MP Tulip Siddiq & her aunt Sheikh Hasina

https://www.channel4.com/news/tulip-siddiq-questions-over-links-with-bangladeshi-ruling-party

This is why I dislike the Labour Party; they constantly make Faustian pacts with ethnic minority candidates.

However after seeing the full video I also feel it’s a hit-piece on MP Siddiq. It’s the perils of rising as a high-flying coloured woman; so many British MPS are so morally compromised that they don’t get the same scrutiny.

So it’s a very delicate mix of stubbornness, racism (so invisible as to not be noticed) and the need to “template” Bangladesh in a certain way.

I was speaking to a Bangladeshi friend of mine, who’s an Awami supporter. He would prefer a healthy opposition but Bangladesh’s economy seems to be glowing and people are happy.

He also mentioned that Bangladesh’s exports are higher than Pakistan’s now and that it’s doing better in many metrics; he couldn’t believe it until he heard Imran Khan say so himself.

So in many ways I feel that even though Sheikh Hasina is morally compromising herself, if she is able to rouse a sluggish Bengal tiger into full strengthen well then she mustn’t be so bad. Maybe Pakistan can do with a Sheikh Hasina, which ironically it may have had it the 1970 election had proceeded and her father had won it. We may have had alternating governments between a West & East Pakistan..

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Saurav
Saurav
5 years ago

“Maybe Pakistan can do with a Sheikh Hasina, which ironically it may have had it the 1970 election had proceeded and her father had won it. We may have had alternating governments between a West & East Pakistan..”

I dont think so , had Mujib been allowed to form the Govt, he would have fallen short of implementing his 6 point formuale because he would have been frustrated by the political establishment which was rigidly established in the West. 5 years is too short too have really implement and to bring those systematic changes, specially when no PM had previously been allowed to complete his term. In next election itself the power would have shifted back to the west and remained so. (Just like in India the BJP might come to power once in a while but the Congress is the default power centre of India). Mujeeb had a wave election , and the jamaat/pro pakistan groups in Bangladesh could have regrouped to aid the west Pakistan politicians/army in the next one.

Arjun
Arjun
5 years ago

The greater Faustian bargain seems to be the one struck by Bangladeshi Awami League supporters – trading a better economy for human rights abuses.

VijayVan
5 years ago
Reply to  Arjun

As HR abuses go BD is not in the Premier league

VijayVan
5 years ago

Politics seems to run in families, even after changing nationality or religion or culture. It may be due to one individual consciously and unconsciously inspiring his or her progenies . Not just in terms of ideas, but in terms of personality or style.

To be a ‘model’ it makes it easier for family members

Kabir
5 years ago

I’m not sure about the tradeoff between having a growing economy and a compromised democracy. Bangladesh is turning into a one party state and the results of the most recent election raise questions about its fairness. Awami League may have won anyway but such an overwhelming victory seems suspicious.

Bangladesh and Pakistan have flawed elections in common. Just as Nawaz Sharif was in jail during July’s election, Khalida Zia was in jail during Bangladesh’s election. However, Imran Khan has a slim majority in the center and in Punjab. Sheikh Hasina, in contrast, seems to have all of Bangladesh under her grip.

Razib Khan
Admin
5 years ago

had discussion with shafiq about this. the economy is doing well. but not because of the AL. the margin was symptomatic of total corruption in the system.

AnAn
5 years ago
Reply to  Razib Khan

“the margin was symptomatic of total corruption in the system.”

Sadly I suspect this as well, which is tragic given Sheikh Hasina would have won a large majority in a free and fair election. Can Shafiq or you or anyone in the BP community find a major Bengali leader willing to discuss election fraud? If so, might a Brown Cast on this issue (perhaps hosted by Shafiq) be in order?

Many of the contributors and regular commentators on BP are Bengali. Bengali leaders (even ones with many good qualities such as Sheikh Hasina) need to be held accountable.

I would like to end some questions.
—Why do so many Indians (including Modi and the BJP) and so many Americans like Sheikh Hasina so much?
—What is Sheikh Hasina’s record in resisting Islamism?
—What is Sheikh Hasina’s record on pro business free market globalized capitalism? [Razibh I give her more credit for good economic policies than Shafiq appears to give Sheikh Hasina credit for. Bangladesh is the only muslim asian tiger (as in the Asian economic miracle tigers) in the world outside of Malaysia, Turkey, Indonesia, India’s 240 million muslims, Algeria, UAE]

Shafiq R
5 years ago
Reply to  Razib Khan

Undobtedly Sheikh Hasina’s leadership deserve significant credit for the economic growth in the last ten years. The nearly two deacades of ‘Battle of Two Begums’ (incessant political battles of Awami League vs BNP) that preceded the current regime was also chracterized by good growth but not at this level because of the world famous political chaos. One can argue that Bangladesh may have gained half to one percent more GDP growth due to political stability of one party dominance. Whether that half percentage is worth almost total loss of political freedom, is a different question.

AnAn
5 years ago
Reply to  Shafiq R

Shafiq, look forward to a dialogue about Bangladeshi economic policy in your new article. You bring up many points I did not know and understand before. The extreme specialization into clothing is very troubling. Didn’t know it was that bad.

This is most definitely not true in West Bengal which has growth across many different products, processes and verticals.

“Whether that half percentage is worth almost total loss of political freedom, is a different question.”

Why do you think Bangladesh has lost freedom? Indians, including Bengali Indians are more optimistic about Bangadesh, planning tourist trips to Bangladesh, planning to see Tirthas in Bangladesh, thinking about doing business with Bangladesh.

West Bengal IT/BPO labor wages are spiraling upwards. And many would love to outsource West Bengal jobs to Bangladesh. The fact that this discussion is even taking place suggests that Bangladeshi security and safety has improved. Wouldn’t this increase freedom of art and thought?

AnAn
5 years ago

I saw the 6 minute video and have questions:
—why are the people being detained?
—do any of these people have Islamist links?
—do any of these people have moaist marxist communist links?

How can I find the answers to the above three questions?

If a large number of detained don’t have Islamist links or Maoist links; then this is a fair hit on MP Siddiq. But it also needs to be emphasized that a Corbyn government would likely commit greater human rights violations than any Sheikh Hasina is accused of. People in glass houses should not throw stones. (England has a long dark sordid history of backing Islamists against moderate muslims, including moderate English muslims.)

If the people being detained are being detained for Islamist or Moaist connections, then MP Siddiq should speak the truth and say something like:

“What my aunt is doing is right, moral, halal and dharmic. I stand behind her. The people being detained are facilitating violence against moderate muslims such as myself and my friends. The human rights charges against Sheik Hasina are manufactured by post modernist cultural marxists. Post modernist cultural marxists don’t understand what human rights are and would lead the world into darkness if given influence.”

Of course if the Bengalis being detained are not connected to Islamists or Moaists, then MP Siddiq needs to be pushed to respond to what her aunt is doing. And held accountable.

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