February 2024: A new normal never experienced before post polls
With the elections done and dusted, Bangladesh entered a period of time like it had never experienced before. The political storm had ended and now there was peace. With the US losing any upper hand, powers in Asia, alongside Russia, flocked to congratulate Sheikh Hasina. She, meanwhile, turned her eyes towards another opponent: Nobel Laureate Dr Muhammad Yunus.
The political storm that had brewed last year in election-bound Bangladesh was over by February. The political situation in February was the most peaceful in recent years. No noticeable political street protests were seen throughout the entire month, the period following the parliamentary election, which was unique in many ways. Everyone seemed to have "accepted" the outcomes of the controversial election held on 7 January amid an unprecedented level of diplomatic tussle between countries either supporting or opposing the Sheikh Hasina administration, which had organised the polls.
The new parliament and government, formed immediately after the election, started conducting their business in the usual manner. Those who had been strongly opposing and voicing concerns over the one-sided, one-party-dominated election, organised by the Hasina government, suddenly became silent within weeks after the polls. The reactions of the US, the UK, and other Western countries remained limited to issuing statements immediately after the election, questioning the fairness of the process.
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The most important diplomatic development in February was US President Joe Biden's letter to Prime Minister Hasina and the subsequent visit of a US delegation to Bangladesh, paving the way for resetting post-election bilateral relations between Dhaka and Washington. The visit clearly exhibited a policy shift from the Biden administration.
The US refrained from taking any "punitive measures" in line with its new visa and labour policies, which had appeared to be major hurdles for the Sheikh Hasina government before the parliamentary polls. The US had announced that it would take action against individuals responsible for undermining democratic elections and labour rights. The Biden administration had repeatedly stated that the visa policy announced in May last year would ensure a free and fair democratic election in Bangladesh.
Both policies had boosted the morale of the opposition camp and mounted pressure on the Hasina government before the polls. The opposition parties remained firm in their demand for a non-partisan election-time government and eventually boycotted the polls.
After the election, pressing questions arose regarding how the results and the electoral process would be viewed by the international community and what impact, if any, they would have on Bangladesh's external relationships, particularly with the US. These questions gained importance due to the series of events leading up to polling day and the low voter turnout.
However, the US administration did not gain an upper hand over the geopolitics that had developed around the Bangladesh election. Its rivals, China and Russia, openly criticised the US for "interfering" in Bangladesh's internal affairs and extended clear support to the Hasina government. India did not follow suit with China and Russia, instead clarifying its position by stating that the "people of Bangladesh" would decide about their election. Nonetheless, it was widely understood in Bangladesh that India had extended its wholehearted support to Sheikh Hasina to organise the election and retain power.
Thus, China, India, Russia, and many other countries from the Global South did not hesitate to congratulate Hasina for winning the election. Their support strengthened Hasina's position, helping her weather the pressure from the West before the election. This support also contributed to the US changing its stance and beginning a reset in diplomatic relations between Washington and Dhaka.
Although the US concluded that the elections were not free and fair nearly a month after the polls, US President Biden wrote a letter to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina expressing a willingness to work together.
In the letter, which was published on the US Embassy's website on 6 February, Biden wrote, "As we embark on the next chapter of the U.S.-Bangladesh partnership, I want to convey the sincere desire of my Administration to continue our work together on regional and global security, economic development, climate change and energy, global health, humanitarian support, especially for Rohingya refugees, and more. We have a long and successful history of working together to solve problems, and our strong people-to-people ties are the foundation of this relationship. The United States is committed to supporting Bangladesh's ambitious economic goals and partnering with Bangladesh on our shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific."
Less than three weeks later, a US delegation visited Dhaka from 24–26 February. The delegation was led by President Biden's Special Assistant and National Security Council's Senior Director Rear Admiral Eileen Laubacher. It also included USAID Assistant Administrator Michael Schiffer and State Department Deputy Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asia Afreen Akhter.
They held meetings with the Prime Minister's Private Industry and Investment Adviser, Salman F Rahman, Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud, Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen, opposition BNP leaders Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and Amir Khashru Mahmud Chowdhury, labour leaders, and members of civil society.
