Site icon The Commune

Bangladesh Interim Govt Head Muhammad Yunus’ Mask Falls Off, Anti-India & Anti-Hindu Agenda Stands Exposed

The Commune
Bangladesh Interim Govt Head Muhammad Yunus' Mask Falls Off, Anti-India & Anti-Hindu Agenda Stands Exposed

The recent political upheaval in Bangladesh, following the coup of the Sheikh Hasina government and the appointment of an interim government under the ‘leadership’ of Nobel laureate Professor Mohammad Yunus, has raised more eyebrows than ever, especially regarding minority rights, regional stability, and Bangladesh’s relationship with India.

Durga Puja Restrictions

One of the most contentious issues under the new administration is the instruction for Hindus to conclude their Durga Puja festivities before the Muslim call to prayer (azan) begins. On 10 September 2024, Bangladesh’s Home Ministry issued a directive for Durga Puja celebrations, requiring Puja committees to turn off rituals and sound systems five minutes before and during Azan and Namaz. Home Affairs Adviser Lt Gen (retd) Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury emphasized ensuring security at Puja mandaps, with 32,666 set up this year. Cross-border movement for Puja was discouraged, urging better arrangements in border areas.

Attack On Minority Hindus in Bangladesh ‘Exaggerated’

Professor Yunus, who previously dismissed reports of attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh as exaggerated, now faces criticism for what many see as a capitulation to radical elements within Bangladeshi society. The timing of this instruction is particularly troubling, coming shortly after a widely reported incident where a Hindu boy, Utsob Mondal, was violently beaten in a police station, contradicting Yunus’s earlier claims.

Critics argue that by issuing such an order, the interim government under Yunus is effectively admitting its inability to protect Hindu citizens in Bangladesh who wish to continue their celebrations during azan. This move has been interpreted as a tacit acknowledgement of the power wielded by radical mobs, potentially encouraging further acts of communal violence.

Release Of Hardline Cleric

In a move that has alarmed both domestic and international observers, the Yunus government ordered the release of Jasim Uddin Rahmani, a notorious hardline Islamic cleric and leader of the Ansar Bangla Team, a terror outfit affiliated with Al-Qaeda. This decision, made within the first 50 days of the new administration, has raised serious questions about the government’s priorities and commitment to combating extremism.

Upon his release, Rahmani wasted no time in making inflammatory statements. He called for “jihad” in Jammu and Kashmir and urged West Bengal’s Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to declare independence from India.

More alarmingly, Rahmani outlined a five-point plan aimed at “fracturing” India, which included:

  1. Supporting the Khalistan terror
  2. Calling for “jihad” for the “freedom” of Jammu and Kashmir
  3. Urging Mamata Banerjee to declare West Bengal’s independence
  4. Advocating for cutting off the Siliguri Corridor
  5. Proposing to raise an Islamist flag on the Red Fort in Delhi

Rahmani, a known advocate of jihadist ideology and linked to Al-Qaeda, threatens India with retaliation from Bangladesh if provoked. He envisions a united “Tawhid” movement to challenge perceived threats and claims Bangladesh’s 18 crore Muslims will defend their country and Islam from external interference.

Cooling Relations With India

The interim government’s actions have not been limited to domestic affairs. Several decisions taken by the Yunus administration in Bangladesh appear to signal a cooling of relations with neighbouring India, a shift that could have significant implications for regional stability.

Key developments in this regard include:

These actions, taken collectively, suggest a significant shift in Bangladesh’s foreign policy orientation, potentially jeopardizing the progress made in India-Bangladesh relations during Sheikh Hasina’s tenure.

On-The-Ground Reality

Advocate Rabindra Ghosh, president of the Bangladesh Minority Watch, speaking to India Today provided a sobering assessment of the situation facing minorities in the country. According to Ghosh, atrocities against Hindu minorities have been ongoing and have intensified since Sheikh Hasina left office.

Ghosh vehemently disputes claims by the Yunus government that reports of attacks on Hindus are exaggerated. He asserts that his organization has extensive documentation, including reports, pictures, and videos of incidents across the country. He also stated that over 100 atrocities have occurred in the Thakurgaon District alone since the change in government. Many Hindus have fled their homes due to safety concerns, with some having been killed. He stated that his organization has visited numerous incident sites, spoken with victims, and compiled comprehensive evidence of the ongoing persecution. Despite efforts to seek legal recourse, the courts have remained largely silent on these issues.

Ghosh emphasized that the Hindu community in Bangladesh, who consider themselves Bengali and fought for the country’s independence in 1971, are now facing unprecedented challenges to their safety and religious freedom.

Yunus’s Mask Has Come Off Completely

Once viewed as a potential beacon of progressive values and democratic reform, Yunus’s leadership is now being characterized by decisions that appear to empower hardline elements and strain relations with India. This shift has forced many of his supporters to reckon with the unintended consequences of their advocacy.

Security experts warn that the current situation could have far-reaching implications for regional stability. There are growing concerns that radical Islamist elements might attempt to create trouble in Indian states bordering Bangladesh, necessitating increased border security measures.

The coming months will be crucial in determining whether Bangladesh can maintain its progress towards a more inclusive and stable society or whether it will push towards religious extremism and see higher regional tensions.

Subscribe to our Telegram, WhatsApp, and Instagram channels and get the best stories of the day delivered to you personally.

Exit mobile version