Where Bangladesh is heading to?

F R Chowdhury

In spite of major failures like the Padma Bridge scam, stock market plunder, Hallmark scandal, Destiny scam etc over and above armed fights for government contracts by Chhatra League, the student front of the Awami League (AL), Sheikh Hasina and her party leaders have been claiming that they have achieved a lot of success. True, she arranged for trial and execution of most of those connected with the killing of her father Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. But it was no success but vindictive attitude in ‘successfully’ evicting the BNP chief and leader of the Opposition Khaleda Zia from a house given to her by the Government of the late President Justice Abdus Sattar in 1981.
Hasina changed the name of the Zia International Airport, Dhaka, in such a way so that the name of late president Ziaur Rahman is removed. She took full help of the judiciary to get a verdict in favour of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman as the one to have declared the independence of Bangladesh. History books written by Bangladeshi and Western writers clearly state Major Zia’s declaration of Independence on 27 March 1971 over the Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra at Kalurghat in Chittagong which was heard by millions many times.
Sheikh Hasina forgets that Zia’s declaration in no way puts down Mujib’s historic 7th March speech in Dhaka or his political standing; so she also made it a punishable offence for anyone to mention anyone else declaring independence. To convince the people that her father alone was responsible for everything necessary for liberation of Bangladesh, she even gave posthumous award to someone for having announced it on instruction of Sheikh Mujib.
During the war of liberation, there was a terrible loss of life because of a genocide perpetrated by the occupying Pakistani military forces aided by local collaborators. Military incursions for instance “Operation Searchlight” were carried out to suppress the Bangladeshi national movement and eliminate all political and military opposition. The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) is a war crimes tribunal in Bangladesh set up in 2009 to investigate and prosecute suspects for the genocide committed in 1971 by the Pakistan Army and their local collaborators, Razakars, Al-Badr and Al-Shams during the Bangladesh Liberation War.
The AL chief Sheikh Hasina did politics from 1991to 1996 in alliance with the Jamat-e-Islami, but in her   second tenure she had to teach a lesson to Jamat-e-Islami for forging political alliance with Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) in 2001, by way of war crime trials by ICT. During the Jamat-e-Islami’s similar political alliance with Bangladesh AL they were nationalists and not war criminals.

Dr. Yunus’ predicament
Sheikh Hasina was very angry with the decision of the Nobel Committee for their award of the Peace Prize to Dr. Yunus and Grameen Bank (awarded jointly). Having agreed a peace deal for Chittagong Hill Tracts where the tribal people were engaged in insurgency activities since 1975 aided by the Indian government (See “Bangladeshi insurgents say India is supporting them” by Sanjoy Hazarika, The New York Times, June 11, 1989), she was confident of getting Nobel Peace Prize. She unleashed a campaign of hatred against Dr. Yunus and Grameen Bank and got him removed from being its M.D.
Two-thirds majority is not always a good thing. We have seen it during her father’s reign. We have seen it with Margaret Thatcher in UK and Indira Gandhi in India. It is sad and shocking that after taking the oath to uphold the constitution, the ruling party amended the constitution for personal gain – to win elections through unfair means and perpetuate their hold on the power. Such a matter should have been put in a referendum. Without the mandate of the people the constitution should not have been altered. She talked so much about constitution yet, it is she who amended the constitution. The elections should have been conducted under the constitution as it existed before the amendment.

CJ favoured two polls under CG
The Supreme Court (SC) verdict favoured two more general elections under Caretaker Government (CG). But she utilised the 2/3rds majority in the parliament to amend the constitution and remove the provision of holding general election under non-party Caretaker Government so that she can manipulate the election to perpetuate her rule.
Meantime, she started a programme of naming roads, bridges and other institutions and establishments after the name of her father. For the last five years as the head of the Government she engaged herself in a programme to get rid of those civil servants who in her opinion were not loyal to her party. In the process the civil administration, police, armed forces, judiciary and all other institutions of the Government have been turned into extended part of her political party in addition to having Chatra League, Jubo League, Sramik League etc. She remembered very well the mistakes made by her father by killing democracy and making Bangladesh a one-party state, yet she did it.
She carefully refrained officially calling a one-party state even though she turned it into a police state – virtually a one-party state. Eventually she got what she wanted; she became the prime minister for a third term. All these achievements by Sheikh Hasina bear a testimony of hatred, revenge, vendetta and vengeance. But she was adamant and she accomplished her desire and wishes.

Burning and killings
The people of Bangladesh love democracy and exercise their rights and they would not like to see one-party state again. They realised the conspiracy and resisted. The opposition party BNP headed by Khaleda Zia provided the leadership to this peaceful movement. They threatened to boycott the election unless it is held under a non-political Caretaker Government.
Newspaper reports suggest that in order to tarnish the image of BNP, the Government engaged its party cadres to resort to violence including burning and killing. While the AL was having gathering of party workers every day in front of its office, BNP office was sealed by police and kept under siege. On 29th December, 2013 when Khaleda was scheduled to address a peaceful rally with the national flag in hand, she was kept virtually under house arrest and AL leaders led party thugs with sticks in their hands roaming all over Dhaka city. The AL along with policemen beat up people (including lawyers and journalists) trying to reach the planned rally and arrested almost all the top category leaders of BNP.
The UN Secretary General sent his representative to persuade the Government to listen to the will of the people and arrange for an inclusive election to be participated by all parties. Many other foreign dignitaries also carried out similar mission. Sheikh Hasina still remained obstinate that she would hold the election her way. The EU, Commonwealth, USA, Canada and Australia refused to send any observer for the election. Each and every AL leader went all out in support of the prime minister and was eager to show their loyalty to her.
Anyhow as the time for election came closer, Khaleda was kept under house arrest, Ershad was kept confined in CMH and hundreds of leaders and workers were jailed. People indeed boycotted the election. The ruling party won the majority even before the election as 153 of their candidates were elected unopposed. What an election! The rest happened as planned before. Contrary to common international practice and procedure, not a single country congratulated the prime minister on her election victory. Only India congratulated when the new government was formed. The election and its results have not been accepted by the people; and not even by the international community. The non-cooperation continues.

Loyal opposition
The AL Government is in a serious mess. They want Ershad’s Jatiya Party to join their cabinet at the same time want its leader to be the Leader of the opposition in the Parliament. Something never heard of in parliamentary democracy. Everything now seems possible. Bangladesh cannot afford to have this drama every time when the general election is due. There must be a permanent solution. Otherwise the nation loses all the progress it makes between the elections. The solution is a non-political care-taker Government for the election. This suits our culture and has been time tested. The Constitution should have a clear provision for the Government to resign three months prior to the end of its term whereupon the President would appoint a care-taker Government to conduct the election. Such cabinet may include retired judges, services chiefs, secretaries or other person of repute who had never been in active politics and would not compete in the election. All persons should participate in the election as equal citizens. No person should receive any special privilege or protection for any reason. It is not necessary that all parliamentary systems must be identical. We can’t have the one best suited for one party in Bangladesh.
Without any further loss of life or property let us resolve the matter the way people want it. If necessary, a referendum may be held. But for Heaven’s sake let us avoid whims and vendetta. Bangladesh belongs to all Bangladeshis and we must not allow any vested personal interest to destroy our future.
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Source: Weekly Holiday