North Korea's nuclear missile temptation

M A Hossain,

North Korea's recent volley of advanced nuclear missile tests is designed to grab the full attention of the US and the international community. Despite strong international sanctions and a Covid-19 pandemic-torn crippled economy, Marshall Kim Jong Un seems to have re-calibrated his strategy in dealing with the US as his style of “maximum pressure” strategy. Kim believes the maximum pressure by the flurry of powerful nuclear missile tests might be the only way to push the US to make concessions towards his country.

President Biden's engagement with his global rivals has frustrated his allies and peace-mongering nations. He has been demonstrating a proclivity for opening the curtains with tough rhetoric against his adversaries, but subsequently failed to adhere to the ferocity as promised, which is exhibited in dealing with Iran, Russia and Taliban, and North Korea could well be the next in line to manifest the declawed strength of Biden Administration. Indubitably, the Biden administration's “ill-defined” diplomacy is insufficient to entice Kim Jong Un back into disarmament negotiations. North Korea's leadership and state establishments believe the nuclear arsenal as a vital security crutch to confront an enduring superpower threat to its survival.

The history of repeated dead-end disarmament talks have so far exhibited tedious and yet unsuccessful international efforts to reach a fruitful and decisive agreement with Pyongyang.

The western leaders and its allies have failed to procure commitment from Pyongyang to the nuclear non-proliferation treaty, the 1992 accord with South Korea to maintain a nuclear-free peninsula, the 1994 agreed framework, the 2005 six-party talks pledge to abandon the nuclear program, the 2012 agreement to halt enrichment and testing of nuclear weapon and last Singapore joint statement between President Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un endorsing nuclear disarmament. Now the question remains whether it is time to accept the unacceptable nuclear-armed North Korea and offer diplomatic relations by the Western stakeholders to normalize the strained situation. 

In retrospect to the history of American diplomacy, the US played a critical role in resolving nuclear crises. For example, President Richard Nixon normalized Washington-Beijing relations in 1971 without questioning china's nuclear program. It also played a vital role to defuse the Cuban missile crisis, India -Pakistan crisis and the Ussuri river conflict between China and the Soviet Union in 1969. So, the unconditional nuclear status with diplomatic normalization may de-escalate the tense situation in the Asia-pacific region.

The moratorium has largely kept North Korea out of the international spotlight, but long-range missile tests in 2022 suggest that it could reverse the trend to meet domestic goals as well as to coax the US into new negotiations. China, another superpower, has played a smoke and mirror game on North Korea. China has exceedingly depleted the US gambit on North Korea. The US economic sanctions on North Korea have proved insufficient so long China backed Kim's regime. China also ignored the international counter-proliferation financing regime. North Korea will seek more cooperation with China to revive its economy by resuming trade while carrying out a "Tit for tat" response to US sanctions.

On the other hand, nearly 30,000 US troops are stationed in South Korea for bolstering an offshore nuclear umbrella and sea-based ballistic missile defence. On August 21, the US State department approved a USD 258 million sales of precision-guided weapons to South Korea. Two superpowers, China and the US have divided Korea since 1950. The South is talking about the unification of Korea, while the North is demanding the reunification of Korea. This is a major obstacle in finding a lasting peace formula. I don't think both Korea would accept the leadership and political system of each other. In my opinion, Korean people definitely should be brought under a single umbrella, keeping two political systems for two Koreans.  Under this, there will be a common military force to ensure the sovereignty of both the Koreans as well as assure peaceful coexistence with the neighbours like Japan, China and beyond.

The US has a significant role to play in bringing peace to the Korean Peninsula. First, Pentagon has to abandon any sort of regime change scheme like Libya or Iraq in North Korea. A good faith diplomatic détente, starting from vacating the South Korean alliance and lifting economic sanctions, with the tacit legitimization of nuclear status.  This diplomatic gridlock can be dispelled by initiating extra government meetings between former US authorities and North Korean officials in a third country.

This 2022 is the perfect time for North Korea to exert maximum pressure on the US to restore talks, as the US is now struggling with Russia in Eastern Europe and with China in East Asia.  North Korea hopes to use its nuclear temptation as leverage to negotiate a peace treaty with South Korea and US troops withdrawal from the Korean Peninsula.

