Asif

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Hasina’s Hellfire

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ARRESTING JUSTICE

The recent arrest of Jatiya Party leader H.M. Ershad is Sheikh Hasina’s newest ploy to coerce the JP head to join the elections under her ‘all-party’ interim government.

Ershad’s arrest comes amid a period of tense and strained relations with the ruling Awami League, following his decision to boycott the next general elections. Out of 80 political parties, only 8 of them will be participating in the upcoming elections; this means that the 10th General Elections will have the lowest number of participating parties in the country’s history.

Ershad’s arrest is yet another case in the series of recent arrests of opposition party members. BNP standing committee members Moudud Ahmed, MK Anwar and Rafiqul Islam Miah were arrested earlier in November, shortly after the BNP had announced the implementation of a hartal to protest the upcoming farcical elections. Adviser Abdul Awal Mintoo and Special Assistant Shimul Biswas were also arrested. Information Minister Hasanul Huq Inu said the opposition leaders were arrested for instigating attacks on people and their properties; this is clearly a blatant lie created by the current regime. If the current regime were so concerned about the welfare of the people, Sheikh Hasina and the Awami League would have actually ruled in accordance with the wishes and needs of Bangladeshis and held the elections under a Caretaker Government (CTG). According to polls, over 80% of Bangladeshis want to have the elections under a CTG.

These attacks are not only undemocratic, but are reminiscent of the political persecution of opposition members under Sheikh Mujibur’s Baksal rule, under which hundreds of thousands of political persons were unjustly arrested and detained. By following in her father’s footsteps and unjustly arresting persons who oppose her polls-time government, Sheikh Hasina is on her way of implementing one-party rule.

The arrests of Opposition members on falsified charges are not only a gross affront to justice and democracy in Bangladesh, but allow for Sheikh Hasina and her party to intimidate and coerce critics of their regime into silence and inaction. By unjustly arresting these leaders, Sheikh Hasina is setting a precedent for Bangladesh’s future, and showing Bangladeshi citizens that she never has to act within the confines of justice and democracy. The intimidation and coercion of opposition members through unlawful arrest and detainment is just another way for Sheikh Hasina usurp power and maintain her position as Prime Minister illegitimately. The longer we allow her to implement such dictatorial measures and deny us our fundamental freedoms, the more we will suffer, whether in silence, or rotting in jail for speaking out against her unjust and undemocratic maneuvers.

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THE “NO” MANIFESTO

Along with some of our other democratic rights, the right to vote “No” – an option that has previously appeared on election ballots – was stripped away from us earlier this year with the Awami League’s amendment to the RPO.

It is clear that the overwhelming majority of the Bangladeshi populations want the elections to be held under a caretaker government; and it is even more clear that Sheikh Hasina and her party have no plans to take into account the needs and desires of the country in implementing the electoral process. The Bangladeshi people have no mechanism to express their voice in shaping the future of their own country. Integrating the “No” vote on the election ballots is the only way for us ordinary citizens to have any voice in the upcoming elections – and even this right was unjustly denied to us.

Evidence from previous elections in which the no vote was included on the ballot shows that Bangladeshi voters “exercise the option to vote no sparingly and responsibly”. The no vote was included in the last elections in 2008, won by the Awami League. It is only now, when the Awami League knows that it cannot win free and fair elections, that Sheikh Hasina and her party have resorted to removing our democratic choices to ensure that they can usurp power.

Integrating the No vote in the 10th General Elections would be a way to empower the people, and provide the people with a much-needed modicum of democratic choice. The No vote would allow us to call for a fresh election, and would allow us to finally have a say in the future of our own political leadership. It is time that we ourselves decide our leadership, our future, and our legacy.

Say yes to the “No” vote and say yes to giving our people the opportunity to have a voice. Say No to elections that are undemocratic and illegitimate.

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Sheikh Hasina and The Death of Dialogue

From bloggers and journalist to heads of state and international organizations, everyone was talking about the BNP chief’s speech. In her speech last month, Begum Khaleda Zia spoke candidly, offering a viable solution to the political deadlock that has gripped the country in recent months.

She proposed an alternative formula for the creation of a polls-time government, to be comprised of ten ex-advisors from the 1996 and 2001 caretaker governments, 5 of who were to be chosen by the Awami League and 5 to be chosen by the BNP. This neutral, non-party polls-time government would be headed by a mutually-agreed upon Chief Advisor. Not only was her proposal innovative, but her speech overall was a refreshing departure from her past stance. Just as important was her pledge to move away from petty politics and personal attacks, a statement that no other Bangladeshi leader has ever made. Her statement of forgiveness for the other party’s vitriolic acts towards her signaled a definite shift in the discourse of the country’s dynastic democracy. She drew away from the problems of the past to make way to take on the challenges of the future. Zia also expressed the hope that all sides would approach the dialogue in a spirit of compromise and trust. The speech was a watershed moment for the BNP as well, and reflected the changes the party has recently undertaken to address the interests of the public for the future.

