State of politics and democracy in Bangladesh

[This was published in Dhaka Courier on 31 May and I the New Nation on 03 June 2013]

It was a roundtable talks on ‘State of politics and democracy in Bangladesh’ at Sinha Lounge, Dhaka Club. With due honor and flavor moderator Mr. Nazrul Islam, a reputed personality in the domain of NGOs, drew attention and patience of all the designated discussants adding ‘today’s talks contains two parts. Part one deals with the presentation of Keynote paper in question by leading political scientist Professor Shariful Islam and part two entails the domain of the designated discussants where every one of you shall have only five minutes time to express your views, each one should be considerate and non-aggressive while passing relevant and precise views. Therefore, as a rule, now I invite Professor Shariful Islam to present his articulated keynote paper’.

*Dear designated discussants and audience, politics and Democracy are preferably chosen as unavoidable necessities in today’s world. Urges for these have become more acute and wide since the world is named a democratic world. Hence, for democracy politics is a priori and vice versa.

*Politics in plain and precise words denotes matters, simple and/or complex, markedly dealing with statecrafts, political parties, and elections from local to national bodies, parliament and so on in and around a state having required links with bi-lateral regional and global compacts. This nonfigurative entity is put into practice and carried by political parties of various shades, opinions, backgrounds and colors from their respective standpoints, program and manifestos. Moot point of all these is the welfare of the people, which should be handled and ensured by people’s representatives who shall under all the circumstances  be elected by such people in a free and fair atmosphere.

*Democracy means government of the people, by the people and for the people. Essence of democracy pointedly entails exercises of free consent, collective or individual, mutual respect and forbearance. It encourages one to get stick to the avowed principle that the voice of the majority shall win over the voice of the minority and the majority shall be forbearing to the voice of the minority as well since the voice of today’s majority may be the voice of tomorrow’s minority and thus the process may continue, evenly and/ or unevenly. Sometimes voice of the minority may be the voice of the majority provided the majority welcome and accept such voice for the interests of the country as a whole.

*That’s why in a democratic polity government is run by those who are voted to power for a definite period in accordance with the relevant provisions of the respective constitution. In Parliamentary glossary it is called the majority party while in the dictionary of government it goes by the name ruling party/alliance. Likewise is decided the accommodation and standing of the major opposition in Parliament with due weight and status.  Thus, politics and democracy come into being inseparably, and move together. Politics gets strengthened, viable and institutionalized if democracy moves in the same direction with a befitting velocity and standard. Hence, forgone conclusion is that the goals of politics and democracy aim at pulling a country forward, not rearward at all. When such display is disturbed and distorted in any case then the Hobson’s choice is the overturn. 

Question is what do we experience in Bangladesh? Widespread answer is ‘our ongoing state of politics and democracy is lying face down or going rearward while careful answer insists on telling ‘our overall successes speak in favor of going forward despite having so many negative indicators and realities from inside and outside without a break’. Both the views are partially true and acceptable but that’s not the solution at all. How to get rid of all these are a pertinent but perennial asking from the people. In the most articulated version immediate steps should be ensured ‘to put an end to the ongoing confrontational politics arising from arrogance vengeance, ungraciousness, philistinism, non-confidence in electoral system and results, boycott of the session of parliament in the most ungainly manner and mode, lack of mutual respect, forbearance and above all lack of exercises of statesmanship from the ruling and opposition parties’ Professor Shariful Islam read out precisely.

‘I ask Mr. Kabir, a political leader of AL, to open the sachet of the talks (Moderator).

‘Thank to Prof. Shariful Islam for pinpointing and raising so many issues, problems and bottlenecks centering state of politics and democracy in our country. I mostly agree with Prof. Shariful Islam but I must say that he has not highlighted the relentless role of Awami League and its leader Sheikh Hasina in consolidating, strengthening and cementing fair politics and democracy in Bangladesh. Even a child of the day is aware of AL’s love and dedication for welfare-oriented politics and democracy’ concluded Mr. Kabir with a sense of profound confidence and contentment.

