Delhi on Rahman return: Polls must be free, inclusive (Unremitting hostilities against minorities in Bangladesh: MEA), Pg1

Key Highlights:

• Tarique Rahman, BNP leader, returned to Dhaka on December 25 after 17 years of exile, ahead of Bangladesh's February elections.
• India emphasized the need for "free, fair, inclusive and participatory elections" in Bangladesh, scheduled for February 12.
• The Ministry of External Affairs expressed "grave concern" over "unremitting hostilities" against minorities in Bangladesh.
• India condemned the killing of Dipu Chandra Das, a Hindu youth, in Mymensingh, and called for justice.

Detailed Insights:

• The current turmoil in Bangladesh is rooted in events from July-August 2024, characterized by some as a planned operation aimed at regime change.
• Jamaat-e-Islami is allegedly exerting influence, leading to the suppression of post-1971 values, increased Islamization, and economic decline.
• The Bangladesh economy has experienced a slowdown, with growth halving, rising unemployment due to factory closures, and high inflation.
• Anti-India sentiment exists in Bangladesh, but strong economic cooperation and people-to-people ties remain crucial.
• India needs to maintain open communication channels, continue aid and trade, and advocate for inclusive elections with the participation of all parties, including the Awami League.
• Security issues are paramount due to the shared 4,000-km porous border, with concerns about terror operatives and insurgents using Bangladesh as a haven.
• There are concerns that the Pakistan army seeks to embed itself with the Bangladesh army, even near the India-Bangladesh border.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Free and Fair Elections: Elections conducted without coercion, manipulation, or violence, ensuring all eligible citizens can vote and their votes are counted accurately.
• Minority Rights: Fundamental rights that are guaranteed to members of religious, ethnic, linguistic or national minorities.
• Regime Change: The replacement of one government or political system with another, often through unconstitutional or external intervention.