Bangladesh is fast plunging into a deeper chaos as key players dig in and brace for a showdown
A political powder keg is simmering in Bangladesh, threatening not only the stability of the country but also casting long shadows across India and the South Asian region. What began as a transitional phase following the ouster of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has evolved into a full-blown standoff between unelected caretaker leader Muhammad Yunus and the country’s military, led by Army Chief General Waker-uz-Zaman. At the heart of the crisis lies a breakdown of democratic processes, a rapidly deteriorating security environment, and an unfolding geostrategic reshuffle with implications far beyond Bangladesh’s borders. Muhammad Yunus, initially positioned as a temporary caretaker, has entrenched himself in power without a popular mandate. His reluctance to hold elections and the increasingly radical and foreign-aligned nature of his governance — has drawn fierce opposition from both domestic political players and the armed forces. General Waker-uz-Zaman, frustrated with Yunus’ indefinite delay in elections, has demanded a return to constitutional order, declaring that the military’s role is not to police the state but to defend it. Tensions have reached a boiling point over Yunus’ controversial proposal for a US backed “Rakhine Corridor†from Cox’s Bazar to Myanmar’s Rakhine state. While presented under the pretext of humanitarian aid, the corridor is viewed by the military as a potential geopolitical trap — one that could invite proxy warfare, compromise sovereignty, and entangle Bangladesh in regional conflicts.
What makes this internal crisis dangerously international is Yunus’ foreign policy pivot — one that seems less about Bangladesh’s interests and more about consolidating his own power. His efforts to court China and Pakistan, alleged offer of the strategic Lalmonirhat airbase to Beijing, and warmth toward US interests all signal a radical departure from Bangladesh’s traditional alignment with India and its own founding principles. Perhaps most troubling is his overt attempt to bypass democratic accountability by engaging global powers to validate his unelected regime. Yunus has undertaken whirlwind tours across continents, from the US to the Vatican, seeking legitimacy on the global stage while refusing it at home. The rise of Islamist forces like Jamaat, now backing Yunus, and his move to ban the Awami League — the dominant secular party — underline the danger of a creeping theocratic realignment. For India, the situation presents a multi-layered challenge. The erosion of democratic processes in Bangladesh, combined with Yunus’ anti-India rhetoric and warming up to China and Pakistan, has triggered serious alarm bells in New Delhi. What happens in Dhaka will not stay in Dhaka. Bangladesh’s internal struggle is a reflection of broader geopolitical contests and ideological battles playing out across South Asia. It is a moment of reckoning — for democracy, for sovereignty, and for regional stability. India, and the world, must tread carefully but firmly. The people of Bangladesh deserve the right to determine their future — free of manipulation, militarism, or foreign meddling. The only way forward is through the ballot box.
