Failure to control mobs will affect election: TIB

If the government fails to control mob violence, it will have an impact on the 12 February election, said Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) executive director Iftekharuzzaman.

He made the remark at an event at the TIB office in Dhanmondi, Dhaka on Monday afternoon while responding to journalists’ questions after presenting a research report titled “One and a Half Years After the Fall of Authoritarianism: Expectations and Achievements.”

Speaking at the event, Iftekharuzzaman said that if mob terrorism is not properly controlled, it will inevitably affect the election as well, just like everything else. The government also bears responsibility in this regard. From the beginning, the government failed to show adequate initiative to prevent mob violence.

Speaking about the origin of mobs, the TIB executive director stated that mob violence in Bangladesh began from within the government. The first instance of mob violence occurred at the Secretariat, the country’s administrative centre. The forces outside the government that are now engaging in mob violence became empowered after the creation of mobs at the Secretariat. As a result, the moral foundation of the government has also weakened.

Iftekharuzzaman expressed hope that there would be no further killings centering the election. He said that there should be no more election-related violence. However, the risk of violence is not limited only to the 12 February election; it may also persist for several days afterward. The government is well aware of this risk and has full authority and capacity to take action.

However, the TIB executive director expressed concern due to Bangladesh’s past electoral history. He said that lessons must be learned from previous elections to prevent violence this time.

Iftekharuzzaman also expressed concern regarding the post-July accountability process. He said that journalists have been detained after being indiscriminately implicated in cases on allegations of involvement in killings during the July movement. How much of this action taken against them on allegations of abusing their professional position constitutes justice, and how much constitutes revenge—this question remains. As a result, questions also remain as to how possible and acceptable it will be to identify the real perpetrators and collaborators of authoritarianism and bring them under accountability.

To ensure genuine accountability, Iftekharuzzaman said that it is necessary to identify the real individuals responsible for crimes such as killings, human rights violations, corruption, money laundering, and tax evasion, and to ensure fair and credible trials.

Replying to a query from journalists, Iftekharuzzaman said that politicians and the bureaucracy have learned nothing from the July movement. They want to preserve their own interests. For this reason, they objected to every mechanism that was presented by the consensus commission for a system of governance accountable to the people.

He said that if the fundamental concept of a note of dissent is accepted, then despite objections, whatever issues have reached consensus or decisions will be implemented.

He added that prioritising the opinion of the majority is a globally practiced norm. However, whether this will be followed in the case of Bangladesh remains to be seen. If the verdict of the referendum goes in favour of ‘Yes,’ then the implementation of reforms will depend on the goodwill of those who come to power.

The TIB executive director criticised the government’s Broadcasting Commission Ordinance and Media Commission Ordinances.

Replying to a query, he said that the media has been particularly neglected by the government and new risks have been created for the media. In this case, both internal and external forces within and outside the government have been at work. The government itself has excessively empowered external forces.

Iftekharuzzaman also questioned whether the interim government truly holds the intention that the media should work independently, professionally, and safely.

He said that the two media commissions are nothing more than token gestures.

He further said that during the tenure of the interim government, some positive steps have been taken, such as the formation of a judicial appointments committee and an independent judicial secretariat. However, how effective the secretariat will be is a question that the next government will have to answer. Besides this, politicization within the judiciary remains a major challenge.

To make democratic reforms successful, Iftekharuzzaman emphasised the need for strong commitments from political parties to depoliticise state institutions and professional organisations.