SORRY, MR. BAN KI-MOON BY ASADZZAMAN RION (Published in DIPLOMAT & GLOBAL BANGLADESH magazine in October,2014 issue) Last month Bangladesh observed the 40th anniversary of its gaining membership in the United Nations. In this connection, permanent representative office of Bangladesh at United Nations requested the secretary general of United Nations to wish the occasion by giving a message for publication in a special supplement but finally, the government of 5th January flawed election did not include that message of the UN secretary general in the supplement published on the occasion. After knowing it from media report, many people asked themselves about possible reason? Why government did this? Because it was not descent for a government to behave like this, because requesting the top most dignitary of United Nations for a message and finally trash the piece is totally out of courtesy. Then, questions have grown in the mind of the many Bangladeshis- what was the compulsion of the Hasina government for this conduct. Finally, the cause was revealed that her government dropped Ban Ki-moons message because it included UN secretary general’s a fresh call for holding dialogue for solving the existing political crisis, a senior government official said, as it is reported in the newspapers of Bangladesh. Ban in his message reiterated again that political dialogues were essential for solving differences peacefully and reaching a broad-based agreement on the future of the country. It is understood, because of this paragraph that the government dropped the entire message. Government suffered in a quandary over this sensitive issue from beginning of its so called third term journey to the power through a farcical election held in January 5 national election, because at least it is related with UN and its chief executive and that was why the supplement reached newspaper offices very late time. Newspaper reports in Bangladesh that the UN chief issued the message upon request from the government and the foreign ministry received it around 3:00pm September 16 from permanent representative office of Bangladesh mission at UN. After reading the message, foreign ministry officials pointed out the said paragraph and drew the attention of the higher authorities. Finally, the ministry decided upon advise to drop the message of the Ban Ki-moon. The supplement that the foreign ministry has published on September 17 includes messages from the president, the prime minister, the foreign minister, the state minister for foreign affairs and the UN resident coordinator in Bangladesh. Whatever the excuses government pleads for dumping the UN chief’s message, it would be a shame for whole nation. Despite this uncourteous behaviour from Bangladesh government, Bangladeshis hope the secretary general of UN would not leave his reminder about holding an inclusive election with participation of all political parties for future development of Bangladesh. The secretary general of UN and world community particularly interested to see the functional democracy worldwide are not uninformed about the government installed in Bangladesh in which more than fifty percent people sits in parliament without having any peoples mandate and the rest are declared member of the parliament where less than ten percent people went to the vote centers. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina bulldozed the institution of Election Commission and unilaterally conducted elections under her handpicked Election Commission. The result is palpably - an opposition-free parliament. At this backdrop, Bangladeshs main opposition, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and its 20-party alliance led by former prime Minister Khaleda Zia relentlessly demanding after the recent general elections (5th January 2014) for holding dialogue with the government for creating an environment to an inclusive election. In this way She starts her campaign in favour of her demand addressing different districts where she did not speak to the people before January 5 mockery election. Sheikh Hasina was sworn in as prime minister for second straight term for more than eight months and obstinately denying the space for opposition ,brushing out the possibilities of an inclusive election before 2019 which once she promised immediate before and after of January 5 election thus created 153 seats out of 300 in the parliament were already ‘won’ unopposed by the ruling party, Awami League, before any vote was cast. The main opposition and may other political parties even who are not aligned with the main opposition party BNP boycotted that elections and called it a scandalous farce. Indian Congress Party led government at time alone remained committed to supporting Sheikh Hasinas Awami League and its unilateral elections, stating them to be a constitutional requirement. However, this support to a discredited and undemocratic process could not bring any honor against Indias international image as the worlds largest democracy. The absence of opposition parties in the last election has raised grave concerns about the credibility of the elections both at home and abroad. On December 29, 2013 