Ideologies
at
a
Deadlock:
Bangladesh’s
Battle
with
Democracy
Rahat Alam
By
In January 6th of this
year, the long awaited elections took place in Bangladesh
under immense heat from foreign governments and IGOs
(Internal government organizations). The main opposition
boycotting the elections, and increasing violence on the
streets ushered the new government into a new year. The
current ruling Grand Alliance spearheaded by Bangladesh
Awami League has placed itself into a throne; where less
than 30% of voting population turned up in the elections
(Unofficial estimate is thought to be 12% to 20%). More
than half of the 300 parliament seats were won uncontested
and the rest were fought amongst the ruling alliance
members. The ministries have seen a minimal reshuffle and
with the oath taking ceremony already over, there is little that could be done unless
a compromise could be struck.
Campaigning in Bangladesh. Source:
Mohsin at Wikipedia commons
The opposition’s four party alliance, Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and
Jamaat-e-Islami has been lobbying for foreign pressure since the run-up to the elections and it continues to pour in as many
countries release statements in regular intervals. Foreign government statements against the election seem redundant at this point,
but they do put stress on the foreign relations of Bangladesh as the situation stands. The UN and EU have categorically denied their
support for this election and did not send in observers, which were ever present since democracy was re-established in the early
1990’s after two decades of military rule in the country. BNP have lobbied for support from powerful Muslim majority countries such
as Turkey and Saudi Arabia, with the Islamist party Jamaat-e-Islami as their strategic partner in relation with their lobbying power
into these major Islamic states. BNP has received major criticism for maintain this partnership as the main leaders of Jamaat-eIslami are facing war crime charges for their roles in the 1971 war with Pakistan.
The post-election reactions have increased the attacks on the street with Molotov cocktails on the general populations and public
transport such as buses. The recent attacks on the minorities in the rural areas have increased many folds with incriminating
evidences pointing at Jamaat-e-Islami with their history of attacks on the religious minorities in Bangladesh. Rapes of minority Hindu
women have been blamed on them and this has put pressure on the Opposition alliance as it weakens their stance politically and
loses popular support in the country.
The current government has also stepped up their game in legitimizing their re-election through foreign recognition. Officials have
poured in from head of states from Iran, Philippines, Georgia, Algeria, Cuba and Kazakhstan. Iran’s Hassan Rouhani even called for
investments and trade agreements to be strengthened between the countries; this shows how countries that have minimal trade or
diplomatic relations with Bangladesh have come into support for an election, which has been vehemently protested all over the
world. The Bangladeshi diaspora, aligned towards the opposition alliance, has lobbied to the politicians in the UK against the
election.
Amid all this controversy, the country saw its first TV ads for political campaigning, along with full page advertisements on the
newspapers and billboards. This shows how the ruling government’s take on the power of the propaganda, which showed idealistic
life in Bangladesh subtracting the reality of street violence and attacks on minorities. The campaigning h