LOOKEAST

SUBHRA GUPTA |

THE recent poll verdict in Bangladesh has significance embedded in various layers for its immediate neighbours, spanning from the East, West and Southeast Asian regions apart from the international superpowers.

After nearly two years of political slugfest targeting India, the verdict betrayed exactly the opposite; the large majority of voters in Bangladesh rejected the anti—India narrative sought to be meticulously built by Pakistan and its mentor China. By dousing the narrative in the surging waters of the Padma, the electorate not only proved their immense political maturity but have saved Bangladesh from perils of rising radical fundamentalism and subversive elements that had dangerously been pushing the country to the edge of a crevasse.

■ Tarique Rahman sworn in as new Prime Minister of Bangladesh | Reuters

Prime minister Narendra Modi failed to waste time in congratulating the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) leader Tarique Rahman for the landslide victory for cornering an unprecedented 211 out of 299 seats in parliament in a nearly incident–free election that shockingly surprised the international observers. It was a bipolar contest between BNP and an alliance of 11 other parties as 127 million were expected to exercise their franchise.

Modi’s Tweet

https://x.com/narendramodi/status/2022151824242094312

PM Modi’s compliments, critics might argue, could be too early as BNP in its past avatar when its late chief Begum Khaleda Zia ruled the country, wasn’t quite pro–India and had run roughshod against India on several occasions.

However, for her son who will be wielding the baton in his maiden innings in Bangladesh, it is likely to be a different tale, especially in the context of emerging developments in the region. Besides being the gateway to Southeast Asia, India’s emergence as a global powerhouse, both on the economic and political fronts, cannot be ignored and Mr. Rahman is definitely quite aware of it.

By dousing the narrative in the surging waters of the Padma, the electorate not only proved their immense political maturity but have saved Bangladesh from perils of rising radical fundamentalism and subversive elements that had dangerously been pushing the country to the edge of a crevasse

Tarique Read the Verdict on the Wall

The BNP leader is no fool to have misread the verdict that categorically rejected the previous puppet government led by Md. Yunus’ teething opposition to have friendly ties with India. Instead, Md Yunus had gone ahead with forging strategic alliance with Pakistan and China betraying categorical defiance to India’s growing concern over the developments.

■ Bangladesh Army para–commando deployed on election duty | X

Hence, it is not for nothing that Mr Rahman made little mistake in extending an invitation to Mr Modi for the swearing–in ceremony. One thing is apparently pretty clear; the BNP chief–cum–Prime Minister incumbent might not toe the Yunus line. In fact, if he has to repair ties with India, Mr Rahman will have to renegotiate with Pakistan and China the agreements the interim regime headed by Md Yunus had signed.

Md Yunus had gone ahead with forging strategic alliance with Pakistan and China betraying categorical defiance to India’s growing concern over the developments. Hence, it is not for nothing that Mr Rahman made little mistake in extending an invitation to Mr Modi for the swearing–in ceremony. One thing is apparently pretty clear; the BNP chief–cum–Prime Minister incumbent might not toe the Yunus line

Because, India, for that matter, is keen to ensure a peaceful and stable co–existence with its immediate neighbours. But contrary to this, provocations were galore. New Delhi viewed with concern the couple of secret agreements that Yunus had penned with Pakistan and China; opening access to the submarine base at Pekowa adjacent to Kutubdia island and secondly, to the Lalmonirhat airbase respectively to Pakistan and China.

The Pakistan military top brass was taken on a tour of the so called ‘Chicken Neck’ (the Siliguri corridor) and then, American access to St. Martin Island was ensured which had earlier been denied by the Sheikh Hasina government. Md Yunus issued a flurry of controversial statements and triggered hypothetical tension that added fuel to anti–India sentiments. Ironically, the Islamic radical forces quickly grabbed it to foment further hatred against India.

India has already shown how it succeeded in forging truce with the Arakan Army (the leading rebel group of Myanmar in Rakhain province) to go ahead with the Kaladan project which aims to build an alternative land route to Myanmar bypassing Siliguri corridor

India’s Resilience

However, India demonstrated stoic resilience to all this despite being allergic to any foreign footprints in the Bay of Bengal or being loath to a sudden rise of radicalism and its secret acquiescence right at the door of its international border. New Delhi did not dispatch any poll observer this time though.

What India values most (which Mr Rahman would require to take note of) is stability in security so far as the geographical position of ASEAN nations is concerned. And the latest territorial threat, both land and maritime, being posed by China and the United States, is something Bangladesh must keep in mind before the country starts grappling too much with it.

■ Exercise Teesta Prahar at Teesta field firing range showcased synergy across infantry, artillery, armoured, mechanised infantry, special forces, aviation, engineers & signals | Special Arrangement

India has already shown how it succeeded in forging truce with the Arakan Army (the leading rebel group of Myanmar in Rakhain province) to go ahead with the Kaladan project which aims to build an alternative land route to Myanmar bypassing Siliguri corridor. Once completed, it will give Myanmar direct access to the northeast through Mizoram. The rebel group have committed support to New Delhi for the sake of stability and development in the region.

In the same vein, Bangladesh has finally voted for lasting peace, stability and development. The students’ uprising, allegedly fomented by America for Sheikh Hasina’s firm refusal to give access to St Martin Island and other issues, which witnessed months of violence and bashing of minority Hindu community, foisted a weak interim administration run by the radical student leaders.

New Delhi viewed with concern the couple of secret agreements that Yunus had penned with Pakistan and China; opening access to the submarine base at Pekowa adjacent to Kutubdia island and secondly, to the Lalmonirhat airbase respectively to Pakistan and China

Polls sans Awami League

But the elections sans any bloodbath and participation of the Awami League, that saw a 60.69 per cent turnout, were peaceful. Grapevine had it that the banned League endeavored to provoke violence, but miserably failed, thanks to Bangladesh Army. Famed barrister Rumeen Farhana, a former BNP politician who fought as an independent rebel following rejection of her candidature by the BNP leadership, openly complimented the Army for their role in professionally conducting the poll despite ‘activated involvement’ of China and America.

Famed barrister Rumeen Farhana, a former BNP politician who fought as an independent rebel following rejection of her candidature by the BNP leadership, openly complimented the Army for their role in professionally conducting the poll despite ‘activated involvement’ of China and America

Finally, and most importantly, coming back to the signature of political maturity of the electorate in Bangladesh. The outcome abundantly sealed the fate of such fringe elements as the radicals and Islamic Fronts who barely managed to ensure their obscure existence in some border areas. And interestingly Jamaat who happened to be the poll partners of BNP in both the March 1991 and June 2001 elections, decided to go it alone and beat the dust humbly.

The electorate have decisively opted for BNP led by Mr Rahman for whom the dye has already been cast. Either he chooses to undertake a journey of cooperation with his close and major regional power or leads his country to a myriad intrigue of total eclipse. ■

___with Prasanta Paul