By Sheikh Arif (Dhaka Bureau)
When a nation undergoes a democratic transition following the fall of a prolonged authoritarian regime, its greatest challenge lies in ensuring institutional transparency. However, the presence of a parallel, informal power structure within Bangladesh’s recent interim administration has cast a dark shadow over that very transparency.
In an extensive and explosive interview with Jamuna TV, the country’s former Foreign Advisor and veteran diplomat, Touhid Hossain, revealed that critical state decisions were not forged through democratic consensus. Instead, they were monopolized by a clandestine, unelected seven-member ‘kitchen cabinet’ or shadow government. In protest against this structural sidelining and external interference, Hossain attempted to resign three times during his 18-month tenure. However, the state apparatus rejected his requests each time to protect the fragile image of the transition government.
Decentralization of Power: When Ministries are Kept in the Dark
Hossain’s revelations do not merely expose internal fractures within an administration; they unveil a dangerous form of institutional decay. He disclosed that bypassing the collective consensus of the Advisory Council, this secret sub-group met behind closed doors every Tuesday to dictate state policy.
‘I later learned they were meeting every Tuesday to make decisions. I was fundamentally kept in the dark. On one occasion, I was even forced to attend one of these kitchen cabinet meetings at the state guest house, Jamuna,’ Touhid Hossain, Foreign Advisor of the former Interim Government.
When a transition born out of the hopes and aspirations of the masses falls prey to such a secret syndicate, it severely undermines the foundational pillars of nonviolent and accountable governance.
Shadows Over the US Trade Pact: The Dark Side of Diplomatic Deviation
The most alarming and controversial manifestation of this closed-door politics is the reciprocal trade agreement signed with the United States. The pact was inked at the eleventh hour- merely 72 hours before the national parliamentary elections.
Most disturbing is the revelation that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the broader diplomatic corps were entirely excluded from this process. Hossain clarified that the deal lacked any institutional oversight and was driven single-handedly by the personal decisions of the then National Security Advisor and the Commerce Advisor.
Key Indicators of the Pact’s Lack of Transparency:
* The Architects: The Commerce and National Security Advisors orchestrated this non-transparent deal, bypassing formal ministerial channels to make unilateral decisions.
* The Diplomatic Exclusion: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the diplomatic community were kept in absolute informational blackout until the final moments.
* The Timing: Inked just 3 days (72 hours) before the democratic transition of power, violating the ethical boundaries and mandate of a transitional administration.
In the words of Mr. Touhid Hossain, unless there was an absolute, unseen compulsion, the decision to sign such a long-term strategic agreement should have been left entirely to an elected government backed by a popular mandate.
‘Deep States’ and the Geopolitical Realism of the Mass Uprising
Addressing the hidden mechanics behind the July mass uprising and India’s subsequent decision to grant asylum to ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Mr. Hossain echoed a pragmatic view of realpolitik- validating long-held concerns among universal humanists. He noted that a permanent ‘deep state’ is always active in global geopolitics, waiting to manipulate the momentum of spontaneous public uprisings to suit its own strategic interests.
Concurrently, he issued a sobering warning that public memory is short-lived. Those who assume that the old authoritarian political force or the Awami League has been permanently erased from the landscape are misjudging reality. His assessment indicates that their political rehabilitation and return to contest future elections remain inevitable.
Challenges for the Newly Elected Government: A Triangular Geopolitical Balance
As Bangladesh transitions toward an elected, civilian democratic government, the primary test for the future leadership- particularly the country’s newly elected Prime Minister, Tarique Rahman- will be navigating the slippery slopes of intense geopolitical superpower rivalry.
According to Hossain, the incoming administration’s challenge extends beyond recovering from domestic economic devastation. It hinges on managing the high-stakes, competing interests of India, China, and the United States in the region, maintaining a visionary, nonviolent, and sovereign balance without becoming subservient to any single global faction.
Pressenza Editorial Comment:
Institutional transparency is the first prerequisite for any nonviolent and progressive society. In this critical juncture of Bangladesh’s history, the confessions of this former top diplomat prove that even after the downfall of an autocrat, if decision-making processes are not decentralized and brought under public accountability, power changes hands, but the system remains unchanged. The newly elected government of Bangladesh must dismantle this legacy of secret ‘kitchen cabinets’ and firmly commit to an open, people-centric diplomacy.
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The Writer:
Sheikh Arif: Senior journalist and Panel Editor, Pressenza- Dhaka Bureau.
