Name? Hasina Wajed
Westphalian identity? Bangladeshi
Age? 74
Why is he in the news? At least 7 people were killed in regional elections boycotted by the largest opposition party over “a skewed political atmosphere which is preventing fair participation”. They are not wrong, armed groups used violence to stop voters from voting for opposition parties. Not a great basis for Prime Minister Hasina Wajed to consolidate her power.
Why do we care? Apart from Democracy declining, we worry a bit more about the situation of the 750.000 Rohingya refugees from Myanmar seeking refuge in Hasina Wajed’s country. Last week Mohibullah, a former science teacher who became the leader of an NGO he formed to document the Myanmar military’s brutal offensive, was killed by members of the violent Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) against the finding of a peaceful solution. And, based on the latest reports, Wajed’s security apparatus is using the opportunity to crack down on the unwelcome guests …
Why should you care? Because Bangladesh is a country with a massive population and it constantly receives less attention than appropriate. Are we just as bad as the rest of the world because we only highlight it when bad things are happening? Yes! But you should still care 5/10 about events from a country home to 165 million people.
Who else cares? French President Emmanuel Macron. Bangladesh and France have a historical alliance over French support in the Battle of Plassey for the last sovereign of Bengal, Siraj-Ud-Daulah. Hasina Wajed was then the first Bangladeshi Prime Minister to visit France and she is currently there again improving ties with Macron, without speaking on the Rohingya or the elections of course, strictly business.
Any further comments? We want to leave Hasina Wajed and Bangladesh on a positive note! Four decades ago less than a third of Bangladeshi children finished primary school, today, 80% do! (More girls than boys as well).
