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.