As a new government takes shape in Bangladesh, there are emerging signs that the United States (US) will have a significant influence on the changed political order. The US appears to have developed extensive linkages in the protest movement that dislodged the Sheikh Hasina government on Monday.
Many of the top 10 leaders engaged in forming the new interim government are known for their leanings towards the United States, sources within the protest movement said.
They include Mahmudur Rahman Mazumdar, a former army brigadier who is active in politics. Political analysts in Dhaka regard Nobel Laurette Muhammad Yunus, who is expected to head the new interim government, as a strong supporter of the US. Student leader Nahid Islam who played a key role in persuading a reluctant Yunus to take charge of the interim government is regarded for his pro-US leanings.
The government of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and the US administration had a running tiff over the past few years. She accused American officials of interfering in the country’s internal affairs. She often said that the US had no right to lecture Bangladesh on democracy. Leaders of her Awami League have often described American officials as “a bunch of hypocrites.”