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Paper no. 2214
18.04.2007
Bangladesh: Caretaker Government Targets Dynastic Politics
By Dr. Anand Kumar
Endless political hostility between the two main political alliances has been seen by many as the root cause of several ills plaguing Bangladesh. The caretaker government in this country, after targeting corruption, corrupt politicians and Islamist militants, now appears to be acting against the dynastic rulers of Bangladesh who have alternated in power. With this objective extortion and murder charges have been leveled against Shaikh Hasina. Khaleda Zia and her two sons are already in trouble with various corruption charges. The predicament of these political giants seems to be a matter of joy for the people of Bangladesh who have suffered at the hands of these politicians. At the same time, these actions are creating a political vacuum in the country. It is feared that this vacuum might be occupied by forces which may not be democratic.
Bangladeshis went into jubilation when the heir apparent of the BNP, Tariq Rahman was arrested. Rahman during the tenure of the BNP led alliance was seen as the most important ‘extra-constitutional’ power centre in Bangladesh without whose support no major decision was taken in the country. He was considered as the most corrupt person in the country. Tariq was widely expected to succeed Khaleda Zia in near future. People in Bangladesh were pleasantly surprised when law caught up with Tariq Rahman and he was put behind bars.
Immediate provocation for the arrest of Tariq Rahman on March 8 was an extortion case filed by a fellow BNP member who also happened to be a leading businessman. Tarique was charged with extortion of Taka one crore from a construction firm, Al-Amin Construction, a concern of Amin Mohammad Foundation. Earlier the army-led joint forces had recovered a good amount of relief materials including quilts and pipes from the prime minister's relief fund from the residence of Tarique Rahman. Governments relief material was also seized from the houses and business establishments of many former BNP and Jamaat lawmakers.
During interrogation Tarique Rahman admitted to having bank accounts in five countries--Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, South Africa and Switzerland. He also disclosed names of some top 'Hawa Bhaban men' who used to control major businesses and look after his bank accounts. Tariq also revealed about his investments in several foreign countries including South Africa and Malaysia.
Action against Tariq Rahman and many other politicians belonging to both the BNP and Awami League was appreciated by the people of Bangladesh. They thought that this will give a serious blow to corruption and might free the politics from it. The action against Islamist militants was similarly appreciated.
The country, however was surprised when a similar extortion charge was leveled on April 9, 2007 against the former prime minister Shaikh Hasina who is also the leader of Awami League led political alliance in Bangladesh. The case was filed with Tejgaon police station under the non-bailable sections of the penal code by Tajul Islam Farook, chairman of Westmont Power Company. In this case Tajul brought allegations against Hasina of extortion of 30 million taka (USD 434,000) and abuse of power in 1998, when she was the prime minister.
This charge was soon followed by a separate charge of murder. Hasina was charged for killing six persons in a political clash on October 28, 2006, the day when Prime Minister Khaleda Zia relinquished power in favour of a caretaker government. Fundamentalist Jamaat-e-Islami, the main partner of Zia's Bangladesh Nationalist Party-led four party alliance, had filed the case in which Awami League General Secretary Abdul Jalil was also accused of involvement in the incident.
Along with Hasina, 45 leaders and workers of her party and the other 14-party have been charged. They include Awami League General Secretary Abdul Jalil, former home minister Mohammad Nasim, General Secretary of Awami League Dhaka city unit Mofazzel Hossain Chowdhury Maya, Awami League Law Secretary Advocate Sahara Khatun, former lawmakers HBM Iqbal and Haji Selim, Jubo League President Jahangir Kabir Nanok, Chhattra League General Secretary Mofazzal Haider Chowdhury Roton, Workers Party President Rashed Khan Menon, and JSD President Hasanul Haque Inu. Jammat Chief Matiur Rahman Nizami has also been charged in the same case along with nine other leaders of his party.
The charges brought against Hasina and her colleagues are for unlawful assembly, inflicting injuries ranging from minor to grievous on people, murder, attempt to murder, and for aiding and abetting criminal activities.
Sheikh Hasina wanted to return to the country to face those charges but was persuaded to postpone it. According to Awami League General Secretary this decision was taken after a responsible person in the government assured her that the government will take necessary measures not to tarnish her honour and image.
In the corruption ridden politics of Bangladesh, charges of this kind are not surprising. What surprised most Bangladeshis was the timing of these charges. Few days before, Shaikh Hasina in a media interview had criticized the caretaker government for delaying elections in Bangladesh. She was especially critical of 18 month time-table which the EC had announced for updating the voter list. The chief election commissioner on April 5 said no elections would be held before at least 18 months, as that time is required to simultaneously prepare the voter list with photographs and national ID cards. These 18 months would end in October 2008.
Charges were leveled on Shaikh Hasina immediately after this interview. Both these charges are pretty weak. The charge of extortion is pretty old. This charge was not leveled during the five year period of Khaleda Zia regime which was known for its hostility towards Awami Legue. In fact, the BNP led four party alliance would have been more than happy to pursue these charges if they were brought during its tenure. The great delay in bringing this charge by the complainant raises questions about its veracity.
Even in the murder case, violence had taken place five months ago but the charge sheet was brought after she objected to delay in holding of elections. In the case filed by Jamaat, complainant ATM Sirajul Islam, amir of the Paltan unit of the Islamist party, mentioned that on directives from Awami League General Secretary Abdul Jalil, Workers Party President Rashed Khan Menon, and Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal President Hasanul Haque Inu the other accused killed five Jamaat activists and injured several others.
