Bangladesh: Chaotic crossroads – The Economic Times

Even after six months of the ground-shaking events which took place on 5th of August 2024 the interim government along with the student public representative administrators, has not only failed to provide the promised freedom but also has put the country on a very slippery slope which could spiral out of control. The present leadership was entrusted with electoral reforms, bringing in more accountability, transparency, upholding human rights, and putting an end to any violations by either ruling or opposition ideologies. However, things dramatically took a nasty turn right after the 5th of August, the minorities were at the receiving end and gross violations occurred. The target were mostly the Hindus, Christians, the Chittagong hill tract communities and people of the third gender (LGBT). Law enforcement agencies were also crippled because with fear of reprisal, many of them did not return back to service post the violent episode. With dwindling foreign revenue reserves and shrinking avenues to generate new income especially from the readymade garment sector, a lot of layoffs resulted from cancelled orders especially from the western lucrative markets. Coupled with that another major revenue earner for the armed forces was deployment in various peacekeeping missions as part of the United nations employment which has also stalled. With diplomatic relationship with neighbouring India taking a nosedive and a trickle of cross-border trade especially in food grains and other fast moving consumable durables the common person is feeling the hardship and the pains with no end at sight.
The Interim Government has yet to announce fresh elections and they are pushing for reforms first and attempts to change the constitution and take pluralistic and secular imprint out of it which might cause further more chaos in this highly volatile society. The unabated attacks on the minorities and setting free of prescribed criminals who face very serious terrorism charges with intent off cross-border trafficking of narcotics and firearms is also a cause of major concern not only for neighbouring India but it has the potential to destabilise the entire region if not nipped in the bud.
Bangladesh must break free from his current trajectory of externalising its internal problem along with revenge driven tactics and unfortunately pushing an anti-India narrative which influences her policies. Rather than blame game tactics they must focus on the internal situation and come to better grips off it taking into account the broader security of the neighbours which includes constructive engagement which is a natural partner and ally in the geopolitical sphere. India also has historical cultural connect with Bangladesh which is often umbilical cord relationship that cannot be severed easily.

Father of the nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman does not belong to any single political religious or cultural ideology or group alone. Bangladesh is a highly pluralistic society and its vibgyor consists not only of Muslims but also Hindus, Christians, Ahmedis, Buddhists, people of the hill tract and indigenous people who are often referred to as Adivasi or Jono Jati. Hence the attempts to bulldoze the other representatives of the society and bring them under the umbrella of this unified so-called freedom backed by violence and extremism will definitely boomerang and the pluralistic principles which were laid down by Bangabandhu (Friend of Bengal) SMR on his landmark speech of 7th of March 1971 will definitely rise like a phoenix. His contribution and achievements including his failures will forever be remembered in history and even after his bloody assassination along with family members and children Bangladesh will realise the lost glory of its founding father without whom the events of 16 December 1971 would never ever have materialized. He stood firm against tyranny, oppression by the West Pakistani administration along with their collaborators and the month of February is something which is extremely dear and passionate to each Bengali wherever they reside in this globe. It is on this month that the people of Bengal showed the world their love for their mother tongue their pride their language to be paramount which could not be raised or overcast by religious or sectarian differences. Come 21st February, the Bengali cultural identity will once again triumph over the fundamentalist an extremist forces that try to impose an alien language culture and way of life to the liberal and free-thinking people of Bengal.

Bangladesh stands at a crossroads and its leadership must recognise that antagonising India by undermining its own institution will definitely not lead to the road of progress. Instead of a pragmatic and forward-looking approach grounded in diplomatic maturity with a strategic foresight can be of constructive engagement which is essential and need of the hour. The internal political stability along with economic growth and well-being of the people is dependent on such an approach failing to do so there are myriad of examples not very far away in the neighbourhood like that of Sri Lanka or even Africa where debt trap diplomacy has rained havoc on the local population.The more deliberate attempts to erase the legacy of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman are carried out, it appears he is exponentially engraved in the cosmopolitan fabric of the country who still rests in peace at his grave in Tungipara, Gopalgunj.
(Priyajit Debsarkar, based in the UK is the author of a recent book on Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, founding father of Bangladesh.)