Bastobota without reality chara

Over 36 years have gone past. We have not yet managed a stable political system. It has always been formless, it still is. I hear, for last 15 years or so - we had democracy, which gives power to the mass people. Well, the mass people of Bangladesh now seem to have very little idea of what to expect in a month's time, let alone having a safe & sound vison for 3 / 4 years. A group of 18/20 people are running the show without any democratic process. Buy hey, who am I kidding? Democracy for sure has been long gone; if only it ever existed. The jumbo sized ego and ‘extra large’ power-greed of top leaders of so called democratic Awami League and BNP has turned the whole nation into a trash * and all in the name of democracy and people’s right*. Every time Khaleda Zia and Sheik Hasina, the two housewives-turned-autocratic rulers use the term democracy; they mean dynasty and looting at heart. They still continue to do the same even after a kick in the face. Democracy to other BAL and BNP politicians is a tool and term to achieve the goons’ support at a level, where they can bring the nation to a complete standstill. Democracy to BAL and BNP backed businessmen is to create a syndicate that will lay egg every day so that their bank balance maintains an upward trend. Democracy to the commercial bank owners means looting deposited money of the mass people and using a portion of it in elections to buy the mass people’s support. Of the people, for the people.  

Democracy in Bangladesh very easily becomes a dictatorship of the majority. After every hartal called by BAL; BNP claimed that the majority rejected it. BAL claimed majority observed it. Both play with the people; claims to have the people besides them. They get away by massive destructions only because the majority remains with them.  

Both madam Khaleda Zia and Shiekh Hasina apa claim - they are ‘Raj-pother- netri’.  Yeap, true - but only by using the sentiment formed by the death of their family heads. Having a similar type tragedy, one can expect a good relationship between them; but the truth is, rivalry between the apa and the madam are on a high stake. Newspapers for years showed gallantly that the madam celebrates her birthday on the anniversary of the assassination of Apa's father. What a great attitude by the popular ‘Raj-pother- netri’. Shiekh hasina’s rabble rousing past on the other hand surely proves her best capability of being Raj-pother-netri by creating unrest in the country for personal desire of becoming the Prime Minister. She successfully creates illusion between BAL and her personnel image. BAL is definitely a political party of the mass but that does not make her a political leader of the mass. She is vulnerable enough to add "I am the daughter of the father of the nation" in every possible occasion; may it be exploiting the people's sentiment, may it be convincing foreign politicians, lobbyists or may it be an interview with BBC. Shiekh Hasina still does not possess an identity; she is just a representative of a dead man. Khaleda Zia, being another dead man’s representative still has the guts to say, there is no poribar tantro in BNP. I wonder what it will take to make her believe the reality. The low moral politicians of BNP do not even have the guts to protest their leader’s corruption and love for dynasty.

This is for sure that Bangladesh will never find social and political stability under the leadership of Shiek and Zia families. To bring freedom is one thing, to administer the country is another. They lack seriously at the later. What these two families have given the country is social unrest, emotional blackmailing and an extended version of corruption. But the reality remains, as long as the last living person of these two families will walk on this planet, they will lead BAL and BNP yet be top two choices of emotional Bangladeshis as their national leaders. Caretaker governments will come just like merry-go-round; sometimes for 3 / 4 months, sometimes for 40 days; and if they are smart and cleverer than BAL and BNP, they can stay for a year or so.

The cancellation of January 2007’s general election was possible through the democratic power of the mass and that of course through violent street protests and through killing rival supporters, *By the people, killing the people, for the people*. A new set of caretaker advisors took oath under most hazardous circumstances. Watching Shiek Hasina and all major political leaders along with Dynamite prize winner Dr. Younus in the ceremony created the vibe that the country is heading for peace and stability.  Newly formed government made it absolutely clear from the day 1 that it wants to purge the nation out of corruption by any means. That seemed its first agenda. The second agenda came clear when they tried to change the leadership of the two major political parties. Fools learn from their own mistakes, where-else cleaver ones learn from other's mistakes. Experience shows that any unwanted deportation of national leaders eventually popularizes them dramatically. This has happened in the case of Ayatullah Khomeni of Iran Thaksin of Thailand, Laisenia Qarase of Fiji. Caretaker government learnt that by ruining its credibility. Khaleda Zia and Hasina’s popularity perhaps reached on an ‘all time low’ but this wrong move gave them a plot to stand again.

Uncertainty existed in the last months of BNP regime, so does it exists now. Some miscalculation of the government, threats of new militant groups only worsen the situation. Additionally, lying of the two advisors (Maj Gen. Matin and Mainul Hassan) tells me, nothing has changed. BNP tried all sorts of gimmicks till the end of its era; BAL did it through out its history, now the caretaker government is doing it. Fearfully, a new group of businessmen are coming in action just as previous rent seekers did after major political shifts. If square group is selling influenza vaccine and providing medicine to the government without any bidding in the name of controlling bird flu, the government has to draw a line between corruption of that year and this year.

Hussain Muhammad Ershad is only efficient in making controversy over his fatherhood. Dr. Younus already realized, spreading micro credit around the world and receiving a Nobel price is easier than doing politics in Bangladesh. So, where do we go now? Whom to sought peace and certainty in our social and political life from?

A lame and ineffectual person like me does not see a bright future. I feel, BAL or BNP in deferent colors will eventually come in power and start ruining the country with support of the mass and will create a new class of elite in the process for their own good. More representatives of the two dead men will join the mainstream politics in the sake of keeping mass people’s democratic rights and will store country’s wealth in foreign banks *wealth of the people, for the sake of the people, to the paribar tantro people*. It may start in late 2008 or early 2009. My advance congratulations.