Washington, February 14 – Former White House official Lisa Curtis described the election results as "a good day for Bangladeshi democracy," noting the largely peaceful conduct of the elections as a positive sign, while also highlighting the rise of Jamaat-e-Islami and the damage to institutions as areas of concern.
"I believe today is a good day for Bangladeshi democracy," Curtis told news agency IANS, emphasizing the remarkable victory for the Bangladesh Nationalist Party and the strong emergence of Jamaat-e-Islami.
Despite concerns about potential violence on election day, she observed that the elections proceeded relatively peacefully.
She pointed out that "70 per cent of Bangladesh voted in favor of reforming democratic institutions," including measures to limit the power of the Prime Minister and increase women's participation in the democratic process. She considered these developments to be very positive.
However, Curtis also noted that voter turnout was slightly lower than usual, at 60 per cent, attributing this to the Awami League's inability to participate in the election.
A key shift was the performance of Jamaat-e-Islami. Curtis stated that "in past elections, Jamaat-e-Islami typically received only five to 7 per cent of the vote. This time, they seem to have won over 68 seats in the legislature."
Curtis focused on the key challenge ahead: "The main question is how they will act as an opposition party." She observed that while the party attempted to appeal to younger voters, their policies are likely to remain conservative due to the influence of older leaders.
"Therefore, the question is: how will Jamaat-e-Islami impact society and the way the country is governed?" she asked.
Curtis expressed caution regarding Tarique Rahman, the incoming prime minister, acknowledging the high expectations. "He has a significant task ahead of him," she said. "There have been concerns about his past, and his potential for corruption. He has been away from the country for 17 years."
She stressed the urgency of restoring public confidence in governance and democratic institutions. "The Sheikh Hasina government has caused significant damage to these institutions."
She described the day as "a day of hope, but at the same time, the challenges facing Bangladesh are immense."
Regarding the US response, Curtis stated that the United States would likely welcome the relatively peaceful conduct of the elections. "I believe the US is pleased that the elections proceeded without major violence," she said.
She added that "the US supported the interim government during a very volatile period, and there is a sense of relief in US policy circles that the elections have proceeded relatively peacefully."
However, she cautioned that Jamaat-e-Islami's strengthened position could complicate matters. "There will be questions about Jamaat-e-Islami's newfound power. Their policies have been contradictory to what the United States stands for, particularly regarding women."
Curtis stated that Washington is likely to adopt a "wait and see approach" to assess how the BNP-led government will deal with Jamaat-e-Islami. She concluded by saying: "Good day for democracy, but many questions remain."
Regarding India's response, Curtis suggested that New Delhi initially misread the political landscape. "Of course, New Delhi had focused all its efforts on Hasina, and was disappointed when she left office," she said.
She argued that "Indian officials were a little late in understanding where the country was going and how much damage Sheikh Hasina had caused to the country, and how much opposition there was to her."
However, she noted a shift in India's approach in recent months. "In the last couple of months, we have seen a change in New Delhi and its approach to the BNP," she said, citing External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar's attendance at a funeral and meeting with the new leadership as evidence of outreach.
"While New Delhi is a little late to the game, better late than never, they have recognized that there is a new dispensation in Bangladesh," Curtis said. She added that Bangladesh and India are "intertwined in so many ways," making engagement inevitable. "It would be impossible for India not to deal with Bangladesh," she said, expressing hope that the relationship will "smooth out in the coming months."
Curtis currently serves as a senior fellow and director of the Indo-Pacific Security Program at the Center for a New American Security. She previously served as deputy assistant to the US president and National Security Council senior director for South and Central Asia from 2017 to 2021, where she coordinated US policy on the Indo-Pacific and South Asia, including US-India strategic cooperation and the Quad framework.
