BANGLADESH stands at a crossroads and the time has come to confront an uncomfortable truth: who has failed the nation? Not physicians, engineers, academics, businessmen, bureaucrats, labourers, lawyers, or farmers. It is politicians. Why? Because, their focus has been on the consolidation of power, not aspirations of the people. Instead of working to develop the nation, they have indulged in corruption, nepotism and the persecution of political opponents. Now, the question looms: are we headed for a similar destination? All signs point to a ‘yes’ as the corrupt political class continues to dictate the nation’s future.
Less than 1 per cent of the population is actively engaged in politics. Yet, they justify their action by claiming to represent unheard voices of the remaining 99 per cent. The reality is that this silent majority cares about three fundamental rights — economic, human and political rights. Any average citizen today will speak of job, goods at affordable prices and personal security, not elections. Yet political parties, particularly the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, is obsessed with elections as if they the panacea for all ills. Election, without addressing the underlying crises of unemployment, inflation and insecurity, is a hollow exercise.
All political parties, from the Bangladesh Nationalist Party to the Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, and even the minor ones, are guilty of prioritising their partisan agenda over the nation’s progress. They have showed little interest in building Bangladesh into a true democratic state. The evidence lies in their actions: the call of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party for an election in three months after the July uprising, for an example, is a case in point. How can free, fair, and credible election be organised in such a short time? There is no credible electoral roll, no trustworthy election commission and no reliable bureaucracy to oversee the process. This is not leadership. It is irresponsibility masqueraded as urgency.
History teaches us that meaningful change can occur at any time if it serves people. Detractors often argue that certain reforms are ‘too late’ to matter. But was it too late for the French declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen, the American Civil Rights Act, or the fall of apartheid in South Africa? All of these came after successful movements. The real question is not whether it is too late but whether the proclamation or act has the potential to improve lives. Unfortunately, our politicians are more concerned about their self-interest than with the essence of what the people need.
Bangladesh is undergoing a political changeover. If we fail to effect meaningful changes today, we may never get another chance unless it comes through another movement. So, must what we change? Everything, starting with the constitution, the election system and the distribution of power. The absolute separation of powers among the executive, the legislative and the judiciary is essential to ensure checks and balances.
Debates about the foundational ideas of the constitution — democracy, socialism, nationalism and secularism — are largely irrelevant if they cannot be translated into action. The constitution as it was in adoption in 1972 enshrined the lofty ideals, but what has been practised for 53 years? Words on paper mean little without a transformation in political culture. Instead of abstract principles, the constitution should guarantees clear and actionable rights for every citizen. It should affirm an absolute freedom of speech provided it does not incite violence. It should explicitly detail citizens’ rights in unequivocal terms. Lofty rhetoric must give way to practical guarantees. A constitution, one that fits in four to five pages, written in simple, clear language that anyone can read and understand should be enough. A constitution should speak directly to people that it is meant to serve. It should be a document of hope, justice and empowerment that belongs to everyone, not just the privileged few.
The July uprising has presented Bangladesh with a golden opportunity. If we fail to seize it, the road ahead will be harder. Changing political culture is as difficult as moving mountains because the political parties are vested in maintaining the status quo. They fear uncertainty and resist new ideas, clinging, instead, to what they know, even when it perpetuates failure. This is why we continue to stagnate. From 1947 to 1971, people of this land were deprived of political rights. Has anything changed from 1972 to 2024? The answer is a ‘no’.
We cannot allow this cycle of failure to continue. It is time to rise above the petty interests of politicians and build a Bangladesh that prioritises aspirations of its people. The silent majority must find its voice, demanding economic justice, human dignity and political integrity. Only then can we ensure that the sacrifices of students and the hopes of the future will not be in vain.
Bangladesh deserves better. Do we have the courage to demand it?
Shahin Hossain is a research fellow at the University of Maryland.
