A botched scientific experiment, Frankenstein. It defies the boss. Bangladesh is the subject of experiments by China and the US. They disturb the status quo by creating a Frankenstein. Their main objective is India. Because of the tumultuous past it has with both of them, it does not align with either of them.
For India, the Sino-Indian War of 1962, China’s territorial ambitions, hegemonic tendencies, and unreliability, and the US’s ambiguous diplomacy and pro-Pakistani inclinations will always be remembered. It still seems rather recent to them. Ignoring history is the same as repeating its errors. India finds it hard to hold on to either of them. Although it trades with them, it will not consciously choose to be a part of either camp.
India is a civilisational state. As the leader of the Global South, it has a distinct identity and a prominent position in the world. It adheres to the idea of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, which emphasizes shared responsibility, cooperative efforts, and a brighter future free from hegemony. It doesn’t want to be an affiliate or someone’s B squad. The two rival nations vying for dominance in the Indo-Pacific geopolitical region do not see this resolution and bravery favorably. Bangladesh is so forced upon India.
Given Prime Minister Sheikh Hassan’s departure from Bangladesh and the anti-Indian rhetoric, India has not responded hastily or spontaneously. It would rather remain silently silent than respond provocatively. Frankenstein makes every effort within its power to disturb India’s uneasy peace. India’s ability to tolerate criticism from paid zealots and ideologically extreme Islamists is a testament to its maturity and forbearance. There will be a little uproar before this passes. There will be a depressing economic crisis after the break.
The Sino-American experiment will backfire, causing Bangladesh to enter a protracted civil war. The radicals that have been let loose against Bangladesh’s Hindu minority and India will undoubtedly plunge the nation into chaos. The US has a problem in that it excels at fomenting crises but fails miserably at mediating them. This is a fact of history. It has always been the predictable consequence of US meddling. When Frankenstein is given the freedom to exercise its power, it will harm everyone without distinction, even the master. Every indication of the current situation paints a bleak picture of a protracted civil conflict and a difficult future.
Muhammad Yunus’s installed interim government carried out exactly the opposite of what he claimed to have done. His swagger as a Nobel winner, his liberalism, and his Western education all cower before the demands of the extremist forces. When it comes to following instructions, he is merely a puppet. The elderly leader exploited Bangladesh’s political divisions to free terrorists, give in to Islamic extremists, and enable groups hostile to India and the Hindu community to use violence, incitement of hatred, and the propagation of false narratives. There has been no discernible improvement in the status of the Hindu minorities in Bangladesh. The overt acts of violence against Hindus have evolved into ones that are more discrete, subtle, and regular.
Reports from Bangladesh indicate that they are apathetic. In Yunus’ Bangladesh, they are unable to openly celebrate their Durga Puja. They have been instructed to cease playing music related to Durga Puja during Azaan and Namaz. The suffering of the Hindu minorities has gone unnoticed by the US, a country that prides itself on democracy, the rule of law, and minority rights. The abuse of human rights and violations of religious freedom in Bangladesh go unnoticed by the Western media. When it comes to India, they use grandiose words and all their strength to make a mountain out of a molehill.
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Jashimuddin Rahmani Hafi, the leader of the terrorist group Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT), which has ties to al-Qaida, has been freed by Yunus. The ban on Jamaat-e-Islami has been revoked by him. During the Liberation War in 1971, this group backed the Pakistani Army in its fight against the nationalists in Bangladesh. In the interim government, it currently makes all the decisions. Bangladesh is regressing to its East Pakistani identity as a result. This relapse is guaranteed by Pakistan’s deep state, which has clones and cohorts in Bangladesh.
The United States and China will not be pleased if this occurs. Even if they want fundamentalism to become entrenched in Bangladesh, their goal of ruling India will be achieved. Due to the US’s dismal performance in conflict resolution, a Frankenstein will emerge that will rebel against the master and get revenge. Widespread unrest has been brought on by Chinese involvement in Pakistan and the grandiose China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). This has created a cloud of doubt around the project’s potential completion. China errs in Bangladesh in the same way. Soon, it will take the brunt.
Nonetheless, Yunus’ rise to prominence is a calculated ploy to inflame anti-Indian sentiment in the surrounding area. The purported lynching of a Hindu youngster in the police station, the forced resignation of Hindu judges, professors, police officers, government officers, and employees, the halting of Padma Hilsa’s sale to India, and a plethora of other actions are all intended to cause indirect harm to India. He acts in a way that is completely at odds with India’s interests and weeps crocodile tears to mask his wrongdoings and the religious prejudice of his allies.
The emergence of Bangladesh’s antinomy may also be witnessed by the extreme groups that have taken control of the country and are preparing it to become an Islamic state. The Awami League, which appears rudderless today because of the vacuum of leadership, may revive as a solid opposition to Jamaat-e-Islami and its radical affiliates if it finds a strong leadership. Under Sheikh Hasina’s direction, the Awami League established the administration in 2009, and it lasted until her resignation last month. One of the first political groups founded on Bangabandhu Mujibur Rehman’s visions. In contrast to the narratives of extreme Islamists, the destruction of his statues, their blatant degradation, and the symbolic burial of his vision of a new Bangladesh might spur a revolutionary and resistance political wave.
Let’s say the temporary administration does not start the political process of holding new elections and forming a new administration. If true, the Awami League might use this as justification for their protests against Yunus’ patchwork government’s authoritarianism. There isn’t a clear indication that a new government is going to be formed. It appears that Muhammad Yunus might extend his reign beyond what was anticipated. This could start a major uprising that turns into a civil war. Social unrest will worsen as a result of the slowing economy and rising inflation. Neither China nor the United States will benefit from it. Frankenstein refuses to even part from his master. The latter is going to be his final victim.