And yet, despite the progress coming from the BNP side and their many efforts to resolve the country’s ongoing crisis, the issue of dialoging continues to be at a standstill. Sheikh Hasina, on the other hand, has shown no real effort or credible attempt to initiate meaningful dialogue in order to move forward. This is further evidenced by her farcical phone call stunt.This undiplomatic move is unbefitting of any politician, much less the leader of a country.

Though polling data proves that the majority of the Bangladeshi public supports the imposition of a Caretaker Government, Sheikh Hasina has already gone ahead and created an all-party government, of which she is the head. This means that elections will not be free, fair or credible, and it was precisely to prevent this type of situation that the CTG system had been integrated into Bangladeshi politics in the first place. This shows that Sheikh Hasina is uncompromising and unwilling to prioritize the national interest.

Hasina and AL believe Zia’s proposal to be “unconstitutional”. They claim there is no scope for it and that a caretaker government system is unconstitutional and contradictory to the country’s core principles, which is ironic given the sheer number of acts Sheikh Hasina has undertaken while in power to contradict Bangladesh’s core principles. Furthermore, has AL opportunely forgotten that they were the ones to change the constitution in order for them to monopolize power? What’s more, how is it that the constitution is only in place to protect Hasina and AL’s agenda while neglecting the nation and its people?

Sheikh Hasina’s government has polluted the political climate and they adamantly continue to reinforce a tradition of animosity as opposed to dialogue. What we expect from a true leader is someone who makes concessions for the sake of upholding democracy. The least AL could have done is use Khaleda Zia’s offer as a possibility and discuss deviations that could work for the two parties, thus engaging in real and productive dialogue.

It is a forgone conclusion that until and unless Sheikh Hasina makes an honest and diplomatic attempt at resolution, the politics of Bangladesh will continue to be rotate around her own political agenda – an agenda of dishonesty, corruption and undemocratic practices. There is no dialogue; Sheikh Hasina is too busy taking the country backward to be thinking about our people’s future.

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Not worthy of their safety?

Governments are in place to protect us and its leaders elected to make sure its laws are implemented accordingly, but for factory workers in Bangladesh, there is no light at the end of the tunnel. Their lives are lived day to day with no hopes of building a better tomorrow. How can a government ignore the plight of its millions? How can it not even do the bare minimum to protect its worker’s rights and ensure their safety?

In November 2012, a devastating fire at the Tazreen factory killed at least 112 workers and injured many others. In April 2013, a commercial building, Rana Plaza, which housed four garment factories, collapsed from severe structural instability as a result of numerous building code violations. The collapse — the worst in the history of the international garment industry –killed more than 1,100 workers and left thousands injured.

The day before the factory collapse, the workers noticed a crack in the building. When they expressed concern about coming to work the next day, they were threatened with the loss of their jobs.

But no one should have to go to work worried about whether they will make it out alive. It is impossible to imagine explaining to the young Bengali women who lost their limbs that their sacrifice was worth it. It is even more impossible to conceive of justifying the death of both parents to a newly orphaned child. With every collapsed building and amassed loss of life, the anger, pain and resentment among workers grow.

So where does the government stand?

The Bangladeshi government desperately wants to move the spotlight away from the Rana Plaza disaster. Under domestic and international pressure, on July 15, 2013, the Bangladeshi parliament enacted changes to the Labor Act. This would be worthy news if the new law copiously met international criteria, but the sad reality is that the government has knowingly limited basic workers’ rights while exposing workers to continued risks and exploitation.

Will it ever end? Will Bengalis be able to go to work in safe environments – without ever having to worry that they will one day not return home to their families?

We certainly hope so. After all, it’s the least a government can offer to its citizens.

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How Many More Lies? B

Bangla subtitled version of video on Sheikh Hasina and her many lies about democracy in Bangladesh, featuring clips from her interview with BBC.

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See No Evil, Speak No Evil

Parody video on Sheikh Hasina and her constant denial of the on-the-ground realities in Bangladesh, featuring clips from her infamous interview with CNN’s Christiane Amanpour.

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Preserving Democracy

On the need to preserve democracy in Bangladesh and call for a neutral, non-party polls-time government under which the next elections can be held. If elections are not held under a neutral, non-party polls-time government, Bangladeshi citizens will not be able to excersize their democratic rights, such as the right to vote in free and fair elections, the right to freedom of expression and the right to freedom of assembly. 

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How Many More Lies? B

Bangla subtitled version of video on Sheikh Hasina and her many lies about democracy in Bangladesh, featuring clips from her interview with BBC.