Bangladesh crisis - Of course a setback for Modi -- And now its a big challenge and also an OPPORTUNITY to perform and turn the table on the prophets of doom

Mujib's daughter Sheikh Hasina’s resignation marks a critical turning point for Bangladesh, leaving a power vacuum that could lead to further instability. 

The military’s involvement in politics, combined with the rise of radical groups, poses a significant challenge for the interim government. 

The situation remains fluid.

Sheikh Hasina’s ouster from power and the country will probably see a return of the Islamists to power in Bangladesh !!

The political landscape of Bangladesh is considerably more complex than the binary of the secularists and the Islamists. 

The ousted Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was a formidable 'wall' against Islamists that fell down due to machinations.

The reservation 'Protest' has been only exploited by certain unscrupulous elements including foreign players. 

From Indian point of view, the Bangladesh crisis - of course is a setback for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the politics of friendship he developed. And now its a big challenge and also an OPPORTUNITY to perform and turn the table on the prophets of doom.

But this is not a stage for bravado and showmanship. The Prime Minister and his Team have to play the game very cautiously. 

Indian government officials had reportedly alerted former Bangladesh's Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina about the potential dangers associated with the appointment of General Waker-Uz-Zaman as Army Chief in June of last year. 

Despite these warnings, Hasina moved forward with the appointment, a decision that many analysts believe contributed to her recent political downfall, according to a report by The Hindustan Times. 

New Delhi now facing an increasingly unstable neighborhood. While the Modi government will offer its support to stabilize the interim government in Bangladesh, anti-Sheikh Hasina supporters in the west will set their own anti-India play into motion. Barring Bhutan, all India’s neighbors are currently facing political turmoil and the situation is expected to get worse in future. The only option that India has is to insulate itself from cross border challenges through better security and advance intelligence apart from tackling the fifth columnists within.

Indian government officials reportedly warned former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina about the potential risks linked with appointing General Waker-Uz-Zaman as Army Chief in June last year.

Despite these cautions, Hasina went ahead with the appointment, a decision that many believe played a key role in her recent ousting. Instead of addressing the escalating youth protests, Gen Zaman issued an ultimatum to Sheikh Hasina, demanding that she and her sister flee the country.

The Army’s swift decision to release opposition BNP leader Khaleda Zia serves as an indication that Islamist groups such as Jamaat-e-Islami and Islami Chhatrashibir are likely to become prominent players in the country’s politics.

One argument built against Hasina is ---

Perhaps the most egregious example of the former prime minister’s insensitivity was her criticism of the protests at a press conference on July 14. “If the grandchildren of freedom fighters do not receive (quota) benefits,” she asked “who would get it? The grandchildren of Razakars?” 

The term Razakars refers to the much-hated collaborators with the Pakistani army during the country’s liberation war. Students reacted to Hasina’s derisive reference to them as Razakars, in an unexpected and bold manner, with many appropriating the term in social media and during protests. 

This, as commentator Samata Biswas points out, “enabled young people to overcome what they considered to be the restrictive legacy of the liberation war” and to claim that they are engaged in Bangladesh’s second war of liberation. (Indian Express) 

The Guardian: 

"With youth unemployment at 40%, the reintroduction of government job quotas for descendants of those who fought in the Bangladesh independence war in 1971 – seen as a bung to party supporters – brought students out in protest. She angered them further by referring to them with a derogatory slur akin to calling them traitors. 

An internet shutdown hit businesses and left citizens without access to their money. A vicious crackdown, which killed hundreds and saw more than 10,000 arrested, inflamed the uprising instead of suppressing it.

The interim government should now ensure the immediate release of political prisoners and launch an investigation into the deadly violence. Those responsible – from the leader down – must be held accountable. Restoring security is also critical, especially following attacks on Hindu homes, shops and temples.

Renewing the old, failed political system which produced first alternating rule by the Awami League and the BNP, and then single-party domination, will be a trickier task. Ms Zia, Sheikh Hasina’s ally turned bitter foe, has been released from prison but has serious health issues. 

In any case, many want to move beyond the “battle of the Begums”, but not necessarily to embrace the Islamist Jamaat-e-Islami party.