POLITICAL CRISIS OF BANGLADESH :
Part One : BACKGROUND ISSUES
Prof. Bijon B. Sarma
PREAMBLE :
The foiling of the conspiracy of the BNP-Khaleda government by the
dedicated workers of Awami league in December 2006 and the subsequent
takeover and new ventures by the caretaker government has initiated
the possibility of better and brighter future for Bangladesh. The
immediate need of the time is to find out a mechanism, which may
establish the program taken by the care-taker government on a strong
and permanent base. In this article the author has endeavored to find
out such mechanism. In six parts the article discusses the following :
(a) Background issues in brief (Part One), (b) Analysis and synthesis
of background issues to find out the major reasons (Part Two), (c)
Analyzing the reasons to find out the framework of solutions (Part
Three) and (d) Specific proposals (Part Four, Five and Six).
INTRODUCTION :
Whatever disease-infested, corrupt, terror-reigned, accident-prone and
hazard-full country Bangladesh might be, for a Banglade**** citizen
(and believing in Bangalee culture) this one is by far the best
country of the world. For them it is the heaven to live, love and die.
True that thousands of Banglade**** flock to alien countries every year
in search of jobs and for better living. But still, with their
affluence abroad, most of them suffer from nostalgia, which takes
place because of their extreme love for this land. Had there any
guarantee of job and moderate living, most, if not all, of the non-
resident Banglade****'s won't think of living elsewhere. It is most
unfortunate that such a dream country is often subjected to 'worthless
rulers' whose only target is to enrich themselves and their relatives
at the pains and tears of the common people, who are the real owners
of this land.
Democracy is by far the best political administration for mankind.
Unfortunately the same did not work well in Bangladesh. The period
'February, 2007 to date' of Bangladesh may be termed as the
exceptional period because, because for the first time in the history
of this land, the people have been able to know how nasty some of
their political leaders and corrupt bureaucrats are. The problem is,
the present regime is, by all means, interim in nature and will be
replaced shortly by another one. Naturally the hardest task before the
nation at this moment is to find out a democratic system, that might
be able to fulfill the needs and aspirations of the people and shall
in no way allow the nasty politicians to start their evil activities.
In order to present the proposal we need a brief discussion of the
background issues. After this we shall endeavor to chalk out a
probable mechanism.
BACKGROUND ISSUES (1971- date) :
HISTORY : LIBERATION WAR (March-December, 1970) : Quite accidentally
Bangladesh got independence on December 16, 1971, that was later
declared to have retrospective effect from 26th March, 1971. We used
the term "accidentally" because there was no calculated approach and
intelligently chalked out plan, program, precaution or arrangement for
it. It could have resulted in total destruction. In fact luck or some
rare coincidences brought the impossible success. A number of
activities by Awami League all on a sudden plunged the common people
amidst warfare. Barehanded they discovered themselves before the armed
forces of Pakistan and their local collaborators (rajakars). While
this was the internal scene, externally, the two powerful countries,
USA and China appeared as their greatest enemy.
As soon as the warfare started three types of people witnessed their
immediate peril. They were
(01) The Hindus, whom the Pakistanis and rajakars considered as their
worst enemy,
(02) The political workers who initiated the agitation and
(03) The Military personnel who could survive by fleeing.
Seeing no other alternative these people fled to India. All on a
sudden India discovered over ten million asylum-seekers on her
territory. India realized, she could never get rid of this burden
unless and until amicable situation could be created in East Pakistan.
Because of her closeness with this country and hatred for USA, USSR
extended hands of assistance. The Bengalese with their habitual
proficiency in literature and performing arts, however could take the
story of their pains and tears to distant lands, where the common
people including the citizens of USA felt deep concern. Inside the
country thousands of men were killed not because they fought or
committed any offence, but because their political rulers waged war
without issuing any warning sign. In the independent country history
was written with the praise for those whose unplanned activities
brought deaths and pains for millions. Bangalees are extremely lucky
that in spite of such unplanned activities by the political leaders
they got liberation. This logically impossible incident happened
because of the mass-migration that created headache for India. The
hatred of USSR for the habitual anti-people activities of USA also
played crucial role.
THE RULERS : (01) BANGABANDHU SHEIKH MUJIBUR RAHMAN (1972-1975) :
During this short period, Awami League under Sheikh Mujibur Rahman had
to manage a war-trodden country with numerous problems and at the same
time, face incessant hostilities from the enemy-countries of
liberation (Pakistan, USA and China). Naturally, the country did not
achieve notable progress. In 1975, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman
was killed.
