Former Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina has been given death sentence in the case of death of 1,400 protesters. He is in India and India will not hand him over, which has created a diplomatic issue. This is a new twist in the ‘Battle of the Begums’.
bmThe death sentence awarded to former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is not surprising. The country’s International Crimes Tribunal gave this verdict in the absence of Sheikh Hasina. He is accused of taking action against the protesters who took to the streets against him, in which 1,400 people were killed. Sheikh Hasina is currently in India. India’s current stance is that it will not hand them over. The relationship between India and Sheikh Hasina goes back to the times of Indira Gandhi and Sheikh Hasina’s father Mujibur Rahman. For now, the death penalty will not be implemented. But, this is a diplomatic issue for India.
Death sentence to Hasina
The movement that started against reservation in the country very soon turned anti-government. Sheikh Hasina government crushed it brutally. The police opened fire from point blank range. 1,400 people died. This is why the UN described this decision as justice for the victims. But, the UN also does not support the death penalty. Hasina’s phone calls were presented as evidence in the court. According to the report, phone calls show that Hasina had given permission to use lethal weapons. Sheikh Hasina’s lawyers had appealed to the International Criminal Court for a fair trial. Sheikh Hasina has challenged that the case will be filed in Hague court.
Battle of the Begums
The politics of Bangladesh has been identified by one word – Battle of the Begums. Its main characters are Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina. Both are from well-known families. Sheikh Hasina is the daughter of Bangladesh’s independence leader and former President Mujibur Rahman, considered the country’s founder. At the same time, Khaleda Zia is the wife of former military dictator Zia-ur-Rehman. Both Mujibur Rahman and Zia-ur-Rahman were assassinated. Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina were together earlier. Both united to remove Ershad, who took over power after Zia-ur-Rehman. But, when it came to ruling the country, both became enemies.
East and West
The then Pakistani military chief Yahya Khan refused to hand over power to Mujibur Rahman. After this the East, i.e. today’s Bangladesh, boiled. Pak Army confronted them with military action. India also intervened. India won the war. Pak army surrendered. Bangladesh became independent. Mujibur Rahman, popularly known as Bangabandhu, became the first President. But, he was murdered in 75, that too along with his family members. Only Sheikh Hasina and her sister Sheikh Rehana, who were in Germany at that time, survived.
Realizing that her life was also in danger, she came to Indira Gandhi-ruled India at that time. They found refuge. Meanwhile, General Zia had seized power in Bangladesh. Zia, who pardoned the murderers of Mujibur Rahman, also allowed fundamentalist religious organizations to return to the country. It is alleged that Zia had a hand in the murder of Mujibur Rahman and that the massacre was carried out with the help of Pakistani spy agency ISI. But, General Zia was also killed. Ershad took power. Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina, who had returned by then, joined hands to remove Ershad. She also succeeded in this. But, after this the enmity returned again.
fathers and daughters
Zia’s ideology was not similar to the secular, nationalist ideas of Mujibur Rahman. Daughters also followed the ideas of their fathers. Zia won the 1991 elections. Hasina in 96. Zia again in 2001. This battle was called ‘Battle of the Begums’. But, after regaining power in 2009, Hasina did not let it go from her hands again. Zia was jailed on corruption charges. Zia’s release came only after Hasina fled the country. This was one of the first orders of President Mohammad Yunus.
present and future of bangladesh
The Battle of the Begums is not over yet. The death sentence given to Hasina is the latest twist in this. Khaleda Zia’s health is bad. But, Pakistan’s influence is still strong. Mohammad Yunus government is also under its ambit. India’s stance is that it will not hand over Hasina. Hasina’s son’s promise that ‘Amma will come back’ as the elections approach will no longer be fulfilled. Especially after being sentenced to death. The present day of the country is in the shadow of ‘Battle of the Begums’. And the future will also remain under this shadow for some time.