Now I give the floor to Mr. Jabbar, a leader of BNP (Moderator).

‘Politics and democracy have advanced a lot over the years since the reintroduction of parliamentary democracy through Constitution (Twelfth Amendment) Act of 1991. It is crystal clear that whatever positive feedbacks took place in Bangladesh that go to the box of BNP and, hence, BNP means meaningful marching forward of politics and democracy. Even the debacle in 2006 was definitely not the failure of BNP-led government. We could have forwarded more had AL played its role positively as opposition in parliament.

More conspicuous is the ongoing political landscape in the country where AL as the party in power hardly put up with the existence of any viable opposition party. Does it amount to forwarding of politics and democracy at all? AL blatantly believes in trampling and strangulation of opposition parties and democratic forces while BNP sticks to holding the reverse’ loudly voiced Mr. Jabbar.

Now the turn is for Mr. Hassan, a leader of Jatio Party (Moderator).

‘I must say that AL and BNP, individually or cooperatively, hardly convinced to take risk promisingly and dedicatedly to make politics and democracy fair, durable and evocative. Heads of politicians are hung down in shame when they are badly needed for cementing and institutionalizing politics and democracy without a break. As a result, wheels of politics and democracy are being pulled backward by and large by the party/alliance in power. Opposition should as well be held responsible for expediting such rearward movement’. Jatio party is trying its level best to create a sense of understanding and consensus between or among the leading political parties so that the foundation of politics and democracy gets a life truly’ aired Mr. Hassan. 

  ‘Well, let me now offer the floor to our business tycoon Mr. Rouf’ (Moderator).

‘Sensing what is politics, democracy and who are the persons getting involved in all these (called political activists in general) and playing rough and tough opportunistically and strategically at the denial of collective or national interests to suit the very purposes of ‘regime security’,  I dare sound ‘we are nonetheless moving forward politically and democratically. Our asking should now rotate around the question ‘Have we been able to cultivate and reap in accordance with opportunities and realities? Answer is outright no and this no comes from the overall failures of our leaderships, statecrafts and statesmanship at various stations of politics and democracy. Yes, political leaders from position and opposition parties should now recognize their weakness and loopholes without putting forward further logic, mathematics and literature’ wrapped up Mr. Rouf resolutely.  

‘Respectable discussants and audience, we are really having and enjoying a lively discussion and with this impression let me call for our well-known civil society leader Mr. Shamim Ahshan to pass his views (Moderator).

‘In fact, I am all at sea to add anything on the topic since almost everything has been told and explained by the distinguished discussants. Therefore, taking careful notes from all I prefer to register here that what has already happened should not be repeated in future. There is a light upon light. Time is matured enough to make a wake-up call to our leaders so that they take the issues perfectly, honestly and promisingly, not merely from the mouths but from the very bosom of their minds’ asserted Mr. Ahshan in a belligerent frame of mind.

‘I now go back to Prof. Shariful Islam for his summing up the responses and deliberations from the designated discussants (Moderator).

‘It is clear over and again from the very highlights and deliberations of political leaders belonging to different political parties in Bangladesh that politicians prefer to reside within the stands and ambits of respective political parties. Statesmanship and statecrafts are still weighed as secondary exercises. Even so, there is a consensus among the discussants, partisan or not, that we need to advance at an accelerated rate and speed if we are determined enough to stand on a better footing in the comity of nations.

Concerns and optimism expressed by business tycoon Mr. Rouf and civil society’s leader Mr. Shamim Ahsan may be viewed as a kind of reflection of non-political standing to the political leaders of the day to take accommodative and befitting initiatives to bridge the widening gap between or among them if they are truly sincere and committed to the cause of the people without prejudice and excuse anymore.

Therefore, it is a call of time to all the political parties to get united, friendly and accommodative to each other and one another so that a kind of national consensus is made and followed in sequence despite change(s) of government through electoral process from time to time. Let us look ahead where there is light, more and more light’ noted the Professor.

Then calling the event to end, moderator Mr. Nazrul Islam thanked all in a befitting mood and mode.