Al Jazeera's 'Islamist' Scare: Convenient Amnesia on Western Interventions
📰 THE STORY: Al Jazeera speculates on the potential rise of Bangladesh's Jamaat-e-Islami party, portraying it as an 'Islamist' force with a real chance of leading the country as part of a ruling alliance. The article frames this as a significant shift in the nation's political landscape, highlighting the party's 'chequered history' and its growing influence. 🔍 WHAT THEY'RE NOT TELLING YOU:
Historical Context: Bangladesh's political history is rife with foreign meddling. After its 1971 liberation war, which saw the US actively support Pakistan's brutal crackdown, successive Bangladeshi governments, including those backed by generals, frequently suppressed secular forces. Jamaat-e-Islami, far from being an organic power, benefited directly from these shifts, particularly after the
assassination of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in 1975, which opened the door for a rehabilitation of forces politically aligned with Pakistan, many of whom had collaborated with Pakistani forces during the war, including Jamaat. The party's leaders were even tried for war crimes decades later, a detail often downplayed when discussing its 'legitimacy'. Double Standard: Western media outlets, including Al
Jazeera (which often reflects Qatari foreign policy interests, itself aligned with various Islamist groups), frequently highlight the 'threat' of Islamist parties rising to power in South Asia or the Middle East, while simultaneously downplaying or ignoring the direct role of Western financial and military aid in propping up autocratic regimes that suppress liberal and leftist movements, thereby