On a slippery slope

It is a widely known fact, an open secret among keen observers of regional geopolitics of the region, that certain US-based organisations, some even funded by the government of the day, have been meddling in the affairs of Bangladesh since 2017. They have mainly targeted the youth, particularly students of various colleges and universities, as well as influential civil society groups, including artists and musicians. These groups were thoroughly brainwashed, which ultimately led to the ousting of the Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League government in August 2024, all under the guise of saving democracy!

Organisations like the International Republican Institute (IRI), the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), the Solidarity Centre, and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) are interlinked and are known for facilitating regime change in several countries, always with the stated aim of establishing democratic governance. In the case of Bangladesh, two major factors contributed to this: rampant corruption and widespread nepotism, which earned Hasina a very bad reputation and contributed to undemocratic norms. These issues persisted throughout her tenure from 2009 to 2024 and ultimately led to her downfall in August 2024. The uncontrolled corruption by politicians and bureaucracy in Bangladesh left the public frustrated and in desperate need of relief.

The situation was exploited by US-based organisations, which, while claiming to innocently strengthen democracy, were in reality influenced by the US Deep State, constantly looking for opportunities to spread its hegemony. Adding fuel to the fire were agents from neighbouring Pakistan, along with Islamist radicals from Jamaat-e-Islami, who have now practically taken control of Bangladesh.

After sacrificing nearly three million lives—practically a genocide at the hands of the Pakistan Army—and gaining independence in 1971, Bangladesh has once again sacrificed its hard-earned democracy. Democracy does not exist in Pakistan's DNA; it is a completely militarised state, with a unique, sporadic form of democracy that has now succeeded in pushing Bangladesh backward. This shift has opened the door for radical thugs to seize control, dragging the economy down in the process.

Knowledgeable pundits could foresee these events, but the agencies responsible for managing them sadly missed the signs. Their naive approach predictably boomeranged. To top it all, the US relied on its local allies and installed 84-year-old Muhammad Yunus, a political novice, as the head of the country, further compounding the disaster. This is a perfect example of good intentions gone wrong. The end result is plain for all to see: democracy has suffered the most, and Bangladesh is on the verge of becoming another Taliban-ruled Afghanistan.

The situation is extremely dangerous, especially for minorities, who are being persecuted, with the Hindu community being particularly targeted. Radicalisation has spread so extensively that the Yunus-led puppet government has failed miserably and is unable to maintain law and order. Radicals are having free rein, issuing fatwas and demanding that Durga Puja celebrations pay ransom, akin to Aurangzeb's jizya tax, with each Puja committee being forced to comply if they wish to celebrate the Puja. They have even threatened that namaz should be offered at each Puja pandal, which is actually against the basic tenets of Islam also. In various districts of Bangladesh, posters have appeared threatening Hindus, particularly young girls, with forced conversion and marriage to Muslim men. Many radical mullahs are now openly propagating polygamy, encouraging men to take multiple wives, a concept not widely practiced in Bangladesh so far. But who cares? The police force in Bangladesh today has been reduced to the role of mere spectators, and no help can be expected. It’s total chaos, and minorities are living in hell. Who will take responsibility for the current situation in Bangladesh? The question is, where are those forces that claimed to be strengthening democratic governance with the noble idea of establishing true democracy in Bangladesh?

Giving a foothold to radicals in Bangladesh will have far-reaching negative impacts on the region. The majority of the moderate population in Bangladesh is living in fear of these radicals. The hysteria created by the radicals has buried the main reasons for the birth of Bangladesh. It was the Bengali language for which, way back in 1957, the Bhasha Andolan was started. Secondly, the Punjabi and Urdu-speaking Muslim population of erstwhile Pakistan never treated the Bengali-speaking Muslims as equals and always looked down on them. So much so that in the 1969 elections, despite having won, Mujibur Rahman was denied the position of Prime Minister of Pakistan. Today’s generation of Muslims seems to be ignoring these two important reasons, while being pampered by radicals across the border who are instigating turmoil for selfish and ulterior motives.

There is even a demand to change the national anthem of Bangladesh, composed by Asia’s first Nobel laureate, Kabiguru Rabindranath Tagore. Why so much anti-India rhetoric? Answers need to be found. Who is responsible for such drastic changes in Bangladesh? This didn’t happen overnight! Therefore, it can easily be assumed that some basic fault lines were ignored by the authorities responsible for maintaining a cordial relationship between the two nations.

This is a great geopolitical lesson that the Deep State of the US, along with other organisations responsible for toppling the government in Bangladesh, should learn. It is their sole responsibility to prevent the radicalisation of Bangladesh, merely to promote their own selfish reasons. India must seriously focus on these issues. Along with the pro-democratic forces and moderates in Bangladesh, who are currently underground, an earnest and careful effort is needed to teach the radicals a befitting lesson and save Bangladesh from slipping into darkness.

It is clear that democracy has not been strengthened, but sadly strangled, in Bangladesh due to the misadventures of some. How long the wait will be is anybody’s guess, but one must remain open and optimistic.

The writer is a senior Air Force Officer with long experience in Govt of Delhi as the State Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities (Jan 2021-Jan 2024), OSD to LG Delhi (2007-2013), Addl DG Prasar Bharati and several other key positions in the Govt of India. Views expressed are personal