New freedom or return of fundamentalism in Bangladesh? An appointment raised scary questions

News India Live, Digital Desk: After the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s government in Bangladesh, it seemed that everything would be new and better there. When an interim government was formed under the leadership of Nobel laureate Mohammad Yunus, people thought that now the wind of democracy would blow. But recently a news has come from there which has surprised everyone. This news is forcing not only the people of Bangladesh but also the whole world to think in which direction the neighboring country is moving. The real issue is about an appointment. The government of Mohammad Yunus has appointed a person named Omar Bin Hadi as ‘First Secretary’ in the Bangladeshi High Commission in Britain (London). This sounds like a normal government order, but as soon as you know who Omar bin Hadi is, the matter becomes serious. Omar bin Hadi does not come from a common family. He is the brother of Sheikh Abdur Rahman, the leader of Bangladesh’s notorious fundamentalist and terrorist organization JMB (Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh). This is the same Sheikh Abdur Rahman, who was found guilty of spreading terror and bomb blasts in Bangladesh and was later given death sentence. Why are questions being raised? Now the question being raised is that the families associated with the ideology against which Bangladesh kept fighting for years, are now being given a place in the government system? On one hand the government is assuring the world that everything is normal in Bangladesh, and on the other hand such a huge diplomatic responsibility is being handed over to the brother of a terrorist leader. That too in an important city like London, from where international relations are maintained. Experts believe that the appointment of Omar bin Hadi may not be a mistake, but a well-thought-out decision. This indicates that the current ruling elite of Bangladesh is adopting a soft stance towards fundamentalist groups. Critics say it is like a ‘reward’. What is there to worry about? People holding diplomatic posts are the face of the country. In such a situation, choosing a person whose family history is linked to extremism can become a matter of concern for India and western countries. People on social media are asking whether this is a ‘backdoor entry’ of fundamentalists in Bangladesh politics? There is now huge pressure on Mohammad Yunus to clarify whether the path of ‘New Bangladesh’ is going towards modernization or towards the old fundamentalist darkness. At present, the eyes of the whole world are fixed on this new ‘diplomat’ sitting in the plane bound for London.