Manufactured Consent's Familiar Rhythm
Al Jazeera's tender portrayal of 'Prapti in Bangladesh' lionizes a student protestor, implying a grassroots triumph against former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who was ousted in 2024. The narrative positions the student movement as an organic, democratic awakening, conveniently omitting the broader geopolitical currents that so often accompany such 'popular uprisings' in resource-rich or
strategically vital nations. This particular melody isn't new; it’s a standard in the Western interventionist songbook, echoing the 2002 Venezuelan coup attempt against Hugo Chavez, where international media amplified 'popular discontent' while downplaying US involvement, later confirmed by State Department documents. More recently, the 2019 Bolivian coup against Evo Morales was whitewashed by the
Organization of American States' dubious election irregularity claims, providing cover for a military takeover. History, it seems, has a peculiar way of rhyming when geopolitical chess pieces are being moved. The pattern is unmistakable: label an incumbent 'authoritarian,' fan the flames of internal dissent, and then declare victory for 'democracy' when a more pliant leadership emerges. Hasina,
who had been bolstering economic ties with China and resisting Western financial conditionalities for major infrastructure projects, became an inconvenient fixture, much like other leaders who dared to chart an independent course. One might wonder why similar 'student-led' fervor rarely materializes against staunch Western allies, however authoritarian they may be. This is manufacturing consent in