Sheikh Hasina Death Sentence: Bangladesh's Long History Of Trials, And Quite Often Errors

A special tribunal in Dhaka handing out a death sentence to Bangladesh's former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is no exception.

The verdict not only reflects political vendetta but also a sinister design to target the forces that liberated East Pakistan and created Bangladesh in 1971.

The verdict once again reminded one of the mindset of the forces that assassinated Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in 1975.

These forces are indoctrinated by the Pakistan Army and its agency ISI, which had once attempted to change the very genes of the Bengali nation through mass rape and genocide in 1971. Unfortunately, these forces are still alive, much to the discomfort of a large section of Bangladesh society, which sacrificed blood and sweat to attain independence after years of struggle.

The sentencing and simultaneous attempts to target Sheikh Mujib’s residence in Dhaka were well choreographed by the radicals backed by the interim regime (which does not enjoy legal sanctity), intended to deliver a message to both the Awami League and even India. The episode is designed to create anti-India and anti-Hasina sentiments ahead of the elections, which the Muhammad Yunus regime promised to conduct early next year.

Malafide Intentions

In fact, every move against Hasina is actually a well-thought-out exercise to send a message to India, as a large number of radicals in Bangladesh continue to believe that New Delhi was responsible for breaking up Pakistan in 1971.

Even as these radicals carry Bangladeshi passports, they are emotionally attached to Islamabad and its military establishment and the very construct of Pakistan, which was an artificial idea. They equate Hasina with India – and this is intentionally done to pamper a section of the local population, which is neither progressive nor modern, but harbours a mindset that is medieval in nature.

The goal is to continuously attack progressive ideas and symbols of secularism and pluralism, including cultural icons and projects backed by India under the Hasina regime.

The biggest radical force is Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI), having fought Mukti Bahini and even the Indian Army in 1971. Jel, which was at the forefront of orchestrating the genocide of millions of innocents across religions, was never fully neutralised. 

While it has not yet been pronounced publicly, JeI would seek to establish a soft union between Pakistan and Bangladesh in the future, dismantling the very ethos of Bangladesh. The Field Marshal in Rawalpindi is determined to establish a stronger Pakistani military presence in Bangladesh, with the intention of encircling India, either directly or through proxies. Gen Munir has identified amenable sections within the Bangladesh military and administration who have harboured a dream of fighting India on the battlefield, disregarding reality. 

The Threat To Bangladesh's Ethos

While India is fully equipped to handle any security threats, it is Bangladesh society at large that faces the danger of being pushed into a stone age run by clerics and theocrats. The Bengali traditions, which are an intrinsic part of Bangladesh's population, are under threat from concepts imported from Pakistan. The idea is to kill the spirit of 1971 by outlawing the Awami League. Yet, the history since 1971 has proved that the Awami League, Bangladesh’s oldest political party, has bounced back every time it was banned. The Bengali ethos has repeatedly triumphed over the radicals.

Today, Bangladesh’s macroeconomic stability, which was achieved under Hasina’s government, is under threat, and discontent among citizens is on the rise. 

Mob justice and violence are no longer a thing of the past on the streets of Dhaka. Needless to say, this is giving rise to a sense of insecurity among the citizens.

(The writer is a commentator on geopolitics. Views are personal.)