Jamaluddin Ahmed
This following is a piece from the 6th February issue of India Today,
“In late December last year, a secret letter went from New Delhi to Dhaka. It was delivered directly to Sheikh Hasina, 65, the prime minister of Bangladesh. It warned her that Islamist radicals embedded within the Bangladesh Army were planning a coup. Along with the letter, India had worked out a contingency plan to evacuate the prime minister, her cabinet and key figures of her Awami League party in the event of a coup. There was a military plan as well. Indian helicopter gunships would be launched from two airbases in West Bengal and Tripura into Dhaka to provide air cover for the operation. Landing zones and evacuation sites were identified in and around the capital for the air corridor.”
The question, is whether this type action by India would violate our sovereignty? We are not a province within India. Then why would the Indians evacuate our politicians in case of emergency. To me it looks like a perfect drill to set the matter straight. India does have a plan to run Bangladesh from inside and out. Perhaps our political leaders have a secret plan with the Indian administration for scenarios of critical nature. I have not heard of anything like that in the news nor in the policy directives. If it is our policy, then it is a major issue and should be public knowledge. Actually this should be debated and adopted as a law.
The current administration has been making many tacit agreements in the dark and away from the public knowledge. The PM is bent on allowing access to the Indians inside our territories whether it be in the form transit to Indian traffic, alleged domination of our intelligence wing Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI) by India’s Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) and Inter-Services Public Relations Directorate (ISPR). Activities of Indian secret service throughout Bangladesh’s each and every department is widely suspected. Vocal pronouncements by the civil society, opposition or the news reporters are being silenced through intimidation or killings. Bangladesh is experiencing a horrible period and it may change our life forever, if not checked and stopped in the bud.
I thought we had a very well-trained armed force who could at least defend us from internal disturbances like the above scenario of a possible coup. The PM has placed her trusted people as the head of the armed forces, intelligence agencies and other critical or semi critical organs of government. Then why did we lease the option of internal security to the Indians. If she made this arrangement, we have already lost our freedom and sovereignty. To think otherwise, would be equivalent of living in a fool’s paradise. If we were Indian citizens, perhaps we would have the citizen’s rights under the Indian laws. By being Bangladeshi citizens, we have no rights against the Indians. They have a huge army and a fantastic intelligence apparatus (some of whom got their training from Israeli intelligence) to dictate anything they want. All indications are that, our government covertly agreed to this arrangement in that, the PM, her family and the closest allies within Bangladesh would be airlifted to India in a flip. The body language speaks for itself. India is doing what the United States does best, like twisting arms till you submit. India is a vindictive nation. For strategic reasons they created Bangladesh therefore, we do not need to be obligated as it mutually benefited India and our goals of independence. I am sure they fought on our side for a strategic domination in South Asia. As a matter of fact, our help by the Mukti Bahini and the “Z” force gave a big advantage to the Indian Army in 1971 war. It was for mutual benefit and therefore, we demand to be treated equally; just as friends without being dictated.
Most people in Bangladesh believe the purported low-key coup was pre-arranged, an induced scenario. Israelis are best in these types of covert activities. I think, this is a warning as to what may come in the future. Indian doctrine does not allow Bangladesh to run freely with her independent foreign policy. They would like to lock us in a box. And we are allowing that to happen.
Bangladeshis have to wake up from their sleep. They are allowing their country to be used as a playfield. Bangladesh is real and it’s citizens are real. Let’s be treated respectfully. Reciprocity of respect should be there between neighbors. A good neighbor does not take advantage of their neighbors.
This very mindset has actually led into a client state of India. You see, India was behind the breaking of Pakiatan since its inception in 1947. If you think that you wanted independence and for that you used India is rather naive. It was India that made it seem like that to you guys.
Mujib and his party the AL was caught in the act in the Agartala Conspiracy case way back during Ayub Khan. India did this to relax on its eastern border once and for all and to concentrate better in breaking the other parts of Pakistan.This is the mindset of a people who wish to remain as champions. We understand that and gear up to meet the challenge.
Remember, people of India & Pakistan are very similar, sharing people, language, culture, landscapes, games, fashion, food,aspirations with an eye on first class military matters, atomic bombs and international expansion, etc. We think alike so we know each other far better than BD does.
Resiprocity & respect is better fielded between equals.Ideal talk and slogan mongering without real power mean nothing. And thats why Pakistan against all odds fares better in stopping India in its tracks and is also the only able competitor in all fields and the first smart & strongest Islamic country in the world. This hard mindset gets you ahead.BD & Pakistan are closely related to each other for ever and nothing can change that status. We value BD in their time of need against India.
East Pakistan had to get separated from the union with Pakistan for obvious reasons. Zulfiquer Ali Bhutto and the thick headed military minds did not see the bigger picture. If it remained as a Federal system, things would have been fine. Just like what Sheikh Mujib put in his six points. This was an unusual union. Bangladesh had to be born. Anyway looking backwards will not help. We will have to mode forward. That means we should play our diplomatic cards right. Bangladesh has a poor show in diplomacy and negotiations. Whether it is by design or incompetence, it baffles me. Having weak foreign minister with a back up (Gowher Rizvi) is a poor way to represent a 160 million strong country. Similarly the PM talks from both sides of her mouth while keeping a strong grip on power boosted by her sycophants. Indian intelligence has penetrated way deep inside our sensitive as well as economic establishments. While economy is being pushed forward through the hard work of the people and small businessmen, we are being stifled by inept and crooked administration. Hasina has totally sold Bangladesh to the Indians.