FRAGRANCE OF IDEAS
Bangladesh is again, virtually, in the hands of its military; and thus the democratically elected civilian rule in the country has come to an end with the exit of its Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina who was given 45 minutes by the Army to resign and leave the country along with her sister, Sheikh Rehana. This all happened as a result of the two-month long terrible nationwide unrest, violence, anarchy and protests against the reservation quota in which the Bangladesh army became a party in the end. The Bangladesh police and the law enforcing authorities completely surrendered before the attacking mobs; and the crowds took control on the ground. In this way, the stage was set for the military coup and it happened on 5th August 2024, forty nine years after the first bloody coup in August 1975.
Many observers believe that some foreign hands were deeply involved in the unrest in Bangladesh who wanted Sheikh Hasina to step down since she didn’t permit them their foothold in the Bay of Bengal. This has also been reiterated by Sheikh Hasina in her recent statement issued in her third exile. The government of India assured her safe exit from Dhaka and also allowed her to stay in India till she finally decides about her future plans of permanent stay, which of course may take its own time.
The most deplorable thing happening in Bangladesh was the public desecration of the statues and images of the founding father of Bangladesh, Sheikh Mujibur Rehman and the heroes of the liberation movement of 1971. Their statues and memorials at prominent public places were not only desecrated, pulled down and broken but also disrespected in the most heinous manner. The statue of the writer of the national anthem of Bangladesh (amar sonar bangla…), Rabindra Nath Tagore, was broken into pieces by the rampaging crowds. Looting in the business houses of the minority community by the public, including men, women and children, continues unabated.
Reports suggest that the agitation launched by the students against the reservation quota announced by the government had deep connections with a number of anti-government and anti-Awami League elements both within and outside Bangladesh. They lent support to the agitation to convert it into a broad based movement throughout the country. The government initially took things lightly and allowed the movement to gain control of the situation. Though the Supreme Court of Bangladesh intervened in the matter and brought the 30% quota to 7% (which the government agreed to follow), the agitators insisted that the government of Sheikh Hasina should immediately resign and gave a call for a ‘long march’ to the PM’s residence.
At this point of time, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party headed by the former PM, Khalida Zia (then in jail) and the Jamaat-i-Islami took advantage of the situation and hijacked the movement. They misused the sentiments of the people and asked them to take revenge for the death of more than 200 agitators who got killed during the two month long agitation. While the government didn’t relent to the wishes of the agitators in this regard and asked the law enforcement agencies to restore public order, the public led by the movement leaders and joined by the BNP and Jamaat cadres conspired to attack the PM’s residence.
The Bangladesh Army headed by General Waker-ur-Zaman in a dramatic fashion took control of the situation during the morning hours of 5th August 2024 and advised the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to resign and leave the country. The general talked to the US based son of Sheikh Hasina, Sajeeb Wazed Joy, and asked him to persuade his mother to heed to his advice. Incidentally, General Zaman is the son-in-law of a former Chief of the Army, Gen. Muhammad Mustafizur Rehman (uncle of Sheikh Hasina) who was appointed to the highest post by the government on June 23 this year. He provided an Army aircraft to the Prime Minister to leave the country and managed the entire drama of her exit from the country.
Consequent upon the departure of Sheikh Hasina, the General declared that the Army had taken over and would, in consultation with the President of the nation, Mohammed Shahabuddin, form an interim government as soon as possible. As the news of the Army takeover broke out, people in large numbers came on the streets and started attacking the police and other law and order machinery in Dhaka and other suburbs and towns. It was a complete free for all with effect from this point on 5th August, understandably with the tacit understanding of the Army which didn’t take any recourse to stop the carnage let loose by the violent mobs on the streets.
The news and the video clips circulated on different media platforms suggest that the Army in Bangladesh allowed the situation to go out of control in the end and was seen complicit in the loot, vandalism, anarchy and other shameful events at PM’s official residence in Dhaka called Bangbhaban, parliament house and the adjoining secretariat. It was/is a free for all situation in the entire Bangladesh causing a great concern for India and the minorities of Bangladesh.
