Latest news with #post-Hasina
News18
3 days ago
- Politics
- News18
Visa-Free Deal Exposes Bangladesh's Slide Into Pakistani Orbit
The symbolism is unmistakable: post-Hasina Bangladesh is behaving like a Pakistani client state, seduced back into the orbit of the regime it broke free from five decades ago. And this isn't without precedent. Mujib's Dangerous Playbook What we are witnessing today echoes a disheartening chapter in Bangladesh's formative years. Just two years after leading a bloody struggle for independence, 'Bangabandhu" Sheikh Mujibur Rahman began realigning with Islamabad—a move that stunned Dhaka and Delhi alike. In 1974, Mujib gave a state welcome to Pakistani Prime Minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, offering him more honours than were extended to Bharat's President, VV Giri, who had visited Dhaka only days earlier. President Giri's reception was deliberately subdued—overshadowed by preparations for Bhutto's visit—leaving even Bangladeshis puzzled. This contrast wasn't merely accidental. It was a shift in the ideological direction of the state. Mujib's fiery Bengali nationalism began to give way to pan-Islamic overtones. Post-independence, his speeches, once invoking unity among Bengalis, started leaning heavily on Bangladesh's Muslim identity. The man who had once declared, 'I am a human being first, then a Bengali, and then a Muslim," had reversed that order—signalling a fundamental redefinition of the country's soul. The Aeroplane That Said It All Nothing illustrated Mujib's post-liberation hypocrisy better than the aircraft controversy surrounding his return from Pakistani captivity. Bharat had fought a brutal war and negotiated his release. It had even arranged its own aircraft to fly him home. Yet Mujib chose a British Royal Air Force (RAF) Comet instead. The British celebrated it as a diplomatic coup, with Rae Britten, the British deputy high commissioner in Dhaka, terming it a 'considerable prestige". New Delhi was deeply slighted. The row exposed Mujib's desire to downplay Bharat's foundational role in Bangladesh's freedom—and to elevate the West and Islamic powers as future allies. The disregard didn't stop there. At a strategically important railway bridge inauguration shortly afterwards—an infrastructure project executed in record time by Bharat's engineers with liberal assistance from New Delhi—Mujib thanked the British for financial support but made no mention of his neighbouring country. He then left by helicopter, inviting only British High Commissioner Sir Arthur Gold aboard. Subimal Dutt, Bharat's distinguished former foreign secretary and ambassador, was left to travel back in a crowded, non-VIP carriage, without food or official courtesy. Author Manash Ghosh, who was then reporting from Dhaka for The Statesman, writes about Subimal Dutt's plight in Mujib's Blunders, one of the best books to come out in recent times. 'No food or water was served to him during the four-hour return journey. He (Dutt) was seen frequently dozing off and his head falling and resting on the shoulders of his co-passengers, who repeatedly woke him up, and he, with folded hands, sought their forgiveness. 'I go to bed early, hence the problem,' he had gone on to explain embarrassingly," Ghosh adds. Mujib's actions were seen as a calculated distancing from Bharat. After all, Subimal Dutt had played a great role in the reconstruction of Bangladesh post-liberation. Today's visa-free agreement with Pakistan carries the same symbolic weight—a statement of ideological realignment. The Return of US-Pakistan Influence Since Sheikh Hasina's ouster, Bangladesh's new administration has moved swiftly to rehabilitate pro-Pakistani forces, many of them linked historically to Jamaat-e-Islami and other Islamist outfits banned by the previous dispensation. While this is being spun as 'democratic pluralism", it is, in reality, a deliberate erasure of the 1971 war consensus that built Bangladesh as a secular, pluralistic republic. The rollback has been quietly orchestrated by Washington, which had long viewed Hasina as an obstacle to its Indo-Pacific strategy. Her refusal to lease St Martin's Island for a US naval base in the Bay of Bengal infuriated American policymakers. Enter Donald Lu, a US State Department official with a dubious reputation for regime change, and Ambassador Peter Haas, whose fingerprints are all over Dhaka's recent political recalibration. Just as the CIA played a silent role in the events leading to Mujib's assassination in 1975, today's developments bear the mark