By Ashis Biswas
KOLKATA: It is not often that an interview given by a country’s leader to a foreign media creates a major political controversy at home. But a recent interview given by Dr Mohammad Yunus, Chief Adviser to the caretaker Bangladesh administration, has done just that, generating a fresh domestic debate questioning his motives.
Dr Yunus has only himself to blame. In each interaction with the media, his uneasiness in dealing with any question or issue relating to India becomes more and more apparent. This time, during a question and answer session with interviewers from a prominent English daily published from India, Yunus called upon Delhi to ensure the return of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wazed to Bangladesh.
The Chief Adviser added that she must face a trial in Bangladesh in view of the many charges of corruption, murders and other assaults made during her party’s (Awami League) long rule. Many arrests had already been made including prominent AL leaders, as the present administration started an official inquiry into the many allegations the caretaker government received from aggrieved opposition leaders and common people.
She had fled to India on Aug 5 to escape from an angry armed mob attack and had been sheltering there. But she had continued to issue statements from her exile and continued her political statements. Dr Yunus warned, according to Bangladeshi commentators, that Indo-Bangla relations might be impacted in the event of India ignoring Dhaka’s demand for her repatriation.
The Bangladeshi commentariat alert as ever, lost no time in seizing this opportunity to question Yunus publicly, both in the print and electronic media. . One analyst questioned his motives.
He pointed out that already there were reports (which Dhaka authorities had not denied) that the new rulers would complain to Interpol authorities against Sheikh Hasina, if she did not return to Dhaka.
Therefore Dr Yunus should immediately answer the following questions: 1. Had Bangladesh officially requested Government of India to send back Mrs Wazed? If the answer was yes, what were the specific details of India’s response?
The fact was, Dhaka had not made any request to India yet on the matter. In which case (2) .why were Bangladesh officials talking about taking the issue to Interpol authorities, without having bothered to talk to India first?
From this, it was apparent that Dr Yunus had once again sought to create controversies with India at every turn. The talk about Interpol was nothing but a crude attempt to pressurise India and a case of Bangladesh jumping the gun on a most sensitive issue
Said a senior commentator: Dr Yunus at his very first reference to India after he became Chief Adviser, had stated that the new Bangladesh looked forward to good relations with its neighbour. In case there were problems, Delhi must appreciate .Indian interests in South Asia could suffer.
Yunus had added that India could face new problems in its NE region, in Bangladesh itself or even in Myanmar, if Indo-Bangla relations suffered…. the implication was that the new non AL authorities could resume sheltering secession-minded insurgent organisations within Bangladeshi territory and aid them in their anti-India operations as before among other things.
As for India, Delhi’s main anxiety in the present situation was the repeated attacks against the unprotected Hindu minority population. There were reports and shocking videos depicting such attacks in various districts of Bangladesh in the last three months. Many of these showing arson and assaults against the Hindus and the looting of their property etc had gone viral. These had been condemned by organisations like the Amnesty International and US President elect Mr Donald Trump. The attacks had been also condemned worldwide, but Dhaka-based rulers had remained silent. .
Yet Dr Yunus, instead of addressing these concerns, had impatiently dismissed all reports of atrocities against the Hindus as ‘baseless and exaggerated’, which had only encouraged Islamist extremists to become more aggressive in their approach to the minorities. In fact, he denied such charges in his latest interview with the Indian paper, as usual!
Senior politicians including leaders of the strongest opposition force, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) have pointedly reminded Yunus about the need to maintain good relations with countries like India. They protested against the stand taken by the new administration about totally denying the role played by the late Sheikh Mujibur Rahman or the AL in the 1970-71 struggle for Bangladeshi independence.
Where was Yunus in 1970-71 when thousands of innocent Bengalis had been butchered by Pakistanis and hundreds of freedom fighters had laid down their lives?, some had asked.
More than any desire to help the currently banned AL to recover lost political ground, all opposition forces led by the BNP now want Yunus to announce how soon can next elections he held, ending the tenure of the caretaker regime. They even want the AL to contest the elections, to ensure a fair poll.
Judging by the tone of most TV panel discussions or newspaper commentaries in recent days, they are beginning to distrust Yunus, whom they do not see as a political being.
As one commentator pointed out that immediately after August 5 and onwards, the Nobel laureate chief adviser was welcomed by the people, all opposition parties, Western democratic parties including the powerful Democrats led by former US President Bill Clinton and his wife Hilary, not to mention EU leaders, NGOs, HR groups and Think Tanks. They had been promised early elections and major administrative reforms, even as an energetic drive to marginalise the AL was vigorously launched.
As of now, after the first 100 days of the new government, all political parties have distanced themselves from Yunus. They are protesting his ill-concealed moves to destroy the AL its mass support and past contributions. They have already condemned his efforts to rewrite recent Bangladeshi history and provoke an unnecessary confrontation with Bangladesh’s friendliest neighbour, India.
And even within the US, Yunus has lost the crucial support of Democrats who have been ousted by Trump. In this situation, said one observer, Yunus must not do anything recklessly to damage Indo-Bangla bilateral relations. Such a move would only prolong the agonies of Bangladesh and millions of [people struggling for their survival at a time of torment. (IPA Service)
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