‘Bangladesh Noisy Democracy, Protests In Run-up To Elections Not Surprising’

NEW DELHI: Demonstrations, street protests and rallies led by the opposition BNP against the Sheikh Hasina government recently dominated the political discourse and news headlines in Bangladesh. This comes in the run-up to the general elections scheduled about a year from now. Protests by the opposition ahead of elections are not new; they are symbols of a vibrant—and noisy—democracy that  Bangladesh is, says Ramanathan Kumar, a former Special Secretary in the Research & Analysis Wing, India’s external intelligence agency. Speaking to StratNews Global Editor-in-Chief Nitin A. Gokhale on ‘The Gist’, Kumar, who has served in Bangladesh and observes the country very closely, also spoke about the incumbent government’s achievements, challenges and close ties with India. Tune in for more.