Bangladesh: Democracy in jeopardy

Bangladesh, a predominantly Muslim State in the Indian sub-continent continues to send confusing signals. A few months ago, in the wake of unprecedented terrorist activities, triggered by Islamic fundamentalists including Jamatul Mujahideen Bangladesh, the Bangladeshi Government succeeded in containing the menace though the coalition government's survival rested on the support of fundamentalist groups. The menacing threat of Talibanisation of this country, steeped into secular traditions for centuries, was thwarted away. This time, another threat of mob violence coupled with assassinations of important personalities including political leaders of various hues and colors looms large before the impoverished country, which is also ranked prominently among the poverty-ridden countries of the world.

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As per the Bangladeshi constitution, a caretaker government has to take charge at least three months before the general elections. However, in the wake of politicalisation of judiciary, the appointment of a former chief justice of the Bangladesh apex court K.M. Hasan as head of the neutral caretaker government was mired into controversies. Succumbing to the mounting political pressure from opposition quarters, Dr. Iajuddin Ahmed was named as the head of the caretaker government. The main opposition party Awami League, headed by Sheikh Hasina Wajed, daughter of the assassinated first president of Bangladesh Shekh Mujibur Rahman, has given the caretaker government time till November 3 to prove its neutrality.

Interestingly, Dr. Ahmed is the President, a titular office, of Bangladesh. Earlier, she had threatened to call strikes if Hasan was named as the caretaker president. Sadly for democracy, Bangladesh is no different with other countries in the Indian sub-continent such as India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka where if four persons are empowered to cast votes in electoral process, only two turn up and one each is divided into two major groups of contestants. Little wonder, majority of electorate in Bangladesh is disenchanted with the two main parties - the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) led by the outgoing Prime Minister Mrs. Khaleda Zia and the Awami League (AL) led by Mrs. Sheikh Hasina Wajed. In the process, democracy becomes fragile.