Mostafa Kamal Majumder
As the all-round confrontation between the government and the opposition has almost completed two months and has entered the third, ordinary citizens are passing breath-taking time and anxiously awaiting a way out of the hostilities that are claiming lives almost every day. Since this final phase of political conflict began on 25 October when the countdown for the general elections began – the incumbents are pursuing their plan to hold elections under their own supervision and the opposition demanding the institution of a non-party neutral administration to oversee the same – violence from both sides has so far claimed more than 300 lives, a Dhaka University Professor has told a Kolkata meeting the other day. The violence has in a few cases spread to societal levels and according to reports coming from districts the two sides are targeting even such people who are not at all physically taking part in the opposition sponsored general strike or blockade programmes, or obstructing the same – just for their political allegiances.With the incumbents seeking to give the opposition movement a ‘anti-liberation’ colour – the execution of the ICT verdict against Jamaat’s publicity secretary Abdul Quader Mollah, and Jamaat protest against the same coinciding this very time – the internecine fights look difficult to contain. At local levels the worst fear is that seeds of frightful revenge attacks which might pass from generation to generation are getting sown in the process. Such fights were the least expected by the people just over the modes of holding the general elections, because elections should ordinarily settle old problems instead of creating new ones. The incumbents want to continue in power and the opposition to take their position in the bastions of power. Is it for the people’s good or their misery? No party will say it wants the latter. If they want people’s greater good, the people they look forward to serving want their leaders to shun the path of internecine battles – and settle contentious issues through democratic means.
All conscientious and democracy-minded people are one on the assertion that the government or the opposition cannot run the country on the ruins of each other. Rather both should submit to the majesty of popular opinion, and the winner rule not only with the willing consent of the loser in election, but also cooperation. It cannot be otherwise in a democracy. What is the result of the move to forcibly hold elections without taking the opposition on board has become crystal clear. A total of 154 seats out of 300 have been bestowed with winners unopposed – a record of all times. It is difficult to uphold and continue with. Not even combing operations against all opposition parties will guarantee a smooth sailing with a Parliament elected in such a fashion. The opposition comprising all bourgeoisie parties cannot by articles of political ideologies or the strength of public opinion withstand combing operation of security forces with crackers and brickbats. Any attempt to defeat the opposition by such means will in the long run be a defeat for all the people, however pleasant one might find the same for the time being. Because, there cannot be democracy by militarily defeating the unarmed opposition parties.
The other day I dispatched a few paragraphs to one of my senior friends in response to his Victory Day message which might be relevant here to discuss. I quote, “In today’s Bangladesh where even siblings in many families are divided on AL, BNP or other political lines, it’s lack of farsightedness to talk of elimination of each other. That too at a time when the country is making brilliant strides on the path of progress and prosperity. “Months of disturbance has already started taking tolls in the form of loss of export orders of garment products from the principal foreign exchange earning sector of Bangladesh. Who benefits is anybody’s guess.”
The senior friend of mine did write first, “…Our martyrs dreamt of an independent Bangladesh where there will be no deprivation, no injustice, no poverty, and no want of basic necessities of life and no communal discord. These objectives can not be achieved by words alone but rather by a unique amalgation of deeds, devotion and dedication which will be our measure of success for turning Bangladesh into a `Sonar Bangla`—-so melodious and hilting that incoming generation will love to listen to, and work for the country`s upliftment for time immemorial. This will be in tune with what Sir Winston Churchill said` To improve is to change, and to improve continuously is to change continuously. Let this be our solemn pledge on the occasion of our 43rd victory day.”
My response to this was, “…As one of those polite but determined persons who went in the open at a place like the Thana headquarters to impart training to youths for the war of liberation way back in March 1971, I share all that you have said. We won the war at the cost of blood to live in democracy without deprivation in peace. We fought to be independent which was nobody’s gift.”
In my reply I continued, “As your younger brother I shall submit that we should consolidate, improve and surge forward. To Winston Churchill ‘change’ meant material change not change of hearts and minds. Churchill was great in his own domain and also said, war is too big a thing to be left to the generals alone. He along with other allied leaders won the World War II. But he was opposed to independence of the colonies including our very dear motherland. Let’s take pledge on this victory day that our motherland collects the whole strength through reconciliation and accommodation and employs the same for faster and greater development which Churchill meant by ‘change’.”
We know, there will be no lasting winner in the on-going internecine government-opposition battle. Instead everyone will be a loser. Because it’s not possible to win the hearts and minds of people by the use of force. A famous quote from Mohandas Karam Chand Gandhi will be relevant here. During the World War II the Mahatma told the British facing the very formidable Germans, “…I venture to present you with a nobler and a braver way, worthy of the bravest soldier. I want you to fight Nazism without arms, or, if I am to retain the military terminology, with non-violent arms. I would like you to lay down the arms you have as being useless for saving you or humanity. You will invite Herr Hitler and Signor Mussolini to take what they want of the countries you call your possessions. Let them take possession of your beautiful island, with your many beautiful buildings. You will give all these, but neither your souls, nor your minds. If these gentlemen choose to occupy your homes, you will vacate them. If they do not give you free passage out, you will allow yourself, man, woman and child, to be slaughtered, but you will refuse to owe allegiance to them…” Elsewhere Gandhiji has been quoted to have said, “… I believe that nonviolence is infinitely superior to violence, forgiveness is more manly than punishment, forgiveness adorns a soldier. But abstinence is forgiveness only when there is the power to punish, it is meaningless when it pretends to proceed from a helpless creature…. Let me not be misunderstood. Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will.”
Gandhiji’s ideas are definitely idealistic, but they convey very important messages which we cannot ignore altogether. Instead of getting into the details of justifications of otherwise of the stands of the two sides of our political divide within the confines of this small write-up, it can be said without any doubt that the physical prowess of the government that commands the security forces is definitely greater than the brickbat, cracker or even petrol-bomb welding opposition. Naturally the initiative for adjustment and compromise should come from the government to win the hearts of the opposition instead of trying to win them physically. The need of the hour is, compromise first, compromise second and compromise last.
Let’s have a soul searching of what has gone wrong! The BBC has reported quoting from a largely circulated Bangla daily on 22 December that the SP of Chittagong Hafiz Aktar has said, maintenance of law and order in Sitakund has become difficult because when they arrest Jamaat Shibir-men their brothers or relatives belonging to the Awami League come to secure release. And it’s impossible for the police to ignore this ‘tadbir’. The law-enforcers’ difficulties on this scrore should be even more wide than this when it comes to dealing with such BNP-men many of whom have pro-AL siblings sincerely adhering to ideologies of their respective parties. Then again inter-marriage among children of pro-BNP, pro-AL and pro-Jamaat parents is common in our country. Because, parents look for the most eligible bride or groom on education attainments and economic standings, irrespective of their political allegiances. People often point fingers at high Bangladeshi families for having marital bonds with other families belonging to the opposite political pole. How then one makes a social divide between the adherents of these parties. Are not those who talk of elimination of people of certain sheds of political beliefs in fact uttering a recipe for social disaster? Unity in diversity is the beauty of democracy. Respect for diversity is a great shield against disunity in the Indian Union. The case can be no different for Bangladesh. The opposition movement is not for elimination of any party or group of parties, it’s for what they perceive as free and fair election not through a new venture, but by restoring what all the parties had by mutual agreement installed 23 years ago.
(The author is the editor of GreenWatch Dhaka)
