With Sheikh Hasina, the former Prime Minister of Bangladesh ousted from power on Sunday, New Delhi is alarmed by the events that have unfolded subsequently. Following a 36-days student protest against the reservation quotas for government jobs in Bangladesh, Hasina’s Government eventually succumbed on Sunday. A detailed blog has been written earlier on this issue. The former Prime Minister of Bangladesh immediately fled the country after being advised by the army, and is seeking refuge currently in UK and India.
However, several events that have unfolded as an aftermath of Hasina’s ouster has kept its neighbours, particularly India on the guards. Visuals of sheer vandalism in the country’s capital Dhaka had surfaced on Sunday. The visuals show as the protesters had barged into the former Prime Minister’s residence soon after Hasina fled the country. Further visuals have revealed extraordinary vandalism in Dhaka including Sheikh Mujeeb Ur Rehman’s statue being demolished by a mob. Sheikh Mujeeb who played a pivotal role in Bangladesh’s formation during the country’s war for independence from Pakistan in year 1971. Interestingly, Sheikh Mujeeb was the father of Sheikh Hasina and the founder of Awami League in Bangladesh.
Furthermore, several news has claimed widespread violation of human rights and targeted violence against the Hindu minorities in Bangladesh following toppling of the Awami League government on Sunday.
However, the biggest point of concern for India amidst this drastic change in Bangladesh’s political landscape is the immediate release of Begum Khaleda Zia, the Chairperson of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and the arch-rival of Sheikh Hasina. Bagum Zia has also served as the first female Prime Minister of Bangladesh from 1991-1996 followed by a second stint in power from 2001-2006.
Begum Khaleda Zia had a bitter personal and political history with Sheikh Hasina’s family. It is widely claimed that Sheikh Mujeeb’s assassination was planned and executed in 1975 by a group of soldiers at the behest of Begum Zia’s late husband, General Zia Ur Rehman. Noteworthy that, after 6 years in power as the President of Bangladesh, General Zia Ur Rehman was also assassinated by another group of 16 soldiers from his own army in 1981.
Begum Zia has been well-known for her inclination towards India’s arch-rival Pakistan and has been allegedly involved in catalysing insurgency in the North Eastern states of India. BNP’s former Home Minister is still serving sentence for his involvement in arranging weapons and explosives for the militant groups in north east India with the help of Pakistan. Additionally, Begum Zia had shockingly extended her support for the insurgency groups in 2007 and had mentioned that these groups are fighting for “independence’ from India.
The former BNP governments have faced charges of unprecedented corruption during the Prime Ministerial tenures of Begum Khaleda Zia with allegations of her sons even running a parallel government in the country. The allegations range from economic offences, to intimidating and illegal detention of their political opponents. Ironically, the Hasina administration also came into criticisms on several occasions on the later charges.
Begum Zia is also alleged to have been responsible for the targeted attacks of religious minorities in Bangladesh in the past.
The prominence of the Jammat E Islami group and their student wing in the present political scenario of Bangladesh also raises concerns for India. Noteworthy, that during Sheikh Hasina’s rule this group was designated as “terrorists” and was banned in the country.
While India has shared a friendly relation with Bangladesh during Hasina’s government, the situation is likely to change if BNP returns to power anytime in future. It will be interesting to see how New Delhi reacts to this change in political climate in Bangladesh. Presently, the Indian Government is facing a dilemma regarding the political refuge of Sheikh Hasina as news reports suggested that UK is not willing to offer her shelter.
About the author …
Ritabrata Roy is an Assistant Professor at Jindal Global Law School. He has been a PhD researcher and a Doctoral Tutor at the University of Sussex, Law School, United Kingdom.
Ritabrata’s research interests include gender studies, sexuality, criminal laws and human rights.
