Riots continued as political crises deepens
At least 28 were killed including 3 politician linked to the outgoing administration of Prime Minister Khaleda Zia- and hundreds injured in 4 days of violence sparked by the appointed of KM Hasan, a retired chief justice with ties to the out going government. Zia,s government- which ended its five –year term on Saturday, had invited KM Hasan to head the interim administration to organize Parliamentary elections in January 2007. The opposition alliance, however refused to accept Hasan as care taker chief, saying he once belonged to Zia,s party and could therefore not be impartial as required under the Constitution.
The choice of Hasan sparked riots in the Capital Dhaka and across the country. After violent protest and clashes the care taker Hasan stepped down to calm the situation. The violence continued on Sunday and Monday, with riot police firing tear gas, rubber bullets and warning shots in the air to disperse thousands of stone-throwing protesters in the capital Dhaka. Angry mobs smashed or burned vehicles and zia,s party offices. Dhaka a city of 10 million people was virtually cut off from the rest of the country as thousands of protestors blocked highways leading to it. As the violent protests started to decline on Monday, a new crisis developed when all the main parties failed to agree on interim government and President Iajuddin Ahmad took over the interim government. This step from the Bangladeshi President sparked the new waves of violent protests. The crisis has worsened as both sides lock horn and not seems willing to make compromise to end the present political crises. The opposition alliance led by Awami League of Hasina Wajid has rejected the self appointment of the President as head of interim government. The opposition alliance called a nation wide strike on Monday and Tuesday to protest against the interim government. The Bangladesh was completely shutdown on Monday and thousands took part in the protests and demonstrations across the country.
Fears of Military Intervention
Opposition parties in Bangladesh are holding back from further violent protests for fear that more bloodshed could result in military intervention. The main opposition Awami League, s decision to scale back planned protests against the president’s appointment as head of an interim administration are calculated to prevent a further deterioration of law and order. Sakhawat Hussain a retired brigadier general and defence analyst describe the situation “ Things were going almost out of control over the last two days. The country was almost on the brink and there were serious rumours that the military was about to be called in to took over the control. I was informed that the army was put on an hour, s notice to move which would have been a catastrophe for democracy. The military top brass has temporarily suspended the plan to take over but possibility of a military take over is not yet over”. The ex intelligence chief said “the military generals are waiting for an opportunity to impose military rule in the country and politicians are trying to provide one”. Atuar Rahman a professor of political science at Dhaka University said “ an out right condemnation and a more aggressive protest program would have seen violence in the politically polarized nation spiral out of control. The opposition parties have realized that beyond this option (to accept the president as head of care taker interim government) is the entry of the military”.
The Awami League stopped short of its earlier pledge to paralyse the nation with indefinite national strike. In practice all the parties have accepted the interim administration but the political crisis is still far from over. Any rigging and wrong doing during the election can develop an even more serious crisis that can lead to the military intervention. Even a temporary intervention by the armed forces, as during a state of emergency will be first step towards a possible military coup. The situation is still very unstable and uncertainty is dominating the political scene.
Impoverished Bangladesh has a history of political unrest. It has spent more than 15 years under military rule since its independence from Pakistan in 1971. Both Khalid Zia and opposition leader Sheikh Hasina Wajid led a pro-democracy movement in 1990, ousting last military dictator Gen. Hussain Muhammad Irshad. The two leaders have been locked in political bickering since then.
Old Foes Gear Up
Both BNP and AL feel they would not be able to muster a majority of votes to win power without alliances with other parties, even of different ideologies. Both the parties are preparing for the January 2007 parliamentary elections. Business and industry leaders, bureaucrats and retired army generals are among those lobbying for tickets to enter the race. They are giving millions to the both capitalist parties’ leaders to get the party ticket. They have no ideology, programe and commitment either with the parties or with people. Both the main capitalist parties want maximum big businessmen, industrialists, corrupt bureaucrats and ex army generals to contest elections on their party tickets. As the elections looming fast, old foes gear up between the two rival ladies. Both have formed alliances to contest elections. Bangladesh Nationalist party (BNP) led by Khalida Zia is leading the 4 party alliance including main Islamic Fundamentalist party Jamati Islami. This alliance won the last election in 2001 with more than two third majority. Awami League led by Hasina Wajid is leading the 14 party alliance including the 7 left parties. Both these parties have ruled the country in last 15 years, 10 years by BNP and 5 years by AL. Hasina is the daughter of independence leader Sheikh Mujibur Rehman, killed in 1975 in a military coup led by Ziaur Rehman the husband of Khalida Zia. Ziaur Rehman later killed in another military coup in 1981. The killing of both leaders opened the way into politics for their heirs.
Last year the Awami League and its allies called 18 nationwide strikes and shutdown against right wing BNP government. More than 129 people were killed in the violence during these strikes and shutdowns and hundreds injured. These strikes and violent protests will continue even after the elections. The party that will loose the elections will not accept the election results and will start strikes and shutdowns. There is no fundamental difeerence in the policies of the both capitalist parties. Both parties implement neo liberal free market economic policies. Both follow IMF and World Bank policies and push through social cuts and privatization. Both viciously implement the anti working class policies to super exploit the workers. Both in government use the state power to suppress the working class movements and protests. Awami League is no different from BNP and provides no real alternate to the working masses.
Increased Working Class Anger and Protests
The workers struggles and protests are on the rise in Bangladesh. Textile workers are at the forefront of this new wave of struggles. There is wide spread anger and disappointment persists towards capitalist politicians and parties. Both the main capitalist parties have lost significant support among the working class. The increased strikes, struggles and protest demonstrations are manifestation of this anger and disillusionment.
The strikes and demonstrations in the textile industries have become a daily routine. There were 102 big strikes in different textile industries and more than 84 protest demonstrations in last year. The textile workers are fighting against slaves like inhuman working conditions, non payment of wages and overtime, increased longer working hours and low wages. Other sectors of working class are also coming out to demonstrate their anger. There will be increased workers struggles and strikes after the elections if there problems and demands are not going to be addressed. If Awami League won the elections and fail to deliver to the working class and poor, there will be a working class rebellion.
Bangladesh witnessed huge protest demonstrations against high food prices and shortages of power and fuel. The food prices have risen 45% over the past two months and fuel- particularly diesel- is in short supply. Power is routinely cut for hours every day. Nation wide anger and protest demonstrations have become a focal point over soaring food prices. Respective governments have slashed the subsidy on food items on the dictates of IMF and World Bank. This has resulted in price hike and food items have gone out of the reach of poor masses.
The working class is fighting back. But there is no real political alternate exist in Bangladesh. The Stalinist Communist Party and Moist Workers party have failed to provide alternate to working class people. Both main left parties are repeating the same old mistakes of forming alliances with so called progressive capitalist parties. Instead providing a independent working class alternate and take class position on the political issues, they are following the policies of capitalist Awami League. This class capitulation policy is flowing out of the bankrupt and out dated Stalinist “two stages theory”.
A revolutionary organization with correct ideas and program can make big gains in short period of time in the situation that exists at present. But unfortunately there is no such organization and party exists at present in Bangladesh. Stalinists and Maoists have again proved that they cannot provide a genuine working class alternate to the working class people.
The crisis in Bangladesh will only end, when capitalism will be finally overthrown. Capitalism is the system of crisis, poverty and wars. Socialism is the only real alternate to the rotten and crisis ridden capitalist system. Socialism can end the crisis, poverty and war that capitalism has developed. Khalid Bhatti SMP Lahore