Bangladesh Politics Turns Very Ugly

Political turmoil is nothing new for Bangladesh. Yet, after the most recent turmoil of 2007, hopes were raised that things will change with democracy taking hold and improving over time. Now all bets are off against another political turmoil soon, especially after the recent abduction of opposition leader, Ilias Ali.

Bangladesh may be recognized to be a democratic country, but in reality its elections only lead to autocratic rule. Through periodic elections, the country's governing power rotates between the two dominant parties – Awami League (AL) and Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). None of them practice democracy in their deliberations. Ironically, both parties are headed by two politically inept ladies, Sheik Hasina and Khaleda Zia, who have inherited their respective party leaderships and have now become the supreme leaders in their parties. When in power, both ladies resort to malicious acts. Last time, it was BNP's actions that led to turmoil, and this time it is AL's turn to reciprocate.

It wouldn't be enough to say that both parties are corrupt to the bone and abuse power in the most atrocious ways; they constantly race each other in their notoriety. If BNP's massive looting of state treasure and misuse of power during its last rule was deplorable, current AL's prowling might be perceived to be even worse.

Perhaps the most remarkable example would be the capture of AL's celebrated Railway Minister Suranjit Sengupta's personal secretary with huge cache of bribe money. Also, the administration has turned the country's stock exchange into its piggy bank to siphon off and launder millions of dollars of public money. They would manipulate stock prices to go up to entice people to invest, or sell questionable IPOs, then sell them at an inflated price and run away with the money. Many innocent victims are known to have lost everything in such scandals. Public outrage and media pressure forced the government to order an investigation, but the Finance Minister refuses to publish the report of the investigation or to name the culprits, let alone take any action on the report. According to leaked information, many bigwigs were implicated in the scandal.

At a time when many of the country's banks are in a serious liquidity crisis, the government sanctions more private banks to its political cronies. Inevitably, the so called “black money” will now go into financing these banks. Then came the postponement and, later, cancellation of the World Bank's financing for the country's famous “Padma Bridge” due to a serious corruption allegation.

AL has pursued a vindictive policy aimed at dismantling everything symbolically dear to the BNP opposition. This includes the stripping of the late BNP President's name from the national airport and other places of importance. AL manipulated its parliamentary majority to unilaterally cancel the existing system under which, to ensure fair elections, general elections were held under caretaker governments. AL's crack down on the opposition members wasn't limited to mere intimidation and arrests, but also included abductions and murders. At least 22 political activists have disappeared just this year alone, according to Human Rights Watch. Even newsmen have not escaped such assaults – a media couple, Sagar and Runi, was brutally murdered in their own home, and no one has been brought to justice.

More significantly, the unresolved mystery surrounding the massacre of 60 army officers of Bangladesh Rifles (later renamed Border Guard Bangladesh) that took place in 2009 continues to haunt the country.

Having gained power, a number of party stalwarts were removed from the AL government decision making because of their attempt to introduce democracy within the party. Last year, the government forced Muhammad Yunus, a Nobel Laureate, out of Grameen Bank, which he had founded to provide small loans to the poor, for political reasons.

Ilias Ali, the abducted leader of BNP, has now become a rallying cry for the opposition. Weeks of violent “hartals”, strikes and protests that followed the abduction have already exacted a heavy toll on the country – at least five people have been killed, not to mention the countless incidents of property damage. The government's crackdown with massive arrests of opposition leaders forced them to take refuge in hiding. They may be down but not broken. The prevailing tense situation in the country is disrupting both business and daily life, and is also having a negative impact on vital investments by scaring away foreigners.

No one should have any illusion that the country's power struggle will end soon. The two parties' leaderships composed of autocratic dynastic families are bent on destroying each other. And they are getting plenty of help from inside and outside of the country for their very causes. As long as such support remains strong, the feud will continue and throw the entire country into utter chaos and confusion. So, it looks like deja vu all over again!

How might the present crisis end? If the past is any guide, with the deterioration of the country's situation, the military will find a pretext to take-over power. Even if for some reasons that doesn't materialize, the situation in the country will not improve unless democratic values take hold within the party and government. Obviously, the present family dynastic rule is not congenial to such changes. So, the struggle moves on, and with the continual spreading of intense violence everywhere the country's trouble gets deeper by the day.

(The author currently teaches Economics at Farmingdale State College, New York)