By Ashis Biswas
KOLKATA: Bangladesh has resorted to petrol rationing to stave off a crippling shortage of fuel in the days ahead, as the war against Iran by the US/Israel forces completed its first week. New Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has cut down on power consumption in his official residence by way of setting a public example.
Economists said Bangladesh figured prominently among Asian countries that imported the bulk of their energy supplies from the Middle East. Most supply lines from the oil bearing states in the region to neighbouring South Asia and beyond, had been disrupted, following the closure of the Hormuz straits declared by Iran. The slight relief in new shipping movements announced by Iran for Russia, China and countries not involved in the’ unprovoked’ war launched jointly by the US and Israel,, were yet to take effect..Tehran officials indicated that vessels of non combatant countries would be allowed to use the channel as before.
However, the damage had been done to international shipping generally.. India reported that at least 35 of its ships were held up in different points. It was not any better for other countries either. In a cascading effect of the Iranian blockage, major shipping companies operating in the region stalled operations as they studied the situation, the state of the war and discussed the possibility of using new routes/channels to ensure future cargo and passenger movements.
As overall sea traffic schedules went haywire, many insurance companies sought to raise their charges before finalising future cargo/ movements. News of the sinking in the Indian ocean of an Iranian ship close to Sri Lankan international waters, accounting for the death of nearly 100 sailors indicated how quickly matters had gone beyond anyone’s control.
Further developments, were hardly encouraging. The US President urged upon the Iran Government to surrender immediately and unconditionally to restore peace in the region as a whole, an ultimatum Tehran reflected promptly. There were media reports of president Trump himself .facing a hostile reaction within the US. Further, from several US bases in the West Asia region, reports were received of the extensive damage caused by drones and missiles launched by Iran. Some .military experts based in the US were sceptical about the possibility of any immediate defeat of Iran. On the contrary they felt that by hitting back strongly against the US bases in the region, Iran had forced the US to stretch its resources rather thin in a defensive manoeuvre.
For the new BNP (Bangladesh Nationalist Party) Government in Bangladesh, the war could not have come at a worse time. Rahman has hardly settled down in office along with his team, struggling hard to put the country’s economy back on track, and restore the rule of law. On both counts the man Rahman replaced as the chief ruler of Bangladesh, Dr. M. Yunus, had left a total mess for his successors!
As it is, even before the Iran war, Bangladesh had been hit hard by the worst inflation in its history. There was hardly any semblance of governance under Yunus, as mob violence ruled the day, the daily average murder count hovered in the 35/45 range in Bangladesh. Industry suffered from major power cuts, lowering the national production. Food and processed food became very costly, with supplies from neighbouring India not always available, as Yunus offended GOI time and again. But the average Bangladeshi had to pay for his preference for Pakistan as the country’s main trading partner instead of India!
An estimated 60 million people in Bangladesh are currently believed to be under the poverty line, their figures doubling during the 18 month long tenure of Dr Yunus!
Rahman has started on a more positive note, by publicly declaring that as a ruler he would secure Bangladesh interests first, rather than run to India, or Pakistan Welcoming his stand, India responded promptly and positively, by lifting its earlier medical visa restrictions for Bangladeshis. This meant that Bangladeshis would be able to secure the best of Indian medical facilities available in South Indian hospitals/clinics at relatively lower costs. During the 18 month long tenure of Yunus, they were forced to take big loans to go for treatment either in Kunming,, China or Singapore!
On behalf of the BNP, Rahman warmly thanked India for its concern over the death of his mother the late Khaleda Zia, former PM of Bangladesh and the readiness of the bigger country to address old demands of Bangladesh in water sharing and other issues.
On top of his already overflowing plate of political/economic troubles, now Rahman must find a way out of the impending ‘fuel emergency’ (as some Dhaka-based observers see it ) that has arisen because of the war in Iran, through no fault of his — a formidable task for any political leader who , in cricket parlance, has barely come to the i]crease and perhaps not yet taken his guard ! (IPA Service)
