Opinion
Fundamentalism portends to drag Bangladesh down
Summary
- Bangladesh seems condemned to suffer from cyclic confusion. Events during the last few months have created doubts about the country’s future.
Today Bangladesh is celebrating the 53rd anniversary of its liberation—a day I still remember vividly. I was then a student at the government inter-college, Prayagraj (then Allahabad). That day, just before the morning assembly dispersed, Mr Khanwalkar, the principal, held us back for a special address. Everyone waited with a heightened anticipation.
When he spoke, he was beaming; tears welled up in his eyes and his voice choked with emotion. He said the Indian army had forced close to a lakh of Pakistani soldiers to surrender in Dhaka. We had won the war, and Bangladesh was liberated.
His words electrified the atmosphere. We rushed out of the college despite teachers’ admonition and kept cheering on the streets for hours on end.
In January 1972, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman arrived in India after his release from a prison in Rawalpindi, Pakistan. On 10 January 1972, he addressed his nation live on All India Radio. I am not sure how many understood his speech in Bengali, but people were riveted by the emotions his voice exuded. People were filled with joy believing that from now on India and Bangladesh would work together.
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Today the foundations of that belief stand shaken. Anti-India feelings and atrocities against the minority Hindus are a reality now in Bangladesh.
Such violence isn’t new to Bangladesh. Within four years of assuming charge of Bangladesh, Bangabandhu and his entire family, except Sheikh Hasina, were massacred in a military coup. Newspapers then wrote emotional editorials comparing Mujibur Rahman’s assassination with that of Mahatma Gandhi. Khondaker Mostaq Ahmad was installed as president of Bangladesh in place of Bangabandhu, and Ziaur Rahman was made the new chief of army staff.
Ziaur quickly learnt the political ropes and within one-and-a-half years became the head of the country in a bloodless coup.
He nurtured visions of an Islamic Bangladesh. Later his wife, Khaleda Zia, kept the vision alive. The situation improved a little when Sheikh Hasina Wajed came to power.
The tumultuous political machinations and the rigmarole of reversals notwithstanding, Bangladesh did script a story of phenomenal economic success in the last decade.
At a time when Pakistan was seeking doles from Arab nations, China, and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Bangladesh emerged as the ready-made garment hub of the world. According to the World Bank, between 2010 to 2023 Bangladesh’s economy grew at an average of 6.4% a year. The number of poor in that country fell from 11.8% to 5%. In per capita GDP terms, it marched ahead of India.
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Everyone expected the good run to continue. But, Bangladesh seems condemned to suffer from cyclic confusion. Events during the last few months have created doubts about the country’s future. Nobel laureate Mohammed Yunus, who had been exiled in London, is now heading the interim government in Bangladesh. However, personal enmity between him and Sheikh Hasina is impacting his nation’s relations with India. Recently while meeting a delegation of European nations he said the visa centres being run in Delhi and other parts of India would be transferred to Dhaka.
The growing discord between the two nations is the reason that this time the nearly 500 sadhus of Bangladesh Juna Akhada are facing uncertainty over attending the Mahakumbh in Prayagraj slated for early next year.
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s ISI is vigorously promoting jihadi elements in Bangladesh. Now it’s up to Bangladesh to decide what future they want. Bangla politicians shouldn’t forget that till the 1980s Pakistan was ahead of India in per capita GDP terms. They then promoted Jihadi groups and are now facing its repercussions.
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India, on the other hand, pursued secularism. New Delhi waged a dogged war against extremism and terrorism while promoting a market economy. The result: We are on our way to being among the top three economies of the world.
How can Bangladesh expect to grow by handing its reins over to fundamentalists? Why are Yunus and his team ignoring this reality? The changing scenario in Bangladesh is a cause for concern in India. Rising religious frenzy on its eastern and western borders doesn’t augur well for India.
Shashi Shekhar is editor-in-chief, Hindustan. Views are personal.
