New Delhi: With Russia alleging that the US is planning to create chaos in Bangladesh after the January 7 parliamentary polls, India will be concerned about stability in the eastern neighbour.
In a statement issued earlier this week, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova alleged that “there are serious reasons to fear that in the coming weeks an even wider arsenal of pressure, including sanctions, may be used against the government of Bangladesh, which is undesirable to the West”.
“Key industries may come under attack, as well as a number of officials who will be accused without evidence of obstructing the democratic will of citizens in the upcoming parliamentary elections on January 7, 2024,” Zakharova stated. “If the results of the people's will are not satisfactory to the United States, attempts to further destabilize the situation in
The Arab Spring refers to a series of pro-democracy uprisings, protests, and demonstrations that took place across the Arab world, primarily in the Middle East and North Africa, starting in late 2010. The wave of protests began in Tunisia in December 2010 leading to the eventual ousting of Tunisia's longtime President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali in January 2011.
The success of the Tunisian uprising served as inspiration for similar movements in other Arab countries. Protests quickly spread to countries like Egypt, Libya, Yemen, Syria, and Bahrain, among others. Referring to the blockades called by the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) earlier this week during which buses were burned and opposition political activists clashed with the police, Zakharova said that Russia sees “a direct connection between these events and the inflammatory activity of Western diplomatic missions in Dhaka”.
In this connection, she made a particular reference to the statements and activities of US Ambassador to Bangladesh Peter Haas. “Unfortunately, there is little chance that Washington will come to its senses and refrain from yet another gross interference in the internal affairs of a sovereign state,” Zakharova said. “We are confident, however, that despite all the machinations of external forces, the issue of power in Bangladesh will ultimately be decided by the friendly people of this country, and no one else.”
Russia’s allegation against the US will be a cause of concern for India. Both Moscow and Washington are close allies of New Delhi. India has maintained that the elections in Bangladesh are an internal matter. However, the US is losing its popularity among the public in Bangladesh because Washington intervenes in the electoral process.
What has riled the ruling Awami League dispensation in Bangladesh is the continued interventions by Western powers, particularly the US, in the run-up to the elections. Earlier this year, the US imposed visa restrictions on Bangladeshi officials and political functionaries for what it called undermining the democratic electoral process.
The BNP has opted not to participate in the election, citing concerns over the electoral process. The opposition is demanding that the election be conducted under a neutral caretaker government rather than the current government-administered Election Commission to ensure fairness. While the conduct of elections is typically regarded as an internal matter for sovereign nations, this does not appear to be the case in Dhaka.
Western countries have been involved in Bangladesh’s electoral process, with the US being the most overt participant. In response to the violence in October, which was linked to demands for free and fair elections in Bangladesh, the US expressed concern and condemned the incident as “political violence”.
In the last week of October, over 100,000 protestors, mainly from the BNP, hit the streets demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Hasina and the formation of a caretaker government to ensure free and fair elections. They were joined by activists of the Jamaat-e-Islami, a radical Islamist group known for its links with Pakistan. According to the opposition, if Hasina stays in power, the elections will be manipulated in favour of her party, the Awami League.
The European Union (EU) also stated that it was “deeply saddened” by the reported “violence”. Australia, Japan, Canada, South Korea, Norway, the UK, and the US issued a joint statement expressing deep concern over the violence. The question arises: Why are Western countries interfering in the Bangladesh election?
In the realm of international relations, actions are rarely taken without self-interest, and external interventions are often motivated by strategic considerations. The historical examples of US interventions in other countries like Libya, Iraq, Afghanistan, and Vietnam under the banner of promoting “democracy” underscore the point. As the US employs similar rhetoric in the context of Bangladesh, repeatedly emphasising the necessity of a “free and fair” election, concerns are raised about Washington’s true intentions and interests in Bangladesh.
According to observers, what is clear is that the US is not happy with Bangladesh for engaging with China. In the last nine years, one of the reasons for the economic turnaround in Bangladesh has been Dhaka’s engagement with China. However, the US does not want Bangladesh to engage with China. That is why it is supporting opposition parties in Bangladesh.
One reason for this is the US’ strategic interest in the Bay of Bengal as part of its Indo-Pacific policy. The US, along with India, Japan and Australia are part of a Quad that is working for a free and open Indo-Pacific in the face of Chinese hegemony in the region that extends from the east coast of Japan to the east coast of Africa.
However, it is worth mentioning that both India and China, traditional rivals, have taken a neutral stand on the Bangladesh elections. Both the Asian giants have huge stakes in the South Asian nation in terms of security, connectivity and investments.
Why India will be additionally concerned about the US interventions in Bangladesh’s electoral process is the current chill in diplomatic ties between New Delhi and Washington for the indictment of an Indian national, Nikhil Gupta, for an alleged plot to assassinate Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a Khalistani separatist holding dual US and Canadian citizenship. Negotiations are being held between India’s National Investigation Agency (NIA) and the US Federal Bureau of Investigation regarding the extradition of Gupta to the US from a Czech prison where he is being currently held. Amid this, US President Joe Biden has called off his visit to India to attend the Republic Day parade on January 26 citing other commitments.
The fact of the matter remains that India would like to see Hasina retain power despite the challenges her government faces, including high inflation and a decline in foreign exchange reserves. Observers say if Islamist forces come to power in Bangladesh, then insurgency will be revived in India’s northeastern region. This is why Russia’s allegation that the US might create chaos in Bangladesh after the January 7 elections will be a cause of serious concern for India.
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