the opposition called for a March for Democracy, but its leader Begum Khaleda Zia was obstructed to leave her house placing few sand-filled lorry-trucks and finally put her under house arrest by the government and thus prevented her to join the March for Democracy programme. Ershad, leader of Jatiyo Party, was also confined by authorities in hospital after he announced to withdraw from the elections and decided to boycott. Many other leaders of the opposition alliance have all been confined behind bars. The situation became so dire that the Asian Human Rights Commission, in an open letter to the UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon, urged him to act immediately to save supporters of Bangladeshs political opposition from extra-judicial execution and enforced disappearance by state agents in the lead up to the general election. At this backdrop, the EU, Commonwealth and the US did not send observers to monitor the unilateral polls because they are not credible. Following the elections they have all expressed their disappointment and reiterated the discredited nature of the elections, expressing the need for dialogue and fresh inclusive elections to be conducted with all parties taking part. Along with non-participation, the elections were stained with violence, the death of at least 34 people since polls opened with at least 15 shot dead by the police, reports of vote rigging and voter intimidation as well as attacks on polling booths. Bangladeshs Fair Election Monitoring Alliance have reportedly suggested a less than 10% voter turnout. Bangladesh’s people are aware of the fact that how many occasions UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has taken initiative for a meaningful election in Bangladesh which led him to phone talks with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and opposition leader Khaleda Zia on Bangladesh’s current affairs, including the country’s latest political situation that appears to be confrontational over election issues. The executive chief of the United Nations made separate phone calls to the two leaders for the discussion at that time, incidentally as the situation showed little signs of improvement. US Secretary of State John Kerry too sent letters to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Leader of the Opposition Khaleda Zia with a similar call. At one stage, Ban Ki- moon sent his special envoy Oscar Fernández-Taranco thrice to mediate the election related problem but could not bring the parties to a solution finally with utter dismay. The UN official Neil Walker, resident co coordinator of UNDP at Dhaka told on November 9 last year that there was no plan of sending any UN delegation to Dhaka immediately. He said “The UN secretary general himself called both the leaders and issued statements. Earlier, he also sent his deputy, Oscar Fernández-Taranco, twice but nobody listened. It is very difficult to say if any mission would come to Bangladesh to facilitate a dialogue for free, fair and acceptable election.’’ A diplomat of a European country said the UN, the European Union, the US, China and other diplomatic missions in Dhaka tried their best to engage the ruling and the opposition parties in a constructive dialogue to resolve the crisis. But all efforts seem futile as none of the parties listened to the call. Instead, both the sides are becoming more and more confrontational, said the diplomat, on condition of anonymity. However, finally, in a fresh move to end the political stalemate, the UN chief has sent Oscar Fernández-Taranco, UN assistant secretary general for political affairs to Bangladesh to Bangladesh. The UN secretary general’s representative arrived in Dhaka on December 6 and stayed till December 9 to have discussions with all stakeholders to solve the crisis through dialogue for holding “an inclusive, non-violent and credible election. Catherin Ashton, also immediate past vice president of the European Commission, said at that time “Ending violence and finding a political solution through dialogue are essential to allow a peaceful, inclusive, transparent and credible election to take place. This can only happen if all sides can agree to move ahead, in the interests of the country’s future.” The EU calls on the leaders of all political parties to agree on a mutually acceptable formula so as to facilitate the holding of elections which fully reflect the wishes of the people. It welcomes the efforts of those who have been working to achieve this.” The US assistant secretary of state also said the US and its friends in the international community do not have a stake in who wins what election. “But we would like to see a process that is free, fair, credible, and free from violence. That has been the message that we have underscored. And for that to take place, both of the major political parties need to come together,” she added. Taranco, UN secretary general’s special envoy reportedly said UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon was hoping that through dialogue, a solution will be found to hold a free and fair election in which all parties can participate. The envoy also discussed letters that Ban has sent to