What has led to the current turmoil?
The current Awami League led-alliance government is in the final year of its term which ends on December 29 2013, with elections to take place within 90 days. The political medium in Bangladesh like much of the subcontinent is dominated by rich families who have been involved in dynastic politics from the early days of independence from the British Raj. These families in collusion with the major powers dominate the political life of the region. In Bangladesh the political landscape is dominated by the families of Zia Rahman and Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
The current Awami league government lacks credibility after a term that has been littered with corruption, sheer incompetence and scandal. What spelled likely defeat for the Awami league was the loss of its main coalition partner the Jatiya Party whose leader, HM Ershad, stated in early 2013: “I don’t belong to the Awami League. We don’t have any ideological similarity. The Awami League tried to divide our party and snatch our election symbol…”
In order to overcome this, the Awami league has taken action to malign the opposition and gain popularity through bringing to justice, through a criminal tribunal, those individuals who committed massacres during the 1971 war of independence. The international Criminal Tribunal (ICT) staffed with individuals appointed by the Awami League conducted a vicious campaign against many in the opposition through a fabricated process where many were guilty before any case was heard.
The whole country has effectively become divided by the secularist’s leftists on one side and the Islamic groups and ulema on the other side. Pitched battles on the streets between the Islamic activists and Awami League thugs and police continue.
What has been the role of the Shahbagh movement?
The Awami League government created an anti-Islamic atmosphere in the country. It whipped up nationalist sentiments to bolster its position and to weaken BNP and Jaamat-e-Islami. In this atmosphere Bloggers, part of the shahbagh movement, under the protection of the government began attacking Islam, mocking Allah سبحانه وتعالى and his rasul صلى الله عليه وسلم. They ridiculed the Islamic beliefs and culture. The shahbagh movement is led by hardcore secularists, atheists, and leftist. They hate Islam and these people have been given a platform by the Awami League. The Wall Street Journal said about the movement: “Shahbag is a secular nationalist movement at a time other Muslim democracies are seeing radical Islam assert itself.”
What has been the role of the opposition?
The opposition has been the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and Jamaat-e-Islami. The BNP has in reality been the opposite side of the same coin in Bangladesh. Whilst the rule has constantly moved between the two parties for most of the nation’s history, the BNP has in reality also failed in dealing with any of the nation’s problems. Both Awami-BNP politics has been about spouting out cheap slogans of nationalism and patriotism to divert the people from the real issues facing the country. Unfortunately what we have seen in recently is the latest chapter. Whilst Jamaat-e-Islami is composed of many sincere individuals, there political calculations have been rooted in pragmatism and for this reason they have backed the BNP for nearly a decade which propped up their position.
When the BNP runs the country, the Awami League never goes to parliament and when the Awami League runs the country the BNP never goes to parliament. When not in parliament the opposition party takes to the streets to cause agitation and fitnah by calling for strikes disrupting the life of the ordinary people. This has been the mainstay of BMP-Awami politics.
Will the current crisis have an impact on the upcoming elections?
In all likelihood the current turmoil will impact the election result. The Awami league has been able to divert the attention of the country from their own incompetence in all of the country’s problems through utilising nationalistic slogans and emotions. The kangaroo court war crime trials will continue and will only cause further tensions.
Is there any international aspect to the crisis?
Bangladesh like much of the Muslim world has been victim to western colonisation and then subjugated by those who remained loyal to the West. At the same time India has interfered in Bangladesh’s politics and been a constant thorn in the face of those calling for Islam. Whilst the Awami league has always been loyal to India on the one hand Khaleeda Zia has for long been loyal to the US. Her garb of anti-Indianism, disguised as “love of the country” was to service the US at the time. America’s strategy in the region rests on India acting as a bulwark against China. Both Muslim countries around India (Bangladesh and Pakistan) are to be subjugated to achieve these ends.
What is the future of the country?
The secular merry-go round has only institutionalised the interests of the BNP and Awami league. The nation’s problems from poverty to development have not remotely been tackled as individuals that make up these parties struggle amongst themselves to loot the nation. More of the same will only make matters worse in the country. What is needed is a break from the corrupt Awami-BNP politics to an alternative that places the people rather than some corrupt individuals at its centre. Bangladesh has a population of 142 million, with 90% of the population Muslims – this would be the place for new Bangladesh to start.
Allah سبحانه وتعالى says:
وَمَنْ أَعْرَضَ عَنْ ذِكْرِي فَإِنَّ لَهُ مَعِيشَةً ضَنْكًا وَنَحْشُرُهُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ أَعْمَىٰ
“As for the one who disregards My message, he will have a miserable life, and we resurrect him, on the Day of resurrection, blind.”
(Ta Ha, 20:124)