On the brink of transition?

Amid governance failures eroding public trust in Chief Advisor Yunus' interim government, Bangladesh may be witnessing a sharp political shift, with the BNP-led by Tarique Rahman-capitalising on the volatility

- SHANTANU MUKHARJI

It would appear from the games that the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) is playing that it is now clear it is on a fast track to hog the political space in Bangladesh and fill the vacuum created in the wake of the regime change in Dhaka. Party Chairman Tarique Rahman is issuing statements at regular intervals from his hideout in London, calling for unity and constantly cautioning the people against any attempt by Hasina to make a comeback.

With most of the criminal cases against him withdrawn, he is naturally emboldened and remains active on social media and in the vernacular press, trying to marginalise all other political forces and ensuring they do not get the slightest elbow room for any manoeuvres.

In a politically significant development, the party's General Secretary, Mirza Fakhrul Alamgir, spent several days conferring with Tarique in London and returned only recently with a fresh blueprint. The party, in a carefully crafted plan, is keeping the freedom fighters and the pro-liberation narrative alive. This is particularly relevant because Victory Day (December 16) has just passed, and Bengali emotions are still reminiscent of the bloody sacrifices made by intellectuals and the country during the liberation war 53 years ago. This is a formidable political weapon that the BNP will likely use in its political machinations to come back to power after so many years in oblivion.

The BNP has also started wooing the Hindu minority, who continue to suffer large-scale atrocities at the hands of religious extremists and fanatics. In this way, the party aims to wean away any sympathy that the remnants of the Awami League (AL) or the Jamaat are trying to generate for vote-bank purposes.