Democracy
As per Wikipedia, democracy is a system of Government in which the citizens exercise power directly or elect representatives from among themselves to form a governing body, such as a parliament. Democracy is sometimes referred to as “Rule of the majority”. There are other definitions of democracy that relate to our political lives.
I think, democracy relates to all spheres of life. It is the essence of a civilized life. Democracy can survive in an educated and civilized society only, as the birds can survive where there are plenty of trees. A backward society cannot hold and maintain democracy. Even if the society wants to practice democracy, it often breaks down due to lack of understanding, patience and respect for others. Paying due respect to others is not that easy. It requires learning to respect, appreciate, share, sacrifice, tolerate and be patient. It needs a certain level of socioeconomic development, cultural development and a standard civilization.
I think, the key element of democracy is respect for others’ freedom and rights. I believe that any individual should be able to enjoy his or her freedom and rights without doing any harm to anyone else. He or she will not do anything that harms other people if he or she respects their freedom and rights. If we can develop our minds and habits to this level through practice, we will spontaneously respect their freedom and rights. This is the most ideal situation. Under such environment freedom and rights of all will be protected spontaneously. We will then appreciate people when they achieve something. If there are difficulties or problems, we will extend our helping hands to share. We will be able to sacrifice our comforts for others. When things happen that are not desirable, we will be tolerant and patient.
Democracy should start from home. I observed our family lives and found no democracy there. I think, it is dictatorship to a great extent. During my childhood, I observed that the wife was afraid of the husband. I heard only one voice. It was the voice of a master, the head of the family, the household owner. The wives had no voice. They were often beaten for trifling reasons. The children were also afraid of their father.
Once I attended an invitation to one of my cousin brother’s home. My mother accompanied me. My brother has two sons. They were ⅞ years old. During lunch, we were at the dining table. My brother was not there. He could not manage time due to official work. So, my mother, my sister in-law, her two sons and I were having our lunch. At this time, my brother came home. When he came, the horn of his car was heard from our dining table. As soon as the boys could hear the sound of the horn, they understood that their father came home. They frantically ran away from the room out of fear. I asked their mother why the boys left the room so fearfully. She said that they feared their father. Now, don’t you think that this family needs democratic environment?
To enjoy the democratic rights a person needs to be strong. One cannot enjoy democratic rights without economic power. The women of the developing countries do not enjoy democracy in their families because they are not self dependent economically. They have no income. It means that they are poor in their families. Poverty is a hindrance to democracy. We all know that money has prestige value. These days some women are having income. Those who earn some money can enjoy their rights better than the women of the previous generations who could not earn money. Some others cannot earn even if they want. They do not have freedom of movement. They need permission of the families to go out and have some income. Often they are not given permissions.
In the developing countries democracy cannot work. The political leaders buy votes. These leaders exploit the poverty among people. During elections, they entertain them with good food, clothes, cash money etc. The poor people can earn some money which is more important to them than choosing a right person as their political leader.
I have seen the undemocratic office environment since I was in the Government service. Boss was the supreme in the office. All officials and staff were afraid of their bosses because their promotions, going abroad, good postings and other facilities depended on the bosses. Culturally and traditionally they were not supposed to express their ideas in front of their bosses. They could say, “Yes, sir” only. I did the same too. If I put up my own ideas or views that would be regarded as bad manners. I believe that all institutions should have democratic environment. Let everybody enjoy freedom and self-respect.
There is no democracy within the political parties. Elections must be there, whatever the system is. I think, the chairperson and other important leaders of the political parties should be elected by the relevant members of the parties. The political parties can find ways or develop systems so that the chairperson or other leaders of a political party are elected through elections.
In Bangladesh, there is no democracy in the real sense of the term. The newspapers and television channels are banned when they publish news and broadcast programmes independently. The famous newspapers are often banned. The Islamic TV and Diganta TV channels are banned. The television channels that are not banned, are the mouthpieces of the ruling party.
The constitution is amended as per wish of the Government. Our constitution was amended to snatch away our democratic rights. As per 16th amendment we lost three important democratic rights. The first one is referendum. They erased referendum from our constitution. Secondly, we lost our “No Vote” and thirdly, the system of Caretaker Government was abolished.
Political opponents are killed in the name of gunfight and crossfire. There are extra judicial killings and forced disappearances of political leaders and workers, journalists, writers, University teachers including people of other fields. The Independent, dated 14 November, 2017 reports that the list of disappeared people is getting alarmingly long over the past few months and the disappearance of North South University teacher Dr Mubashar Hasan is the latest addition to the lineup of unfortunate people. In the last three months, a total of eight prominent individuals went missing from various parts of the country, but the Government has been unable to find trace of any of these missing persons and the scenario is the same in case of Mubashar Hasan as police are yet to find any clue three days after the teacher’s going missing.
Many people died in jail custody. People are arrested and tortured in the jail custody under remand. Political opponents are persecuted in other forms too. Countless court cases are filed against the workers and leaders of the opposition party.
The political parties are not allowed to hold meetings, processions, demonstrations, strikes, long march, human chains etc.
Recently, BNP Chairperson, Begum Khaleda Zia went to Cox’s Bazar to visit the Rohingya Refugee camps. Her car was attacked and many journalists were seriously wounded. theindependentbd.com/home /print news/121142 dated 28 October 2017 reports that BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia’s motorcade came under attack in Feni when she was on her way to Cox’s Bazar to distribute relief materials among Rohingya refugees yesterday. The unknown criminals injured several journalists and vandalized 20 vehicles. Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Secretary General, BNP, says that there are video records of the crime. The criminals are gang leaders of the ruling party.
bdnews24.com dated 14 November 2017 reports that BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir’s convoy was attacked in Chittagong on his way to Rangamati to meet local people affected by landslides. Mr. Amir Khashru, a member of BNP’s policy making National Standing Committee , said, “As soon as we reached Rangunia’s Ichhakhali, men armed with Iron rods and sharp weapons attacked our convoy. They have completely damaged our cars. We suspect, supporters of Awami League leader, Hasan Mahmud was behind the attack. He added that they were injured by shattered windshields.
