Bangladesh, that achieved its independence from pakistan in 1971 through a bloody war, that was imposed on the peace loving bengali nation is now being pushed into an abyss.
After the partition of British india, two independent nations namely, Pakistan and India came into being.
Though india, to ensure rule of law and to embody the aspirations of the struggle of independence, framed its constitution within two year’s time span ; Pakistan took nine years to do the same.
Emergency was declared within two months of the adoption of the constitution in 1956, infringing the fundamental rights of its citizens. Martial law was promalgated in 1958 and General Ayub khan, an autocratic dictator, ruled the country for a decade with no accoutability to the people resulting into, amongst other vises, limitless disparity between the two wings of the country namely, East Pakistan and West Pakistan.
Leaders like Suharawardi, Moulana Bhasani and Bongabondhu Sheik Mujibur Rahman initiated, along with other leaders from West Pakistan, peoples movement for voting rights and democratic rule. With the passage of time, due to non responsive behavior of the ruling clique, demand for provincial autonomy gain ground. Rulers intensified their repression and independence of Bangldesh gratually became inevitable.
Bongabondhu, the father of the nation, who suffered imprisonment for 14 long years mainly due to his struggle for voting rights and democracy, was at the helm of state affairs in 1973 when Khondakar Mostaq Ahmed who later led the assassination coup of the father of the nation in 1975, rigged the election at Daudkandi, Cumilla. In other places too election result was snatched away by the ruling party.
General Ziaur Rahman and General Ershad, while in active service, grabbed the state powers, by brute muscle power. As usual, like all other power grabbers, illegitimately legitimise their power by a fake “vote of confidence”. Ershad sticked to powers for long nine years until ousted by a mass upheaval.
A constitution in line with British Parliamentay Democracy, as drafted by eminent jurist Dr. Kamal Hossain, adopted in 1972, was virtually scrapped by the introduction of BAKSAL, a one party system. General Ziaur Rahman, to suit his dictatorial aptitude, switched over to presidential system, with no mechanism of balance of power.
With the fall of General Ershad, taking the advantages of the changed favourable situations, the parliamentary system was reintroduced.
Due to the rigging of election in Magura, concept of “Care Taker Government” came in. Provisions were made in the constitution to the effect that the last chief justice of the supreme court of Bangladesh shall act as the chief of the caretaker government. The retirement age of the supreme court judges was 65 years.
Things were running quite smoothly.
Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) that came to power in 2001 miserably failed to run the country and resorted to rampant corruption and rule of thugs. It was evident that they had no chance of winning the election. To perpetuate their power they hatched a mischievous plan of rigging the next election, amended the constitution extending the retirement age of judges from 65 years to 67 years, so that its handpick KM Hasan could become the chief of the caretaker governent.
Bangladesh Awami League(BAL) created a reign of terror by indiscriminately killing many people on the street of Dhaka by sculls and bamboo poles. Army backed govenment stepped in and BAL came to power.
BAL, like BNP failed to ensure good governance. Student and youth front along with numerous other fronts took the role of vultures and endangered the life of the common man, in addition of their prime mission of eradicating the activists of BNP Jamat from the political arena of Bangladesh.
BNP Jamat activists and even supporters were forced to run on their toes to scape the atrocities. Hundreds of, reportedly false, cases were filed against them crippling their livelihood and social life.Tensions mounted high and it was crystal clear that there was no chance to win the election on the part of the incumbent government. BAL played the same dirty tricks as was played by BNP. Though it is the sole responsibility of the government to hold all inclusive participatory election, BAL did everything possible to push the political parties away from the election in 2014.
A non elected government, since is not accountable to the people, quickly turns into autocratic dictatorship. Killing of citizens in the hands of law enforcement agencies became a day to day norm. No body’s life is safe. An extreme panic situation evolved.
BAL scrapped the provisions of caretaker government which they always claimed to be the result of their movement by bringing amendment to the constitution taking plea of the disputed judgement of AKM Khairul Hoq, a beneficiary,
Before the 2018 Parliamentary election Mr. Tofail Ahmed and Mr.Obaidul Kader, two senior leaders of the party rightly warned the BAL leaders and followers to the effect that if they fail to retain power they shall have to flee from the country and be subjected to slaughter. BAL due to their multi dimensional misdeeds had no other option but to stage a midnight election drama on the 29th December 2018 and sticked to power.
The overall scenario has further aggravated and hatred intensified. If the rulers are defeated in the next election to BNP Jamat, the apprehension of BAL leaders as to the blood shed may become a real disaster. Blood stream of the people slaughtered by our rulers during the last 49 years is pretty wide and deep.
Half of a century has passed but neither democracy nor sustainable economic development is at sight. Ruthless corruption has engulfed all the potentialities. The country is going down the drain.
The state institutions, vital for rule of law, have deliberately been destroyed. The whole nation has been put into a state of panic and subjugated to the whims of an individual.
Autocratic rulers live in a psychopathic world of their own and rear the sweet dream of immortality in terms of power and behave recklessly, knowing it fully well that the fate of other such rulers were digracefull. Powers make them blind.
All the rulers of Bangladesh were essentially dictators. The situation gratually detoriated from bad to worse and reached its peak.
Bangladesh, born in a blood bath, deserves saner government.
BAL, under the prevalent situations, can not afford to hold a general election where they shall be defeated by BNP Jamat and be the subject of butchers. The people who have been subjected to untold torture and atrocities shall in no way adhere to the appeal of their leaders to refrain from violence. Blood shed is inevitable.
The nation must come out of the long endured impasse for which a mechanism is to be worked out. A non violent peoples upsurge (অহিংস গণঅভ্যুত্থান -AGA) is the answer. AGA shall strictly pursue the principals of non violence. To topple the government shall not be its objective.
AGA, to ensure establisment of democratic rule of law, shall get by the incumbent government, the constitution amended, scrap the black laws ; enactment of appropriate laws to make the state institutions like judiciary, election commission , human rights commission, anti corruption commission independent of the executive branch ; laws to bring the plunderers of state resources from 1947 to date, to book, keeping provisions for confiscation of ill gotten money in favour of the state ; enactment of laws to safeguard the interest of the farmers, labourers, women, indigenous population and down-trodden; laws for complete decentralization of powers to local government ; laws that shall make the state machinery accoutable to the people on day to day basis.
Arrangements of black money and muscle power free fair and credible parliamentary election and peaceful transition of state power to the party or alliance that bagged the majority seats in the parliament.
To achieve the cherished goal the whole nation shall have to be united. Patriotic citizens need to play the pivotal role of change makers.
– A B M Mostafa Ameen, Politician
Dhaka, Bangladesh
31st August, 2020.
