STATEMENT:De-militarization of Bangladesh for the political stability and implementation of Human Rights

Adv. Shahanur Islam Saikot Programme Manager-Legal & Human Rights 

 The legacy of militarization was acquired from Pakistan since after 1947, the de-colonization and independence of India from British Empire. Pakistan was partitioned from India on two nation Hindu-Muslim theory not on the basis of strong political institution as was happened in India under Indian Congress. The dictatorial attitude of Mr. Mohammad Ali Jinnah of Muslim League of Pakistan did not allow making a 2nd man in his absence to run the Government of Pakistan. At the death of Mr. Jinnah just after one year of independence of Pakistan in September 1948 no able political leadership was found to lead the country. Army Beurocrat up to September 1958 occupied that vacuum of political leadership. Whenever a political government tried to run the country the Army Beurocrates deposed that government. There were several precedence of frequent changes of the government of Pakistan in those time even twice in a day. Off late full martial law was imposed by Commander in Chief General Eshkander Mirza in October of 1958 and became the self-declared president. Within a short time field Martial Ayub Khan, C in C forced Eshkander Mirza to leave the country and became the president. He ruled Pakistan up to 23rd March of 1969 and handed over power to the next C in C Gen. Yahia Khan. Under national and international pressure the general was compelled to hold general election of the members of Pakistan National assembly in 1970. Awami league under the leadership of Bangabundhu Sheikh Muzibur Rahman won 167 seats out of 300 seats in National assembly. The martial law president Gen. Yahia Khan denied to hand over power to the majority party Awami League and its leader Bangabundhu Sheikh Mozibur Rahman. He waed war against the people of Bangladesh on 25th March 1971 mid night. The liberation war of Bangladesh was started and victory was achieved on 16th December 1971. Bangladesh was liberated from Pakistan through 9 months bloody war of liberation and a democratic government was formed by Awami League under Bangabundhu Sheikh Muzibur Rahaman after having long suffering from military rule of Pakistan. But the Pakistan trained Generals of Bangladesh military did not leave away the foot prints of their masters, the Generals of Pakistan military. While the democratic Bangladesh under Bangabundhu Sheikh Muzibur Rahman was deeply absorbed in building up war ravaged Bangladesh the General of Bangladesh under the clandstam support of Pakistan and some counter revolutionary Pakistan oriented Muslim fundamentalists elements were engaged in deep conspiracy to restore military rule in Bangladesh like Pakistan. On 15 august 1975 some military personnel with the support of Dy. Chief of Staff Maj. Gen. Ziaur Rahman assassinated Bangabhandu Shiekh Muzibur Rahman, his whole family members present in the residence, some cabinet Ministers, senior Awami League leaders and arrested many senior cabinet ministers. The democracy again went to the hand of the military and its ruler Lft. Gen. Ziaur Rahman. He was assassinated on 30 May 1981 in another coup by the military and Ltf. Gen. H.M Ershad appeared in the scenario of power. He continued as Chief Martial law administrator and became president until he was thrown out by the mass upsurge on 06 December 1991. Since 1991 up to 2006 for 15 years, in 3 terms the democratic government ruled the country. It is a bare fact the true practice of democratic norms of the people of a nation cannot be achieved over night through a revolutionary path. It is a psychological evolution to make the citizen to be tolerant to others opinion. That is why it requires a few generations through practicing democracy to achieve a real democratic government. So, only 15 years of democracy in Bangladesh is too a short period to establish a real democracy. The present military backed caretaker government with a plea of caoatie situation among the parties took over power on 11 January 2007 under constitution Article 58 © with the compulsion to hold election and hand over power within 90 days. But an invisible government, the Directorate General Force of Intelligence (DGFI) within the CT government, like ISI of Pakistan, is not willing to allow the CT government to hold election and want to prolong the military power with the plea of prolonging process of photo-voter list and ID card. They are making various blue prints to de stabilize the popular two political parties Awami League and Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and putting the political leaders in to prolong detention in the name of so called corruption cases without fare trial by open court although the Hon’ble High court has rejected many of such cases. The prime purpose of such cases as instituted illegally and convicted in camera trial is to put the political leaders in to disqualification of future politics and the gap will be filled up by retried military personnel so that the parliament can be a rubber stamp parliament under the dictation of the military. That is, in disguise, the military will rule the country as per the road map of Pakistan military rulers. To get rid of the military intervention in the path of democracy which is a topmost priority for protection of Human Rights in Bangladesh the following measures may be taken immediately: • State of Emergency must be lifted immediately • Political activities should be restored • Military should be taken back to barrack • Political leaders under detention should be bailed out and let them face trail under normal court not under any special court of camera trial. • Election should be held within January to February of 2008 under updated voter list as per verdict of the Supreme Court instead of waiting for long process and expensive photo voter list. • Military intervention to disrupt the democracy must be restricted by a resolution of all international communities under UN. • If there is non proliferation treaty to save the human civilization from nuclear weapon then why there is for protection of human rights to save the world citizen of our beloved small earth from the atrocities of the military at the threat of their might of military arsenal.