Bangladesh After the Farce Of An Election (January 2024)

Riaz Osmani

14 January 2024

Sheikh Hasina’s tolerance for corruption, bank looting and money laundering that has broken all previous records, creation of an oligarchy, fielding Parliamentary candidates that are almost exlusively active business people, establishing crony capitalism in the country, co-opting every organ of the state including the judiciary, and letting overall economic disparity in Bangladesh reach levels never seen before – thus benefitting from a power base that has nothing to do with general voters – will only give fodder to socialists/communists on the one hand, and Islamists on the other. This is the place she has taken the country to over the last 15 years. Mega infrastructural projects and GDP figures are a side show only. We do have an opposition party whose recent politics is more moderate, inclusive and liberal, and can possibly bring in change (though their own past too is notably condemnable). But its entirety is now in jail on mostly trumped up charges. So they don’t even have that opportunity.

There is no difference between Bangladesh and Russia today. Like Russia, the current head of government in Bangladesh is an authoritarian monster who has been in power for a long time without the meaningful vote and support of the people. Democracy disappeared long ago. Now the source of her power is the police and all law enforcement agencies, the detective branches and the newly created oligarchs. Political opponents are now oppressed by a co-opted judiciary and the rest of the politicized state apparatus. There is no real freedom of speech in the country thanks to black laws – no environment for free, unbiased and investigative journalism. Beneficiary groups have been created across the country to worship Sheikh Hasina. These groups have rendered the social, political and economic fabric of the country ill. All basic human rights are now reserved for these beneficiary groups.