The Awami League did not bring peace of stability, just a semblance of development which analysts saw as a means to fill the personal pockets of those in power. On 4 October 2015, Shakhawat Hossain wrote in the online magazine First News, that a "sense of insecurity has gripped the nation with the worsening of law and order situation in the country." He speaks of the killings, enforced disappearances and other egregious crimes including gang rape and child murders.
Hasina and her government tried to use the facade of economic development to exonerate their authoritarian rule, subtly (perhaps not so subtly) promoting development over democracy. But in an article on 9 March 2018 in the Weekly Holiday, Shakhawat Hossain wrote about how Tk 94 billion capital was gobbled up under political influence. That was not even the tip of the iceberg. He wrote, "Sonali Bank, Janata Bank, Agrani Bank, Rupali Bank and BASIC Bank have become safe havens for rule violators as their boards illegally dictate the loan approval process and thus sources of plundering of public money could take place for lack of transparency in credit approval, credit administration and credit oversight, poor selection of borrowers, politically motivated lending and negligence in risk management."
In the chapter ''Clash of the Titans,'' the author speeaks of India''s growing interest in the power sector of Bangladesh which were also aimed at thwarting China''s business initiatives here. He writes of other interesting diplomatic developments and manoeuvres in foreign affairs. The bottom line is, even in its foreign relations, the Hasina government focussed on personal rather than national gain, subservient in some instances and arrogant in others.
Thus the book covers the gamut of Awami League''s rule of the country under Sheikh Hasina, through the eyes of the author as a journalist with an analytical bent of mind. It is interesting to read and job one's memory, so Bangladesh may never fall into that vicious cycle of crime and corruption ever again.
