The downfall of a dictator

With reference to the article ‘How Hasina joined the ranks of dictators’; it is true that the protests led by student groups against the controversial reservation system in government jobs snowballed into an anti-government movement and resulted in Hasina’s ouster. But the seeds of discontent were sown earlier this year when Hasina won a fourth straight term in the general elections, which were marred by questions about the credibility of the polls and a boycott by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party. What set in motion the sequence of events was the Awami League government’s shift from a democratic style of leadership to dictatorship. Over 300 people have died in the violence that has engulfed the nation. It is obvious that Hasina had failed to take the growing public outrage seriously.

Abhijit Roy, Jamshedpur

Bangladesh on the boil

Refer to ‘How Hasina joined the ranks of dictators’; the situation in Bangladesh is a reminder of the dangers of a party staying in power for a long time without adequate checks and balances. Sheikh Hasina’s rule was marked by several economic achievements. But it was corruption, authoritarianism and the suppression of dissent that ultimately defined her time at the helm. The violent protests, initially sparked by a row over quotas for government jobs, speak to the growing discontent that has now burst into the open.

Ritesh Chandla, Jalandhar

Hasina had it coming

Apropos of the editorial ‘Hasina’s ouster’; several weeks of deadly anti-government protests have culminated in the end of Sheikh Hasina’s 15-year rule. A democratic leader who turned into a dictator has been shown the door. As a Prime Minister who chose to ride roughshod over the demands of the citizens and took their concerns for granted, Hasina had it coming. Her ouster should serve as a wake-up call for oppressive regimes across the world. New Delhi, which enjoyed good ties with Bangladesh under Hasina’s rule, will have to recalibrate its strategy in view of the massive churn in the neighbouring country.

Gregory Fernandes, Mumbai

Foreign policy needs a relook

Refer to the news report ‘Hasina resigns amid public uprising, flees to India’; the abrupt exit of PM Sheikh Hasina marks the downfall of an unpopular leader. Those who have framed India’s foreign policy have been caught off guard by the uprising of Islamist elements in Bangladesh. Even though the general elections held in the neighbouring country earlier this year were said to be rigged and were boycotted by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, India lent full support to the Hasina regime. New Delhi’s pro-Hasina stance has stoked anti-India sentiments in Bangladesh, putting the lives of Indian nationals stranded there in danger. With the changing of the guard in Bangladesh, it is time for India to re-evaluate its foreign policy.

Anil Vinayak, Amritsar

Overambitious parents to blame

With reference to the article ‘Lured into a life-killing rat race’; most people who vie for a job in the civil services are those who want to get ahead in life. It is a well-respected profession, after all. Unfortunately, the success rate in UPSC exams remains painfully low. And many aspirants are shoved into this rat race by their overambitious parents. This often compels the ones who fail to crack the exam to take the extreme step. It is unfortunate that IAS coaching centres are profiting off the aspirants’ desperation to succeed.

Anthony Henriques, Mumbai

Faith gets drowned out in the din

Apropos of the middle ‘As loud as it gets on the roads’; the Kanwar Yatra is no longer what it used to be years ago. Pilgrims nowadays tend to travel in vehicles carrying elaborate sound systems. The religious prayers blaring from those humongous speakers are often a big nuisance. The right to practise one’s religion or express oneself must not be misused to do something that causes inconvenience to others. Those on the path to attaining religious or spiritual fulfilment must do better.

Saurabh Bhakri, New Delhi

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