both the prime minister Sheikh Hasina and the opposition leader. Taranco who visited Bangladesh from December 6-9 last year at the request of the UN Secretary-General, and met top government and political party leaders – including Sheikh Hasina and former foreign minister Dipu Moni – as well as national electoral officials, in order to exchange views on the political situation in the country and ongoing UN electoral assistance. That was the senior UN official’s third visit to Bangladesh in a year. He also visited Dhaka in December 2012 and 2013 With the facilitating support from UN, leaders of ruling Awami League and main opposition BNP exchanged some proposals to end the political crisis over the 10th parliamentary polls. BNP proposals include postponement of the January 5 election to keep the talks going and create level playing field, release of its leaders and withdrawal of cases against them, allowing the party to organise political activities at its central and unit offices and allowing it to hold rallies, said party sources present in the dialogue. In response, the AL side asked the opposition to stop its programmes like hartal and blockade, give up the demand for caretaker government and accept the constitutional guidelines on the formation of polls-time government. Both the sides have apprised their party chiefs about the dialogue proceedings. AL General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam and BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhurl Islam Alamgir led their sides in the third round of dialogue held in presence of the UN Resident Coordinator in Dhaka at that time, Neal Walker at a UN project office in Gulshan. Political observers said they hardly saw any chance of reaching a consensus by the two parties at that crucial stage when the deadline for candidacy withdrawal had expired. Though the United Nations’ hectic efforts brought the Awami League and the BNP leaders to the discussion table trice, but could not make any breakthrough in the stalemate over the polls-time government as the rival camps wedged to their points. During the talks in presence of UN envoy Oscar Fernandez-Taranco, the ruling party maintained the election must be held under the current constitutional provisions and Sheikh Hasina would continue to head the election-time government. On the other hand, BNP delegation disagreed with the AL and reiterated that Hasina must step down as the PM to make way for installing a nonparty person as head of the election-time cabinet, sources added, and requesting anonymity. At this stage, Awami League advisory council member Suranjit Sengupta said ‘’ No scope left for holding talks with the opposition parties on the 10th parliamentary elections, as the Awami League has already won most of the seats unopposed, we are ready to sit for dialogue with the opposition parties on any other issues except the 10th general elections.’’ And thus government blocked the avenues of dialogue for a constructive engagement. In a statement released by his spokesperson immediate after flawed election, Ban Ki-moon said, The UN will continue to support the countrys democratic process in accordance with the principles of inclusiveness, non-violence, reconciliation and dialogue. He [Ban] regrets that the parties did not reach the kind of agreements which could have produced a peaceful, all-inclusive election outcome, reads the statement. The US, UK, Canada and Commonwealth have termed the just-concluded parliamentary elections in Bangladesh “disappointing” as more than half of the seats were uncontested and the remaining ones showed only token opposition. They said the results of January 5 elections had failed to reflect the will of the people, and called the new government and all political parties to immediately engage in dialogue to find a path forward for holding a new national election that is free, fair, credible, peaceful and truly participatory. The influential countries came up instantly with sharp reaction after the ruling Awami League ‘swept’ the polls securing more than two-thirds majority, with the BNP-led opposition parties boycotting the election terming it a “farce”. By that time, Sheikh Hasina changed her tune and her bandwagon started beating drums that she is set to complete a third five year term by misreading routine but cautious messages from foreign governments. In Bangladesh, an election in shortest time will become necessity because the present unnatural quiet in political pitch may be flared up again to restore rights of voting of the people. . To understand the need for a non-partisan interim government to run elections in Bangladesh, one has to look back at its political history and the character of the Awami League that Sheikh Hasina leads. During its 1972-75 rule, the then Prime Minister, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman (father of Sheikh Hasina), turned a nascent democracy into one party stern dictatorship. Thousands of opposition political party members disappeared and all other political parties and most of the newspapers were banned, before Sheikh Mujib was killed, along with most of his immediate family members, by a group of junior army