On 7th August, Jon Danilowicz, former deputy chief of the US Mission to Bangladesh between 2012 and 2014, rooted for the return of the acting chairman of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Tarique Rahman.
In a post on X, he wrote, “Bangladesh should allow Tarique Rahman to return home, deal with his legal issues, see his mother, and engage in political activity if he so chooses. His future role (if any) should be determined by his party and the voters when elections are held. No more, no less.” To monkey-balance his stance, he also called for the return of Sheikh Hasina to Bangladesh.
Jon’s comments came amid speculation of regime change operation by the US deep state
It is pertinent to note that the coup in Bangladesh is being widely speculated to be a regime change operation by the US deep state. The protests in Bangladesh, violence and departure of Sheikh Hasina from the country have raised questions if there was a US deep state behind the coup. It has to be noted that despite the quota, against which the protests were happening, which was abolished by the Supreme Court of Bangladesh, the protests never faded away. They only intensified leading Hasina to order the use of force against the protesters and several hundred protesters were killed in the process. After the departure of Hasina and the Army took over the country, the violence intensified and Hindus became prime targets of the violent Islamist mobs across Bangladesh.
The role of foreign forces in toppling Hasina’s government has become a topic of discussion as well as concern. One of the organisations whose name has popped up repeatedly is the US Agency for International Development (USAID). The main objective of USAID is clearly, to further US interests abroad and regime change has been one of the interests of the US. USAID has been accused of being directly involved in regime change in Nicaragua and Venezuela.
BRAC has received funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and USAID that tuned into millions. For example, BRAC received USD 1.5 million from the Gates Foundation to build preparedness and emergency response capacity. Furthermore, BRAC has teamed up with USAID in projects like the Bangladesh America Maitree Project, which aims to enhance the capacity of local NGOs through funding and training.
Not to forget, there are allegations that USAID is in front of the CIA, the foreign intelligence organisation of the US government. Furthermore, just before the recent General Elections in Bangladesh, Washington sanctioned members of Sheikh Hasina’s party and promoted a government involving BNP and Jamaat. It aligned with broader discussions about US foreign policy strategies aimed at fostering governments favourable to its interests.
In June this year, Sheikh Hasina made a shocking claim that a plot is being hatched to carve out “a Christian state like East Timor,” from parts of Bangladesh and Myanmar and that she will not let it happen. She claimed that a “white man” who visited with her before the Bangladesh elections in January of this year assured her that there would be “no problems” if she permitted them to establish an airbase on Bangladeshi soil.
Last year, the US also extended support to the Islamist Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and its Jihadist ally Jamaat-e-Islami during its protests against the PM Hasina-led government. The US and other Western countries expected the Awami League government to step down and hand over power to a caretaker regime, and release all jailed BNP and Jamaat leaders to ensure ‘free and fair’ elections. However, India and China, despite their disputes, backed Sheikh Hasina in dealing with US pressure resulting in her return to power for the fifth time.
Since there have been reports of the United States attempting to meddle in the elections in Bangladesh by imposing sanctions on Bangladesh’s Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and some officials alongside placing visa restrictions on Bangladeshi officials, it is being speculated that the airbase offer was made by the US.
In November 2023, OpIndia reported that there were clear signs of foreign interference in Bangladesh’s internal affairs. With just two months away from the elections, the United States government, its agencies and the embedded media were called out for orchestrating a ‘regime change operation’ in Bangladesh.
Who is Tarique Rahman?
Born on 20th November 1967 in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Tarique Rahman is the son of Begum Khaleda Zia, the 10th Prime Minister and first female PM of Bangladesh and Ziaur Rahman, 7th President of Bangladesh. His mother Khaleda Zia was a political prisoner during Hasina’s tenure and was recently released from prison after the Bangladeshi Army took over the country.
Rahman started his political career as a primary member of the BNP in 1988. He played a vital role in campaigning for his mother during the national elections in 1991. During 1996-2001, when Awami League was in power, Rahman actively launched movements against the government in the guise of justice for the marginalised.
Rahman is currently living in the United Kingdom under forced exile. Notable, he is the prime convict and mastermind of the 21st August 2004 terrorist grenade attack on Awami League’s political rally. Military-grade Arges grenade was used in the attack to target the entire top leadership of Awami League including Hasina. 24 leaders and workers including Ivy Rahman, President of Women Awami League and wife of late President Zillur Rahman were killed in the attack. Several hundred attendees of the rally were injured and many of them became permanently handicapped. On 10th October 2018, Rahman was sentenced to life in prison for the grenade attack.
On 11th September 2008, Rahman fled to London, United Kingdom claiming he needed medical treatment. It was said that he gave a written bond that he would not indulge in politics in the future after which he was allowed to go to London. Khalida Zia claimed that her son would actively participate in politics once he returned to Bangladesh. She also claimed that the Bangladeshi government was trying to harass her son to delay his return to the country.
In December 2009, he became senior vice chairman of BNP. There have been reports that while living in London, he was in touch with the US government to discuss “bilateral issues”. One such meeting took place in 2013.
Meanwhile, 12 cases were filed against him and his associate Giasuddin Al Mamun by the Anti-Corruption Commission. Mamun is facing 20 years in prison.
Tarique Rahman actions against India
The ‘India Out’ campaign of Maldives was a success for Mohamed Muizzu as it helped his party gain power in the country. The anti-India sentiment travelled from Maldives to Bangladesh, particularly within the opposition party BNP. The party, led by Rahman, called for a boycott of Indian products. The idea was to adopt a new political manoeuvre to woo voters in favour of BNP in general elections.
Rahman, while living in London, orchestrated the campaign and it ran mainly on social media platforms. The hashtag #IndiaOut was a hit among Bangladeshi users propagating the message of boycotting the products originating from India. BNP argued that India was meddling with Bangladesh’s internal affairs. It has to be noted that BNP is closer to Pakistan than India. The closeness between the BNP and the hostile neighbour has led to radicalisation and anti-India sentiments within the party.
With a former US Diplomat to Bangladesh calling for the return of a terror convict and claiming that he should be allowed to return to active politics only adds fuel to the speculations that the Bangladesh regime change was a coup, aided by the US Deep State.