In addition to what happened on the political front, the minorities in Bangladesh particularly the Hindus have been made the target of communal violence in most parts of the country. A large-scale violence and destruction of their properties including the temples in 34 of the 64 districts of the country have been reported. Among those who were killed by the mobs included the Awami League leaders and activists, Hindu minorities, intellectuals, artists and police officers. Their houses were ransacked, looted and set ablaze. Horrifying video clips depict women of the minority community being attacked, abducted, tortured and killed by the unruly mobs. This insane carnage hasn’t come to an end yet.
However, the minority communities in Bangladesh have come on streets after what was done to them and have launched protests and demonstrations, first of their kind in Bangladesh. They got huge support from various corners of the world and people in large numbers are showing their sympathies with these unfortunate victims of turmoil and chaos in Bangladesh. Rallies and demonstrations against the Hindu-Holocaust in Bangladesh are being organized in Europe, America, Australia, Middle East and India besides at various places in Bangladesh.
Mohammad Yunus, an arch opponent of Sheikh Hasina, who is supposed to be one of the masterminds of the coup in Bangladesh, has taken over as the head of the interim government in Bangladesh on the initiative of the army and the organizers of the students movement. There were previously serious allegations against him. After allegedly committing a scam of Rs 2.2 million in the labour fund of Bangladesh, he ran away to London because an investigation had been ordered against him by the Sheikh Hasina government.
While staying in London and Paris, it is said that in collaboration with Rockefeller Foundation and George Soares, and planning with Pakistan’s ISI for one year, he conspired to overthrow the Bangladesh government and was the active brain behind the students movement and the consequent coup in the country. He was also seen on camera having discussions with Rahul Gandhi, leader of Congress, discussing the political situation in South Asia, thus giving an impression that he was the person behind the scenes responsible for the unrest in Bangladesh. A senior journalist in Bangladesh recently exposed the development in an interview on a prominent news channel of India.
Mohammed Yunus, on his assumption of power as the Chief Advisor in the government, in his first statement admitted that the country was going through terrible violence and unrest and these had serious implications. He also admitted that the Hindu minorities were being put to serious trouble and were the victims of mob violence and anarchy. He went to the extent of declaring to put his resignation in case violent acts against them don’t come to an end. Though he appealed for peace in the country, anarchy in Bangladesh hasn’t come to a halt.
There is no doubt in the fact that Sheikh Hasina had brought peace, tranquility and an unprecedented economic progress in the country. Bangladesh had assumed an important role in the South Asian region over the last two decades. Her government to a great extent suppressed the extremist, fundamentalist and communal elements in the country. She was considered as a saviour by the minorities of the country. She accommodated the minority representation in almost all spheres of socio-political scenario, governance and administration.
Her proximity with the government of India and particularly with the Modi government helped her a lot to build her own aura and take Bangladesh to newer political and economic heights which wasn’t indeed liked by her adversaries, opponents and enemies both within and outside Bangladesh. Hence, conspiracies began to be hatched against her and her government despite a huge victory in the last elections. With the ouster of Sheikh Hasina from Bangladesh, the minorities and peace loving citizens in Bangladesh surely feel that they lost their patron and guardian.
The spirit of the 1971 liberation war seems to have been overshadowed by the extremist ideology. However, Sheikh Hasina, the daughter of Mujibur Rehman, the founding father of Bangladesh, has not called it a day yet. India has a crucial role to play in the whole scenario and all eyes are focussed on the new regime in Bangladesh and its future relations with India.
The government of India headed by PM Modi is taking a very cautious position and has in good faith briefed the main political leaders of India about the situation in an urgently called meeting in New Delhi. The tragedy remains that Bangladesh has unfortunately returned to the era of indefinite and uncertain future. It has proved itself as the land of endless coups, chaos and carnage; a very tough and difficult situation not only for the people of Bangladesh but also for India…….!
(The author is a senior BJP & KP leader, human rights defender, author and columnist and can be reached at [email protected])
