As our immediate neighboring nation Bangladesh is going for its general election by the first week of February, the residents of eastern Bharat continue observing the post-poll developments affecting its bordering localities. It becomes significant, as Assam is currently witnessing a massive drive against the encroachers (most of them are suspected to be Bangladesh-origin Muslims) where the indigenous population has extended support to the Himanta Biswa Sarma-led government in Dispur. Thousands of families have been uprooted from the government lands including wetland and forest areas. Critical views have also been floated against the hardliner saffron leader, but he has reiterated that the actions against the illegal settlers (read unlawful migrants) will continue till a decisive conclusion.
As activities of the Hasina-led Awami League have been banned in Bangladesh, there will be little probability for the Sheikh Hasina-led party to participate in the polls. Unconfirmed reports suggest that hundreds of Awami and Chhatra League leaders including former Parliamentarians, senior police officers, former diplomats (close to the ousted premier Hasina) along with their families are taking shelter in India mostly on extended medical and tourist visas. They are not convinced to return home fearing probable legal and social hardships, but facing a difficult time in India as well following constant threats of deportation by various designated agencies. So one point becomes clear, there is no possibility of a ‘friendly’ regime coming to Dhaka after the Jatiya Sansad elections.
The Union government in New Delhi, which traditionally remained soft towards Dhaka (unlike Islamic Republic of Pakistan in Islamabad), will need to deal with a new government of Bangladesh after the polls. Currently maintaining a strained relation with Dhaka under Dr Muhammad Yunus administration, New Delhi has to redesign the bilateral ties, which should be beneficial for the entire nation in general and eastern Bharat in particular. After decades of reluctance, the central government has vowed to eradicate the menace of illegal Bangladeshi migrants (along with those from Pakistan) and the people in this region are expecting satisfactory outcomes. It will be a matter of serious observation, how New Delhi deals with the new government in Dhaka in the backdrop of Hasina getting an informal asylum in India.
Eastern Bharat waits for a successful Bangladesh election
