by F R Chowdhury
Recently Bangladesh witnessed lot of political agitation and violence resulting into loss of lives and properties. Some three hundred people lost lives, many more have been injured. Hundreds of vehicles both public and private have been torched. The railways also suffered badly which will take millions of taka and quite some time to restore. Trade and industry suffered equally. Many factories are damaged beyond repairs. Education at all levels has been hampered. In a way we have been not only deprived of our expected progress and growth but put back as a nation by at least two to three years. The responsibility lies squarely on our politicians.
It all started with an amendment to our constitution. 2/3 rd majority is a dangerous thing. It makes Government in power more power hungry. In this case they were driven to a dream of eternal power. People still remember how in 1975 the Bangladesh Awami League (BAL) amended constitution to make it a one-party state; how the amendment produced an executive president without being directly elected by the people; how the democracy was killed. This led to several violent changes. Eventually President Ziaur Rahman re-introduced multi-party democracy. People would not like to see the same game again in a different way. That is why the election under the ruling party was not welcome. The violence resulting into loss of lives and property can be attributed to the adamant attitude of the BAL government to go ahead with their election despite being publicly rejected.
The ruling party obtained a majority even before a single vote was cast. 153 of their party members were elected un-opposed. The rest was mutually arranged with an obedient opposition party. That opposition party also got a few members in the new cabinet despite their leader being the leader of the opposition. Something never heard of any parliamentary democracy. The election was a mockery. The farcical election does not reflect the wishes of the people of Bangladesh. Even USA, Canada, EU and Australia asked for negotiation to resolve the crisis and hold fresh election participated by all parties. Certainly country cannot continue with this tarnished image. Anyone who thinks the Government should continue for a full term of five years, simply live in fools’ paradise. The matter should be resolved before another popular movement turns ugly and brings down the government through violence. We had enough of death and destruction. Please resolve the matter when the situation is still apparently peaceful.
To the Prime Minister, I congratulate you on your adamant decision and action. You achieved what you wanted. You have already become prime minister for the third time through all the death and destruction. That is enough. Do not dream of eternal power through manipulated elections. People will not tolerate that. It has been tried before without any success and it will fail again. There is still an opportunity to do things the right way with some respect and dignity. Otherwise the dream for eternal power will be washed away in peoples’ movement; and they do not come easy – they sweep everything clean.
To the Prime Minister, you have now more than 2/3rd majority. With your obedient opposition party you have almost 100% seats in the parliament. Please bring a bill in the very first session of the parliament to restore the constitution as it existed before your power hungry amendment and then call a fresh election. If you have done so much good for the country as claimed by you, you have nothing to worry. The grateful nation will bring you back in power.
The system of non-party care-taker government for election has been a time tested and well established procedure. At the time of election there will be no minister and no leader of the opposition. There will be no separate status or protocol. Everybody will stand equal on absolutely even ground. There will be free and fair election. That is what the people of Bangladesh want.
We do not want to see anymore changes to constitution to meet any evil desire. We want democracy. We cannot have human rights, equality and justice without democracy. We want it the peaceful way. Please do it now before it turns ugly and violent. We hope the good sense will prevail.
London, 25-January-2014 <fazlu.chowdhury@btinternet.com>