India's Interests and the Role of Student Movements in Bangladesh's Democratic Struggle

There are two major risks and opportunities associated with Sheikh Hasina's historic departure from power in Bangladesh. It is crucial to consider Bangladesh's experience within the larger framework of democratic institutionalization in order to comprehend this momentous political shift. It is important for India not to view Bangladesh through the prism of our own narcissism. The Bangladeshi people have been fighting to control their own future, and this revolution is the result of their battle.

Bangladesh Is of Interest to India

Bangladesh is important to India. It is imperative that Bangladesh avoids turning into a hub for anti-Indian factions based in the northeast. Even an isolated incident of violence against Hindus in Bangladesh has the potential to significantly alter Indian domestic politics, which in turn could influence Bangladesh's political environment. The Bangladeshi student movement and the army have both stated that they will not allow this to occur thus far.

Views from the Government and Civil Society

India's governmental approach has been characterized by a certain amount of narcissism. This has caused us to lose sight of a crucial aspect of contemporary politics: authoritarian suppression of dissent is temporary; like water, it eventually finds a way out. India risked becoming a partisan player in Bangladeshi politics by siding with Sheikh Hasina far more than justified by genuine concerns, endorsing not only a specific party but also authoritarianism in general.

The complexity of Bangladeshi society has not been acknowledged at the level of civil society or the media. The way the right wing in India describes what is happening in Bangladesh as an Islamist or foreign conspiracy makes the Bangladeshi people feel like they don't have any agency at all. This viewpoint is similar to the Right's assessment of domestic dissent in India. It's the same error that Sheikh Hasina committed when she referred to her own students as razakars (traitors).

The Political Intricacies of Bangladesh

Secularism and Identity
Two major tensions have characterized Bangladeshi politics. First, Bangladesh's status as a religious or secular state with a dominant language was not entirely resolved when it became an independent republic. Islamist parties have become a major factor in Bangladeshi politics as a result of the potential for a secular future being compromised by successive dictators, most notably Ziaur Rahman, who gave more leeway to Islamist groups and added more Islamic features to the constitution.

In reaction to widespread demonstrations against atheist bloggers, Sheikh Hasina also made accommodations for these groups. Ironically, she justified laws restricting free speech by using religious grounds, a tactic that could be employed against her opponents in the secular world. Islamism so continues to be a thorn in Bangladeshi politics.

Both Islamism and authoritarianism

The mistaken Indian view is that Islamism can only be contained by an authoritarian state that supports India. Islamism flourishes either because autocrats who employ it support it or because secular opposition is so repressed that religious mobilizations are the only viable means of expressing dissatisfaction. Islamist organizations might initially become more noticeable as democratic venues expand. Eventually, though, as other modernizing nations have shown, democratic institutions can lessen this visibility.

Bangladesh's Prospects for Democracy

In a democracy, nothing is guaranteed, but Bangladesh has a chance to succeed, if not without difficulties. Pakistan's civil society is very different from itss. Religious parties are not good at winning elections, not even in Pakistan. This is because they are frequently supported by the state and serve as stand-ins for it in different capacities. Bangladesh, on the other hand, has a strong, institutionalized secular civil society that has been essential to its growth.

Putting the Party System in Place

The institutionalization of the party system is the second source of tension in Bangladeshi politics. Ensuring free and fair elections that involve all parties will be the top priority for an interim administration. Reduced voter turnout or an Awami League boycott could sentence the party system to revert from a democratic uprising to centralized dictatorship. The issue has been that victorious parties in Bangladesh frequently have monopolies on power, which allows them to attack rivals and sabotage free elections. Furthermore, each party has a tendency to shrink into a tiny cabal under the direction of an opaque inner circle and becomes ever more unresponsive.

A true party system may develop with the probable decline of Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina. It is imperative to have a party system that is more devoted to fundamental institutional ideals and more adept at alternating and sharing power. If not, we will continue to witness the existing trends of social movement upsurges, short-lived democracy, and the subsequent construction of an autocratic state linked to a political party.

Student Movements' Role in

Bangladesh's political history has been significantly influenced by student movements. In 1952, they led the language campaign, and in 1971, they spearheaded the independence movement. Bangladesh stands out for how much its students continue to challenge tyranny with a sense of democratic legitimacy. Students challenge established claims to authority in a system that alternates between authoritarianism and defiance. The photograph of student Abu Sayed, who was shot in a matter of seconds after standing with his arms wide out, captured the essence of the Bangladeshi state unlike any other.

India has experienced its own student movements, particularly in Assamese movements and during the Emergency. The last big student-led protest was the Telangana agitation, which fortunately did not degenerate into violence because the government was accommodating. Although there is no certainty, the fact that a student-led movement is taking place in Bangladesh gives optimism to a society that is working to shape its future.

In summary

The world's recent experience with public uprisings is not always promising. In addition to other difficulties, Bangladesh will experience economic difficulties. But for its own benefit, no nation, particularly India, should bypass Bangladesh's difficult modernization path. Bangladesh will have a chance if it can absorb the lesson taught by its students, which is that religious nationalism is the surefire path to tyranny.