New Delhi: Bangladesh is witnessing a chaotic period for some months now. First the students’ protest which forced former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to resign and flee to India. Then the interim government was formed with Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus as its Chief Adviser. But it did not bring any stability to the country. Instead, as per media reports, attacks on religious minorities have increased in Bangladesh in recent times, with the arrest of Hindu monk Chinmoy Krishna Das triggering a country-wide protest. The Bangladesh government has also attacked ISKCON, which further complicated the matter.
As per media reports, terrorists are infiltrating West Bengal from Bangladesh to cause unrest in the state during the holiday season. The state police has arrested several terrorists so far and they have upped the security in important places in Bengal, including Kolkata. Meanwhile, the interim government in Bangladesh is facing mounting pressure from its allies Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami.
The political leaders of Bangladesh have also made some humiliating comments regarding India and West Bengal. BNP is not even its interim government and is increasing the pressure on the Yunus-led administration. Recently, BNP senior leader Asaduzzaman Ripon described the interim government as the weakest in the country’s history and added that the next election must be held by 2025 to establish an elected administration.
What is Bangladesh Nationalist Party?
The Bangladesh Nationalist Party, commonly known as BNP, is one of the major political parties in Bangladesh and an important player who can decide the fate of our neighbouring country in the coming months, especially in the general election there whenever it is held. Along with Awami League which is led by Sheikh Hasina, the BNP is the most dominant party in Bangladesh. Since the fall of Hasina, the popularity of Awami League has severely waned, leaving BNP in the pole position to take control of the government. While it was initially a centrist party, over the years, it has moved towards more right-wing politics.
Who founded the BNP?
Before the formation of the BNP, Bangladesh witnessed the formation of the Jatiyatabadi Ganatantrik Dal and Jatiyatabadi Front, both with the aim of serving as a platform for the country’s nationalists. However, both these groups failed to take off. In 1978, after the Presidential election, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) was established on September 1 by Ziaur Rahman, who was a military officer and politician and later served as the President of Bangladesh.
After the 1979 general election in Bangladesh, BNP formed its first government with Shah Azizur Rahman as the country’s PM and Mirza Ghulam Hafiz as the Parliament’s Speaker. At that time, the part attracted a large pool of supporters and activists.
What is the ideology of BNP?
BNP was formed after there was a power vacuum in Bangladesh and Awami League was overthrown. Hence, various politicians, irrespective of party and ideological affiliation, joined the newly formed BNP to return to mainstream politics. As a result, BNP started its journey as an assimilation of various idelogies. However, Bangladeshi nationalism forms the basis of the party’s ideology in today’s age, with BNP becoming more and more right-wing. Since the turn of the millennium, BNP has indulged in right-wing politics and in recent times, its leaders have not shied away from targeting India.
Who is leading the party at present?
Currently, Begum Khaleda Zia is BNP’s chairperson. Notably, she is the widow of Ziaur Rahman. Their son, Tarique Rahman is the senior vice-chairman of the party while Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir is the secretary-general of BNP. The party is often known to be pro-global with being very pro-China or pro-Southeast Asia and pro-Middle East and is known to be very aggressively nationalistic in recent times.
Bangladesh is facing political turmoil, marked by student protests, an interim government, and rising religious tensions. The BNP, a major political force, is gaining influence amidst this instability. Founded by Ziaur Rahman, the BNP’s ideology has shifted towards right-wing nationalism, impacting relations with India. knowledge Knowledge News, Photos and Videos on General Knowledge