(02) ZIAUR RAHMAN (1975-1982) : After Bangabandhu's death, Ziaur
Rahman, an army personnel rose to power. All on a sudden the enemy-
countries of liberation turned good friends. Zia first appeared with
martial law. He declared that he would make "Politics difficult for
the politicians". He really made that. He manipulated and polluted the
democratic system of election. He devised the mechanism in which his
party could come out elected for all time to come under the disguise
of country-wide democratic election. Following Ayub Khan's policy he
introduced armed students fraction to supplement his militant
political workers. In order to fight with such an opponent, other
political parties (principally Awami League) had to employ militant
people and form fortified students party. Zia did not feel any
shortage of money, because it was within his reach. Other political
parties, however, had to devise their own ways of collecting money.
Zia foiled the democratic system of election by using militant workers
in the field and through manipulation in the counting system. He was
the pioneer of polluting democracy in this country. He was murdered in
1982.
(03) ERSHAD (1982-1990) : Ershad, another man from armed forces rose
to power after Zia's death. His regime was nothing but repetition of
the earlier regime.
(04) KHALEDA ZIA (1991-1996) : Ershad was ousted due to agitation
staged by the combined political parties (principally Awami League and
BNP). As a consequence, election was held under caretaker government.
BNP, the favorite party of the enemies of liberation came to power and
Khaleda Zia became the prime minister. By this time the political
parties learnt the general teaching from the two generals, Zia and
Ershad. The teaching was "it was possible to capture power not by
fulfilling the people's wish, but by manipulating the voting process
and satisfying some foreign powers". During this time USA, as usual
continued its policy of sup****ting the anti-people governments all
over the world and Bangladesh was no exception.
(05) SHEIKH HASINA (1996-2001) : In 1996, election was held
immediately after Khaleda was ousted due to people's movement. In such
a situation no foreign power found it 'practical' to reinstate this
party. As a consequence, Awami League headed by Hasina came to power.
She endeavored to maintain good relation with the powerful countries.
But when she disagreed to maintain the same at the cost of the
country's interest (for example, gas ex****t) her future was
determined.
(06) KHALEDA ZIA (2001-2006) : In 2001, Khaleda won the election by
the blessings of foreign power and atrocities of the militants of her
party. During this regime she did the worst a politician can ever do
to a country. She polluted each and every spheres of administration,
legislation, education etc. At the end of 2006, her evil plans were
foiled due to vigorous fights staged by the workers and sup****ters of
Awami League. Even if this party never comes to power in future, Awami
League will always be remembered and credited for "putting ash to
Khaleda's dish of delicacy" (Bengali proverb) and at the same time, to
pave the path to bright light that we now see under the caretaker
government. The caretaker government would not have got the scope to
clean the polluted society unless the workers of Awami league staged
that type of war against Khaleda's militants. Those who read of
"Satyagraha" staged by Mahatma Ghandhi against the British government
might agree, Awami League's war against Khaleda in 2006 was in no way
less vigorous and gracious than Satyagraha. If the present government
becomes successful in ensuring a "superior Bangladesh" the people
would always remember with gratitude the great sacrifice of Awami
League.
KHALEDA'S FALL AND AWAMI LEAGUE'S NEMESIS : Awami League is the lone
party having good concern for Bangladesh and her people, even though
all its activities do not follow logic or ethics. The selfish-natured
foreign powers never liked to see this party in power. While in power,
the party had to have incessant fight internally with the militants
of BNP, Jamat etc. and externally, with the selfish foreign powers.
In course of continuing movement in such a complex and s****y route,
this party also had to find out ways to collect money in order to meet
the huge expenditure. When there happened big transactions, most, if
not all of Hasina's relatives, friends and associates made their
fortunes. This was definitely unethical and the offenders deserve due
punishment. However, some of those who gave money to this party may
feel satisfied to know that without their money this party would not
become successful in bringing an end to Khaleda's nasty rule and to
create scope for the present government to clean the country.
(07) CARETAKER GOVERNMENT (2007-date) : The caretaker government, for
the first time in this land has established many instances, prominent
among which are :
(i) No offender is above the law,
(ii) Someone's unethically earned money belongs not to him, but to
the Government,
(iii) It is possible to find out mechanism in which even the
officials fighting corruptions may be trapped when they are derailed
etc.
The program of this government has created new hope among the people.
Due to exposure of the faces of the past rulers the people have become
worried about 'democracy'. The people of Bangladesh know that there
are both good and bad people in the country and that good men may have
to turn bad under certain conditions as created by the two military
generals and Khaleda.
After analyzing the background issues it is not difficult to
understand that :
(01) There is no scope for good men to compete in election in the
present system,
(02) Even if good persons are sent to power, they won't be able to
maintain honesty for obvious reason.
The present government, by all means, is an interim government. They
may implement and continue their programs so long they are in power.
As per constitution they are to handover power to the elected
government. If a permanent solution to the above two problems cannot
be devised and implemented in our election system, then all those
achieved by the caretaker government would go in vain.
PROF. BIJON B. SARMA, ARCHITECTURE DISCIPLINE, KHULNA UNIVERSITY
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