Ibne Siraj :
The 10th parliament election took place on January 5 despite boycott from opposition parties including Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and its ally Jamat-e-Islami Bangladesh. The voterless election was held only to uphold the constitutional obligation but the traditional fanfare and festivity were totally absent, earning a bad name for Bangladesh at home and abroad. Country’s major development partners including the United States and its western allies have, dozens of times, called for compromise between the ruling and the opposition parties to hold the election in a free and fair manner to make it a credible electoral event. But in the face of oppositions’ rigid stand on the question of the caretaker system that was earlier deleted from the constitution through an amendment, the government by using all its available machinery held the 10th parliament polls obviously making it a controversy. India quite openly played a very important role in this game on the plea that the ‘big brother’ does not want to see emergence of any anti-democratic force in the scene of governance or continuation of the bloody political games between the pro and anti liberation forces in Bangladesh.
Now questions arise why Awami League has ignored the larger public opinion, world opinion and the minimum standard necessary to hold a free and fair election in a densely populated country like Bangladesh. When the government has seen the oppositions up openly with do-and-die protest and a demand for the caretaker system, the ruling Awami League has got sacred of a near sure defeat in the game. On the other hand, brutal suppression of opposition parties has made sure that any credible opposition would mar the hope of Hasina to return to power again. But the most important factor behind Awami League’s bid to return to power again can be traced to India’s undeniable support. India has always been an influential country in Bangladesh as Awami League is being treated as a pro-Indian party while anti-Awami League lobbies feel that New Delhi is supposedly using its cronies to make sure Bangladesh does not make a successful democratic transition. But the Indian diplomacy before the recent polls has showed that New Delhi wants complete peace and tranquility for a credible election for the sake of continuation of democracy in Bangladesh.
Despite calls from the United Nations, United States, European Union, China, Japan and other allies for a credible election, India has appeared as a saviour of Awami League, knowing well that Hasina has run a corrupt and inept regime. On the other hand, the US and its western allies have apparently taken the side of BNP, which demands caretaker system to hold the 10th polls as it was done on precious 4 occasions and acclaimed globally. On the political sidelines, many have thought of the fact that the western powers might have a plan to invite any third force to power or flare up the street battle until the prospects of democracy ends in Bangladesh. This was so because Hasina has already irritated Washington by locking herself into a psychological battle on many issues including one with Nobel laureate Dr Muhammad Yunus. Hasina’s tilting towards China has also raised the eye brows of the US, claiming to benefit Bangladesh greatly from a deepening partnership, both strategically and economically. Of late, US envoy Dan Mozena after returning to Dhaka from Washington said his country was still on the path of a credible election with all parties’ participation in Bangladesh. This means, Washington and its allies want the 11th polls soon to the discredit of Hasina and indirectly signals another series of bloodbaths on the streets of Bangladesh.
Mozena and his western colleagues in Dhaka held series of meetings with BNP chief Begum Khaleda Zia before and after the January 5 polls, giving an impression that the post January 5 government would not last long and the possibility of the 11th parliament election is very imminent. With India’s covert and overt supports, Awani League’s central leaders have now started to say that their government born out of the womb of January 5 polls would last for five years as per the constitution. Since coming to power, Hasina’s regime has fulfilled every demand of India but got nothing in return. India has been granted access to Bangladesh ports and road networks for its easier access to northeastern states. The Bay of Bengal’s lucrative gas blocks were awarded to Indian companies without any due process and also participation of other global companies. Indian products are flooding the Bangladesh market despite New Delhi’s reluctance to allow Bangladeshi products into India. India maintains a huge trade surplus due to various trade barriers enacted against Bangladesh. Hasina’s policies have also had a detrimental affect on Bangladesh’s trade relationship with other countries.
To maintain this unnatural and one-sided balance of power between these two nations, India is working overtime to prop up Hasina’s government, now apparently on a fragile democratic footing with the active help of India. The opposition parties in Bangladesh are not so inclined to bow down to Indian pressure and India’s foreign policy establishment believes that if Hasina’s tenure ends, it would mean termination of the one-sided relation. India’s interference in Bangladesh internal affairs is seen as unprecedented, souring the mood of the people of this small neighbour. Indian Foreign Secretary Sujata Singh visited Bangladesh to openly lobby political parties to join the sham election. Some intellectuals have found it as undemocratic gesture, which go against the very fabric of a free society and need closer attention from the outside world. Until now, the US and other EU nations coordinated their Bangladesh policies with India. Over the past few years, a chasm grew between India and the US (and the EU to some extent). Except India, all other countries would like to see a democratic transition in Bangladesh, where the people find the reflection of their true choice. India’s unconditional support for a brutal undemocratic regime in Bangladesh is influencing the western countries, especially the US, to rethink their Bangladesh policy seen through the prism of India.
Why the US is annoyed with Hasina through Washington’s double standard policies? Quite obviously, Americans are cheesed off with Hasina over something and have been looking for a chance to put her down. There is nothing more humiliating to be lectured publicly by mid-level officials of a foreign country. In whatever way the January 5 polls were held, Hasina is an elected leader. Washington had a few expectations when Hasina, exiled in the US after the 1/11, was elected as Prime Minister of Bangladesh. What could have been the expectation? Was it natural gas? When Big oil interests are involved, Uncle Sam spares no effort to put pressure. And Bangladesh has a lot of gas and Big oil has been keenly scavenging for quite sometime already. There are also some geopolitical issues as well as the Bangladesh-China relations. China is developing a massive container terminal, deep sea port and a road connecting Bangladesh to China via Myanmar. Russia is building nuclear plants in Bangladesh. Hidden in all this, isn’t there a kernel of truth for India, too. What are the US motives in stepping up interference in South Asia? Is this what securing ‘global commons’ can come to? If so, are India and US on the same side? Can India afford to be seen in its own backyard as the sidekick of a rambunctious bully?
Bangladesh is a very strategically important nation in the region. Sitting between South and Southeast Asia, it can bridge up these two fast growing regions. Bangladesh plays a prominent role in both the US and China’s version of the new Asian Super-highway/trade route that will connect Asian countries to boost trade and improve interconnectivity. Bangladesh’s access to the Bay of Bengal is another important factor for the US, and others. Access to the Bay of Bengal and consequently to the Indian ocean is of significant and strategic value. Bangladesh already has a long-standing strategic tie with the US. As a result of these multifaceted strategic partnerships between the US and Bangladesh, Washington must see a democratic Bangladesh, where democratic institutions thrive and prosper. That pits US policies directly against India’s policy of supporting the regime of Hasina. The people of Bangladesh already have a favorable opinion of the US when it comes to promoting economic development and supporting democracy in Bangladesh. The US is also the largest market for Bangladesh’s main export vehicle-readymade garments. From Bangladesh’s perspective, a more intertwined strategic link between Bangladesh and the US can help both countries immensely.
(Ibne Siraj is a senior journalist)