This article has published at:

1. The Daily Observer, BD:22Apr22

2. The New Nation, BD:23Apr22

3. The Daily Sun,BD:23Apr22

4. Review Nepal, Kathmandu:23Apr22

Ukraine crisis: Gambit for new world order.

M A Hossain,

Historically, Ukraine crisis began in the year of 1954, when Soviet Leader Nikita Khrushchev handed over Crimea from Russian Socialist Federal Republic to Ukrainian Federal Republic in the celebration of the 300th anniversary of Russia-Ukraine unification. It was an important event as both the republics were part of Soviet Union. From 1920 to 1991, Ukraine was completely under control of Moscow. Both Russia and Ukraine are Slavic and have a common history, culture and orthodox majority. But after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, Crimea's position became more significant in newly independent Ukraine.

American political scientist Samuel P Huntington, in his book "Clash of civilization" has predicted Ukraine as a cleft state and would have more potential to split which would start with Crimea. In fact, It had already begun with Crimea in 2014 after annexation by Moscow. President Putin spent 22 years in power, rebuilding Russia's military and re - establishing its geopolitical influence, which had in Soviet era. He has selected Ukraine as its strategic position for Central Europe to revive ex - Soviet's name and fame as superpower. Russia's strategy and Planning in terms of power and politics is to exert influence over Ukraine so that she has control and influence over the Baltic States.

On the other hand, in 1999,President Bill Clinton and his Russian counterpart Boris Yeltsin signed an agreement in Paris where the agreement guaranteed Russia as the status of NATO's Associated Partners and stemmed NATO's expansion towards Eastern and Central Europe. Nevertheless, during the last two decades, the US, and its NATO allies have been violating non expansion guarantee by including and annexing some Baltic States - Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, and Eastern European Poland, Romania and working to bring Ukraine and Georgia into NATO's pact. NATO signed an agreement with Ukraine for inclusion in 2008. But the move was foiled after the pro Russian Viktor Yanukovych was elected as the President of Ukraine in 2009. Again in 2014, President Yanukovych was ousted by a revolution and hardliner nationalist and pro-Western Petro Peroshanko came to power. NATO’s expansion towards East has got momentum and continues till present President Vladimir Zelensky. This is a disaster for Russia because it was conducive of facilitating the presence of the US troops and Missile system within the close proximity of Moscow, having an ability to strike Moscow within the span of four minutes. In October 2018, the US and NATO took part in a joint Air rally in Western Ukraine which was the largest exercise after the fall of the Soviet Union in this region. In this context, Russia is being seized by NATO’s "containment theory" and had no other option other than to go on aggressive campaign.

Ukraine's crisis has exploited a severe impact on the global economy. Russia is the second-largest producing country of natural gas in the world. It exports 30% of its extracted natural gas and 70% of its export is made to Europe. The largest gas pipeline is Nord stream-1 with the capacity of 55 billion cubic meters per year which runs through Ukraine. France and Germany are dependent on Russian exported gas and coal. The imposing of stringent sanctions on Russia by the Western countries will have a spillover effect on the global oil market. Russia also exports minerals like Titanium, Palladium. One-third Palladium of its demand is supplied from Russia globally. Ukraine is one of the main suppliers of neon which is utilized in semiconductors. Ukraine and Russia both export fertilizer around the world. So, Ukraine crisis will have a severe impact on agriculture and industrial economy, not only throughout Europe, but Globally nonetheless.

China's support for Russia in the stand-off over Ukraine upends the strategic calculus for world order. Moscow-Beijing jointly lashing out at Washington's alleged destabilizing policies in both Eastern Europe and the Asia-Pacific region. President Vladimir Putin knows very well that the number one superpower, the US is unable to open a second front in a geopolitical fight. Beijing's explicit support in the showdown of Moscow on the Ukraine issue will bring China a quid pro quo in the form of Moscow’s support on the Taiwan issue. The trade between China and Russia was 147 billion dollars last year. The Western sanctions in 2015 made the trade figure almost double between China and Russia.

