Democracy is made hostage at the hand of Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina

The long-cherished dream of India turned true with the victory of Bangladesh Awami League. It is authentically proved by various sources that India aspires to see the current government in Dhaka to continue in power at least up to 2021, when a submissive Bangladesh can be totally ensured. Though India proclaims to be the largest democracy in the world, it has agenda of establishing one-party authoritarian rule in Bangladesh with a brute administration, thus greatly and blindly compromising the interest of Bangladesh in every level. This is now a win-win situation for India while a real agony for the people of Bangladesh seeing a government in Dhaka, which puts more emphasis on implementing Indian agendas, instead of paying minimal attention to the interest of Bangladesh. When Bangladesh completed its fourth decade of independence recently, it is justly feared by many that the nation of 160 million people are now destined towards losing its own dignity and pride, thus letting the rogue regime in scraping democracy and establishing the one-party dictatorship with fullest and dedicated agendas of serving the purpose of India.

 

The founding father of Bangladesh, Sheikh Mujib though made numerous pledges of ensuring rights of the citizen, freedom of press and freedom of expression. On formation of his one-party rule, the first offensive came on country’s media, thus banning all the newspapers but two thus introducing repressive laws such as Special Powers Act, pushing opposition activists inside prison while encouraging forced disappearance and secret killings. At least ten to twelve thousand opposition activists were brutally murdered by the private militia of Mujib

The era of Sheikh Mujibur Rehman came to a tragic end, when he was assassinated along with members of his family on 15th August 1975 in a military coup. At such tragic end of the founding father of the nation, no one – not even the members and activists of ruling Awami League felt sorry or shed tears, Following the assassination of Mujibur Rehman, the very existence of Awami League became totally uncertain, while many of the Mujib colleagues happily joined the successive government thus branding Mujib as the “Pharaoh” of Bengal. One of Mujibur Rehman’s closest aides and cabinet colleagues, Abdul Malek Ukil, when asked in London to comment on the assassination of the founding father of the country he said, “The nation has got rid of the pharaoh! Mujib wanted to establish dynastic rule in Bangladesh to let him and his ancestors remain in power for ever. But such plan never came to fruition.

After 20 years of the tragic assassination of the founding father, the people of Bangladesh voted Mujib’s eldest daughter Sheikh Hasina into power in 1996 and her government had to finally face a huge defeat just after five years, simply because of its massive corruption, nepotism, state-patronized crime and bad governance. Prior to this election, Sheikh Hasina sought apology to the people for all wrong-doings of her father and promised good governance if voted into power. During the election campaign, she even put on Islamic hijab (veil) surely with the idea of getting sympathy from the majority of the Muslim voters in the country. Anyway her strategy clicked and her party won the election, though it faced a huge defeat just in five years, simply because of extreme misrule and bad governance.

 

In 2008 again, Sheikh Hasina made fresh pledges to the people with renewed apology for the “mistakes”during her during of 1996-2001, and promised “a better Bangladesh” with the implementation of her Vision 2021 and establishment of “Digital Bangladesh”. It was already known in the political and media circles in India that, the pre-election propaganda strategy and the election manifesto of Awami League were drafted by a team of seasoned politicians and media personnel from India, while Dr. Manmohan Singh and Mr. Pranab Mukherjee contributed in the election manifesto of Bangladesh Awami League by incorporating their important inputs. The economic plans of the manifesto were consulted with famous economists, which include Nobel laureate Amartya Sen and Dr. Mohammed Yunus, while defence policies were drafted by New Delhi’s South-Block. The initial concept of Indian policymakers extreme involvement behind Awami League election manifesto as well as campaign strategy were aimed at getting series of issues and treaties signed and decided by the Bangladeshi government under the leadership of Sheikh Hasina in order to ensure India’s un-protested supremacy over Bangladesh forever. When New Delhi policymakers sensed the voters in Bangladesh were still in confusion in putting their mandate in favour of Awami League, Dr. Manmohan Singh and some key figures in Indian politics sought help from the Western governments in influencing the caretaker government in Bangladesh in extending total support towards Awami League and ensure its victory. Though the general election took place in December-2008, Sheikh Hasina’s special envoys secretly visited India in November-2008 to finalize the list of the next cabinet. New Delhi was already given assurance by the Bangladeshi caretaker government of letting Awami League win the election under “any circumstance”.

As expected, Awami League got a huge victory in the election with the help of India and since it formed government in January-2009, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her cabinet are seen totally committed in implementing all of its commitments and pledges, made to India, without arguing or questioning its impacts on Bangladesh or its people. Part of its pledge is the disappearance of M. Elias Ali as he was becoming a danger to Indian aspiration in Bangladesh.

For the first time; New Delhi has been very successful in putting a party in power, which never betrayed with Indian policymakers, even after facing substantial protests domestically for its expressive and exposed inclination towards New Delhi. On the other hand, for the people of Bangladesh, this is possibly one of their worst-ever period of national catastrophe of letting Awami League still hold on to power. No doubt the ruling party and its elites are fully aware of people’s grievance and anger and its pro-India policy, which directly goes against the interest of Bangladesh.

Since the forming of the present Awami government, the countries opposition became the biggest target of Sheikh, she personally ordered many of the arrest of prominent leaders of the opposition including Bangladeshi Jamati Islam. The aim was to destroy her political opponent so that she could come to power unhindered. To that end she changed the constitution and abolished the provision of the caretaker government. It is highly unlikely any fare and free election could be held under stewardship of this government as every government institution has been grossly politicised. The law enforcement agency is totally subservient to the government dictate and the opposition fears massive arrest to the run up to the election to stem off any protest. Bangladesh democracy needs to be rescued from the grip of Sheikh Hasina, the fascist Hitler of Bangladesh.