of Washington-Islamabad collusion. advetisement Lessons from Mujib's Fall History offers a chilling warning. Mujib's appeasement of Pakistan and alienation of Bharat didn't save him—they isolated him. And now Muhammad Yunus, the economist-turned-administrator propped up by Western and Pakistani interests, is repeating the same fatal mistakes. Yunus weaponised anti-Bharat rhetoric, aided by the Pakistani ISI and the American deep state, to unseat Hasina. But nearly a year later, his administration is floundering amid economic chaos and rising insecurity. Minorities are being terrorised. And the middle class is losing hope amid a declining economy and rising joblessness. Having nothing to show, Yunus is now resorting to Islamist appeasement: invoking jihadist nostalgia, deepening ties with Islamabad, and empowering religious extremists. But as Mujib's downfall proves, this path leads to disaster. Sooner or later, he too will be consumed by the very fire he has ignited. Conclusion Bangladesh stands at a perilous juncture. It can choose ideological amnesia—forgetting war crimes, surrendering to foreign meddling, and embracing Islamist reactionism. Or, it can choose memory, justice, and sovereignty, rooted in the blood sacrifice of 1971 and anchored by Bharat's principled friendship. advetisement The choice now lies with the people of Bangladesh. They must confront the Islamist virus that re-emerges with intermittent regularity. This ideology returned for the first time just a couple of years after independence. And now, half a century later, it once again threatens to devour the republic from within.
The Hindu
17-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Bangladeshi forces clash with supporters of ousted leader Hasina, leaving at least 4 dead
Bangladeshi security forces on Wednesday (July 16, 2025) clashed with supporters of ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, leaving at least four people dead and scores injured, a hospital official and local media said. The violence erupted in the morning and spread as a new political party formed by students who led the uprising against Ms. Hasina in August last year announced a march toward the southwestern Gopalganj district, Ms. Hasina's ancestral home, and her Awami League party's stronghold. Authorities later imposed an overnight curfew in the district. Since Ms. Hasina's ouster 11 months ago, Bangladesh has been marked by chaos and unchecked mob violence. Wednesday's attack underscores the deep divisions in the country as its interim government keeps failing to bring the deteriorating security situation under control. TV footage showed pro-Hasina activists armed, attacking police with sticks and setting vehicles on fire as a convoy of about 20 vehicles carrying the leaders of the students' National Citizen Party arrived as part of commemorations of the uprising. Party leaders took shelter in the office of the local police chief. Footage showed top leaders were being escorted by soldiers to an armored vehicle for safety. They later left for a neighboring district with security escorts. Jibitesh Biswas, a senior official of a state-run hospital, told reporters that the bodies of at least three people had been brought in. The country's leading English-language Daily Star reported that four people died. The interim government said Wednesday the attackers on the students would not go 'unpunished" and in a statement issued on behalf of interim leader Muhammad Yunus, described the violence in Gopalganj as 'utterly indefensible." Ms. Hasina's Awami League party, which authorities banned in May, issued several statements on X condemning the violence and blaming the interim government for the deaths and injuries. 'We urge the world to take note of this blatant use of security apparatus,' one Awami statement said, adding that it had used mob violence against 'dissenters.' Student leader Nahid Islam gave the authorities a 24-hour ultimatum to arrest those responsible for the Gopalganj violence and floated the prospect of another march in the neighboring district of Faridpur on Thursday. The right-wing Jamaat-e-Islami party condemned the attacks on the student-led party and announced a nationwide protest in all districts and main cities for Thursday. Critics of the interim government warn of a widening polarisation that has reduced hopes for national reconciliation even as Mr. Yunus' administration pledges to bring order in the post-Hasina era. They say if the situation does not improve, a peaceful transition to democracy would be jeopardized.