officers in 1975 and Sheikh Muzib’s own men took over the control of the state. The people of Bangladesh felt by this time after watching January 5 mockery election and local governments’ election in Upazilla Parishad that in the absence of a neutral caretaker government, the ruling party cannot be trusted to oversee free and fair elections. The caretaker government system was constitutionally adopted in 1996 to ensure free and fair elections under a non-partisan body headed by a Chief Advisor. The quarters, who are tracking Bangladesh affairs more particularly about national election, it was not the first time that Ban Ki- moon urged Bangladesh government for holding dialogue to end political crisis. In many occasions he repeatedly is calling for dialogue between major political parties. Ban Ki-Moon told this also to Bangladesh President Abdul Hamid in a meeting held at UN headquarters few months back. The UN Secretary General, during the meeting, called upon the Bangladesh president to initiate a fresh dialogue over the prevailing political impasse in Bangladesh. UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon urged the ruling party to sit with the opposition parties for dialogue. Emphasising on holding dialogue outside parliament, Ban also said govt should prioritize on political and social stabilities. The Secretary General expressed his regret at the failure of political parties to reach an agreement that would have allowed for inclusive elections in January this year. Many in incumbent Hasina administration may think UN chief very often talks about dialogue with opposition thus ‘siding’ with opposition. Because, in Bangladesh, the members of the Hasina cabinet often ridicules and put many distinguished dignitaries in embarrassment situations who talked about dialogue, about an inclusive election in earliest also advocated for allowing space for the opposition to save democratic institutions. In this process, even the US ambassador Dan Mozena was not spared from the ruling party critics. Ambassador Mozena and many ambassadors from EU countries hold the similar views on Bangladesh election held in January 5 this year. Bangladeshis are not forgetful nation as they remember that the UN Secretary-General not only expressed his utter frustration on ongoing political deadlock but also paid tribute to the contribution of Bangladesh to United Nations peacekeeping efforts in many occasions. Just few years ago, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon predicted that Bangladesh will become a medium income country in the next 10 years on a visit to Bangladesh. People of Bangladesh regards Ban Ki- moon as a great good friend of Bangladesh which even Ban did not hide to express his sincere emotion centering Bangladesh. The UN secretary general in his message on the occasion of Bangladesh’s a momentous entry into the UN on September 17, 1974, as its 136th member recalled his memories of the Liberation War in 1971 when he was the junior most diplomat at the Korean embassy in New Delhi and he still preserved the fountain pen with which he signed the agreement of the diplomatic ties between Korea and Bangladesh. Despite of his constant call for an inclusive and participatory election in Bangladesh, he also lauded about the remarkable development of Bangladesh too. During his three day visit in 2011 to Bangladesh he said “I am very impressed to see the remarkable achievement of Bangladesh government in reducing child and maternal mortality rates. The government is doing an excellent job.” However, the achievements and progress made by Bangladesh, is the continuity of all successive governments policy towards the achieving the goal of MDG. And it is of course, the people of Bangladesh whose struggle, persistent efforts and enterprises made it possible. Nevertheless, the progress could be double if political stability and good governance worked in Bangladesh. In fact, Ban Ki- moon tries to make government understand that peace and stability is essential in a democratic polity for gaining the status of a country of medium size income level. Undoubtedly, Bangladesh has achieved significant progress during the last decade. Annual growth of gross domestic product averaged nearly 6% between 2000 and 2012. But despite nearly doubling in the second half of the 2000s, foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows were at relatively low levels, averaging US$ 700 million annually. It manifests a gap between the countrys huge potential, underpinned by abundant and competitive labour and a strategic geographical location, and its FDI attraction performance. It is to be noted again that Bangladesh is an increasingly attractive destination for FDI (if there is political stability). Investment Policy Review (IPR) of Bangladesh reflects the desire of Bangladesh to build a successful investment framework and policy environment that attracts not only foreign investors, but also promotes domestic private sector development. This will contribute to positioning Bangladesh as an important manufacturing centre in Asia. Dr. Mukhisa Kituyi, Secretary-General of UNCTAD also expressed the same opinion. Unfortunately, ruling