Both Russia and China would also seize on any apparent US back down over Ukraine to portray Washington as an unreliable partner. Russia's limited scale incursion is aimed to bring Western leaders to the negotiation table and achieve guarantee of the halt to NATO expansion as well as withdraw the US missile system from Poland. If the demands of Russia are not met, then Moscow might consider attempting to demilitarize Ukrainian government forces and instate a pro-Russian government. The US response to Moscow could lose influence on Asia-Pacific theatre and China would try to fill the void, especially in Taiwan, the South China Sea. In this scenario, Russia will face tough economic sanctions from the US and its allies. But as political leaders of tomorrow, the lessons they learn from this crisis will undoubtedly shape their commitment and solidarity and the transatlantic alliance, while shaping future foreign and security policy for years to come.

This article published at:

1. The New Nation, Bangladesh: 15Mar22

2. The Arabian Post, Dubai, UAE, 13Mar22

Contaminated air an ominous sign for humankind

M A Hossain,

As a father, I always had this effusive wish to frolic in an open meadow in Dhaka, accompanied by my 8-year-old daughter; in the same gleeful manner that my father did, a few decades ago. I still can vividly remember that after a long run with my father, the exertion would always be soothed, when we used to sit on the grass, under a tree perhaps, and would be invigorated in a matter of minutes. Alas! It is an impossibility nowadays to find such a green meadow in Dhaka, which is befitting to accommodate a father and his 8-year-old daughter. Especially when our daughters are beginning to grow multifarious respiratory diseases due to inhaling the dreadfully hazardous air of this crowded city. 

According to"Air Visual"- an international atmosphere observatory organisation, Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh is the worst air polluted city in the world. A report from"the state of global air-2019" – related to global hazardous air pollution has ranked Bangladesh as the top five countries in terms of hazardous air polluted nations. Collectively, we are exhibiting a self-deprecating oblivion towards the destruction of our posterity, as well as being apocalyptical to our future generations. This might well be the most preposterously concerted infanticide, which we so blithely are inflicting upon our future generation due to environmental degradation.

World Health Organisation(WHO) has reported that 90% of our population is affected by hazardous air pollution. Air Pollution impacts everyone's health, but children bear the maximum brunt of it. The University of California, the UC DAVIS, Environmental Health Science Center have conducted a study on the bio specimen and fire effects, which revealed that air pollution alters the size of a child's developing brain which may ultimately increase the risk for cognitive and emotional problems. Unfortunately, children are particularly vulnerable to air pollution, especially during their age of development. Higher air pollution increases respiratory infections and develops asthma. Children exposed to hazardous air pollution are more likely to develop bronchitis, lung damage and irritation to the eyes, nose, and throat. Urban children are also facing the issue of neuron behavioural disorders. Needless to say, that the Air Pollution is gradually incapacitating the generation to come, both mentally and physically. 

The drasticity of the effects of Air Pollution are not only confined to the children, the adults are also encountering the ghastly after-effect of breathing in this perilous air of Dhaka. It presents a threat to respiratory health and cardiovascular disease, obesity, reproductive, neurological and immune system disorders comes as an inevitable corollary. Air Pollution also affects memory and Alzheimer's-like brain declines. A person, exposed to longtime air pollution, invariably is posed with the threat of cancer, pneumonia, allergy, skin disease, headache, dizziness etc. Various researches suggest that our average lifetime can be reduced up to almost 3 years for indoor and outdoor air pollution. It has also been suggested that air pollution reduces our lifespan much more gravely than the active and passive smoking combined. According to the standard of WHO, Bangladesh is the top-ranking environmental health-hazardous country along with India, Pakistan, China. Besides, Dhaka has been listed as the second-worst air polluted city, with Kolkata and Lahore securing the first and third position.

Our environmental degradation has increased manyfold over the last several decades. Vehicular emissions, unplanned rapid industrialization and urbanisation are the main catalysts of air pollution. It creates the excessive presence of carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides and sulphur dioxide in the air, which adversely affects the ozone layer, livestock, and agricultural products. Acid rain, climate changes are directly attributable to air pollution. In Bangladesh, there are four main reasons behind the air pollution—emissions from old-fashioned brick kilns and unfit vehicles, corruption in the Department of Environment and dust from construction sites.

