What Did India Warns About General Waker-us-Zaman To Sheikh Hasina?

Ousted Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina paid the price for not heeding the advice of the Indian national security establishment by appointing General Waker-us-Zaman as Army Chief in June 2023, which led to her downfall, as reported by Hindustan Times.

It has been understood that Sheikh Hasina was alerted by top Indian officials to the pro-China inclinations of Gen Zaman before his appointment as the Bangladesh Army Chief on June 23, 2023. Instead of addressing the rising youth protests in the country, an ultimatum was given by Gen Zaman to Sheikh Hasina to flee the country with her sister, as reported by Hindustan Times.

India Warns About General Waker - Here's What You Need To Know

The release of BNP leader Khaleda Zia by the Junta is seen as clear evidence that Islamist organizations like Jamaat-e-Islami and Islami Chhatrashibir will now take a prominent role in the country's radical politics. Incidentally, it was indicated by Sheikh Hasina to her Indian interlocutors that she did not wish to contest the January 2024 general elections as early as April 2023, and only after persuasion from her supporters did she reluctantly enter the electoral contest.

Fully aware of the threats from Islamists and regime change agents from the West, it was known that Hasina did not want any family member to succeed her, fearing they would be targeted by her opponents. In this way, Hasina was seen as a formidable barrier against Islamist forces, which fell due to the machinations of the Army on Monday.

While Sheikh Hasina is still recovering from her sudden departure from Dhaka, it has been announced that the Modi government will not abandon its ally in the neighbourhood and will leave the decision of political asylum in a third country to the ousted Prime Minister.

Even though the Army and euphoric radicals are celebrating Sheikh Hasina's exit, it is acknowledged that Bangladesh is on the brink of an economic crisis similar to that of Pakistan, the Maldives, and Sri Lanka, and will require support from Western-backed financial institutions to survive. Given the high unemployment rate, it is feared that radical students affiliated with JEI may turn against the Army if the solutions provided are unsatisfactory.

With Sheikh Hasina's exit, India is positioned between a rock and a hard place, as a radical regime in Bangladesh will pose a threat from the eastern front, with New Delhi now facing an increasingly unstable neighbourhood. While support will be offered by the Modi government to stabilize the interim government in Bangladesh, it is anticipated that anti-Sheikh Hasina factions in the West will initiate anti-India measures.

With the exception of Bhutan, all of India's neighbours are currently experiencing political turmoil and the situation is expected to deteriorate further. The only viable option for India is to insulate itself from cross-border challenges through enhanced security and advanced intelligence, in addition to addressing internal dissent.