Nikkei Asia
17-07-2025
- Politics
- Nikkei Asia
Bangladeshi forces clash with Hasina's supporters, leaving 4 dead
DHAKA (AP) -- Bangladeshi security forces on Wednesday clashed with supporters of ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, leaving at least four people dead and scores injured, a hospital official and local media said. The violence erupted in the morning and spread as a new political party formed by students who led the uprising against Hasina in August last year announced a march toward southwestern Gopalganj district, Hasina's ancestral home, and her Awami League party's stronghold. Authorities later imposed an overnight curfew in the district. Since Hasina's ouster 11 months ago, Bangladesh has been marked by chaos and unchecked mob violence. Wednesday's attack underscores the deep divisions in the country as its interim government keeps failing to bring the deteriorating security situation under control. TV footage showed pro-Hasina activists attacking police with sticks and setting vehicles on fire as a convoy of about 20 vehicles carrying the leaders of the students' National Citizen Party arrived as part of commemorations of the uprising. Party leaders took shelter in the office of the local police chief. Footage showed top leaders being escorted by soldiers to an armored vehicle for safety. They later left for a neighboring district with security escorts. Jibitesh Biswas, a senior official of a state-run hospital, told reporters that the bodies of at least three people had been brought in. The country's leading English-language paper Daily Star reported that four people died. The interim government said Wednesday the attacks would not go "unpunished," and in a statement issued on behalf of interim leader Muhammad Yunus, described the violence in Gopalganj as "utterly indefensible." Hasina's Awami League, which authorities banned in May, issued several statements on X condemning the violence and blaming the interim government for the deaths and injuries. "We urge the world to take note of this blatant use of security apparatus," one Awami statement said, adding that mob violence had been used against "dissenters." Student leader Nahid Islam gave the authorities a 24-hour ultimatum to arrest those responsible for the Gopalganj violence and floated the prospect of another march in the neighboring district of Faridpur on Thursday. The right wing Jamaat-e-Islami party condemned the attacks on the student-led party and announced a nationwide protest in all districts and main cities for Thursday. Critics of the interim government warn of a widening polarization that has reduced hopes for national reconciliation even as Yunus' administration pledges to bring order in the post-Hasina era. They say if the situation does not improve, a peaceful transition to democracy could be jeopardized. Nobel Peace Prize laureate Yunus took over the country three days after Hasina was toppled and fled to India. He pledged to restore order and has promised an election will be held next April. Hasina now faces charges of crimes against humanity while the government seeks her extradition from India, which has not responded to Bangladesh's request. Gopalganj is a politically sensitive district because Hasina's father's mausoleum is located there. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the country's independence leader, was buried there after he was assassinated along with most of his family members in a military coup in 1975. The National Citizen Party launched its "July March to Rebuild the Nation" at the start of the month, saying they would take place across all districts as part of its drive to position itself as a new force in Bangladeshi politics. Bangladesh's political past has been largely dominated by two dynastic parties -- the Awami League and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, or BNP, headed by Hasina's rival and former prime minister, Khaleda Zia. The BNP, which is hopeful of coming to power in the absence of Hasina's party, was mostly silent about Wednesday's violence.
Time of India
17-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Armed with sticks, vehicles set ablaze: Sheikh Hasina supporters face-off with police; what triggered the violence?
At least four people died on Wednesday after Bangladesh's security forces clashed with Awami League supporters in ousted Prime Minister 's hometown of Gopalganj. According to reports, the violence erupted after the National Citizen Party, a new political party formed by students who led the uprising against Hasina, announced a rally in the district. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Following the rally's announcement, Awami League workers and activists allegedly took positions on the Gopalganj–Tekerhat road, blocking several routes by felling trees. Armed with local weapons, the activists set fire to a government vehicle and smashed another. Gopalganj is a politically sensitive district as it houses the mausoleum of Hasina's father. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the country's independence leader, was buried there after he was assassinated—along with most of his family members—in a military coup in 1975. Top d evelopments Authorities imposed an overnight curfew after TV footage showed pro-Hasina activists attacking police with sticks and setting vehicles on fire, as a convoy of about 20 vehicles carrying leaders of the students' National Citizen Party arrived as part of commemorations of the uprising. Party leaders took shelter in the office of the local police chief. Footage showed top leaders being escorted by soldiers to an armored vehicle for safety. They later left for a neighboring district with security escorts. According to a senior official of a state-run hospital, the bodies of at least three people had been brought in. The country's leading English-language newspaper, The Daily Star reported that four people died. The interim government said that the attackers on the students would not go 'unpunished.' In a statement issued on behalf of interim leader Muhammad Yunus, the violence in Gopalganj was described as 'utterly indefensible.' Hasina's Awami League party, which authorities banned in May, issued several statements on X condemning the violence and blaming the interim government for the deaths and injuries. 'We urge the world to take note of this blatant use of security apparatus,' one Awami statement said, adding that it had used mob violence against 'dissenters.' Critics of the interim government warn of growing polarization that has diminished hopes for national reconciliation, even as Yunus' administration pledges to bring order in the post-Hasina era. They say that if the situation does not improve, a peaceful transition to democracy could be jeopardized. Nobel Peace Prize laureate Yunus took over the country three days after Hasina was toppled and fled to India, pledging to restore order. He has promised that a new election will be held in April next year. Hasina now faces charges of crimes against humanity, while the government seeks her extradition from India, which has not yet responded to Bangladesh's request.