In the first information report (FIR) however the complainant had not named Hasina as an accused but the charge sheet had the Awami League chief as an accused. The charge sheet said that at the very end of BNP-Jamaat-led alliance government's rule, Hasina called her party activists to march to Dhaka with oars and sticks to take control of the streets of the capital. Following her call, her party activists gathered in the city sparking the violence of October 28.
A country like Bangladesh is not unfamiliar to this kind of political violence. Awami League alleges that 10,000 of its cadres have been killed during the regime of Khaleda Zia government. This tally included several top leaders of Awami League like Ivy Rahman and S.A.M.S Kibria. Hasina, herself was attacked in a political rally in Dhaka. The incident had left many people dead. Hardly any action has been taken against the perpetrators of this violence. The ploy of the interim government appears that even if Shaikh Hasina is freed from the charges later, for the time being it will keep her occupied with it. These charges were also leveled against Hasina to keep her outside the country. Reports have now also indicated that Hasina, who is now on a private visit to the USA, finally may not be allowed to return home.
Even the Law and Information Adviser Barrister Mainul Hosein finds the extortion case against Awami League President Sheikh Hasina 'peculiar.' He has said that the caretaker government would examine the case and take action only if the allegations are proved to be true. He added that due to this oddity, the national task force will examine the allegation.
The law adviser however observed that there were no prime ministers in Bangladesh in the past against whom charges of corruption were not made. Without naming anyone and referring indirectly to the chiefs of the two top political parties of the country, Mainul said that if they are convicted in corruption cases, they would be disqualified from running in the polls as per the electoral laws.
Along with these charges on Hasina, the caretaker government also tightened noose on Khaleda Zia. Her movement inside the country was completely restricted. She is virtually now under house arrest.
To increase pressure on Khaleda to leave the country her younger son Arafat Rahman has been detained. Reports have also indicated that Arafat Rahman was not shown arrested officially because a process was on to persuade Khaleda to leave the country. She was determined not to leave the country, but finally agreed when her family members including her younger brother Major (retd) Syeed Iskandar persuaded her to agree to leave.
Khaleda, however, bargained for Trique Rahman's release and asked the authorities concerned to allow him to go with her, but the authorities told her that he might be sent to Saudi Arabia very soon for 'treatment'.
Khaleda will now leave the country along with her younger son. Her elder son Trique Rahman will join them later on. She will leave Bangladesh for Saudi Arabia where her permanent residence will be finalized.
The BNP is also facing the worst ever crisis in its history as a chasm has been formed within the party dividing its leaders regarding Khaleda Zia's usefulness as the chief. A section of leaders now feel that the BNP would be better off without Khaleda, who lost popularity inside the party in the last five years. The rebel leaders feel that she would get little support from the party once she is made to leave the country. Some leaders also believe that their move against party chief Khaleda Zia and her family members will help them to avoid the axe of the interim government.
Meanwhile, Chief Adviser (CA) Fakhruddin Ahmed on April 12 said the ninth parliamentary elections would be held before the end of 2008 as the present caretaker government is committed to handing over power to an elected government. Before that however, the caretaker government would like to implement electoral reforms and create an atmosphere conducive to holding free, fair and acceptable elections. He said the ongoing electoral reforms would ensure intra-party democracy and the government would take strong steps to encourage honest and competent candidates to take part in elections.
The law adviser of the caretaker government has also observed that the politics of the country has turned into 'dynastic politics' as practice of democracy is absent within the political parties. He also advised the politicians to think about what has been going on in the name of politics, adding that it could not be allowed to continue. He said, "If we want to see an end to confrontational politics as well as corruption, killings, plundering, grabbing of lands and properties, then the present leadership of the parties will have to be changed." He added that it was national demand to exclude those who had contributed to the criminalisation of politics in the past.
Conclusion
The charging of forty six leading political figures, mostly from the 14-party alliance and some from the Jamaat-e-Islami, with murder has suddenly changed the political landscape in Bangladesh. There is also an extortion case against the Awami League chief. With this move the caretaker government in Bangladesh has lost support of both the political alliances for the ongoing political reforms in the country. Perhaps being aware of the ramifications, an influential adviser negotiated a temporary settlement with the Awami League and thus averted a further worsening of the political situation. The filing of a murder and extortion case against the Awami League chief soon after she voiced her criticism of the caretaker government in distant America gives the impression that the law is being used to neutralize high profile political leaders rather than serve the interests of justice. The political use of law has always been a cause of concern. It is possible that the present steps are taken by the caretaker government to free the country from both leading political leaders who have been engaged in endless political hostility. At the same time, it is equally possible that the military is deliberately trying to create a void so that it can conveniently step in as has been done by Mussarraf in Pakistan. Things however, might prove little different in Bangladesh. Both Khaleda and Hasina though discredited have strong following in the country. The gravity of charges against Khaleda and her son may keep her down for the time being. But it will be difficult to restrain Shaikh Hasina, who now appears to be itching to start another political movement. The people of Bangladesh who are temporarily happy with the caretaker government may not like to give up their democratic rights which they have won with great difficulty first in 1971 and then in 1990. This process may also give a chance to the tainted political leaders look lot better.
(The author can be reached at anandkrai@yahoo.com)
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