Sajeeb Wazed Joy, son of Bangladesh’s former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, has painted a bleak picture of the current situation in his country, warning of a potential descent into chaos akin to Syria or Afghanistan. In an interview with news agency IANS, Joy expressed his deep concern over the escalating violence and breakdown of law and order following his mother’s resignation and departure from the country. He placed the responsibility for managing the crisis squarely on the shoulders of the interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, questioning its ability to restore order.
Joy asserted that the current situation is characterized by widespread anarchy, with riots, looting, and vandalism rampant throughout the country. He acknowledged the presence of military forces in Dhaka, providing some semblance of security in the capital, but emphasized that outside Dhaka, the situation is far worse. He described it as a state of complete lawlessness with a lack of both police presence and effective law enforcement.
He expressed skepticism about the interim government’s ability to restore order, stating that an interim government is ill-equipped to address such a deep-rooted crisis. He warned that unless the government can effectively control the situation, Bangladesh faces a bleak future, mirroring the chaos and instability of Afghanistan.
Joy, in his interview, also reiterated his belief that Western groups were instrumental in instigating and escalating the protests, which he initially described as “minor protests”. He suggested that the government’s decision to suspend police officers and form a judicial committee to investigate the situation was met with deliberate incitement and escalation by external forces. He argued that the protests were fueled by a calculated strategy to destabilize the country and force the resignation of the Prime Minister.
He highlighted the escalation of the protests, characterized by violence and armed attacks on police stations, questioning the source of the firearms used by protesters. He attributed the violence to the orchestrated efforts of external actors.
When asked about the involvement of the US, China, and Pakistan in the unrest, Joy dismissed China’s involvement, emphasizing its historically neutral stance in Bangladesh’s internal affairs. He underlined Bangladesh’s strong relations with both China and India, considering India to be its closest ally.
He pointed an accusing finger at Pakistan’s intelligence agency, ISI, claiming its long-standing opposition to Bangladesh’s independence makes it a prime suspect in instigating the unrest. He suggested that the ISI, with its history of destabilizing neighboring countries, is likely to have played a significant role in fueling the protests and violence.
Joy’s stark warnings and his accusations of foreign interference underscore the gravity of the situation in Bangladesh. The potential for the country to descend into a state of protracted instability and chaos raises serious concerns about the future of this South Asian nation.
