Bangladesh has been in the grip of fascism since December of 2008, when a fraudulent election installed Sheikh Hasina Wazed, an Indian protégé, in power. All national and local elections since then were conducted by corrupt but loyal officials and partisan elements to ensure almost 100% victory for the regime. The opposition was kept at bay through terror tactics and mass arrests. Democracy, freedom, human rights, rule of law have been ruthlessly discarded. All government organs –Executive, Legislative and Judiciary– have been unscrupulously misused in thwarting any challenge to its authority.
The regime, thus, has remained an illegal entity since January of 2009. Sadly, hegemon India was behind all these undemocratic and fascist acts in Bangladesh with a view to keeping its protégé (Hasina) in authority so that it could reap all the benefits in exchange, even if that went against Bangladesh’s sovereignty and interests.
On behalf of the suffering people of Bangladesh, a group of expatriates addressed a letter to the Members of the US Congress on February 8, 2021 seeking help to regain democracy, freedom, human rights and rule of law in their country of origin. The group invoked the US Annual Country Reports, which reflected the undemocratic and fascist practices, as well as serious human rights violations in Bangladesh.
In 2019, the US Congress recommended sanctions against Bangladesh’s Rapid Action Battalion, a law enforcing agency, for its hundreds of extrajudicial murders, enforced disappearances, human right violations and extortions. The expatriate group also referred to the recent Al Jazeera Report (published on February 1, 2021), which cited how a criminal gang, having links with the Prime Minister and the Army Chief, extracts lucrative perks from state contracts and job positions, in addition to laundering ill-gotten cash out of Bangladesh.
The US, as the leader and protector of democracy and human rights around the world, has a responsibility towards the suffering people on account of those political and social ills. President Joe Biden maintained an impeccable track record towards promoting and preserving democracy and human rights. On February 4, 2021, he reiterated his goal saying, “The grounding wire of our global power” would be defending democracy and freedom, upholding universal rights and respecting rule of law. As such, the expectation of the group on the Biden Administration is very high.
The appeal also cited a few glaring examples of fascism and corruption in Bangladesh. In February of 2009, fifty-seven army officers were massacred. In 2013, thousands of innocent students and opposition activists were killed. A student was beaten to death in 2018 just for posting a Facebook status criticizing the Prime Minister. Another former army officer was shot dead because he tried to expose police corruptions and extortions. Billions of dollars were siphoned out of the banks, while much more were pilferage in the name of “development.” According to Washington’s Global Financial Integrity, an average of US $7.53 billion is laundered out of the country every year. Top political leaders and people connected with the regime, including Indians, were involved in these terror operations and money theft activities.
The group implored the Biden Administration to give an urgent attention to Bangladesh to help its suffering people there, to free them from the ongoing fascism and oppression. They seek an immediate return to democracy, freedom, human rights and rule of law in Bangladesh by holding an immediate fair and participatory election under a neutral authority.
February 10, 2021