The Hill
17-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
Bangladeshi forces clash with supporters of ousted leader Hasina, leaving at least 4 dead
DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP) — Bangladeshi security forces on Wednesday clashed with supporters of ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, leaving at least four people dead and scores injured, a hospital official and local media said. The violence erupted in the morning and spread as a new political party formed by students who led the uprising against Hasina in August last year announced a march toward southwestern Gopalganj district, Hasina's ancestral home, and her Awami League party's stronghold. Authorities later imposed an overnight curfew in the district. Since Hasina's ouster 11 months ago, Bangladesh has been marked by chaos and unchecked mob violence. Wednesday's attack underscores the deep divisions in the country as its interim government keeps failing to bring the deteriorating security situation under control. A chaotic situation TV footage showed pro-Hasina activists armed attacking police with sticks and setting vehicles on fire as a convoy of about 20 vehicles carrying the leaders of the students' National Citizen Party arrived as part of commemorations of the uprising. Party leaders took shelter in the office of the local police chief. Footage showed top leaders were being escorted by soldiers to an armored vehicle for safety. They later left for a neighboring district with security escorts. Jibitesh Biswas, a senior official of a state-run hospital, told reporters that the bodies of at least three people had been brought in. The country's leading English-language Daily Star reported that four people died. The interim government said Wednesday the attackers on the students would not go 'unpunished' and in a statement issued on behalf of interim leader Muhammad Yunus, described the violence in Gopalganj as 'utterly indefensible.' Hasina's Awami League party, which authorities banned in May, issued several statements on X condemning the violence and blaming the interim government for the deaths and injuries. 'We urge the world to take note of this blatant use of security apparatus,' one Awami statement said, adding that it had used mob violence against 'dissenters.' Student leader Nahid Islam gave the authorities a 24-hour ultimatum to arrest those responsible for the Gopalganj violence and floated the prospect of another march in the neighboring district of Faridpur on Thursday. The right wing Jamaat-e-Islami party condemned the attacks on the student-led party and announced a nationwide protest in all districts and main cities for Thursday. A nation in turmoil Critics of the interim government warn of a widening polarization that has reduced hopes for national reconciliation even as Yunus' administration pledges to bring order in the post-Hasina era. They say if the situation does not improve, a peaceful transition to democracy would be jeopardized. Nobel Peace Prize laureate Yunus took over the country three days after Hasina was toppled and fled to India, pledging to restore order. He has promised a new election would be held in April next year. Hasina now faces charges of crimes against humanity while the government seeks her extradition from India, which has not responded to Bangladesh's request. Gopalganj is a politically sensitive district because Hasina father's mausoleum is located there. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the country's independence leader, was buried there after he was assassinated along with most of his family members in a military coup in 1975. The National Citizen Party launched its 'July March to Rebuild the Nation' at the start of the month, saying they would take place across all districts as part of its drive to position itself as a new force in Bangladeshi politics. Bangladesh's political past has been largely dominated by two dynastic parties — Hasina's Awami League and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, or BNP, headed by her rival and former prime minister Khaleda Zia. The BNP, which is hopeful of coming to power in the absence of Hasina's party, was mostly silent about Wednesday's violence.
