The political arena is heated in the lead-up to the 7 January election. On one hand Awami League, Jatiya Party and several other parties are busy campaigning. One the other, BNP and like-minded parties have called for a non-cooperation movement against the government and the election. In the meantime there have been incidents of sabotage. Former professor of the department of development studies at Dhaka University, economist Dr Mahbubullah, talks to Prothom Alo’s Sohrab Hassan and Sheikh Sabiha Alam about the overall political situation in the country.
In less than two weeks, the national parliamentary election is to be held in Bangladesh. Where is the country headed?
Actually we are headed towards an unknown destination. We are travellers on an unknown path. We know nothing of where we are going. The country and the people are in acute uncertainty.
BNP is not in the election fray. Many are of the opinion that once the election is over, everything thing will be fine.
The election is being held, but it is uncertain as to how the election will be. The opposition is not in the election fray, but still there are clashes and violence. There is uncertainty over the voter turnout too. Some say there will be a 5 per cent voter turnout, some say 10. Some say not more than 20 per cent of the voters will turn up to vote. The government is making all sorts of efforts to increase the voter turnout. They are calling upon all the ruling party people or those sympathetic towards them, to go to the polling centres. Voters go to the polling centres to make their candidate win. But psychologically speaking, a large section of the voters are not with the election. This election is one of the Seven Wonders of the World, one of a kind.
There can be conflict among the people, there can be differences of opinion. But even in these contradictions, there is unity. Jawaharlal Nehru called this ‘unity in diversity’. But the situation towards which we are headed is what I would call painful
Is there precedence of such an election anywhere else in the world?
There is, in our country itself. What happened in 2014 and 2018? People do not go to the polling centres unless they have an urge to go. That urge is not there. The foundation of a state is the unity of the people. There can be conflict among the people, there can be differences of opinion. But even in these contradictions, there is unity. Jawaharlal Nehru called this ‘unity in diversity’. But the situation towards which we are headed is what I would call painful. The law is being broken at every step. If the father can’t be found, the police pick up the son, if one brother can’t be found, they pick up the other. Such incidents have forever drawn divisions within the society. This has been extremely damaging for the country. Friends and family had always been so precious to Bengalis, but that has been lost too. The political parties have large organisations abroad and the Bengalis no longer have that unity as before.
BNP has added a new element to their political programmes – non-cooperation. What do you think about this?
This non-cooperation movement will naturally not have the same impact as the non-cooperation movement of 1971. It would not be like the non-cooperation during the British rule either, where foreign goods were boycotted. This will be a programme to keep away from the election. They may even continue in their efforts with whatever political structure or organisational shape they have at the moment. Perhaps they want to tell their activists and supporters, be patient. Many of the party people are in jail. Agriculture minister Abdur Razzak, during an interview with a TV channel, let slip why they are in jail. He said, if BNP people were free, vehicles would come to a halt. He even said that they would all be freed in a matter of one night. The party general secretary, however, spoke differently. This could be a strategy of Awami League, of course.
Has Awami League managed to advanced politically in this manner?
They will say we didn’t hide the situation. Actually there has been a lot of criticism at home and abroad regarding these arrests. No one has taken this easily. They may even try to justify these arrests in this manner.
Vehicles are being set on fire, railway tracks are being ripped up during the BNP hartal and blockades. People have even died when a train was set on fire.
There are no words than can condemn these incidents enough. There were all sorts of things said about the arson that took place in 2013, some even pointing their fingers at the government. In some places the ruling party people were caught this time too. It was an Awami League leader who complained against the member of parliament Pankaj Nath in his area. Actually, politics is used in so many ways by the different people! I feel extremely bad. I saw the train bogeys burning. People died. It is painful. These are my country’s assets. But who is lighting the fire? Secret attacks, killings, none of these are anything good.
There is failure in our bureaucracy, our judiciary, police, education, everywhere. This is not warranted. Many unwarranted incidents are taking place. This is harmful for the state, the country. It will be possible to make up for this later. The rift in the unity is most disturbing. We have suffered so much hardship for this country. I have even hidden in the homes of the extreme poor. It is painful to think of how they suffer.
Will this unrest in public life end after the election?
It is not at all likely to end. If the same thing occurs again and again, that is not going to be sustainable. I will call upon the youth, do not despair. Many countries have been through upheavals. There was the civil war in America, even now they have the black and white conflict. The UK, the Indian subcontinent, China – everyone has had to go through hard times. But at one point of time there is a realization. This realisaton is vital. One day the realization will come that the path down which we are traversing is not the correct path. Poet Golam Mostofa translated Surah Fatiha where it calls for guidance to be taken down the path of the good and the righteous. We took seek the correct path, the path of the righteous.
Thank you.
Thank you too.