The most frustrating side of the present party politics is its dependence on muscle power. These political parties are guided by the idea that popular elections are to be manipulated by stealing votes or terrorising the voters to remain away. The last general election was across the table transaction.
In short, the election politics has been replaced by muscle power politics and it’s obvious result is crime, corruption and lawlessness in politics. When in power the political leaders use police as stronger muscle power. The professional police suffer professionally and that is a national loss.
We have been warning that using police power for party politics just for remaining in power is dangerous because this means politics of gun power, which is no politics. The opposition also looks for armed politics and politics turns into gun warfare unless it also resorts to violent means. No sensible political opposition can survive in the politics of gun power. Thus society itself also becomes a dangerous place to live in and it has already become so.
When an MP is easily killed in spite of all the police protection, one should not have difficulty to sense how uncertain is the safety and security situation in the country. By increasing the police activities politics cannot be made safe.
We have been emphasising that police success with terrorism is no lasting success. Such success will also not be convincing to the people outside for participation in economic activities of the country.
Terrorism must be politically met to end it politically.
The terrorism, as we see in Bangladesh, is not real terrorism but political acts of violence in terrorism style. These acts of violence are much more easy to deal with politically. But the trends are ominous expressions of restless politics.
We must accept that the country is being run in an atmosphere of no public accountability. We have a government that can be rightly regarded as the government of the VIPs for the VIPs.and not of the people.
It is a terrible mistake not to accept our great leaders of the past who made the people see the dreams of democracy and the government to be elected by their votes. For realisation of those dreams, the people suffered and struggled.
To kill those dreams of living in the security of rights and the protection of the rule of law cannot be the way to build a peaceful country.
Dr Debapriya Bhattacharya, an eminent economist, said in a television talk show on Channel-i last week that those who promise development without democracy are dim witted narrow thinkers and they must not be taken seriously. The real development and democracy have to go together.
The Constitution that was given in 1972 immediately after independence reflects our national dreams. We do not have to know of our dreams from others who went to India. Our government will be parliamentary. The people’s representatives elected by the people will run the government at every level. There will be independent judiciary to protect the rights of every individual under the rule of law.
But some people believe that the country belongs to the privileged VIPs and not to the people. As a result, we have VIP election and VIP development. The general elections are to be held under party government with the assurance that elections will not be for removing them from power. The Parliament must not have an effective opposition. The police will not be our friends. This is not democracy.
The free election offers an opportunity for the people to change a failed government. The election that denies the opportunity of change peacefully invites violence in politics.
In the words of Mr Debapriya, those who talk of development without democracy are dim witted narrow thinkers.
Thus it is clear that the government is badly managed and badly advised.
The police should not be used for politics because police are not for politics. If politicians cannot have right politics for peace in the country then politics of violence or terrorism will finds its way.
It is admitted by all that Bangladesh was not a terrorist country but for intolerant politics violent exposures of anger have been increasing. Temporary calm is no calm. The peaceful politics is the election politics and not election rigging police politics.
I want sincerely to see the realisation among our political leaders not to forget the dreams of our people to make a new beginning in the new year.
