Bangladesh: Transition from A Developing Democracy to A Lawless Mobocracy Instigated by Islamic Fundamentalists

By New Age Islam Staff Writer 25 September 2024 Painful Transition of Bangladesh from A Developing Economy to A Lawless Mobocracy Main Points: 1. People of Bangladesh have demonstrated signs of mass hysteria. 2. The police is conspicuous by its absence. 3. Religious extremism and intolerance is at its peak. 4. Lawlessness prevails across Bangladesh. ----- (File Photo) ----- After the 5 August coup in Bangladesh, the anti-Hasina lobby had termed it as the second independence of Bangladesh and a new pro-US and anti-India government was instituted at the behest of the US with the promise that the Yunus-led government will build a new Bangladesh. The US lobby had circulated the narrative that Hasina and India were at the root of all problems of Bangladesh. But that Bangladesh has not recovered from anarchy, lawlessness and social disorder the violent uprising had brought in the country. On the contrary. The country has plunged deeper into anarchy and lawlessness in the last one and a half month. Criminal gangs and religious groups together have made matters worse for the interim government. People take to the streets on slightest of provocation and take law into their own hands. Recently, some incidents of mob violence in Dhaka, Bamanberia and Kishoreganj testify to the fact that Bangladesh has turned into a mobocracy where the government and the police are conspicuous by their absence. The might of the unruly mob rules everywhere. On the occasion of the Prophet's birthday, violent clashes broke out in different towns of Bangladesh over the procession taken out to celebrate the prophet's birthday. Hefazat-e-Islam, the religious organisation affiliated to the Deobandi ideology declared the procession called Juloos-e-Mohammadi anti-Islam and vowed not to allow them to enter Bamanberia and Kidhoreganj. On the other hand, the Barelwi sect insisted that they will enter the towns with the procession. This led to violent clashes between the followers of two sects. Ulema and their followers in Islamic attire with beards and skull caps fought pitched battles with lathis on the streets. As a result, dozens were injured and one succumbed to his injuries. The police were nowhere to be seen. The army and the rapid action battalion later brought the situation under control. Another incident of mob violence occurred inside Baitul Mokarram National mosque in Dhaka. The supporters of the former imam Ruhul Amin and the new imam Waliur Rahman Khan clashed with each other before the Friday prayers. The mosque became a virtual battleground. Ruhul Amin had gone into hiding after the coup as he was seen as a Hasina sympathiser. Therefore, the mosque committee appointed Waliur Rahman Khan as the new imam. But on Friday, Ruhul Amin resurfaced with his supporters and claimed that he was the imam as he had not resigned. He even tried to snatch the microphone from Waliur Rahman Khan. This caused a tussle that led to a fight between the people inside the mosque. People hurled shoes and other objects at each other violating the sanctity of the mosque. The army and the Rapid Action Battalion rushed in and controlled the, situation. Ruhul Amin and his supporters exited the mosque and the Friday prayers was conducted under the guard of the army. These two incidents of mob violence are only a reflection of the larger picture in the country. People are gripped by mass hysteria so deeply that they cannot observe restraint even in the mosque. The morale of the police has been totally broken. Therefore, the army and the Rapid Action Battalion have to intervene every time people indulge in mob violence. The absence of the police and the weakness of the puppet government of Md Yunus has emboldened religious extremists. During the last one month, a number of Mazars have been demolished by the unruly mob in the leadership of imams of local mosques. The mob demolishes Mazars knowing well that the government will not oppose them as it is a religious issue. This campaign has pitched the followers of one sect against the other. The followers of Sufis have been guarding the Mazars because the police fear the mob. This anarchy and mob mentality has caused immense damage to the social order and the economy. The Yunus government has no long term cohesive plans to boost the economy or to bring back normalcy. The main industry of Bangladesh, the textile industry is in tatters. More than two hundred textile mills have closed down due to labour strike or protests. They demand pay hike and payment of due salaries. The textile factory owners cannot meet their demands due to shortage of funds. More textile mills close down every week. The students who mobilised the masses against the Shaikh Hasina government have been side-lined. They are not seen anywhere when two sects clash in the name of the prophet or when people clash inside a mosque. They are not seen when the mob demolishes Mazars. Obviously, they did not envisage a Bangladesh where mob will clash on streets on sectarian issues or demolish Mazars under the leadership of imams of mosques. They also did not want criminals to go berserk at nights in Dhaka. Where have all the students gone? Why don't they stand up against mob violence and religious extremism or sectarian violence? Why didn't they raise their voice when the head of Ansarullah Bangla Team, an Al Qaida affiliate, Jasimuddin Rahman was released? Clearly, student movement was only the camouflage of the larger conspiracy to oust pro-India Hasina and ruin the developing economy of Bangladesh. Now, the World Bank and the IMF have approved 8-billion-dollar loan to Bangladesh to control its economy and dictate terms to it. Therefore, it’s a painful transition of Bangladesh from a developing economy to a lawless mobocracy. URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islam-politics/bangladeshdemocracy-mobocracy-islamic-fundamentalists/d/133280 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism