Topic: Bangladesh

[thaddeus]

The eighth most populous nation on earth with around 170m people.  The second-largest economy in South Asia, the 34th largest in the world and with a GDP per capita of $2.7k.  Sunni Muslims constitute ~91% of the population and Hindus ~8%.

Ruled by Sheikh Hasina for the past 15 years, in an increasingly heavy-handed and dictatorial way, until the recent coup that saw her flee (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cz733dly2ero).

Nobel laureate Prof Muhammad Yunus is due to be sworn in as interim leader (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/clyg7we8xvno).  At 84-years old it's surely a very short term measure so it will be interesting who ends up leading Bangladesh in the longer run.

On the day of the coup this post on the BBC live feed caught my eye:

"I'm here to enjoy my freedom. My country is free again," 17-year-old student Fatima tells the BBC.

"Me and my brother and sisters have fought for it - and it's finally freedom.

"We can do what we love [doing] - not what we're told to do," she adds.

It feels like a major crossroads for Bangladesh.  They could adopt a more open approach - great news for individuals like Fatima - or they could become increasingly hard-line Islamist - terrible new for individuals like Fatima.  I don't profess to know enough about Bangladesh to say which is more likely.

Other news outlets are available 

[So… Howard Philips]

Is there any evidence that Bangladesh is currently a hard line Islamist country?

[thaddeus]

Is there any evidence that Bangladesh is currently a hard line Islamist country?

No.  The UN classifies them as "a moderate democratic Muslim country".

It was more a speculative look at different directions that Bangladesh could take in the future.  Currently there's a power void.

Edit: I think I worded my first message poorly.  By "increasingly hard-line Islamist" I meant more that a party with initially moderate views could take power and then become increasingly hard-line over time.

[Jebediah]

Plenty of videos and articles circulating online that show an increased (or continued) persecution of Bangladeshi Hindus. Is this a case of 50+ years of ethnic cleansing, that the world just doesn't care about?

I'm far from an expert in this part of the world, so would love some direction where to learn what is happening over there.

[RainbowFlick]

Plenty of videos and articles circulating online that show an increased (or continued) persecution of Bangladeshi Hindus. Is this a case of 50+ years of ethnic cleansing, that the world just doesn't care about?

I'm far from an expert in this part of the world, so would love some direction where to learn what is happening over there.

this is no doubt an issue in Bangladesh, and in Pakistan, but be mindful that there is a swathe of Hindutva people sharing unhelpful misinformation to fan the flames of this all, with some even suggesting Bangladesh should be 'annexed' to india or even invaded, meanwhile ignoring the same being done to non-Hindus in India. there's some pretty extreme images being circulated which are old or unrelated - https://www.dw.com/en/fact-check-false-claims-fuel-ethnic-tensions-in-bangladesh/a-69870923 (not saying you'd have fell for this, but just useful!)

there is a bit of a 'vacuum' of law and order in Bangladesh post-revolution where the country is still finding its feet, and there's suggestion that some of this has been orchestrated by political extremists to destabilise the country further.

i'm struggling to find reliable news sources on this so having to rely on academics on twitter and a friend in Bangladesh.

[Jebediah]

That's really helpful, thanks. I try to take everything I read online with a pinch of salt, but obviously some things are true, sometimes.

Whatever the truth is, it is crazy that so little is covered by the international media.

[thaddeus]

That's really helpful, thanks. I try to take everything I read online with a pinch of salt, but obviously some things are true, sometimes.

Whatever the truth is, it is crazy that so little is covered by the international media.

It was the same with the protests in Kenya in July.  I think I saw one article covering it and I generally read across quite a lot of different news outlets.

The BBC have covered the ongoing situation in Bangladesh fairly well but it feels like they never go very deep into the story.  Their latest article was posted yesterday: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c89w7gd2j7no (Yunus: I will help make students' dream for Bangladesh come true).

Depending on your viewpoint one part of that article is either very encouraging or very worrying; trying to force the chief justice to resign.  It sounds like he was merely an enforcer for Hasina in which case they're righting a wrong but I don't know if it's as black and white as that.

[LuverlyRita]

That's really helpful, thanks. I try to take everything I read online with a pinch of salt, but obviously some things are true, sometimes.

Whatever the truth is, it is crazy that so little is covered by the international media.

The BBC World Service - unsurprisingly - does a much better job of covering international events. The impact of politcal shenanigans may be the least of Bangladesh's problems. They could be in serious trouble due to the effects of global warming

[Red-Soldier]

The BBC World Service - unsurprisingly - does a much better job of covering international events. The impact of politcal shenanigans may be the least of Bangladesh's problems. They could be in serious trouble due to the effects of global warming

There's no 'could' about it.

They will be seriously affected.  People are already losing their homes/farmland.