Researchers have recently unveiled that 15% of the death of COVID-19 patients is caused by air pollution globally. A report from 'State of Global Air-2019' stated that air pollution is the 4th leading cause behind human death globally. More than 6 million lives were lost globally due to air pollution in 2019. Among those, Bangladesh has lost 173 thousand, the number is as dreadful as it sounds. According to research by UNICEF, a total of 300 million children are living in hazardous air polluted-prone areas. Unfortunately, this research also found that 220 million affected children are from South Asia. Every year, 6 hundred thousand infants, below 5, are losing their lives due to air pollution around the world.

My heart was bleeding while writing this article, and I was almost on the verge of a breakdown, when I was delving into the reports of all those Air Pollution related researches. WHO's chief, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus called air pollution a "silent public health emergency". As a father, I desperately urge all policymakers, as well as the fathers of this city, to process the design of a powerful tool of environmental and health protection. Our ruling party has made us optimistic by uplifting the image of Bangladesh in various global agendas like self-sufficiency, refugee crisis, living standards, health and economy index etc. So, in terms of air pollution, it will not be overly panglossian to aspire that our Government would take an effective air quality control strategy of governance, policy, monitoring, and enforcement to save our future generation. I take this opportunity to beseech every reader, who sets his eyes on this Article, to give the highest priority to unearth the panacea to control and manage Air Pollution of this otherwise beautiful city of ours, for the sake of those who mean the most to us. As was said by our national poet, Kazi Nazrul Islam 'Rokto jhorate parina to eka, tai likhey jai ei rokto lekha (I can't shed blood alone, so I write these bloody writings)".

This article has published at:

1. The New Nation, Bangladesh :26Jan22

2. The Independent, Bangladesh:27Jan22

The Geopolitical Dynamics of the Asia- Pacific region in 2022.

M A Hossain,

The paradigm shift in the geopolitical dynamics in the Asia Pacific is in the offing since President Biden assumed the Office. The Biden Administration took an apparent deviation from his predecessor- Trump's foreign policy, so far this Region is concerned. Donald Trump withdrew the US from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) treaty, which left the region open to Chinese dominance and Beijing took the opportunity to a full extent and exceedingly established its influence on Asia—Pacific. However, for now, Mr. Biden's emphasis on Democratic values and human rights as a security strategy, by reviving its leadership position in the Asia- Pacific theatre, is going to make a polarized world and may galvanise a shadow Cold- War 2.0.

The Biden administration is strengthening its alliances, especially the EU, and concentrating more on the Asia-Pacific region than his predecessor. During Donald Trump's presidency, the détente in the US-Russia relations raised the eyebrows of a number of US policymakers and allies. As a result, Trump was indicted by the congressional Committee on the accusation of Russia's meddling in his presidential election. But Mr. Biden has recalibrated the Washington—Moscow relationship. The US-led NATO military alliances are stoking tensions near Moscow's border. The West accosted Russia on the issue of forceful subjugation of Rule of Law and its opposition leader. Russia also retaliates with military-technical measures in both the EU's neighbourhoods (Eastern and Southern), through the gas pipelines and refugees being used as means of exerting pressure, which is understandably having an unnerving impact on the energy and migration sector.

In 2022, the world appears to be on the verge of re-orientating its long-held policy towards the US-China polarisation. The cash-rich Chinese announcement of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has disrupted and unsettled the US traditional Asian allies. Chairman Xi's policy of 'deep pocket' for his neighbours made proselytisation of US loyalists towards Chinese pull in Asia-Pacific. Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia have gravitated towards China's orbit of influence which will jolt the geopolitical orientation of ASEAN nations. In Asia, China is investing approx 100 billion USD annually. China-backed North Korea's Sabre rattling makes US allies - Japan and South Korea concerned. China warned the Western Leaders on the issue of Taiwan and threatened not to 'play with fire'. The situation is increasingly deteriorating in the South China Sea, Korean Peninsula, the opening up of Arctic routes and trade wars. Thus, China is gradually becoming more assertive and is beginning to challenge the leadership of global power.

