Page 59 - 30NOV2018E

INTERNATIONAL

All eyes on uncertain finds it difficult to go beyond various our country has slowly, but stead - Mamata Banerjee made a hue and cry

limitations.
about the Assam NRC draft, Bangladeshi
ily, marched on the path of becoming
The next national elections must
politicians and the civil society are still
a country of one nationality (Bangla-
Bangladesh elections be conducted before January 28, 2019, deshi), one language (Bangla) and one reluctant to comment on the sensi -
and the opposition parties are de -
tive matter. Even Dhaka-based media
religion (Sunni Muslim),” commented
manding to dissolve the Parliament.
outlets had little coverage about the
Samad. Citing how a network of Jamaat-
In absence of an upper house, the
ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh was busted
process and its larger implications,
country preferred a neutral election-
time (caretaker) government to run in West Bengal few years ago, Samad asserted Samad.
urged India’s north-eastern region to
For New Delhi’s interest, Hasina’s
various essential affairs, but the ruling remain alert about jehadi elements re-election may be an expected out-
Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina is likely to face a tough battle in the face of a united Opposition as AL has already rejected the demand. after the ongoing crackdown on Islam- come, as the lady has made her com-
the country goes to polls, NAVA THAKURIA writes Hasina only assured that the election ist forces. mitment to make Bangladesh free from
commission would be given appropri- The outspoken journalist revealed cross-border terrorism. Because of Dha-
ate power to conduct the polls in a free that thousands of Bangladeshi youths ka’s relentless crackdown on terrorism,
s our neighbour, Bangla- Mujibur Rahman. er like-minded parties under the ban- and fair manner. had joined various militia groups in the northeastern militants had fled
desh approaches general Hasina’s party won the last national ner of Jatiya Oikya Jote (national united Bangla government has already Syria, Iraq, Chechnya, Indonesia, Phil- the country and many of the separatist
(national) elections by the political battle in 2014 with little trou- forum). stepped up its all-rounall-roundives ippines, Afghanistan, and Pakistan et al leaders were pushed back into India.
next few weeks, India can bles as the main opposition party led by Unlike India, the country that for peeful polls and its law enforce- Only fugitive on the run is Paresh Barua
A witness more political Begum Khaleda Zia boycotted the 10th regained independence from Pakistan ment agencies are also put on high (top leader of United Liberation Front
drama, confusion and chaos to be bro- Parliamentary polls. A huge number of in 1971 does not have an upper house of alert to prevent any untoward inci- Hasina’s party won of Assam-Independent), who also faces
ken out from the populous nation. The AL nominees were elected to the 350 Parliament (read Rajya Sabha). Moreo- dents in the coming days. The govern- death penalty in the Bangladesh court.
ruling Bangladesh Awami League (AL) member-house unopposed. But this ver, it has no concept of provinces ment agencies suspect that few ele- the last national There are more reasons to support
led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina time, even though the former Premier (States) and hence the Prime Minister ments in opposition camp, terrorists, political battle in the continuation of Hasina’s regime
expects another term in Dhaka, but Begum Zia has been put behind bars for of Bangladesh often performs the duty underworld criminals and anti-lib- in Dhaka and both the countries had
the opposition parties are somehow many weeks under corruption charges, like a chief executive officer. Need not eration forces may create troubles in 2014 with little reached a steady bilateral relationship
organised this time to challenge the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has to mention that its judiciary (even the the country during the election. Mean- troubles as the main after many decades of diplomatic hic-
daughter of Bangabandhu Sheikh decided to join the polls with some oth- Supreme Court of Bangladesh) also while, special drives were conducted cups. Both New Delhi and Dhaka now
across the country to seize the illegal opposition party led regularly share common issues in an at-
arms by the concerned authorities. by Begum Khaleda mosphere of confidence and friendship.
Speaking to this writer from Dhaka The mutual trust has been further
few days back, Bangla journalist and Zia boycotted the heightened after resolving half-a-cen-
political commentator Saleem Samad 10th Parliamentary tury- old border demarcation disputes.
disclosed that his country is presently Duty-free trade, joint venture infra-
in a poll-mode, as the general elections polls structure projects, commerce, tourism,
must be conducted within few weeks visa regime, communication through
to elect a new regime. He agreed that road, rail, river and air were a few areas
there are some confusions arising to fight alongside the jehadis there. He of discussion between both nations. The
after continued detention of Begum also expressed concern over the new talks on sharing of water from 56 inter-
Zia and few other activists, but the Digital Security Act 2018, which has national rivers are also in progress.
polls must happen by end of the sec- already come under fire from journal- Celebrated exiled Bangla author
ond term of Hasina as their Premier. ists, including editors, rights defenders Taslima Nasreen, while expressing an-
The people are very enthusiastic to and anti-corruption advocates. guishes over recent arrests of many
cast their votes, he added. International rights watchdogs have distinguished personalities under the
A keen observer of socio-political condemned the draconian law, which digital security laws, made it clear that
situations in South Asia, Samad how- looks to criminalise freedom of press, she still prefers Hasina over Begum Zia
ever, admitted that the recent rise of speech and expression in that country. (allied with Jamaat-e-Islami) to rule her
Islamist extremism has been posing a Claiming that no visiting Indian po- country. However she admitted that
serious threat to his Muslim majority litical leader had ever spoken about the faith and respect many progressive
country along with its neighbouring illegal Bangladeshi migrants during individuals across the globe had for
Indian states like West Bengal, Assam parleys with their Bangladeshi coun- Hasina is slowly dwindling.
and Tripura. He narrated how secu- terparts, he pointed out that for the
larist bloggers and LGBT activists are people of Bangladesh the issue of the The author is a Guwahati based journalist
increasingly becoming the target of National Register of Citizens updation and Secretary, Guwahati Press Club.
radicalised Muslims forces there. in Assam remains an internal affair of
“What is concerning for us that India. Though Bengal chief minister LETTERS@TEHELKA.COM

TEHELKA / 30 NOVEMBER 2018 58 WWW.TEHELKA.COM TEHELKA / 30 NOVEMBER 2018 59 WWW.TEHELKA.COM

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