In recent days, there are many happenings in Bangladesh which have important impacts on the political development and the process of re-establishing democracy in the country. Foremost in the list are the rising rate of inflation, hike in fuel price, financial policies and increasing food price. Those certainly push towards a speedy democratic process aiming for the welfare of the people.
Price hike of essential commodities especially the food grains and kitchen supplies have reached at a level which are merely intolerable for limited income groups and the poor. Government have taken several measures to tackle the situation including Open Market Sale (OMS) of rice through several authorities, Food for Works programmes in rural areas and some other special projects. But the high price of rice and other food staff yet to be under control. Rather the queues in front of OMS centres are growing longer every day. Middle class along with low income groups are gathering increasingly to collect rice from OMS centres. Economists and Development experts are saying that it is a sign of bad economy, weak food security system and a little bit lack of confidence on the governments endeavour to encounter the crisis.
The government presently governing Bangladesh is an extra democratic, extra constitutional and special type interim government consist of a chief advisor and 10 other advisors. As of the constitution of Bangladesh a caretaker of interim government could be constituted to over-see the day-to-day activities of the administration and hold a parliamentary election for 90 days. But present government was formed in a different political situation on January 2007, that is popularly known as One/Eleven incident.
This very government is supported by the military of Bangladesh. Immediately after taking oath, government took massive anticorruption drive; reconstitute constitutional bodies including Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) and Election Commission (EC). It was declared from the government that to establish a better democracy and social justice in Bangladesh it needs a reasonable period of time and the EC declared a roadmap to a national election tentatively on December 2008.
On the basis of the road map EC started their voter list and national ID project. Army is the major supporting wing of EC in this project. To meet up the road map, EC hold dialogue with political parties twice in a year. Few days ago, the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) said that there are some obstacles in the path of EC and the EC may not be able to fulfill the roadmap declared earlier. This is another important happening of recent time which might have significant impact on the process of democracy.
Meanwhile, Chief Advisor of the interim government told in a conference of Deputy Commissioners (DC) (the highest administrative officers in District level and most effective executives of public administration) that district administration should take preparation for elections in due course. The statement of the Chief Advisor and the CEC may be apparently contradictory but inspired the people and push them to dream that Bangladesh is going to have an elected political government soon with social justice.
Though EC set together with the politicians, EC is not the final authority to solve the crisis running over the country. In view of a better solution of problems government is also preparing for a dialogue with the political parties, that may held on this month. On the contrary, political parties have started a limited level of political movement demanding the unconditional release of two pivotal leaders- Sheik Hasina and Begume Khaleda Zia. Though Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has broken in to two parts, women wings of broken BNP have already been demonstrated a human chain program demanding the release of political leaders in front of the special sub-jail, where sheik Hasina and Khaleda Zia are detained.
Bangladesh Awami League (AL) is also moving for the unconditional release of Sheik Hasina. They are also demanding to allow Sheik Hasina go abroad for treatment. The demand is very legitimate and humane as AL president is suffering for the ailment of ear, eye, heart and blood pressure which was stated by the physicians. Jubo Leage, the Youth front of AL had observed a day long symbolic hunger strike and the party AL have started a signature campaign in favour of their demand. These types of political movements are the signals that politicians are getting more power to press on government when the dialogue will be held. Truly, this discussion between the government and the political parties could be a dialogue for democracy.
There is another significant indication of political movement that Dhaka University Compass is growing warm in terms of student activism.
It should be mentioned here that there is a long tradition of student movement in Bangladesh. The language movement of 1952, education movement of 1962, movement for self rule in 1966 and mass upsurge in 1969 are some land mark student movements of Bangladesh. The contribution of student community in the liberation movement and war of independence is very high and it is recognised in the society with honour, love and affection. In 1990s student was the pioneer of the movement for democracy against the military regime. And obviously the Dhaka University was the leader. In recent past there was unrest in Dhaka University Campus, which was spreading out almost all campus over the country. Any way the authority managed to control the uproar.
In recent days, student wings of political parties are moving in the campus in a very mild form as state of emergency is going on. May be it is a move supported by the political parties or it may be a pure student activism. What ever the move is, it is also an extra pressure on the government as they are scheduling for a dialogue in this month.
Meanwhile the Chief of Army staff got a one year extension of his service. As the military is in a supporting role for the interim government, it is one of the significant happenings for Bangladesh. It indicates that government and civil-military policy makers have a very good intention and endeavour to make Bangladesh a Democracy in time as declared in the road map in a stable manner.
In this situation, it is the joint responsibility of the government, the civil-military policy makers and the politicians to make Bangladesh a Democracy. Time is knocking at the door!
E-Mail author: The author of this article, Kazi Mohoshin Al Abbas, is a Bangladesh based senior journalist writes on issues related to socio-political developments in Bangladesh.
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