Return Journey for Ousted Bangladesh Premier Sheikh Hasina Turns Bumpy
By Nava Thakuria, New
Age Islam
17 August
2024
A Source Close to The
Interim Government Head Prof Yunus Revealed That The UN Team Will Come Next
Week to Bangladesh. It’s The First Time Since Bangladesh Was Born in 1971, An
UN Fact-Finding Delegation Is Coming to The Muslim Majority Nation of 170
Million People.
-----
Ousted
Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina
------
The sudden drive out from the Prime Minister’s
Office in Dhaka was not enough for the consecutive fourth time premier of
Bangladesh as more troubles are waiting for Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s
celebrated daughter Sheikh Hasina. Taking refuge in neighbouring Bharat, the
ousted premier now faces a number of police complaints in her country as being
a conspirator to kill hundreds of civilians including young students from 1
July till her hurried departure on 5 August 2024 from Dhaka. So her immediate return, as the Awami League
chief reportedly expected, seems to be bleak for the time being.
The interim
government under the leadership of Nobel laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus has
decided to launch a probe into the killing of nearly 600 people during the mass
uprising against the Hasina-led government. Bangladesh apex court’s bar
association has already urged New Delhi to arrest Hasina and her accompanying
sister Rehana to arrest and send back to Dhaka for trials. The forum claimed
that protesters were violently targeted by the law enforcement agencies along
with the workers of Awami League and its affiliates namely Chhatra League and
Juba League.
The
International Crimes Tribunal (ICT), which was redefined by Hasina herself with
an aim to adjudicate the war criminals of 1971 liberation movement against the
then West Pakistani forces, started an investigation against Hasina along with
a few others with charges relating to genocide during the anti-government
job-quota protest demonstration that turned into overthrowing Hasina movement
across the south Asian nation. In a dramatic situation that unfolded in Dhaka,
Hasina had to resign and take temporary shelter in India, where no government
across the world is yet to offer her a safe passage.
The
petition at ICT against Hasina and some of her trusted associates in the
ministry and party was submitted by one Md Bulbul Kabir (father of Arif Ahmed
Siam, the IX standard student killed during the job quota reform movement),
accusing Hasina and some others of ordering a violent crackdown on the
protestors resulted in the killing a number of students. Earlier, the relative
of Faizul Islam Rajon (student of Dhaka Model Degree College) lodged a
complaint against the authorities for his death due to police firing during the
movement. One more case was lodged following the killing of a businessman
identified as Abu Said.
Now a
fact-finding team from the United Nations is expected to arrive in Dhaka by
next few days to investigate alleged atrocities on Bangladesh civilians
including students and young people during the anti-Hasina movement in July and
August first week. A peaceful protest demonstration demanding reform in the job
quota system turned violent and wide spread across the country. A source close
to the interim government head Prof Yunus revealed that the UN team will come
next week to Bangladesh. It’s the first time since Bangladesh was born in 1971,
an UN fact-finding delegation is coming to the Muslim majority nation of 170
million people.
The prime
opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), which boycotted the last general
elections on 7 January this year, also demanded an impartial investigation into
all the killings during the unrest. Led by former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia,
the BNP even insisted on a probe to be conducted by the United Nations to
identify the culprits involved with the massacre of agitating students and
young people. Arguing that a government-sponsored (read Hasina regime in Dhaka)
genocide should be probed by an impartial investigation agency of international
standards, the BNP leadership urged the functioning interim government of
Bangladesh, which was sworn in on 8 August, to endorse the inquiry.
There are
growing speculations that Dhaka will ask New Delhi to send back Hasina to face
trials in her country. Giving shelter to Hasina after her departure, the Indian
Union government may find it embarrassing to deal with the situation, if the
caretaker government demands her extradition.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his 78th Independence Day speech to
the nation on 15 August mentioned about the situation in Bangladesh. The
saffron premier expressed concern over the violent attacks on Hindus and other
minority communities during the unrest and hoped that Bangladesh will return to
normalcy soon. Modi however did not talk anything about Hasina getting shelter
in the country. Days back, Modi also conveyed best wishes to Prof Yunus for his
new responsibilities.
-----
Nava Thakuria is a northeast India-based professional journalist who is
an engineering graduate.
URL: https://www.newageislam.com/current-affairs/ousted-bangladesh-premier-sheikh-hasina/d/132960