ties are not dependent on the Awami League and it is “natural to evoke adverse reactions” in Bangladesh over India giving refuge to former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Senior leaders of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) said on Friday, August 9, 2024.

Ground Zero:The making of the Bangladesh revolt

Asserting that India was “very important” to Bangladesh, Senior BNP leader Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain told PTI over the phone from Dhaka that “it is high time to start a new chapter in bilateral relations.”

Mr. Hossain also welcomed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s congratulatory message to the interim government in Bangladesh and hoped that the Indian government would no longer continue to support the Awami League and Sheikh Hasina, who was forced to flee the country following a mass uprising.

Echoing similar sentiments, BNP Vice-Chairman Abdul Awal Mintoo said it would have been better had Hasina not fled to India.

“It would have been better had she not fled to India, as we are yearning to have good relations with India. Bangladesh and its people believe and see India as a friend,” Mr. Mintoo told PTI.

He noted, however, that India is well within its rights, as per international law, to give refuge to someone they choose.

BNP govt. had ‘excellent relations’ with India: Hossain

Mr. Hossain said, “the impact of Sheikh Hasina getting refuge in India is quite natural. For example, if I don’t like you and someone else is supporting you, then I will naturally have a dislike for that person too. It is natural to have adverse reactions. But the fact is India-Bangladesh always shared good ties irrespective of whether the Awami League or Sheikh Hasina is in power.” “When BNP was in power, I was a minister in the Bangladesh government; we had seen how both countries shared an excellent relationship. India is very important to Bangladesh, as India has always supported the people of Bangladesh. Both countries will continue to have good bilateral ties,” he added.

The 77-year-old leader said the people of Bangladesh hope that the Indian government will “not always support a corrupt and dictatorial regime like the Awami League.” “We think the people of India have also realised this,” he said.

When asked if the BNP wants Ms. Hasina to be handed over to Bangladesh, he replied, “It is for the interim government to decide; as BNP, we have not taken a call on it.” Mr. Hossain also expressed hope that normalcy and democratic rights of the people would be restored at the earliest under the interim government led by Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus.

Mr. Yunus took the oath as the head of an interim government in Bangladesh. Yunus, 84, was administered the oath of office by President Mohammed Shahabuddin at a ceremony in Dhaka.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resigned and fled the country following widespread protests against her government over a controversial quota system in jobs. She flew to the Hindon air base, near Delhi, in a Bangladesh military aircraft on Monday.

Also read: Protests in Tripura over alleged attacks on minorities, destruction of sculptors in restive Bangladesh

The veteran BNP leader welcomed the Indian High Commissioner in Dhaka attending the swearing-in ceremony of the interim government on Thursday, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s congratulatory message to the new regime. “It is high time to start a new chapter in bilateral relations,” he asserted.

“The Indian Prime Minister has congratulated the new interim regime; the Indian High Commissioner to Dhaka attended the ceremony. So we feel that India supports the new interim government and does not support those who fled the country,” he said.

Prime Minister Modi on Thursday, August 8, 2024, extended best wishes to Muhammad Yunus as he took the oath as the head of an interim government in Bangladesh, hoping for an early return to normalcy and ensuring the safety of Hindus and other minority communities in that country.

On his part, Mr. Mintoo said it is a “well-known fact in Bangladesh” that it was due to the support of their big neighbour that the Awami League could continue in power for so long despite deep resentment against its government.

Speaking on India’s closeness with the Awami League, Mr. Mintoo said, “It might have a small and temporary impact on bilateral ties, but it is in the interest of Bangladesh that it should not be long-standing.” “It is in the interest of Bangladesh that we should have very good relations with India. I would not have said this had this been any other neighbouring country like Bhutan or Nepal, but India is a very big country and one of the largest economies in the world. For the sake of good bilateral ties, both countries need to sit and talk and resolve the differences,” he said.

When asked about the INDIA OUT campaign in Bangladesh, both Mr. Hossain and Mr. Mintoo said these are “stray and temporary incidents” and neither the people of Bangladesh nor the BNP support such campaigns.

Mr. Mintoo said the new interim government of Bangladesh should immediately engage in dialogue with India to resolve all issues.

Regarding the comments during an interview to PTI by Sajeeb Wazed Joy, the son of Sheikh Hasina, that his mother will return to Bangladesh as soon as democracy is restored, Mintoo said, “Whether she wants to return or not is up to her; we can’t comment on it.” “The law of Bangladesh will take its own course. There are several cases of corruption and human rights violations during the Awami League regime,” he said.

Although Mr. Mintoo didn’t mention any timeline, he noted that his party, led by former Bangladesh Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, wants elections to be held at the earliest so that a democratic government can be established.

At least 469 people have died in the anti-government protests in Bangladesh in nearly three weeks since the protests began in July.