Echoes of a failed State: Leaning heavily into Islamist ideology, Bangladesh heads in Pakistan's direction

New Delhi: Recently, Pakistan's Army Chief, General Asim Munir delivered a stark message on April 16 at the Overseas Pakistanis Convention reaffirming the foundational idea behind the creation of Pakistan -- the two-nation theory. According to him, Hindus and Muslims differ in religion, culture, ideology, thoughts, ambitions, traditions and even food habits, and thus cannot coexist as one nation. His speech echoed the justifications made by leaders of the Pakistan Movement a century ago.

Since its formation in 1947, Pakistan has taken a divergent path from India. While India embraced non-violence, democratic development, and scientific progress post Second World War, Pakistan allowed democracy to be undermined repeatedly by military takeovers and authoritarian rule. The people’s rights were trampled, the economy plundered, and politics turned into a tussle for power between corrupt politicians and an omnipotent army. Despite this, the masses never stopped resisting. In 1971, the people of East Pakistan, driven by Bengali nationalism rejected religious identity as a unifying factor and fought to create Bangladesh.

At this very juncture of history, the Balochs, Pashtuns, and Sindhis in the West are continuing their struggle with the inspiration of the independence struggle of Bangladesh in 1971. But today, however, the legacies of that liberation struggle are fading. Inspired by Pakistan's Islamic hardliner politics, segments of Bangladesh appear to be undoing that history. The rise of radical Islamist ideologies, the undermining of Bangla language and culture, and economic restructuring that mimics Pakistan's flawed model threatens the very foundation of the nation. The history of the death of three million Bengalis, the tragic story of the loss of honour of 2,00,000 women, is being presented in that nation, seemingly in denial of these events, while a feudal system known as Pakistan is being promoted.

The situation in Bangladesh mirrors that of Pakistan in troubling ways. Pakistan's Punjabi elites have long exploited their strategic geopolitical location to extract financial support from the US and China, while plundering the natural wealth like mineral resources, rare earth materials, gas, etc. of regions like Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Otherwise, they have begged for money from various international organisations like IMF, World Bank, ADB or from different countries. The result has been extreme poverty for the common people and enrichment for military and political elites. The masses have been fed religious extremism to keep them distracted. Today, Pakistan is a global hub of extremism, religious fundamentalism and has become infamous for terrorism, organised crime, and mass poverty. A telling example: Saudi Arabia recently expelled 4,800 Pakistani beggars. Recently, Pakistan's Defence Minister, Khwaja Asif revealed that an astonishing 22 million Pakistanis survive by begging, collectively earning Rs 42 billion annually.

Post-2024, Bangladesh too seems to be heading in the same direction. A new political force, rising on the back of mass unrest, is leaning heavily into Islamist ideology. There are reports of Urdu being promoted over Bengali, and signs that the country's once-thriving garment industry which was its economic backbone, is being deliberately crippled. It seems the present authority wants to establish an economy based on foreign grants and loans, the same as the Pakistani model. Bangladesh's geopolitical importance is being traded for short-term bargains with powers like China and the US. Just as Pakistan once played this type of dangerous game and is bankrupt in all respects today.

There is a haunting sense of history repeating itself. Just as Pakistan once used the Kashmir conflict to fuel anti-India sentiment, today's Bangladesh appears to be falling into a similar type of trap. Anti-India rhetoric is on the rise, the media is being silenced, dissenters are being jailed or discredited, and the economy is falling apart. Reports suggest that weapons, soldiers, and spies are arriving from Pakistan. Militants are being trained, and Bangladesh is allegedly becoming a base for regional destabilization, echoing Pakistan’s past.

The new rulers of Bangladesh, many holding foreign passports and protected by international networks, show little concern for the country's people. Even Bangladesh's newly-appointed National Security Advisor and High Representative for the Rohingya Issue and Priority Affairs, Khalilur Rahman reportedly holds US citizenship, raising questions about national priorities and loyalties.

Economically, Pakistan is near rock-bottom. With only $15.9 billion in foreign reserves, much of it from loans - it is caught in a cycle of debt and economic decay. Bangladesh currently holds $26.7 billion in reserves, but these too are loan-driven and thus fragile. With the garment industry struggling and remittance inflows at risk, Bangladesh may soon face the same debt traps that ensnared Pakistan.

Even worse, instead of focusing on development like strengthening infrastructure, education, and employment, Bangladesh is investing in defence and importing weapons from Pakistan. This alignment with a country known for state-sponsored extremism and economic collapse is deeply troubling.

There were alternative paths. Pakistan could have played a key role in international trade as part of the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEE). Bangladesh, with its strategic location, could have been South East Asia's gateway. But both countries, blinded by anti-India sentiments and religious fundamentalism, have chosen opposition over opportunity.

The results are catastrophic. The social fabric of Bangladesh is fraying. Law and order are collapsing. Factories are shutting down, crime is rising, and prices are soaring. Journalism is under siege, and anyone who criticises the government is branded a traitor or foreign agent. Bangladesh is now seemingly governed by forces that were defeated in 1971, driven by the same medieval ideologies that once devastated Pakistan.

As evidence of the socio-economic breakdown, Syed Nasir, CEO of a garment company in Gazipur, recently said in a television interview that, "The price of a woman's body in Gazipur is now less than that of vegetables." This harrowing statement reflects the desperation and suffering of the country's most vulnerable.

In conclusion, the fate of Bangladesh seems to be echoing Pakistan's tragic trajectory. By abandoning the values of 1971, ethnic identity, secularism, and cultural pride, Bangladesh risks becoming a cautionary tale of how nations fall when they follow paths driven by hatred, extremism, and misplaced loyalties. The lessons from Pakistan's failures are there for all to see. The question remains: will Bangladesh learn from them?

(The writer is an expert on South Asia and Eurasia. He was formerly with Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses. Views expressed are personal)

--IANS

--int/as