With the ousting of Sheikh Hasina, the rise of Islamist forces has fundamentally shifted Bangladesh’s core values. The country, once a symbol of secularism and pluralism, is increasingly veering toward hostility with India while fostering extreme ties with Pakistan. These policy shifts, driven by ideological agendas, are eroding decades of diplomatic equilibrium and mutual cooperation in the region. Internally, the present regime’s actions have exacerbated lawlessness, leading to a breakdown of social cohesion. The combination of opportunistic opposition tactics and the government’s inability to maintain law and order has plunged the nation into a state of chaos, threatening the very fabric of Bangladeshi society.
Why all that hapened? The anti-AL forces, failing to achieve its objectives through the electoral process, shifted its focus to exploiting social movements. The long-dormant quota reform issue was reignited after the High Court declared the 2018 abolition of quotas unconstitutional on June 5. By the time the court’s full verdict was released on June 14, protests had already begun under the banner of the Anti-Discriminatory Student Movement. These protests initially focused on demands for merit-based recruitment, but opposition forces, particularly the BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami, infiltrated the movement. Using propaganda on social media and calculated instigation, peaceful protests quickly spiraled into violence.
By July, the situation had spiraled into nationwide unrest. Protests disrupted major intersections, highways, and railways, and campuses across the country became flashpoints of confrontation. Violence escalated as armed opposition cadres used students as shields to carry out attacks. Public buildings, including the Department of Health and the National Data Center, were set ablaze, and metro stations and toll plazas were vandalized. The opposition’s strategy became apparent—create chaos to destabilize the government. The government, in response, imposed curfews and deployed the military to restore order. On July 21, the Supreme Court ruled that 93% of government jobs would be merit-based, with 7% reserved for freedom fighters’ families and other marginalized groups. However, the ruling came too late to calm the unrest.
The resignation of Sheikh Hasina on August 5, amidst relentless pressure and violence, marked the start of a dark chapter. The interim government led by Dr. Muhammad Yunus, installed on August 8, promised stability but delivered anarchy. Law and order collapsed entirely, with minorities facing systematic attacks, their homes and places of worship destroyed. Awami League leaders were hunted, their properties looted or vandalized. Freed extremists, including Ansarullah Bangla Team leaders Jashimuddin Rahmani, signaled the resurgence of militant groups. Jamaat-e-Islami and Hizb ut-Tahrir operated openly, emboldened by the new regime’s inaction.
The judiciary, once a cornerstone of democracy, became a tool of political manipulation. Under mob pressure, courts acquitted BNP leaders, including Tarique Rahman, in cases like the 21 August grenade attack that targeted Sheikh Hasina and killed 24 people. The verdicts dismissed decades of evidence, undermining justice and emboldening anti-liberation forces.
Bangladesh’s Interim government advisor and student leader Mahfuz Alam in a now deleted Facebook post claimed that Bangladesh’s liberation struggle would remain incomplete without removing the country from its “trap of geography”.
This part delves into Dr. Yunus’s advisor key Mahfuz Alam’s controversial statements and the accompanying extremist actions and ideologies, underlining the volatile intersection of historical grievances, nationalism, and external geopolitical influences:
Mahfuz Alam’s writings reportedly articulated a narrative deeply critical of India’s policies post-independence. He suggested that the Indian government implemented a “contain and ghettoise” strategy, framing the 1947 Partition as an outcome of what he called the “anti-Bengal” policy of Hindu extremists and elites. This characterization tied the partition’s consequences to systemic marginalization of Bengal’s cultural and political identity.
Alam further highlighted uprisings in 1975 and 2024 as inevitable outcomes of what he described as efforts to “free this state from India’s dependence and domination.” His claims tapped into long-standing regional tensions and grievances, reflecting a perspective that viewed India as perpetuating subjugation over neighboring regions, especially Bangladesh.
Amid this turmoil, extremist ideologies gained prominence, leveraging historical discontent to fuel radical movements. Protesters in this context adopted symbols and rhetoric associated with global jihadist organizations like ISIS and Al-Qaeda, dramatically escalating the ideological confrontation. The circulation of a “New Map of Bangladesh” on social media, depicting claims over Indian territory, exemplified these heightened tensions. This move was perceived as part of a broader agenda to destabilize the region, aligning with Pakistan’s strategic interests to exploit discord and weaken regional unity.
Adding to the polarization, there were calls for a new national flag featuring Islamic calligraphy, symbolizing a push toward an identity more aligned with religious orthodoxy. Such demands not only deviated from Bangladesh’s secular foundation but also alienated large sections of the population, who identified with the nation’s pluralistic and cultural heritage.
This convergence of historical grievances, radical ideologies, and external geopolitical maneuvering underscored a complex crisis that threatened regional stability and challenged the core values upon which modern Bangladesh was founded.
Beyond question, the interim government’s failures have plunged Bangladesh into a humanitarian and economic crisis. Thousands of businesses were looted, while infrastructure projects like metro stations and government offices were destroyed. The Awami League, which had steered the country toward progress and economic growth, now finds itself the target of systematic oppression, with its leaders barred from political activities and its student wing dissolved.
The events of 2024 are a stark reminder of how quickly progress can be unraveled. Under Sheikh Hasina’s leadership, Bangladesh was on a trajectory of development and stability. The country had become a regional success story, balancing economic growth with inclusive governance. Now, with anti-liberation forces at the helm, Bangladesh risks losing its hard-earned achievements to chaos and regression.
This year has exposed the fragility of democracy in the face of calculated manipulation. It is not just a political crisis—it is a battle for the nation’s identity. The choice is clear: to reclaim the ideals of liberation or surrender to forces intent on erasing the gains of the past. As Bangladesh grapples with this uncertainty, its people must find the strength to resist division and uphold the principles that define the nation. Only then can the country emerge from this darkness and chart a path toward a brighter, more unified future. (…to be continued)
