Turbulence in neighbourhood

Post the regime change, Bangladesh has been witnessing political instability, anti-India propaganda, deepening ties with Pakistan, ISI's influence, and heightened security concerns

- SHANTANU MUKHARJI

It's been nearly five months since the regime change in Bangladesh, our eastern neighbour. Yet, disturbing trends persist, with hardly any signs of improvement. Political aspirants, especially the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), seem to be in a desperate hurry to keep pace with rapidly changing political developments, ostensibly to seize power. In a recent move on December 28, the party's Secretary General, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, protested against a new idea being floated by the Yunus administration to reduce the voting age for the upcoming elections from 18 to 17. According to the BNP, this change would place undue pressure on the Election Commission, which is undesirable at this juncture.

The BNP's vehement protest on this issue seems to stem from its concern that reducing the voting age would increase the number of students and youth eligible to vote, which might not electorally favour the party. This apprehension arises because Muhammad Yunus believes it was the youth of Bangladesh who played a pivotal role in the July-August uprising that led to the regime change. By aligning with the youth, Yunus hopes to strengthen the current government's position and thwart the political ambitions of the BNP. In other words, Yunus appears confident that the youth and students remain a formidable force that will steadfastly support the current administration. This also reveals Yunus' political ambitions, though he seems to lack the astuteness, adroitness, or wisdom typically associated with seasoned politicians. These developments are likely to spark intense political debates as election heat catches up with the emerging new year.