Translator’s note: Mugabe, Franco and many others ruled nations for as long as 40 years. Nothing – agitators, writers, artists, protesters, foreign forces or economic downturn – could topple them. They managed to outwit their foes, vanquish any would-be nemesis. Writing did not threaten their tyranny either. Yet, all rulers fear and hate writing. It somehow makes them uncomfortable.
Here is an excerpt translated and adapted from Monowar Rubel’s Bangla August 12, 2018 article on Sara Bangla on the situation in Bangladesh following the week-long student protests for better road safety.
There is a suppressed anger among people. However, this rage may not be useful in the prevailing repressive conditions.
In line with the nation’s history, youth took to the streets. As Shahidul Alam alluded to in his Al Jazeera interview, the recent agitation was an eruption of bottled up resentment.
Their demands were just: to fix the malfunctioning quota system and take action against callous driving and lack of road safety on our streets.
The protests were spontaneous and school going students did not see any reason to fear protesting against an unjust, unequal system and demand action against perilous driving killing hapless commuters.
They took inspiration from mass movements of the past – the movements of 1952, 69, 71 and 1990 – in their week-long demonstration. While there political movements have been scant in recent times, the successive protests by the youth in recent months must make the government take notice.
Yes, the protests have been quelled. The situation, perhaps, is ‘under control’ and can be managed by the police. However, would this mean it would quench the next generation’s desire for justice? The political elders know better. In their youth, they had also faced such repression, overcoming it.
The government must instead look into the reasons behind the protests. What is bringing people to the streets?
If politicians’ claims of having delivered positive developments were true and palpable, people would be content. There have been some improvements, which are few and far between. Overall, people are dissatisfied and unhappy. This isn’t because the claimed rapid development has not touched their lives (although the urban middle class, the root of the protesting teens, may be discontent that our metropolises are not on par with those of our neighbours and other developed Asian cities). The majority of the population is still not urban and they too are unhappy.
Is the intense dissatisfaction then because of the disdainful, derisive and dismissive attitude of some government officials and ministers? Why would teens, who are not old enough to vote yet, be outraged?
Some would speculate it is because of the absence of democracy; people crave a right to choose their government. Some would argue that people desire freedom to speak and express opinions. Regardless, it is obvious that displeasure and discontent against the government continue to build up.
Students shout slogans as they take part in a protest over recent traffic accidents that killed a boy and a girl, in Dhaka, Bangladesh, August 4, 2018. Credit: Reuters/Mohammad Ponir Hossain
The government’s numerous missteps
Over the past few months, the government has taken several missteps that are responsible for the people’s attitude toward the government. These include letting a well known drug dealer (Abdur Rahman Bodi, a lawmaker) leave the country, while executing a number of alleged drug dealers, in true Rodrigo Duerte style. Deliberately delaying the trials and litigation against large-scale corruption by big corporations (Hallmark) and big bankers is another issue leading to discontent.
The investigation report of the February 2016 Bangladesh Bank cyber heist, when US$1 billion was fraudulently withdrawn from the bank’s account, is being intentionally held back. Embezzlement of gold reserves from the bank, corruption and illegal dealing activities in the local stock market are also being swept under the carpet.
The education minister is unwilling to resign in spite of repeated leakage of board exam questions, leading to the education system’s collapse. Repeated denial of these leaks, and harassment of ordinary students at the hands of Chhatra League – the ruling Awami League’s student wing – is yet another misgiving. More recently, looting of the country’s coal reserves has also been alleged.
These are just a few instances of the government’s irregularities. Not only have these frauds occurred, the government leaders and ministers have in every case tried to defend them and condone the criminals.
Even if we ignore the one-sided, controversial election of 2014, the subsequent local and regional elections have also faced allegations of open rigging.
The government must consider if this generation is psychologically affected and deeply frustrated at not being able to exercise its voting rights.
Dissenting opinions are labelled as being “against the spirit of our Independence”. This has become a trend now, fostered by a cultured fraction of the ruling Awami League, which is a method to snub out any chance of introspection.
Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Credit: Reuters
A democratic tradition
Awami League has a tradition of democratic practices, at least within the party structure. Decisions of party leaders were questioned. Party members argued with leaders, even forcing them to change their decisions. As recent as 2007, supporters were able to force the party to overturn a decision to enter into an electoral alliance with religious parties.
This practice is now nonexistent. Anyone questioning the party’s decision is badgered as being anti-independence. Erstwhile leaders like Suranjit Sengupta or Obaidul Quader, who held press conferences highlighting the party’s mistakes, are nowhere to be found.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina sacked Syed Abul Hossain from the cabinet; Golam Maula Rony was punished for beating a journalist; Abdul Latif Siddiqui was forced out amid criticism. But the unpopular education minister Nurul Islam Nahid or shipping minister Shajahan Khan still enjoy patronage. Shajahan Khan has a history of disrupting the government. A number of transport strikes at different times were his doing and bus-owners unions obey his orders.
The students have now left the streets. It is prudent now to address their grievances. Beating them and forcing them out of the street or persuading them to go home is hardly a long term solution.
Translated from the Bengali original by Rehuma Rahim, a political analyst.