In 2022, the World's eyes will be on the US and its western allies; more specifically as to how they polarise the Asian states towards its orbit of influence. We experienced this political polarisation by the US during the Cold War and after WW-ll. US efforts to align Asia-Pacific countries are reflected by the 2021 trips of the US secretaries of State and Defence to this region. China's BRI is countered by the US initiatives to revive Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad)- a strategic security dialogue between the US, Australia, Japan, and India and another strategic security pact within Australia, United Kingdom and US (AUKUS). The most important events in 2021 were the G-7 Summit, NATO Summit and Summit for democracy. The future threats from China and Russia were clearly spelled out by the US-led Western leaders in those Summits. Their rivals are also reverberating equally in every region. As a result, an ominous trepidation of another Cold War is looming over the horizon.

In the Indo-Pacific region, China has severe economic, political and military influences. Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, Bangladesh are pursuing various multi-billion-dollars Infrastructural development projects funded by China. These South Asian States have billion-dollars military deals with China. So, Quad is a strategic posture for US presence in this region to curb and countermeasure China's influence. China exposed political rifts with India by border skirmishes or growing threats to India's "chicken neck". President Biden seeks to build a strategic framework to counter the growing influence of China in this region. Recent punitive actions by the US against Bangladesh and Myanmar are devised in the Indo-Pacific strategy against China and inducement for geopolitical polarisation. Meanwhile, China is expanding the horizons of its global influence in Africa and Latin America. 

The Covid-19 pandemic is widening the chasm and pre-existing discontent for vaccine diplomacy.  We will see the initiative of forming broader strategic alliances, more political destabilisation attempts in Vassal states. Future unpredictable technological and arms trade competition could revolutionise defence, cooperation, and economy among State to State, The Asian states are going to watch a confrontation between development and Rule of Law, That is why, the economic, political and military alliances may no longer follow the same trajectory as before. At this moment, this region offers China an edge over America, but one thing is for sure, things will never be the same as we are going to enter 'The Age of Uncertainty'.

The article published at:

1. The Independent, Bangladesh,12Jan22

2. Modern Ghana, Ghana :14Jan22

3. Kashmir Watch, EU: 14Jan,22

4. Review Nepal, Kathmandu, 14Jan22

5. South Asia Journal, NJ,USA:19Jan22

India turns cruel face on Muslims and non-Hindus!

M  A Hossain,

None of the major political parties in India, be it Bharatiya Janata Party(BJP) or Indian National Congress  (INC) are considering Muslim or non-Hindu voters as significant anymore. During the Rajya Sabha election in Gujrat, BJP and INC leaders, including Narendra Modi and Rahul Gandhi refrained from even going to Muslim voters, which constitute ten percent of the total votes, seeking their support. Instead Muslims are compelled living in those areas under suffocating offensive odor of garbage- day and night. No one seems to show minimum sympathy to their extreme sufferings. 

Both BJP and INC believes, the days of giving importance to Muslim voters is already over. Instead, Indian political parties are putting more focus and importance to Hindu voters. With this agenda in mind, BJP made pledges during 2014 Lok Sabha election of expelling over four million Bangla-speaking Muslims from the north-eastern states.

BJP claims, these Bangla-speaking Muslims are not Indian nationals. Instead, they are intruders from neighbouring Bangladsh. According to a Agartala-based journalist, the 'real' number of intruders from Bangladesh would cross over seven million. She believes, Narendra Modi would very certainly 'drive away' these 'illegal immigrants' much before the 2019 Lok Sabha election. Mamata Banerjee, the Chief Minister of West Bengal and her Trinamool Congress are opposing Modi's agenda of expelling Bangla-speaking Muslims. Mamata or her party's voice are largely insignificant in the 1.20 billion Hindu population's India.

This article also published at:

1.Ghananews24.com
2.Modern Ghana, Ghana :03April 2018
3.globoble.com
4.pressbox.co.uk
5. sunnyfmgh.com
6.South China Morning Post:05April 2018

Cumulative erosion of dynastic politics in Asia.

