On December 31 2024, a dangerous development was set to take place in Bangladesh. The students who backed Muhammad Yunus had applied pressure on him to change the Constitution, and had that happened, Bangladesh would have officially turned into an Islamic Caliphate.
The manner in which the events are unfolding, Bangladesh is gradually moving in that direction. However, had the December 31 declaration gone through, the Constitution of the country would have given the country the official status of an Islamic Republic or Caliphate.
What transpired behind the scenes
The students who had staged a protest eventually leading to the ouster of Sheikh Hasina were the same ones who insisted that Yunus be installed as the head of the country for now. Yunus is highly indebted to these students, and eventually, instead of ruling the country, he ends up becoming a puppet of the students.
In the past month, there have been several discussions between the student leaders and Yunus on how to take the country forward. While Yunus has been back and forth, the students insist that the country should turn into an Islamic Republic.
The incidents being reported from Bangladesh in which Hindus are being targeted and their Temples destroyed clearly suggest that the country has already turned into a Caliphate. During their discussions, however, the students insisted that the Constitution should recognise the country as an Islamic Republic or Caliphate. Yunus has, however, been back and forth on that.
A compromise deal was, however, reached for now. It was decided that the textbooks would be rewritten to say that it was Ziaur Rahman and not Sheikh Mujibur Rahman who had declared independence in 1971. Further, it was also announced that the day on which Mujibur Rahman was assassinated would no longer be a public holiday.
The reason why the students are trying to wipe out Mujibur Rahman from history as he was close to Bharat. Further, he is also the father of Sheikh Hasina, who recently fled the country.
While the discussions regarding the change in Constitution may have been put on hold, the issue is far from over. The students say that once the Constitution changes, they would launch the Islamic Revolutionary Army, a highly radical unit. This unit would rule the country, the students have said. They also set a new deadline of January 15 2025, by which they want the Constitution amended.
It is now or never for Yunus
To expect Yunus to overpower the students is wishful thinking. The fact is that he has no say, and his please-all attitude has only made him a puppet of the students who are under the direct control of the Jamaat-e-Islami and ISI. Hence, there is not much he can do.
While the ISI and Jamaat would dictate terms, Yunus would have to face the international community. As long as the Biden administration is in power in the United States, Yunus could consider his back to be covered. However, for Yunus, this honeymoon period would last another 15 days before Donald Trump is sworn in as President.
Donald Trump and his likely-to-be Intelligence chief, Tulsi Gabbard, have been very vocal about the happenings in Bangladesh. Once in office, it is time for Yunus and his Islamic agenda. There would be immense pressure on him from the US administration to act against the Jihadis who are now in charge of the country. Some reports have even indicated that there is every likelihood that Yunus may even try to flee the country.
For Yunus, the problem does not end with Trump. There is a major rift between him and the BNP over the conduct of elections. The BNP has been pressurising him to call for elections as early as possible. However, according to Yunus, elections are only likely to be held next year. This has angered the BNP leadership, and the rift has widened, which puts Yunus in a major spot of bother.
Another problem that Yunus is likely to face soon is that the people of Bangladesh may soon turn against him. There is already a lot of undercurrent where the people feel that the anarchy is no good for them. There is no creation of jobs, and the constant violence is hurting the economy. This is likely to lead to an uprising against Yunus.
A Bangladesh watcher tells the Organiser that Yunus’ options are very limited. He could either prevail over these Islamists or flee the country. However, looking at how the situation unfolds, the second option seems to be easier for Yunus. He could cut a deal with the existing administration in the US and flee the country.
Total anarchy
When Muhammad Yunus took over as the caretaker of the interim government in Bangladesh, it was met with mixed reactions. Many had viewed him being at the helm as a positive development since he had won a Nobel laureate in economics. It was said that he would transform the economy of the country. The fact is that prior to his taking over, Bangladesh was considered to be the most promising economy in the world. However, since his taking over, the economy has collapsed to such an extent that it is set to become yet another Pakistan.
Since his taking over, it took the Islamists less than a day to take control of the country. The persecution of Hindus hit an all-time high. Hindus and their Temples were targeted, and Yunus watched like a mute spectator. Leave alone acting on the issue, he even went on to deny that anything was wrong in his country.
After his taking over, the ban on the radical Jamaat was lifted. Scores of Al-Qaeda, Islamic State and Harkat-ul Jihadi Islami terrorists were released from jail. Further flags of the Islamic State were displayed openly, and there were open calls for violence against ISKCON members.
Several journalists who were perceived to be close to Sheikh Hasina were thrown behind bars. Members of the Army, too, were targeted as they were loyal to Hasina. He allowed the deep state-backed US-funded NGOs to carry out their activities with ease while turning a blind eye against gross violations of human rights and freedom of speech.
The Trump transition team is regularly briefed about developments in Bangladesh. It was under Trump’s leadership that Islamic State chief Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was killed, and this would mean that any attempt to revive the outfit in Bangladesh would be dealt with an iron fist.
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