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Bangladesh stands at a crossroads, with the opportunity to rebuild its democratic institutions and restore the integrity of its military. The path ahead is fraught with challenges, but it is also filled with the promise of renewal, writes Abdul Monaiem Kudrot Ullah

BANGLADESH has been transformed into a mausoleum of democracy under the iron fist of Sheikh Hasina. Her reign, a protracted nightmare for the Bangladeshi people, has been marked by a relentless erosion of institutional integrity, a cancer that has metastasised through body politic. With each passing year, the democratic fabric of this young nation has frayed, until it now hangs in tatters. Bangladesh was a fiefdom, not a nation. A grotesque tapestry woven from the threads of greed and power. Its rulers, a shadowy cabal of bureaucrats, businessmen, and politicians, are the true masters of this land. They are the untouchable caste, their grip on wealth and influence as ironclad as an emperor’s. The state, a mere puppet in their hands, dances to their tune.

Paranoia, a malignant force, had consumed Hasina. She believed that the generals ruled Bangladesh, not the ballot box. Fearful of a shadow army, she has systematically dismantled the very backbone of her nation: its military. This is the tragic legacy of her rule. She wanted to weaken the military’s grips not with peoples’ mandate but with the oligarchs-bureaucrats-judges-police nexus. While the arsenals might have grown, the spirit of the soldier — that intangible essence of courage and conviction — has been strangled. These are felt by most of us who have served. In this endeavour, she found allies in her security adviser, Major General Tarique Ahmed Siddique (retd) and the Indian South Block. Hasina’s sinister alliance with the Indian establishment has deepened the wounds. Delhi, with its insatiable appetite for regional dominance, has found in her a willing accomplice. Together, they have constructed a fortress of fear, a prison for the Bangladeshi people.

Tarique Siddique, known in the corridors of power as GT, rose to a position that many in Bangladesh has feared more than they respect — a shadowy figure who had effectively become the de-facto chief of the chiefs in the armed forces. His authority has stretched far beyond what one might expect of a former military leader as well as an adviser to the prime minister, embedding itself deeply into the very fabric of the defence establishment. Siddique’s control over the defence budget, the promotion boards and the military hierarchy was so absolute that it’s whispered in hushed tones: no officer could ascend without first kneeling before him. But Siddique was not just a man who commands through rank; he was a master manipulator, weaving a web of corruption that entangled the very soul of the military. Officers were drawn into his orbit, not by duty or honour, but through a calculated mix of financial corruption and moral compromise. His methods were as ruthless as they are effective.

Both Hasina’s and Siddique’s most insidious weapon has been the exploitation of the phrase ‘Muktijudher Chetona’ — the spirit of the liberation war. What was once a term of national pride has been twisted into a tool of subjugation, a euphemism for advancing Indian interests in Bangladesh under the guise of patriotism. There is no matrix, it’s all smokes and mirrors. They were creating an illusory bogeyman to play the hero. Deserving officers find their promotions blocked, their careers stymied, all in the name of this hollowed-out ideal. Siddique and his agents wielded power with brutal efficiency, cancelling privileges at will — manipulating/revoking the allocation of DOHS or Welfare Trust plots, stripping away medical and other essential facilities from retired officers who dare to stand against their objectives. To be declared persona non grata by Siddique’s men was to be exiled within one’s own nation, left to wither in obscurity. With a wink and a nod, they ensured that the gleaming arsenals of the West and their compliant lackeys remained as distant as a mirage in the desert. Meanwhile, the rusted detritus of nations that care little for the niceties of international law found a cozy home in our armouries. It was a grotesque bazaar, a macabre marketplace where corruption was the only currency. And so, it was that the accursed vehicles and vessels, bearing the insidious brand of India, slithered their way into the very heart of our military.

Under Siddique’s patronage, Bangladesh has seen an increase in security collaborations with India, including joint patrols, coordinated border management and shared training programmes. While these initiatives have ostensibly improved relations between the two countries, they have also been criticised for undermining Bangladesh’s national security. One of the cornerstones of this collaboration is the memorandum of understanding on intelligence sharing between India and Bangladesh. This agreement has significantly bolstered India’s ability to preempt and counteract security threats, fostering trust and enabling more effective responses to terrorism and cross-border crimes. Joint operations, such as Operation Sunrise, which targeted insurgent groups along the India-Bangladesh border, had been touted as successes. These operations led to significant arrests and the dismantling of terror networks, highlighting the tangible benefits of this partnership for India. However, from Bangladesh’s perspective, these efforts have done little to address security threats emanating from Indian soil. The implementation of a coastal surveillance system is another example of the deepening security cooperation between the two nations. This system has been a significant step in securing maritime borders, enhancing the monitoring and response capabilities to maritime threats, ensuring the safety of coastal regions, and facilitating smoother maritime trade. However, this has made Bangladesh’s maritime security dependent on Indian support, while similar proposals from Japan were delayed in bureaucratic channels to facilitate Indian bids.

Despite the surface-level appearance of a strong alliance with India, the reality is more complex. Within the ranks of the Bangladeshi military, there is growing resentment and distrust towards this partnership. While the top brasses, under the shadow of Siddique’s influence, may publicly support cooperation with India, their true loyalties lie with Bangladesh. The relationship with India, therefore, can be seen as a marriage of convenience — driven more by fear and necessity than genuine friendship.

Hasina and Siddique fashioned Bangladesh into a grotesque puppet show, where the strings were pulled from Delhi. His pet officers, once the guardians of a nation, were mere courtiers, their swords dulled by the promise of power and the threat of oblivion. This was the Bangladesh way even a week ago: a servile crouch before India, a nation that has historically treated its smaller neighbour with a mix of condescension and contempt. The truth is far grimmer. These were the birth pangs of a new order, where Bangladesh’s sovereignty was slowly but surely suffocated.

So, it seems that Hasina asserted her powers with the blessings of India, but the streets of Dhaka erupted, a tidal wave of rage against the Hasina clan. The police, those toy soldiers of the state, were swept aside. Yet, the regime endured. Until, that is, the military, headed by her recently appointed army chief, blinked. The brass, those true shelters of Bangladeshis, decided enough was enough. And so, with a twitch of their epaulettes, Hasina was cast aside. A lesson as stark as the sub-continental sun: it is not easy to isolate the men with the guns from the very people who shape this nation. General Waker-Uz-Zaman’s one prudent move ruptured the hidden empire of Hasina and Major General Tarique Siddique, a realm where laws were whispers and justice a commodity, into ashes.

The resignation of Sheikh Hasina marks a significant turning point in the India-Bangladesh security landscape. Her contributions to strengthening bilateral security ties have been substantial, but they came at a great cost to Bangladesh’s sovereignty and democratic integrity. The influence of security advisors from both countries has been crucial in shaping cooperative policies, yet these alliances have often been forged in the shadows, driven by ulterior motives.

Now, with Hasina’s departure, a flicker of hope emerges. The stage is set for a reckoning. Can Bangladesh rise from the ashes of her tyranny? Can it reclaim its lost soul and rediscover its place in the world? The answers to these questions will reverberate far beyond its borders, shaping the destiny of South Asia and testing the limits of Indian hegemony.

The future of Bangladesh hangs in the balance. The nation stands at a crossroads, with the opportunity to rebuild its democratic institutions and restore the integrity of its military. The path ahead is fraught with challenges, but it is also filled with the promise of renewal. The people of Bangladesh must seize this moment to forge a new path, one that honours their history and secures their future.

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Abdul Monaiem Kudrot Ullah, a retired Captain of Bangladesh Navy, is a researcher.