An excellent article on Bangladesh's Politics by M. Adil Khan
Politics in Bangladesh has been far from perfect for a plethora of reasons. Not the least of this long list is corruption. As I noted recently what was more like an exception during Bangabandhu Sk. Mujib's rule when he is blamed for mildly tolerating it, the vice got institutionalized during the Zia rule, and got a veneer of respectability during the Ershad rule. And ever since the restoration of civilian rule in 1991, there has not been a turn around. Corruption simply has blossomed to take it to new heights! And that is sad for a nation which gave so much blood to make things better.
Is there an alternative - a third or fourth or fifth force (depending on how one counts major political parties) waiting in the sideline that is committed to take the nation in a new direction away from the politics of crime and corruption that seem to have shadowed people's true aspirations? Or is there even a hope that current major parties would learn, grow up and weed out bad apples from their lot?
I like to believe in goodness of human soul that it craves for things better, and would do what is necessary when its threshold is reached. But when would that day be? In our lifetime or much later?
Mr. M. Adil Khan, a retired senior UN official, recently wrote an excellent article in the Weekly Holiday, which also got posted in the News From Bangladesh, about the political trends in Bangladesh. He sees hope based on the recent local government elections "where people basically shied away from known political rogues and instead voted into power honest and committed independent or nominally aligned party candidates into victory are indications that at long last people are showing signs that they are fed up and are ready for change; and that given an opportunity they will prove it. The issue is how you connect the dots and mobilize the so-called third force."
He says, "Indeed, this is not going to be easy. There will be challenges; in fact very serious challenges both from within and outside. But a beginning, even if it is modest and no more than a murmur, has to be made and one day, perhaps sooner than later, victory will come and evil will be defeated, as Mahatma Gandhi once said, “First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.”
I recommend this to everyone interested about all things Bangladesh. I also hope that they would try their best to make things better in whatever capacity and in whatever domain they work in - within or without the current political reality that they live in.
Is there an alternative - a third or fourth or fifth force (depending on how one counts major political parties) waiting in the sideline that is committed to take the nation in a new direction away from the politics of crime and corruption that seem to have shadowed people's true aspirations? Or is there even a hope that current major parties would learn, grow up and weed out bad apples from their lot?
I like to believe in goodness of human soul that it craves for things better, and would do what is necessary when its threshold is reached. But when would that day be? In our lifetime or much later?
Mr. M. Adil Khan, a retired senior UN official, recently wrote an excellent article in the Weekly Holiday, which also got posted in the News From Bangladesh, about the political trends in Bangladesh. He sees hope based on the recent local government elections "where people basically shied away from known political rogues and instead voted into power honest and committed independent or nominally aligned party candidates into victory are indications that at long last people are showing signs that they are fed up and are ready for change; and that given an opportunity they will prove it. The issue is how you connect the dots and mobilize the so-called third force."
He says, "Indeed, this is not going to be easy. There will be challenges; in fact very serious challenges both from within and outside. But a beginning, even if it is modest and no more than a murmur, has to be made and one day, perhaps sooner than later, victory will come and evil will be defeated, as Mahatma Gandhi once said, “First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.”
I recommend this to everyone interested about all things Bangladesh. I also hope that they would try their best to make things better in whatever capacity and in whatever domain they work in - within or without the current political reality that they live in.
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