Idioms and phrases used in the article "From hope to despair: On Bangladesh after Sheikh Hasina"

Idioms and phrases used in the article "From hope to despair: On Bangladesh after Sheikh Hasina"

From hope to despair: On Bangladesh after Sheikh Hasina

With her dramatic escape from Dhaka, just moments before mob arson and vandalism, ousted Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will have time to pause and consider what led to this little-expected outcome. Once the hope of Bangladesh’s youth, in battles for democracy, and a Prime Minister who breathed life into the Bangladeshi economy, Ms. Hasina was eventually seen as the students’ greatest adversary, held responsible for over 300 deaths in protests of the past two months. While she was admired for her crackdown on terrorist camps in 2009, handing over criminals to India, and her campaign against radicalisation, Ms. Hasina was recently more reviled for using the same strong-arm tactics on her opponents. The student protests over the quotas that began in July may have been the final straw; anger was building up over the past decade, with allegations of vote rigging and the suppression of media, and sending leaders, journalists and activists to jail on trumped-up charges. Even after winning elections in January for a fourth term, Ms. Hasina continued down that path, with cases and jail terms against Nobel Laureate and Grameen Bank founder Muhammad Yunus, now tipped to head the interim government. Her actions, and refusal to give any space for dissent, have tarnished the legacy she holds most dear — that of her father, the much-beloved founder of Bangladesh, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, whose statues now stand amidst the rubble. There is no doubt that the extreme mob violence and protests had political support, and possibly the encouragement of elements in Pakistan and the U.S., both of which had tense ties with the Awami League government. More worrying is the underlying involvement of Islamist groups that could affect the religious tolerance and secularism that Ms. Hasina tried to usher in during her 15-year tenure.

For India, each of these outcomes must be cause for introspection. New Delhi was not just complicit in Ms. Hasina’s actions against Bangladeshi opposition members by failing to advise her of the repercussions. It also failed to engage them, losing goodwill on Dhaka’s streets as well. The Modi government’s unalloyed support for Ms. Hasina also ensured her uncritical support, forcing her to accept even unpopular decisions such as the Citizenship (Amendment) Act. While securing Ms. Hasina’s safety and well-being, in a manner accorded to a leader who has always upheld India’s interests, the government must not waste time in engaging with the next regime and work to assist a peaceful transition to a more inclusive process for democracy in Bangladesh.

1.       Dramatic escape

o    Meaning: A sudden and intense escape from a dangerous situation.

o    Example: "The spy made a dramatic escape from the enemy base just before it exploded."

2.      Final straw

o    Meaning: The last in a series of negative events that causes someone to finally take action.

o    Example: "The employee's constant tardiness was the final straw, and he was fired."

3.      Strong-arm tactics

o    Meaning: Using force or intimidation to achieve one's goals.

o    Example: "The government used strong-arm tactics to suppress the protests."

4.      Tipped to

o    Meaning: Predicted or expected to achieve something.

o    Example: "The young athlete is tipped to win gold at the next Olympics."

5.      Tarnished legacy

o    Meaning: To damage or ruin the reputation or achievements of someone or something.

o    Example: "The scandal tarnished the politician's legacy of public service."

6.     No doubt

o    Meaning: Certainly; without question.

o    Example: "There is no doubt that the team worked hard to achieve their victory."

7.      Political support

o    Meaning: Backing or endorsement from political entities or figures.

o    Example: "The new policy received strong political support from various parties."

8.     Underlying involvement

o    Meaning: Hidden or not immediately apparent participation or influence.

o    Example: "The investigation revealed the underlying involvement of several key players."

9.     Usher in

o    Meaning: To introduce or begin something new.

o    Example: "The new law aims to usher in an era of economic reform."

10.  Cause for introspection

o    Meaning: A reason to reflect on one's own actions or behavior.

o    Example: "The company's recent failures are a cause for introspection among its leadership."

11.    Unalloyed support

o    Meaning: Complete and unreserved backing or endorsement.

o    Example: "The leader enjoyed unalloyed support from his followers."

12.   Uncritical support

o    Meaning: Support without questioning or criticism.

o    Example: "The policy received uncritical support from the majority of the party members."

13.   Waste time

o    Meaning: To spend time doing unimportant or ineffective activities.

o    Example: "The team cannot afford to waste time if they want to meet the project deadline."