Bangladesh averts yet another army coup even as Pakistan teeters on one

South Asia is becoming a hotbed for possible army coups as democratic governments in Pakistan and Bangladesh foil attempts by the army to topple the government. Note both countries have seen long tenures of army ruling them with civilian leaders assassinated or sent to exile. India though remains solidly democratic with the armed forces subservient to the government in both law and fact.

Pakistan in Crisis

The Pakistani Government has been in  a state of crisis for the last few months with relations detoriarating between the civilian government and the generals. Note the Army in Pakistan led by the Chief of the Army Kiyani calls the shots with the civilian government a mere puppet in the defence and foreign relations department. The Government in Pakistan has been in chaos ever since Osama Bin Laden was captured from near the Army HQ in Rawalpindi. After the Army got a lot of flat from everyone, it decided to hit back at the civilians using a memo by the US Ambassador Haqqani which talked of an army coup.

Bangladesh has just a year ago foiled an insurrection by a paramilitary group protesting against pay discrimination. This had led to a big standoff with heightened tensions. Now there is news that the armed forces have managed to strike down a conspiracy by fanatic officers to topple the government. Note the current ruling party of Sheikh Hasina was toppled by the army in the 1970s when the founder was killed. The fundamentalist Islamist parties are allied to BNP’s Begum Khaleda Zia who is bitterly opposed to the PM.

The Bangladesh Army has foiled a coup planned against the government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, a military spokesman said on Thursday.Specific information has been unearthed that some officers in the military service have been involved in the conspiracy to topple the system of democratic governance, Brigadier General Muhammad Masud Razzaq told reporters.