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Gifts, cash and alienation: How political favours can lead to conflict

The alleged humiliation of a Hindu teacher by a politician in Bangladesh over claims he insulted Islam sparked a national outcry — but the culture of political patronage that sparked the incident is much more sinister.

By Emma Crewe
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Lawyers and supporters of the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) shout slogans against the government in 2015. Credit
Lawyers and supporters of the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) shout slogans against the government in 2015. Credit

Lawyers and supporters of the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) shout slogans against the government in 2015. Credit: A.M. Ahad / AP/Press Association ImagesAn MP in Bangladesh was recently accused of publicly humiliating a Hindu headmaster over claims he insulted Islam.

Shyamal Kanti Bhakta, who runs a school in the Narayanganj District near Dhaka was forced repeatedly to squat holding his ears with his hands until he was so tired he fell to the floor. Then he was beaten.

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Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0