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Thwarting a foolish plan

The caretaker government in Bangladesh has been forced to reverse course and give up its anti-constitutional attempt to break up the two main political formations in the country. The military-backed regime had imposed a ban on Awami League leader Sheikh Hasina's return to the country. It was also trying desperately to force Bangladesh National Party chief Khaleda Zia into exile. Factions within the two parties were encouraged to rebel against their leadership. There were indications that the forces backing the interim government would use strong-arm tactics to get their way. These efforts seemed designed to ensure that the government formed after the 2008 parliamentary election would comprise politicians with negligible popular support — so that the `apolitical' actors running the country would continue to wield real power. Further, the ongoing drive to privatise public assets could be made irreversible if politicians with strong support at the grass roots were kept out of power. While the interim government's attempt to clean up the administration and the electoral machinery has won popular support, its resort to extra-legal means to control politicians — and to keep the two main national political leaders out of their own country — has been completely over the top.

Fortunately, democratic forces in Bangladesh have been alert to the dangers and fought back spiritedly. Sheikh Hasina, who was determined to return home and face the suspiciously timed charges against her, petitioned the Supreme Court to lift the ban. There was a very good chance that the apex court would agree with her. Begum Khaleda, for her part, refused to bend to the bizarre diktat of the caretaker government that she should seek asylum in Saudi Arabia! The Saudi government did its bit for Bangladeshi democracy by instructing its embassy in Dhaka not to issue a long-term visa to the BNP leader unless she appeared in person at the chancery and convinced officials that she was leaving voluntarily. But the real heroes of the democratic fightback are the second-rung leaders of the two main parties. With the left parties of Bangladesh making a positive contribution, mid-level members of the Awami League and the BNP closed ranks. The last nail in the coffin of a foolish plan was the strong stand made by the country's independent and assertive media on the side of parliamentary democracy.

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