Another missed opportunity? Mozammel H. Khan

Another missed opportunity?

Mozammel H. Khan

Published on April 18, 2007

It is now clear that the government has negotiated with the BNP chairperson that she would leave the country with her second son and other family members at any time (if it has not happened already). At the same time government has issued a press note of strong warning to the AL chief Sheikh Hasina not to return to the country with a clear indication that she would be taken into custody upon her arrival to any entry point of the country. These rumours of sending out the two leaders were floating in the air since the declaration of emergency on January 11. There were conflicting and at times, very unambiguous statements from mostly two advisers of the current CTG about the fate of the two former prime ministers, both of whom were elected through free and fair elections. There are many queries that need to be addressed vis-ï¿½-vis the actions of the government in this regard.

Firstly, why a citizen of a civilized country, let alone the former elected PMs will be either forced out of the country or will be barred from coming back to the country? If Khaleda Zia has done anything unlawful during her tenure as PM, as is widely believed, she should be facing an open court where the law of the land will decide the validity of the allegations and if she is indicted, she should be serving her sentence in the countryï¿½s prison, just like any other citizen of the Republic. Since the proclamation of emergency, Khaleda Zia has never publicly uttered a single word neither against the emergency nor against the actions of the CTG.

The case of Sheikh Hasina, however, is totally different. For the last two years or so, she has spearheaded the political movement for reform of the Election Commission and the electoral process and tried to avail all political and peaceful means, from parliament to parleys, to compel the then ruling alliance to meet their demands, which the current reformed CEC has spelled out as its primary goal. Her conditional acceptance of the Professor Iazudddinï¿½s assumption of the Chief Adviser to CTG, in clear violation of the constitution, reflected her statesmanship and muted her critics when she was accused of intransigency. It is paradoxical that the governmentï¿½s press note indicted her of carrying out ï¿½non-stop street protestï¿½. It is only natural to ask how the birth of the current CTG would be possible without her alleged ï¿½irresponsible agitation and disorderly actsï¿½, a conventional political program in Bangladesh. Were there any other means available to Sheikh Hasina to derail the proposed January 22 farcical election? Did any one have any second thought about the identity of the would be PM of the country if the January 22 election would go through? The current CTG should be grateful to Sheikh Hasina and her allianceï¿½s actions and sacrifices which have given the opportunity for the CTG to carry out the reforms in tune with the wishes of the people. Before leaving for US, Sheikh Hasina has even pledged to give legal cover for the multi-prone reforms which are being implemented by the CTG if her party is voted to power. Her observation of terming the CTG ï¿½unconstitutional and undemocraticï¿½ warranted a legal and constitutional explanation from the government rather than entertaining allegation of extortion against her, that only provoked ridicules, and charges of murder in a political program, which was an absolute mockery of justice. In fact, it is extremely confusing to note the comment of the law adviser when he says, ï¿½this government is supported by the armed forcesï¿½, disregarding the fact the armed forces is an integral part of the government, not the other way around. Is it not trespassing to make the comments that ï¿½election will not be held until the top leadershipï¿½ of the political parties are changed?

Since its initiation on ï¿½one elevenï¿½, CTG headed by Dr. Fakhruddin Ahmed, a man impeccable record, the nation breathed a sigh of relief for saving the nation from impending catastrophe due to the intransigence of the BNP alliance. However, it would be a sheer lack of acumen to take their support for granted, since support of the people is never static. Democratic reforms do not entail any one to reinvent the wheel of democracy. The experiences of our people in that regard are not very sweet either. General Moeenï¿½s suggestion on April 2 ï¿½to construct our own brand of democracyï¿½ is alarming not only for its content, but also because of the chequered past of a few around the seminar, in their opposition to reform movement, they were more catholic than then Pope, notably among them was the presiding officer (my college mate) of the congregation, who as an active member of the infamous Ayub-Monemï¿½s students group NSF, was a vocal supporter of their own brand of democracy.

The proclamation of emergency had created a new era of opportunity for the nation to reform not only the electoral process but the political parties as well. However, this reform must come from within the party itself. It can never be imposed from outside. The anti-corruption drive initiated by the government has the broad mass support, albeit the process must be more transparent and the due process of the rule of law must be upheld. Moreover, anti-corruption drive is not a five or ten year crush program; it is an ongoing process.

The nation could not agree more with General Moeen when he talks about the national unity. In the last three successive elections, Sheikh Hasina and Khaled Zia garnered more than 80 percent support of our people, although Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia should never be considered two sides of the same coin. In the last five years of unprecedented misrule, the support for Khaleda Zia and her party might have dwindled but the same is not true for Sheikh Hasina. Moreover, bulk of Sheikh Hasinaï¿½s supports come from the section of our people with firm convictions about the values that her party nourishes and represents, in spite of many lapses; the virtues that led us to carry through the struggle with the culmination of the great war of liberation. It is beyond comprehension how the much-desired national unity could be achieved by forcibly driving them out of the country. If they are guilty of breaking any law, they must be tried in the court of law. Barring their presence in their homeland will least serve the cause of democracy, let alone the national unity. Are we on the verge of missing yet another opportunity?

Dr. Mozammel H. Khan is the Convenor of the Canadian Committee for Human Rights and Democracy in Bangladesh. He writes from Toronto, Canada.