Sheikh Hasina's historic victory: A big boost for India-Bangladesh ties

Although it came as no surprise that Sheikh Hasina would win hands down in the last Bangladesh national elections, the fourth time historic win for her Awami League has come as a matter of great merriment for the secular constituency not only in Bangladesh but India as well. The victory has moreover defeated the nefarious designs of anti-secular, anti-India forces, including Pakistan and China, which had sought hard to dethrone not only Bengali linguistic nationalism and the manner in which Bangladesh was liberated from the clutches of Pakistan, but growing Indian prowess in the Indian subcontinent. Bangladesh had been enduring a stormy past during the last couple of years. The radicalised, barrack-based opposition that were hell-bent on putting Hasina on the back foot had to ultimately eat humble pie. Severed from its Western wing—with able Indian aid—January 2024’s decisive victory is also being seen not only as victory of Bengali linguistic and cultural nationalism over Islam, but the strengthening of age-old bond between India and Bangladesh. Indeed, 1971 was an important waypoint in history. It proved that religion cannot—in the ultimate manifestation—override culture. But it must also be remembered that much had changed in Bangladesh since 1971. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the founding father of Bangladesh, was assassinated five years after the liberation and for one reason or the other the erstwhile East Pakistan was once again on the fast track to becoming a barrack politics backed Islamist country. While it is true that the fortunes of Bangladesh have waxed and waned over time, vacillating between bouts of Islamism, military rule and secular democracy, there was apprehension that the just concluded elections slated for January 2023 could well be a test case. It was important that the secular forces remained in power and not pave way to the barrack politics backed by radical Islam. Such a prognosis entailed sense when the geopolitics of the region was taken into account, especially as there was great browbeating from a United States whose global policing role felt—incorrectly so—that it knew no bounds. The return of the anti-liberationist forces of 1971 would have sounded the death knell to Bengali nationalism that had characterised the triumph of culture over religion. But better sense prevailed among the people of Bangladesh and not only was the secular shroud that gave birth to a great nation enforced, but the umbilical cord that had bound India with Bangladesh was strengthened. Certain observers would state that the elections of January 2024 were not exactly “free and fair”. Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) leader Khaleda Zia is under house arrest on corruption charges and the party’s acting leader and Khaleda’s son, Tarique Rahman, is in exile in the United Kingdom. The elections were moreover held amid BNP boycott. It also witnessed a fall in voter turnout: from almost 80 per cent in 2018 to 40 per cent now. Whatever be the atmospherics, the fact of the matter is that Sheikh Hasina has won her fourth consecutive term. This augurs well for the region. It must also be emphatically stated that the path to victory has not been rosy for Sheikh Hasina. Indeed, she has endured a great deal during her lifetime. Her entire family (save for her sister Sheikh Rehana) including her young brother, Sheikh Russel (who was just ten years old), was assassinated on 15 August 1975. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the founding father of Bangladesh and Hasina’s father was cruelly gunned down along with the family. Hasina fought the barrack and radical politics and guided Bangladesh back to its democratic innards. She was also the victim of a powerful grenade attack on one of her rallies in 2004. Observers state that renegade groups such as United Liberation Front of Asom (that had been given shelter by the BNP) were also involved in the attack. The grenade attack killed 20 of her senior Awami League members. The people who died included Ivy Rahman. During Hasina’s second term (2009), her term witnessed established democratic governance. She cracked down on Global Salafists and began a campaign to hold accountable those responsible for the genocides of 1971 that were committed alongside the Pakistani army. Hasina has her job cut out for her post her historic win. A few pointers are being proffered in this column:

• She has to rein in the closet Chinese and Pakistanis inside the Awami League.
• It had been reported that some of her close advisers were close to Beijing. There was also a call from certain vested interests in Bangladesh as well as India to purge and replace some of them. But independent investigation has shown that they have not only been loyal to Sheikh Hasina, but have been instrumental in her well honing her administration as well her win. The fact that they have been retained in the new ministry (namely Mashiur Rahman, Gowher Rizvi, Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury, Salman F Rahman, and Tarique Ahmed Siddique) showcased this important aspect. One Kamal Abdul Naser Chowdhury has been inducted into the list of advisors to the prime minister after the unveiling of the cabinet. Prof Gowher Rizvi, the International Affairs Adviser to Sheikh Hasina, is particularly close to this author and is an Oxford Don.
• Sheikh Hasina must stave off Chinese and Pakistani overtures to short-circuit her moves to reinforce secular and pro-India values among her polity.
• The Hasina administration must ensure that there is correct and real-time cooperation between India and Bangladesh in the fields of Islamist terror, human and cattle trafficking as well improve people to people cooperation by instituting socio-cultural events in Dhaka, Kolkata, Guwahati, Delhi and Bangalore.
• A joint committee comprising senior and informed people from India and Bangladesh must be formed to look at the sharing of the Teesta waters.
• The number of senior Bangladeshi armed forces officers for training in institutions such as the Defence Services Staff College, Army War College, and National Defence College. This author recalls that there were only a handful of Bangladeshi officers in such institutions when he had visited the above premier institutions to deliver lectures and presentations.

Bangladesh and India stand on the threshold of togetherness of time. The commonalities are clear as are future objectives. Indeed, bonhomie of the highest kind must characterise the relationship of the future. India must also stop being overbearing towards its smaller neighbour. Some years ago Bangladesh minister (then foreign minister), Dipu Moni had, speaking about the marked similarities of India and Bangladesh, said, “Amader Swapna Ek, Amader Swartha Ek” (Our Dreams and Our Interests are One). As a new Bangladesh that awakened in January 2024 to greet the India that awaits post May 2024, the above sage pronouncement makes even superior sense. Jaideep Saikia is a conflict analyst and bestselling author. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely that of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstpost’s views.  Read all the  Latest News,  Trending News,  Cricket News,  Bollywood News, India News and  Entertainment News here. Follow us on  Facebook,  Twitter and  Instagram.