Both the Bangladesh government and the US delegation emphasised the need to strengthen bilateral diplomatic relations. The visit by the US delegation to Dhaka and Biden's letter to Prime Minister Hasina expressing a willingness to work together clearly demonstrated a shift in US policy.
According to foreign policy analysts, geopolitical factors played a role in this new approach. With US foreign-policy attention increasingly focused on instability in the Middle East, Washington sought to reduce diplomatic challenges elsewhere. Furthermore, the conflict in neighbouring Myanmar had intensified, and Bangladesh, which hosted hundreds of thousands of Rohingya refugees, sought to repatriate them. Washington aimed to ensure that it had sufficient diplomatic space to engage with Dhaka on these sensitive issues.
Analysts in Dhaka, however, believed that while Washington intended to advance its multidimensional relationship with Dhaka, it would not bury its concerns over democracy, labour rights, good governance, civic space, and media freedom. It would, however, maintain a lower profile on these issues.
New government a 'blessing' for BNP senior leaders?
The formation of the new government, led by Sheikh Hasina, who led the ruling Awami League to victory in the one-sided election, appeared to be a "blessing" for senior BNP leaders such as Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury.
Detained at the end of October, they had been struggling to obtain bail and walk out of jail. However, with the election over and the new government beginning its journey, Fakhrul and Amir Khasru obtained bail in all the cases filed against them in connection with the street violence of October. They were released from jail in mid-February.
Many other BNP leaders were also detained by law enforcement agencies and imprisoned to prevent them from launching street agitation against the 7 January election, held under the Sheikh Hasina government instead of a non-partisan caretaker government, as demanded by the BNP and several other opposition parties. These parties boycotted the polls and planned to intensify street protests to resist the election. However, a clampdown was imposed on them by law enforcement.
After the election, the BNP and opposition parties that had boycotted the polls remained almost silent throughout February.
Nobel Laureate Yunus now a victim?
Nobel Laureate Prof Muhammad Yunus, along with three other top officials of Grameen Telecom, was sentenced to six months' imprisonment in a labour law violation case on 1 January, six days before the parliamentary election, despite global concerns voiced by dozens of Nobel laureates and world leaders over the "judicial harassment" against him.
Following the election, the new Hasina government intensified its actions against Prof Yunus. On 12 February, the government-run Grameen Bank seized eight institutions—Grameen Telecom, Grameen Kalyan, Grameen Fisheries and Livestock Foundation, Grameen Agriculture Foundation, Grameen Shamogree, Grameen Fund, Grameen Shakti, and Grameen Communication—from Prof Yunus. Dr Yunus alleged that Grameen Bank had usurped these eight institutions, which he had established using profits from his business.
However, Grameen Bank's chairman, AKM Saiful Majid, stated that these institutions within Grameen Telecom Bhaban were taken over legally, asserting that Nobel Laureate Dr Muhammad Yunus had no ownership or shares in these institutions.
In an interview with DW Bangla, Nobel Laureate Prof Muhammad Yunus said that he and his colleagues were living in fear due to the "unlawful" takeover of offices at the Grameen Telecom Bhaban by a group of outsiders. "We are in a difficult situation," Prof Yunus said. "The crisis is deepening."
"Some people stormed our offices and declared that they would occupy them. What kind of demand is that?" Yunus questioned. "We went to the police, and they said that they could not do anything about it. And they did nothing, so where will we go?" he added.
When asked why Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina seemed to dislike him, Prof Yunus said: "She thinks I am the worst thug, a criminal, a usurper and a bribe-taker. She just says anything she wants, probably because she has a very bad opinion of me."
Yunus faced more than 100 other charges related to labour law violations and alleged corruption. He is expected to endure further legal challenges in the coming days.
The prosecution and alleged harassment of Dr Yunus have sent a clear message to others in Bangladesh that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's administration would not hesitate to crush critics questioning her leadership. Freedom of the press, already under significant pressure, has faced further constraints following the recent election. Amidst high inflation, businesses and ordinary people are struggling to stay afloat, and they seem to care little about their political rights, such as voting rights.
Thus, Bangladesh had entered a new normal it has never experienced before.
