Rome, Aug 23 (IPS) – A pupil motion in Bangladesh demanding reform of the quota system in public jobs was the straw that broke the camel’s again. The Awami League authorities led by Sheikh Hasina, which had been in energy since 2008, collapsed on August 5, 2024. The dictatorship collapsed.
She developed a cult of persona round her father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who led the nation to independence in 1971 and was brutally murdered on August 15, 1975. This cult of persona was so evil that the liberation of the nation was attributed to Sheikh Mujib alone and all different staunch supporters of the liberation warfare and her occasion have been ignored. All main occasions within the nation are attributed to his knowledge and imaginative and prescient, and are sometimes named after him. Each establishment, together with colleges throughout the nation and embassies world wide, is obliged to host a “Mujib Nook” to show his images and books solely about him.
Nevertheless, no political occasion, together with the principle opposition Bangladesh Nationwide Social gathering (BNP), has succeeded in mobilizing an rebellion towards Hasina’s regime. That is partly on account of her means to see the Arab League and her authorities as the one guarantors of independence, sovereignty and secularism. Others are portrayed as supporters of anti-liberal forces, communal and accused of getting motives to show the nation right into a hotbed of Islamic extremism. BNP Paribas has additionally been accused of crime and corruption throughout its time in energy. The founding father of the BNP has been linked to the brutal murders of Sheikh Mujib and his household, and the present BNP chief is accused of masterminding the killing of Sheikh Hasina at an AL rally on August 21, 2004 ( Sheikh Hasina’s grenade assault.
Why are pupil actions profitable?
Like most historic occasions, there have been a number of components, however the final components have been (i) the scholars’ willingness to die, and (ii) the army’s show of patriotism and knowledge by refusing to kill. College students come from all walks of life, transcending occasion traces and financial backgrounds. Due to this fact, makes an attempt to view them as anti-liberation haven’t been profitable. The army refuses to kill to guard despotic rulers. Bangladeshis have at all times overthrown authoritarian rulers.
Why college students are ready to die whereas the army refuses to kill is a crucial difficulty to research, however the important thing query now could be: What’s subsequent and the place can we go from right here?
What’s subsequent for Bangladesh?
College students expressed assist for the formation of an interim authorities of prime intellectuals, lecturers, elite liberal professionals and civil society actors beneath the management of Grameen Financial institution founder and Nobel laureate Dr. Yunus. These folks have been beforehand suppressed and harassed throughout Hasina’s 15-year rule.
Nevertheless, many stay skeptical. Many worry a breakdown in legislation and order and communal unrest within the quick time period, which may result in the emergence of one other dictatorship. Neighboring India, which helps Hasina’s authorities, can be involved in regards to the rights of Bangladeshi minorities, though they’ve paid little consideration to India’s minorities of late.
Political and geopolitical analysts are busy analyzing the geopolitical implications and the function of key figures in mobilizing college students to oust Hasina. This raises questions on who orchestrated the regime change.
Happily for Bengal and Bengalis, issues can solely get higher. All short-term fears haven’t materialized. Aside from some localized incidents, there was no main breakdown of legislation and order and no oppression of minorities. In the long term, issues will solely get higher: it’s extremely unlikely that one other chief will emerge who can justify the “ethical proper to rule”, disdain political discourse and challenge a cult of persona – the essential parts of authoritarian regimes.
Hasina embodies a number of components which might be intrinsically linked to her identification. Others with related backgrounds are unlikely to point out up once more. She begins as a defender of democracy, making an attempt to overthrow army rule after her father’s homicide, after which turns into a defender of justice, searching for justice for her father’s homicide. Nevertheless, over time, she was a tyrant and a vengeful chief. Even when AL manages to regroup and are available to energy, it should undertake a pluralistic method and never simply establish with Sheikh Mujib. All of the spine of the occasion have to be acknowledged, as a result of solely by recognizing the forgotten mass figures within the occasion can the occasion reappear.
This can be vital in relation to the bigger geopolitical video games of the good powers, but it surely doesn’t take away from the truth that most individuals assist change and are pleased about it. Maybe much like its independence in 1971, India helped Bangladesh change into impartial for its personal geopolitical strategic targets, but it surely didn’t cut back the flavour of independence. If the aspirations of Bangladeshis coincide with the targets of others, so be it. It is a win-win for each events.
Finally, Bangladesh can have sturdy basic necessities for the safety of democratic establishments akin to a well-functioning parliamentary system with an impartial judiciary, efficient opposition events, a vibrant media and civil society organizations. Will probably be a nation that acknowledges the collective conscience of main residents and intellectuals and builds good governance and social justice. The economic system may even see some volatility on account of issues within the monetary sector and export markets, however a robust agricultural sector, a vibrant home actual property market and remittances will preserve it afloat.
The writer is a former United Nations official and served as Director of the Asia-Pacific Coverage Help Division of the Meals and Agriculture Group of the United Nations (FAO).
© Inter Press Service (2024) — All rights reservedAuthentic supply: Inter Press Service
