Round The World

New Delhi, 12 March 2009

Mutiny in Bangladesh

HAS DEMOCRACY REACHED AN IMPASSE?

By Sanjay Bhardwaj

(Assistant Prof for Bangladesh Studies, JNU)

The recent mutiny in Bangladesh testifies that re-instating a modern, progressive, liberal and democratic society in the country is not an easy task before the newly-elected government.

In the last parliamentary elections, Awami League leader Sheikh Hasina had promised to bring about a change and people in large numbers supported her reform agenda. The young generation was instrumental in the left leaning secularist's alliance victory by an absolute majority to re-instate the ‘spirit of 1971’. She had spoken of a change-- from darkness to light, from the shrouds of graft and corruption, violence and militancy to the light of a modern, secular and democratic country. However, the maintenance of law and order, curbs on violence, terror and militancy thereby establishing rule of law is not a walk in the park in a country like Bangladesh.

Jamaat-e-Islami was a part of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party-led government from 2001-2006, when the rise of Islamic fundamentalism including corruption, institution of a culture of impunity for party men, criminalization of politics and neglect in combating Islamic extremism took shape in Bangladesh.

The tenure of the last BNP-alliance was marked by chaos, breakdown of law and order, and widespread uncertainty. This election has rejected the Jamaat-e-Islami brand of Islamic revival, and instead entrusted the AL with 262 seats of 300 with the onus of opening a new era in the country’s history. The mandate clearly shows that people voted to power the party that won the country’s independence from Pakistan.

The birth of Bangladesh was a unique historical event, as it symbolized a social revolution in terms of rising expectations among a large segment of the people for a better life. These expectations enabled the predominantly middle class and subsequently an overwhelming number of people to undergo a bitter and bloody war of independence. The independence was the result of popular aspirations for democracy, self-identity, equality, freedom and progressive society. Ironically, the progress made in the past 35 years of independence, has in reality, belied all those optimistic hopes.

Bangladesh has remained a poor and ill-governed nation. The present state of democracy, role of the army and the rise of Islamic extremism have all become issues of concern and have affected the growth of a progressive society. Adding to this political instability and problems of governance is the propagation of Pakistan and Muslim League ideology by political forces, which has ultimately resulted in the social and political fragmentation.

The present political upheaval in Bangladesh seems to be the legacy of earlier military regimes (1975-1990), marked by Islamisation of the society and polity in Bangladesh. Given the current political development, neutral opinion makers are not fully convinced about the intentions of the present mutiny within the armed forces. It appears to be the result of dissatisfaction among the Bangladesh Rifle’s soldiers against the regular army officers. The mutineers were initially assured to be forgiven by the Prime Minister but it had no effect. Finally negotiations by the government and alliance leaders ended the stand off.

However, the mutineers are still scared and only 41 have been arrested so far. Many have still not resumed duties. While the army is pressurizing the government to punish them, it is learnt that the mutineers were joined by some non-BDR elements. An informal report suggests that the mutineers had requested India’s BSF personnel to help in case of a crack down by the Army.   

The BDR personnel are mostly posted at the border areas (field postings), and do not get equal pay, perks, promotions and packages as the army soldiers. Further, the army by and large stays in barracks and officers the BDR. The latter’s demands and grievances do not reach the higher levels i.e. the policy makers. Worse, most of the important political assignments and contracts are captured by retired army officers, which further add to the growing dissatisfaction among the BDR personnel. Remember, the army ruled the country for over 15 years directly and the last two indirectly.

There are reports that some other forces are behind the mutineers. In the last Jatiya Sansad elections, the ‘forces of 1947’ were badly defeated. These forces represent the ‘Idea of Pakistan’ or the concept of Two Nation Theory which believes in the principle of Islamic Nationalism. It appears that these forces do not want the government to function nor re-instate the ethos and principles of the liberation war. Therefore, they instigated a section of BDR to revolt, which is equally divided and fractured as its society and polity.

During the rule of the last caretaker government, the Army appeared to have manipulated political activities behind the scenes and successfully managed to hold the parliamentary polls. The mandate, however, was not accepted by the opposition alliance, which alleged that the polls were managed to bring a particular political party to power. In addition, the BNP alliance has also demanded that a trial should be initiated against the then president Iyazudin Ahmad, chief adviser of CTG Fakrudin Ahmad and the Army Chief Gen. Moeen Ahmad for “unconstitutional acts” during the two-year caretaker rule.

Sadly, for the past 35 years, religion is being advanced for political purposes in Bangladesh and democracy has reached an impasse. The civil society is vertically divided between the two main political forces – led by the AL and the BNP.  The sheer polarization and militarization of politics along with the lack of political space for the opposition have all resulted in a violent undemocratic political environment in the country. Political rivalries have reached an extent where undemocratic forces have attacked the leaders of opposition. A political analyst has termed the politics of Bangladesh as leader-centric, mastan-centric, street-centric and political society centric.

All this makes the promotion of democracy, peace and strengthening of civil society a matter of concern for all. This shift from an ethnic–linguistic to a religious identity was made by the State, not in response to any popular movement by the people, but by military rulers in order to recruit political support from communal and anti-liberal democratic forces, many of who opposed the creation of Bangladesh.

The above analysis reflects two basic trends: First, though the Awami League re-emerged as a major influence in Bangladesh politics, it has to re-acquire its pre-eminent position in the interplay of political forces in the country. Second, Begum Khaleda Zia's BNP and President Ershad's Jatiya Party, entering Parliament in sufficient numbers indicates that these parties, despite being created by military leaders, have acquired both democratic credibility and political legitimacy. And, Islam has been considered necessary to consolidate Bangladesh's separate national identity. --INFA

 (Copyright, India News and Feature Alliance)