Will there be a change in government in Bangladesh?

 

From Mohammad Tariqur Rahman

A peaceful demand by students for the reformation of the 30% quota reserved for the descendants of freedom fighters in civil service commission jobs has turned into a deadly protest in Bangladesh.

More than 100 civilian casualties, many of them students, have been reported amidst the network blockade – that leaves the room for the actual number largely presumptive.

Looking at the logical nature of the initial demand of the students, anyone would question the necessity of such a deadly crackdown.

Due to the government’s crackdown, the student body under the umbrella of the 

Anti-Discrimination Students’ Movement

 has also demanded for several individuals, including the law minister, to be held accountable for the killings.

Masses of people have joined the student movement, calling for the resignation of prime minister Sheikh Hasina and a reformation of the government.

The deadly protests have gone beyond the control of law enforcement agencies and the government has imposed a curfew – a typical strategy by a fascist government to control people’s movement.

Obaidul Quader, Bangladesh’s road transport and bridges minister since 2011 who is also secretary-general of the ruling party Awami League (AL), allegedly asked the army to shoot on sight during the curfew.

The current movement turned into a deadly protest soon after Hasina brought up the issue of 

rajakar

, a paramilitary force that collaborated with the Pakistani army during the independence war in 1971, in response to an unnecessary and manipulative question from a journalist at a press conference.

This was further fuelled by a public announcement from Quader to motivate the student wing of AL, the Chatra League, to fight back against the student movement.

Facing massive resistance from the students, Chatra League’s leaders and activists have fled from university campuses all over the country.

Looking at the public participation from every corner of the country, it is clear that the leaders of AL have lost their moral authority and credibility to rule the country.

However, AL leaders might not take this as a sign for them to resign from the government. They might still argue that the country should not be ruled by the rajakars or their allies.

Although leaders and intellectuals affiliated with AL claimed that students made the prime minister’s remark controversial, fuelled by anti-liberation war forces like Jamaat-e-Islami and their allies, including the largest opposition party Bangladesh Nationalist Party, Hasina did not actually mean to refer to the students as rajakars.

The AL has consistently played a trick to divide the nation based on their pro and anti-independence narratives. Anyone who goes against their views and opinions have been labelled a rajakar or an ally.

After Hasina’s remark, a slogan became popular among students during their demonstrations: 

Who are you, who am I? Rajakar, Rajakar. Says who, says who? The government, the government!

For argument’s sake, even if Hasina’s remarks were manipulated or used for the opposition’s political gain, it is not entirely unreasonable for the students to become angry with her remarks.

Needless to say, the popular slogan made it clear that AL’s narrative did not work as they had expected. At the same time, their efforts to highlight the spirit of independence were also not proven futile.

In fact, the spirit of freedom and demand for civil rights have become so powerful among the current generation that they have gained the courage to take a bullet to the chest and face death with a smile.

Will that bring an end to the AL’s regime, which has remained the ruling party for more than 15 years through elections marred by various forms of vote rigging and manipulation?

Whether or not the nation will see the end of the AL regime, it is clear that the country needs comprehensive reform to address the unprecedented corruption among top politicians and government officials.

Such change is crucial for ensuring the economic and political stability of the world’s 8th most populous nation. - FMT

Prof Mohammad Tariqur Rahman is associate dean (continuing education) at the Faculty of Dentistry, Universiti Malaya, and an associate member of the university’s Centre for Leadership and Professional Development.

The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of MMKtT.