M A Hossain

The post-Cold War era has formulated an attempt to eradicate dynastic politics in Asia by the Western stakeholders. The fall of socialism boosted the incorporation of the western democratic system by altering and supplanting socialistic, monarchic or autocratic forms of Government around the world. This transition has amalgamated the concept and has filled the void with pseudo-democracy, which manifested the dynastic politics In Asia. In most cases, dynasticism becomes the tool to subdue the dissidents or remain the key to the survival of a leading political party against a split, mass movement, or even the regime itself. It has been seen that dynasties restrict the democratic culture inside the party and the decision-making and even leadership selection become a “family affair”. But, after the Cold War, the Western Governments launched multidimensional approaches to exterminate dynastic politics to reinstate western democracy.

In India, Pundit Jawaharlal Nehru, a western educated and confidante of western power, resumed the state power from his colonial master. From the post-independence era, the Nehru- Gandhi dynasty has ruled the country most of the time. Since the 2014 'Lok shaba' election, dynastic politics is appearing increasingly fragile. The rapid rise of third parties like Trinamool Congress or' Aam Admi Party (common men party)' are challenging the traditional two-party system. The present ruling party seems a bit compromising to bring non-dynastic opposition in Indian politics.

Political dynasticism in Pakistan was extensive. Trusted west ally Zulfikar Ali Bhutto started the journey of the Pakistan People's Party and which is now being led by his third generation. The only rival, Nawaz Sharif tried to establish his dynasty in politics. But, both dynasties were rejected and a third party like Tehreek-e- Insaf Party (PTI) was installed in the State power.

In Bangladesh, the two major political parties are dynastic, like other well-known parties in Asia. The ruling party, Bangladesh Awami League, and the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) are being run one-handedly by Sheikh Hasina (Daughter of party founder Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman) and Begum Khaleda Zia (the widow of party founder Gen. Ziaur Rahman). In 2007, we saw a “minus two” conspiracy theory by the western power; which albeit failed, but the Western Front is in constant motion to implement course 'B', after the debacle of course 'A'.

In Myanmar, the Aung San dynasty is going to an end. Aung San Suu kyi, daughter of independence hero Aung San, is facing multiple charges under a military-backed Kangaroo court. Former Malaysian Premier Najib Razak, the son of the country's second premier Abdul Razak is currently on trial over the country's largest corruption scandal. In Indonesia, Prabowo Subianto, the son-in-law of the former President Suharto was defeated in the polls by Joko Widodo - the first president who does not have any dynastic credentials. 

In the Philippines, fourth-generation politician Benigno 'Noynoy' Aquino-lll has nose-dived his popularity over repeated scandals. Current President Rodrigo Duterte has emerged from non-dynastic politics in the Philippines. In Thailand, the coup ended the Government of Yingluck Shinawatra who was seen as the puppet of her brother Thaksin Shinawatra in 2014. It has been prominent that the dynastic politics in Taiwan, South Korea, Japan are also on the verge of extinction. The KMT of Chiang kai- Shek and his son Chiang Ching - kuo, Park Chung -hee and his daughter Park Geun- hye and Shinzō Abe the last prominent prime minister hailing from political 

dynasties have called it time for their political career. 

We have more dynastic intrigues in Cambodia, Singapore, and Sri Lanka. In Cambodia, dynasties take the helm of two major political parties. One is Hun Sen and his descendant the other one is Sam Rainsy, the son of a leading political figure from the 1950s, Sam Sary - himself the son of another famous politician from the 1940s, Sam Nhean. In Singapore, Lee Hsien Loong the descendant of Lee kwan Yew has been embroiled in a family feud that has spilled over into politics. In Sri Lanka, the Rajapaksa family holds various important posts in state power. In the Middle East, Assad and Harari's dynasties are under tremendous pressure to be ousted by the Western power.

So, the Western democratic leaderships have, of course, changed since the post—Cold War. The US as a superpower has experienced a rogue regime underrating the democratic values in the hands of Donald Trump which will remain as a nightmare for the world leaders. Then the incumbent President, Mr. Biden, and his allies put all-out efforts to strengthen the democratic values around the world. The West is financing through various channels to educate the voters in Asia as well as to uproot dynasticism. We have experienced the “Arab spring” backed by the western power. At present, the Biden administration has emphasized on civic skills through transparency, voice, and participation. Dynasty is only considered bad when they ignore mass appeal and are seen to represent only their family, not national interest. Therefore, by all means, Dynasticism in Asia may only endure the Western Manoeuvring in the long run, should it proselytise itself towards the welfare of people at large, rather than concentrating on centralisation of authority within the own cabal.

