Bangladesh in ferment

Amid a resurgence of unrest in Bangladesh, a student-led political party has been launched with the avowed aim of fulfilling the “new hopes and aspirations” that were born after the 2024 uprising. The Jatiya Nagorik Party’s top brass includes young activists who played a key role in the anti-discrimination movement that triggered the collapse of the Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League government last year. The student leaders’ decision to form their own party reflects their disenchantment with the interim government headed by Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus. The development also has implications for former allies Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and Jamaat-e-Islami.

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Bangladesh today stands at a crossroads, or rather, on the brink of a precipice. It badly needs sweeping reforms to restore democracy, but the BNP and other political groups are getting impatient. They want the national polls to be held at the earliest possible after carrying out minimal reforms. However, it is obvious that the Khaleda Zia-led BNP cannot consider its return to power as a foregone conclusion. Raising doubts about the neutrality of the Yunus administration, Zia has alleged that “fascist collaborators” are still conspiring to undermine the achievements of the uprising. She has missed no opportunity to fuel hatred against Awami League leaders and supporters, whose houses and business establishments were set ablaze by protesters a few weeks ago. The legacy of the country’s founding father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, is being ruthlessly erased, even as his daughter Hasina continues to be a VVIP refugee in India.

Another key stakeholder is Army Chief Gen Waker-uz-Zaman. The Bangladeshi military’s growing closeness to Pakistan indicates that he has big ambitions of his own. The intriguing power tussle will make it very tough for the new party to establish itself as a viable political alternative.