Hussain Muhammad Ershad’s Jatyio Party’s proposed alliances, in the context of recent political development in Bangladesh.

Recent statement made by Hussain Muhammad Ershad has some positive and some negative aspect in the context of recent political development. The positive aspect is his expressed determination not to go to any election if the main opposition BNP does not take part. But his intention though strongly expressed, nevertheless, not leaving the Awami Alliance has cast some doubt on peoples mind. It is yet to be seen whether he makes that crucial announcement in next few days. However, there is one aspect of his initiative to form an alliance with some of the smaller party such as Bikolpo Dara, Kirishok Sromik Dall and other leftist has left me wonder what his aims and objectives are, as regards to removing Hasina’s government from power. On the one hand he is claiming Awamileague had failed the people by abolishing caretaker government, and on other hand he criticises the BNP for wanting to have a caretaker government. In his word they are both for power, and not for the people. He misses one crucial point and that is, without power, none can do anything for the people. But the question is, how to achieve the power; through illegal and unfair means or through transparent, fair, and free election, where the will of the people will be reflected without rigging.

In the present context of political tyranny, the only way to restore democratic values and principles is to have a common goal of compelling the government to accept a none partisan interim government, which can then undo all the politicisation that Awamileague had done to civil administration so that a fair election could be held without the threat of coercion or influence by the sitting government of Sheikh Hasina. People then will have the freedom to exercise their vote as they wish ,and a true result from the election will be reflected. There is no harm in making alliances with other smaller party to oppose the Awamileague or to win an election, but this alliance should not be at the expense of dividing the opposition agitation against the government to restore a caretaker government. In a recent news report Ershad apparently had said that their prospective alliance will not participate in any anti government agitation with the 18 party alliances, if that is the policy of the new alliance, then this policy will be a wrong policy which will not further the cause for which the overwhelming majority of population is aspiring. Rather Ershads prospective alliance, if any, should join hand with the 18 party alliances in a joint campaign for a common goal for realizing a none partisan election time government. In this way the opposition will be much stronger and will have a chance to force Sheikh Hasina to accept their demand without having to go the extreme.

Politics should not be always about gaining power, but it should some times be to safe guard democratic values, justice, rule of law and stability, when clearly a government goes off its mandate. In all respect, the present Awami government has violated the sanctity of the constitution, good governance, alienated the people by supporting and sponsoring anti Islamic sentiment, violating human rights, killing abducting and arresting people with impunity. This government not only conspired with, and lied to its own people but have sold the countries sovereignty to foreign whims and dictates. It has shown in multiple contracts with India that it can not be trusted with our national security and interest. Therefore, it is even more urgent and significant that as citizen of the country every people from all walks of life should participate in this campaign to remove this tyrant government from power by forcing it to accept what is a just demand of the people. Know that supporting a tyrant government to stay in power is against Islamic teachings, human ethics, or principle of justice. If HM Ershad does anything to the contrary, it will loose support and respect of the people.

After five years of failed promises, mismanagement, myriads of corruption, and human right abuses, Awami government of Sheikh Hasina has lost public support and confidence over more than 80 percent of the population. It is only clinging in to power due to politicising of the police, RAB and the BGB, and other law enforcement agencies which are acting like party activists. Not only Sheikh Hasina destroyed the sanctity of the constitution, but it has siphon millions of public money through corruption and family racketeering. She has destroyed one of the country’s prides, the ‘Grameen Bank’ that the Bangladesh Nobel Laureate DR Younus had founded.  One of the countries biggest bridge project was destroyed due to her support for one of her close family friend and a former communication Minister Mr Abul Hussain. Mr Abul was founded to be involved in corruption, in an investigation carried out by the World Bank, but the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had refused to sack him and had not agreed to an investigation when demanded by the World Bank, until it was too late and the loan had been withdrawn. Her government frequently abused the judiciary in suppressing the opposition, abducted M Elias Ali, a popular opposition MP, killed unarmed Hifazot men when they came to protest in the Capital against government supported sacrilegious crimes against the Prophet Muhammad, and vengefully, without due respect to international norms and standard, they have prosecuted opposition Jamati Islam leaders for war crimes that had happened more than forty years ago, in spite of numerous pleas from international lawyers and human rights organization for a fair trial based on international standards. Government is indifferent to public opinion or rule of law. In this critical moment of Tyrannical power, only a united front by all the main stream and smaller political party’s of Bangladesh can lead to a resolution by compelling the government to accept their demand. Bangladesh Jamati Islam and Bangladesh Nationalist party are two of the biggest party which can not be ignored in any settlement. Begum Zia has made it crystal clear that she will not accept anything less then a none partisan interim government headed by a neutral person to conduct a free, fair, and credible election. She said to accept anything less would be like supporting injustice, and she can not agree to injustice, as this would a betrayal of peoples trust to her.

Therefore, in the interest of people of Bangladesh, Ershads JP must participate in the 18 party alliances anti government agitation program.