This article has been published at:

1. Modern Ghana, Ghana,18Dec21

2. Kashmir Watch, EU, 18Dec21

3. Review Nepal , Katmandu,18Dec21

4. The Independent,BD:21Dec21

5. The Daily Observer,BD,27Dec21

'I apologize': The beauty of democracy (The victory of people's voice)

M A Hossain

On 19Nov'21, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi made an announcement to repeal the farm reform laws, which the farmers have been protesting against for more than a year. The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party(BJP) raised three controversial farm laws, which were subsequently approved by the parliament in Sep'20 and which Modi and his party men defended rather vehemently, as aimed at reforming the agriculture sector. Since then, The Government was facing relentless street protests by the farmers, emanating mainly from Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh on the borders of Delhi. Hundreds of farmers have sacrificed their valuable lives in this year-long protest. At last, the Head of the State acknowledged the imbroglio caused at the behest of his Government and ate a humble pie to his countrymen. This political maneuver has a significant role in democracy and ushers other democratic nations to learn a lesson in tolerance about dissidents. 

India is the largest democracy in the World. But in the last decade, BJP has exhibited the proclivity for tough and decisive governance. The ruling party leaders, including PM himself, often pointed to its penchant for many firm decisions, like scrapping of Article 370, National Registration of Citizens, Citizenship Amendment Act, demonetization in 2016, etc. The marginalization of minority rights was also fairly prevalent in various corners in India. Subsequently, on 05June'20, BJP Government proposed three farm Laws in the parliament without due consultation with the farmer's organizations, the genuine stakeholders. These three bills were passed in Lok Sabha on 17 September'20 and Rajya Sabha on 20 September'20. More than 40 farmers' organizations were united to form "Kisan morcha" and have been protesting to repeal these bills since 25 Nov'20 from Punjab and Haryana. Later, this agitation was fanned out in Goa, Uttar Pradesh. Since then, the Government has been sitting for an amicable resolution vis-à-vis with the farmers' organizations, on as many as seven occasions. In the end, Mr. Modi has taken the right decision at the right time to win over popular perceptions for electoral politics in a democratic manner. 

Every spare of the analysis has pointed out the trumps of electoral politics over economic developments. That is partially true because The fresh assembly polls are going to be held in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Goa next February. But the indomitable agitation of farmers erupted and diverged from these states. Very recently, the saffron party has seen poor performance in four by-polls in these States. Now BJP leadership wants to put the coming round of assembly polls as an acid test ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha election. 

On the other hand, Modi's gestures and political wit have a magnanimous impact on democratic culture. Since Modi first assumed the office in 2014, his political gesture has been indicative of a tough, unyielding, authoritarian strongman who does not bow to people's voices. The way Mr. Modi's popularity was skyrocketing, many political pundits were anticipating an India sliding towards authoritarianism. But now, BJP wants to achieve the “soft vote” of Sikh farmers, who all are the core strength of this protest, by announcing the decision to withdraw the laws on the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism. Mr. Modi does not want to leave a space for the Khalistan movement amid the deterioration of Maoists, seven sisters, Kashmir scenarios internally and externally the China, Pakistan or foreign radical groups. So, Modi's climb down is seen by most analysts as a strategic political maneuver to contain the political pressure and win on crisis opportunity theory.

It is said that democracy is arguably the best among the worst systems of governance. Modi's move was hailed as a much-needed triumph of democracy where dissidents are honored. This flagrant example should be practiced by other democratic nations. In Bangladesh, for example, experts are concerned about Sundarban for the Rampal coal power plant or Digital Security Act (DSA). Vessel movements will disrupt the biodiversity and pollute the environment of Sundarban. The journalists have been raising their voices against DSA and appalling for their freedom of expression. Now if the Government takes the lessons from the recent political maneuver in India, then the Government must pay attention to people's voices, which are directly related to the policy. And that is where lies the beauty of democracy.

This. article published at:

1. Modern Ghana,Ghana, 01Dec21

2. Review Nepal, Kathmandu, Nepal, 30Nov21