All eyes are on the US elections and reports suggest that the battle between Republican nominee Donald Trump and vice president Kamala Harris is a close one.
It has often been said that for India, a Donald Trump presidency would be more suitable as he has stayed away from interfering on India’s internal matters such as Jammu and Kashmir and the Citizenship Amendment Act. On J&K, he has offered to negotiate, but has said that it would be completely upto India on whether it wants him to do so or not.
In the Indian context, the results of the US elections would be very important for trade ties and bilateral relations. However it would also be important for India considering what is taking place in Bangladesh, following the ouster of Sheikh Hasina.
On Bangladesh, Trump has already made his stance very clear. Following the ouster of Hasina, the violence against Hindus has gone up considerably in Bangladesh at the hands of radical Islamist elements. Trump had some very strong words on this issue and had even tweeted about the same ahead of Deepawali.
“I strongly condemn the barbaric violence against Hindus, Christians, and other minorities who are getting attacked and looted by mobs in Bangladesh, which remains in a total state of chaos.
It would have never happened on my watch. Kamala and Joe have ignored Hindus across the world and in America. They have been a disaster from Israel to Ukraine to our own Southern Border, but we will Make America Strong Again and bring back Peace through Strength!
We will also protect Hindu Americans against the anti-religion agenda of the radical left. We will fight for your freedom. Under my administration, we will also strengthen our great partnership with India and my good friend, Prime Minister Modi, Trump also said.
What happens to Muhammad Yunus
After Sheikh Hasina fled the country, an interim government under Muhammad Yunus was installed. Yunus is largely viewed as a stooge of the West and particularly the US. Prior to her ouster, Hasina had mentioned that a US official had reached out to her and asked her to allow the country to set up a base in Bangladesh. She said that she was assured that her government would remain safe if she adhered to that request.
In this context if one were to look at the tweet by Trump, then it is very significant considering what is happening in Bangladesh. While the Democrats view Trump’s message as a political stunt, the fact is that there is more than what meets the eye. Even during his first term, Trump had wanted little or no interference in the internal matters of other countries. He largely believed in an America first policy and felt that the US should not be wasting its money on destabilising other nations.
Many are of the belief that Trump may not be able to do much on Bangladesh since Yunus enjoys the support of both the Democrats and Republicans. With that being said, one must take into consideration that Yunus during his visit to the US received recognition from the Clinton Global Initiative where former President Bill Clinton endorsed Yunus and the protestors involved in the campaign against Sheikh Hasina. During the visit, he did not engage with any of the Republicans. Let us not forget that during the same visit, Yunus had met with Alexander Soros, the son of George Soros.
Going by all these developments, it seems clear that the chaos in Bangladesh was largely orchestrated by the Clintons, Soros and Obamas.
The other reason why Trump may not endorse or back Yunus is because he is aware of his close association with the Clintons. Yunus has been a donor to the Clinton Foundation. This makes the relations between the two transactional in nature.
What is in store for Bangladesh under a Trump presidency
If Trump wins the November 5 elections, he is likely to implement severe measures against Bangladesh. This could include broader restrictions, or sanctions that target specific individuals.
A win for Trump would also mean more protection for the minorities in Bangladesh. Further there is every likelihood that if Trump wins, Bangladesh may side more with China, a fact that the former president would not like. Trump would not be agreeable for such a shift which would be clearly anti-India and pro-China.
Donald Trump in office could make things very uncomfortable for Yunus. He would not just lose out on US backing, but also be staring at sanctions. Analysts say that you never know that if Trump becomes President, then there is every likelihood that Sheikh Hasina, who has sought refuge in India may just return to Bangladesh.
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