Besides, the arrogant politicians are betraying the public by telling lies.
We are the people of Bangladesh. We want public meetings. We want to know what other political parties want to say. We want to hear their voices, agenda, political policies, philosophies, ideas, objectives, strategies etc. We are deprived of our democratic and political rights when we cannot attend the public meetings. There must be public meetings which are our democratic rights.
Some politicians tell hundreds of blunt lies without any hesitation. They told lies about the ex president, Hossain Md. Ershad. They kept him in the hospital without any reason. He was threatened and was sent to the hospital. They lied about the Chief Justice, Mr. S. K Sinha. Forcefully he was sent to Australia. The Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs said that he applied for leave and showed his signed application on television. Mr.S.K Sinha said that he did not sign any paper. The Law Minister further said that Mr Sinha went abroad for the treatment of cancer, but the Chief Justice said that he was in good health. Things went worse when these politicians tried to erase their lies by producing thousands of other lies. Their statements become inconsistent and incoherent. These are very shameful behaviour patterns. They become laughing stock to the public.
Some politicians are very arrogant. They always abuse and attack the leaders of the opposition party. They make ugly comments shamelessly.
Bangladesh has ancient Indian civilization, but modern civilization has a different style. We are yet to adopt that style. We love democracy, but our political environment is not developed enough to maintain and sustain democracy. I hope, gradually we will overcome this transition or interim period. The new generation will come forward to restore democracy. There will be democratic political parties. They will save the nation from family politics. I hope they will understand that our future political leaders must be from Bangladesh and they should live in Bangladesh permanently. I believe that they will be strong enough not to allow interference into our politics from the people who live abroad and settled in foreign countries.
People of Bangladesh are politically conscious. They understand the false statements. This seems to be an ocean of falsehood. These dishonest politicians become laughing stock to the people of Bangladesh.
I would like to mention some facts of the violation of human rights in Bangladesh. This is not the first time that the facts are being disclosed. These were published in Bangladeshi newspapers. I got this information from the internet.
The US State Department Report, in its Country Report on human rights practices for 2014, quoted the NGOs to cite statistics that were as follows: -
The legal aid and human rights NGO, Ain O Salis Kendra (ASK) reported that during the first eight months of the year, security forces, including the RAB committed an estimated total of 113 killings and the local human rights NGO, Odhikar, reported that security forces killed 136 persons in the first nine months of the year.
There were an estimated 179 extrajudicial killings in all of 2013. The deaths occurred during raids, arrests and other law enforcement operations.
The Government, often described these deaths as crossfire killings, gunfights or encounter killings.
The report also mentions the gruesome seven murders of Narayanganj. Seven persons were abducted and killed by RAB personnel. The report also refers to forced disappearances based on NGO data.
“Disappearances and kidnappings, some committed by security services, continued. According to Odhikar, from January through September, there were 35 disappearances allegedly involving security personnel, compared with 14 in all of 2013”, says the report.
The report also touched on the press freedom, specially mentioning the ICT contempt charge against the British journalist David Bergman and restriction on the internet freedom.
Aljazeera news for Bangladesh, dated 30 March 2017 said the following: -
The United Nations has criticized Bangladesh's Government in a new report for a “higher rate” of extra judicial killings and enforced disappearances, as well as excessive use of force by state actors.
From the above discussion we understand that this situation is worse than absolute monarchy. It seems that during the next election, deployment of army with magistracy power is of absolute necessity. We need a neutral and independent Government during the next election. The election will never ever be fair under the ruling party.
In Bangladeshi politics, India plays a significant role. The Bangladeshis want a state to state relation with India. When India supports a particular political party, that is, the present ruling party, people of Bangladesh become frustrated. They need India’s friendship. We all belong to Indian ethnic group. We are also of Hindu blood. We are families. We need their assistance to restore democracy in Bangladesh. People of Bangladesh are economic factors that can boost India’s economy too. We extend our hands and hearts to India for their cooperation in the next election of Bangladesh.
Democracy needs to be universal. Sometimes highly civilized countries disturb democracies in other countries for their economic and political interests. In Egypt, President Morsi was democratically elected. He lost his position because of international politics.
It seems to me that democracy does not work well in the Middle East. There is democracy in Turkey, Lebanon and Tunisia. Wikipedia says that Israel is a democratic state. I don’t think so. Israel is a religious state. No religious state is democratic. It tells us that there are divisions. All citizens are not equal. The Jews are special. It is a Jewish state. It is a Jewish land. I think, Israel should be a democratic state. It should be “ People's Republic of Israel”. The Muslims, Christians and others should be allowed to feel that Israel is their country and they are respected citizens of Israel as much as the Jews.
In central Asia, democracy does not work well too. In the communist countries people’s thinking processes are locked.
Democracy works well in the USA, Canada, Australia, Great Britain, France, Germany and in other countries of the developed world.
Democracy goes well with high level of development. Democracy is for all. It is a civilized way of life. Democracy cannot remain alive in any country. It needs a developed ground or foundation to flourish.
I wish all countries of the world to have democracies. The developed countries should help the developing countries to develop and practice democracy. Let democracy be universal. Let us all enjoy democracy simultaneously together.