party leaders, after holding a unilateral blemished election, are feeling an atmosphere of so-called peace and stability in absence of functional parliament, independent judiciary and partisan administration resulted barring space to the opponents to the incumbent government. It’s a very new trend in Bangladesh politics introduced by ruling party to crack down against a political party considering opposition rally and demonstration as criminal offences file case against and take into swift tribunal. It is being assumed that to create panic, to dishonor and to make them hatred is the aim of the policy makers of the Govt. The main opposition party, BNP and its front organizations leaders are charged with around 3780 cases lodged by the present government, according to a Bengali newspaper, Prothom Alo published on September 29. But BNP central office stated that 4551 cases have lodged against their party leaders and workers throughout the country from October 25’ 2013 to 31 January, 2014. In these cases, two hundred thousand and twenty three thousands have been victimised. However they have said the number they have mentioned as estimated is a primary one but actual numbers of the cases and victims are more. Only 3,55,908 leaders and activists are framed as ‘offenders’ besides 2,51,862 people were indicted as unknown ‘offenders.’ Meanwhile, the government has taken the decision to settle the cases filed against their opponents and ministry of home affairs asked the district administration to take steps for trying in speedy trial courts in its jurisdiction accordingly 729 cases taken into cognizance. Most of these cases are filed in connection of opposition’s program to halt the last unilateral election of January 5. Police is the plaintiff of all cases. Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, the acting secretary general who himself is facing so many cases for which he is supposed to appear at the courts either for surrender, or for seeking bails at least three days in a week. Mr. Alamgir said the main motive of the indicting of around half a million party leaders and workers countrywide in false cases are nothing but to make leaders and workers inactive in political programs at grassroots. Not only that, the government has framed cases against former three time prime minister and BNP chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia, senior vice chairman Tarique Rahman and quite older- senior leaders of the supreme forum of the party including many central leaders. Government is pursuing a hostile policy towards the opposition and meeting out all sorts of cruelties to BNP leaders and their workers in one hand and trying to bring split to the opposition alliance on the other. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has issued public warnings that Begum Zia risked the fate of imprisonment if she continues on her move to launch a street movement to force the government to give a mid-term election. It is widely believed; also BNP acting secretary general apprehends that government may proceed for sentencing many party leaders to keep them away from next election (even if there is any midterm poll). But ruling party have failed to understand that they will not be able to maintain this state of fear by curbing all fundamental, civil rights of the citizens. It is guessed that the opposition parties may not wait for long to re-launch the movement and redraw their roadmap but government ministers feeling comfortable seeing a sort of cool in current political landscape considering opposition’s ability to dethrone them. Political analysts say any time the situation may lead to a spark condition because people are unhappy with the government for plenty of reasons. Prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s government may have a feeling that UN would forget the issue of holding a dialogue to support the country’s democratic processes in accordance with the principles of inclusiveness, non-violence and reconciliation for parliamentary election in possible shortest time. After returning from UN general assembly session, prime minister Hasina said this time Ban Ki-moon did not remind her of a dialogue with opposition. Bangladesh’s newspaper reports that Ban had no formal meeting with prime minister Sheikh Hasina. The government is becoming more authoritarian gradually and the political climate of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh has sadly deteriorated, since the massive movement of near-total boycott of January 5 polls by common voters, to a ruling authoritarian spell over a so called handpicked ‘’consensus government “of combined treasury and ‘’opposition parliamentarians “declared elected”, and an extra-parliamentary opposition spell of 20-party combine, unable to come out on the streets under severe measures of repression, prosecution and persecution. UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon should find out a contrivance to end the enmity of the political parties to address the expectations of the people of Bangladesh for an inclusive political process.
Posted on: Wed, 22 Oct 2014 07:02:14 +0000
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