Bangladesh's 'Democratic' Shifts: A Familiar Tune
Al Jazeera enthusiastically frames the Bangladesh Nationalist Party's (BNP) recent electoral victory, led by Tarique Rahman, as a pivotal moment, potentially redrawing regional allegiances after years of alleged 'pro-India' policies under the ousted Prime Minister Hasina. The narrative suggests a sudden, organic shift in the nation's political landscape, a spontaneous democratic uprising against
an entrenched status quo. What's actually happening: This isn't a new chapter; it's a re-run. Back in 1971, the U.S. famously sided with Pakistan during the Bangladesh Liberation War, an early sign of great power proxy struggles in the region. Bangladesh, strategically sandwiched between rising Chinese influence and India, has been a battleground for external designs for decades, not just under
Hasina. To portray Rahman's victory as purely an internal democratic expression, detached from deeper geopolitical maneuvers, requires convenient amnesia. We are told this electoral outcome is a clear mandate for change. Yet, in 2014, when India was accused of meddling in Bangladesh's elections to ensure Awami League's victory, the condemnation from Western outlets was far more pronounced.
Suddenly, when a different regional player, potentially China or even the US, might benefit from a shift, the focus pivots to the 'will of the people.' The double standard is as glaring as it is predictable, illustrating that 'democratic legitimacy' in the Global South often hinges on whose interests are being served. The pattern is familiar: a political opposition, often with external backing,