by Anisur Rahman 13 March 2021
Though not very distinct, a glimmer of hope for improvement of the political situation in Bangladesh is being contemplated by a section of political observers of our country after Joe Biden came to power in the USA. The basis of this hope is Biden´s pledge and emphasis to upheld and establish democracy and human rights everywhere. Before examining it properly, it should be noted that the blind supporters of the present regime in Dhaka will not at all like the headline of this article. In their conscious self, they are very much aware that in the name of so-called democracy, a totalitarian government, fascist in nature, has been ruling the country illegally for more than two decades. A fair and free election is a pre-requisite for democracy. But no such election was held since 2008. The election of 2014 was non-participatory and non-inclusive. The main opposition party, the BNP, did not participate in the election. They boycotted it on genuine grounds when there was no free election guarantee without government (party-in-power) interference. In Bangladeshi contexts, there is every possibility of rigging the incumbent regime’s election without the Caretaker Government System. They repealed the system with the ulterior motive of staying in power using the judiciary controlled by them. Still, the election could be accepted as participatory had a satisfactory percentage of voters had cast their votes. Whatever the Election Commission showed, in reality, voter turnout was not even 20%. TV telecasts and newspaper reports depicted pictures of empty voting centers all over the country very clearly. The 2018 election was more farcical. This time the main opposition block led by BNP decided to take part in the election. And the government party became so afraid that in many centers, most of the votes were cast by their supporters during the previous night with the administration’s help. The genuine voters got no scope to cast their votes. Even on election day, most of the voting centers were occupied by the incumbent party’s goons, many of the polling agents of the opposition candidates were driven out of the centers, and ballot papers were stamped and put into the ballot-boxes by the government supporters. The helpless genuine voters had to weep and expressed their anger in vain. The election officials and the members of the law-enforcing agencies either collaborated or remained silent. These facts are known to the outside world too through their embassies and international media.
The reasons this regime could hitherto hang on to power are two. The one is internal, and the other is external. Internally it has established fascism. Gestapo-like agencies and party-goons control almost everything. No dissent is allowed. Democracy is limited only to selective talk-shows and controlled media. The regime knows that talk-shows have no broad audience and hence no impact on ordinary people. Even social media are on constant watch of the intelligence services. Clampdown and repression of the opposition are going on for more than a decade. Externally it got a blank-check-like license from Delhi for reasons known to all. Hasina fulfilled India´s all sorts of unjust demands, and in exchange, India ensured Hasina´s power in Dhaka. As part of the game, New Delhi manages Washington, the main power center of the world. During the tenure of Trump, Washington-New Delhi relations were consolidated further. In Narendra Modi, US President Donald Trump found an ever-willing partner in his crusade against China. So Hasina’s regime became tension-free, leaving the matter to Modi. Wrinkles on the regime’s forehead surfaced when Trump was forced to exit, and Biden came to power. Biden – Modi equation might not be the same, and in that case, Dhaka has some reasons to be worried about. Besides, the new US administration has pledged for and emphasized democracy and human rights. The nervousness of the BD regime could be felt when Sajib Wazed Joy, son of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, said that Washington had no moral right to say anything on democracy in Bangladesh when the democratic process had been questioned during the last presidential election in the USA. However, nobody in the USA will bother about Joy´s statement, which will go almost unnoticed. Joy did not notice that the democratic spirit and principles had been upheld in the USA amidst Trump´s and his evil followers´ determined and calculated hindrances. The most powerful man on the planet could not deviate a single polling official even of his own party or influence a single judge nominated to change the election results. The BD regime’s nervousness will continue till Biden´s foreign policy for the region takes the final shape.
But the installation of Biden at the helm of power does not necessarily mean the end of fascism in Bangladesh. Definitely, there will be some changes and adjustments, but the extent of these adjustments depends on many factors. In the past, the US ambassadors´ mediation-efforts went in vain as BAL did not feel obliged to heed their good-offices. Even the UN and the Commonwealth mediations did not bring any fruits. Because the AL had solid support in New Delhi, which over-weighted other factors because of the region’s geopolitical calculations. If Biden administration remains actively committed to establishing real democracy and human rights, the BNP-led opposition can expect at least a little breathing space. But to expect more than that depends on Washington, Beijing, and New Delhi’s triangular relationship. The US’s Indo-Pacific strategy is a part of Washington’s greater global strategy to face and check China both militarily and economically. If the relationship between Beijing and Washington remains within the competition’s bounds, the region has nothing to worry about. The Trump administration opted for a confrontation if China could not be contained by fair competition. If not publicly expressed, the Modi government indicated their willingness to cooperate with them to contain China. Many observers believe that Biden may change the tactics or strategy, but it is less likely that their policy will be changed substantially. In that case, Bangladesh cannot expect a qualitative change. Everything depends on the sincerity and genuineness of Biden´s commitments to the principles of democracy and human rights. There are reasons for hesitations. In the past, it has been seen that they had put pressure on countries like Bangladesh with poor human rights records and tarnished democracy. But instead of establishing democracy or human rights, they used these pressures to materialize their own political and economic agenda.
The best way to re-establish democracy, human rights, and good governance is to launch peoples´ movement. In the past, mass movements dethroned autocrats and despotic rulers in our country. People sacrificed their lives for the cause of democracy and good governance. The present situation in Bangladesh in this regard is worse than ever before except for the BAKSALIITE period. But unfortunately, no intensive and extensive movement could be organized. One cannot deny the horrifying effect of the reign of terror that has been unleashed upon the people by the fascist regime with the help of party goons and members of the “Gestapo” forces. On the other hand, the youth force has been calculatedly misguided and deviated from the right path. Many of them surrendered to greed and undue-unethical privileges offered by the regime. They preferred privileges to principles. Without necessary sacrifices, democracy cannot be re-established. The whole nation must realize it and act accordingly. Some 200 years ago, the French visionary Joseph de Maistre rightly pointed out, “Every nation/state gets the government it deserves.”
- Anisur Rahman is a senior Bangladeshi journalist now living in Sweden.