Bangladesh’s journey through ‘August Storms’

Mohammad SiddiqurRahman :

We are currently in the month of August, a month marked by several remarkable events that are embedded in the political history of Bangladesh.

Time and again, this month has marked turning points in our land’s political destiny-from the partition of 1947 to the birth of Bangladesh in 1971, from the assassination of Sheikh MujiburRahman in August 1975 to the fall of the autocratic regime of Sheikh Hasina on August 5, 2024. These events, whether glorious or tragic, are lessons for us all.

First and foremost, we recall August 5, 2024, as the day the horrifying and brutal autocratic regime of Sheikh Hasina collapsed.

She fled Bangladesh for India, and many of her MPs, ministers, and oligarchs sought refuge there and in various other countries. It is well-known that former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s discriminatory policies and oppressive rules ignited widespread public outrage.

This unrest intensified into a full-scale revolution, ultimately forcing her to flee the country with her closest allies.

It is worth mentioning that India was overwhelmingly shocked by the fall of the Awami League regime, which they had designed to perpetuate for an indefinite period, intending to dominate Bangladesh as a subordinate state.

However, they failed to achieve this vision in the face of continuous, tough movements by the public, political leaders, students, and social activists, both at home and abroad. Lastly, our proud army played the most important role in the regime change.

Following independence, Sheikh MujiburRahman became the president of Bangladesh, but he soon transformed into an autocratic ruler. He introduced a one-party system under BAKSAL and launched repressive measures against dissidents.

Due to a lack of full confidence in the army, he orchestrated the creation of the RakkhiBahini for his own protection, which killed hundreds of thousands of political activists. At one stage, he declared himself a lifelong president and banned four leading newspapers to consolidate his rule, stripping the pub0lic of freedom of speech.

Viewing these scenarios, a few army officers came together to restore the exiled democracy and save the country from total collapse. On August 15, Sheikh MujiburRahman, along with his closest associates, was assassinated by them.

Like her father, Sheikh Hasina desired to consolidate her brutal rule by stripping the public of freedom of speech. She became even more ferocious than her father in many ways, setting up many torture cells across the country.

Thanks to the steadfast movement, unyielding resistance, and the supreme sacrifice of our students and democratic political forces, India’s Intelligence Agency (RAW) was thwarted in its ambition. Our people’s struggle defended the democracy, independence, and sovereignty of Bangladesh.

Following the fall of the autocratic regime, an interim government was formed, headed by Professor Dr. Yunus as the Chief Advisor. As an illustrious, honest, and world-renowned person, our expectations were very high. However, from the very beginning, he has confronted numerous movements from many quarters and bureaucratic noncooperation at all levels, leading to very slow progress in all sectors that were destroyed and left in very bad shape by the previous regime.

Yet, disturbingly, the conspiracies have not ceased. Even today, hostile elements continue to wage a campaign of disinformation using Indian social and mainstream media to spread false narratives, sow disorder, and create chaos and confusion among the people of Bangladesh and beyond.
Freedom is never guaranteed, democracy must be protected, and the future of the nation lies in the hands of those who cherish justice and unity.

(The writer is the former country manager of Biman Bangladesh Airlines in Frankfurt, Germany).