By Ashish Singh
Despite the fact that the news coverage of attacks on minorities has gone down in the past few weeks, nobody would deny that Bangladesh is unstable. With the constant increase of radical elements, and the police in hiding for their own protection, it is a genuine question to explore. Recently, the interim government led by Mohd Yunus has given magisterial powers to the military for a period of two months. With this in mind, I asked a few questions to Bangladeshi-Swedish writer Anisur Rahman.
Ashish Singh: What kind of changes has the interim government brought in with respect to the security of citizens in Bangladesh?
Anisur Rahman: This unconstitutional regime has created total anarchy in Bangladesh. Many elements in this administration were the architects of a well-planned conspiracy in the guise of a student-mass movement against an elected government led by Sheikh Hasina. The US sponsored this conspiracy through different agencies and civil society structure, for instance IRI, NED and so on.
It was noticed that security forces like the Police, Border Guards of Bangladesh, Ansar and RAB were loyal to the administration during the July-August movement. On the other hand, it has now become obvious that bosses of the three defence forces betrayed Sheikh Hasina.
Army Chief Wakarazzaman annonuced that he had taken over charge after the departure of Sheikh Hasina on 5 August. The two other defence chiefs were with him. Anarchy began in early August and it still continues. The police force was destroyed. The police force has not yet been put in a position to play its due rule. Instead, the forces are being mostly used to harass people loyal to secular progressive politics.
The defence forces, including the army, air and navy, are now enjoying magisterial powers. It shows the failure of the civil administration as well as the dominance of growing militarisation. Defence forces are now ruling over the police.
Ashish Singh: Do you think these measures reflect the increasing role of the army and the decreasing role of the police?
Anisur Rahman: Definitely it is increasing the supremacy of military forces. The Police forces have been destroyed in terms, both, conceptually and practically. Nearly five hundred police stations were destroyed out of 639. Police vehicles were vandalised, arms were looted. No legal action, so far, has visibly been taken against the culprits involved in those atrocities.
Many police personnel were killed by terrorists in the guise of protesters during the movement. Many are injured. Many are facing administrative harassment. Many accepted forcible retirement and punishable transfers. Cases are being filed against many police officials. It is a suicidal trend for the country.
The unconstituional Yunus administration backed by military-jongi has not yet disclosed the list of how many police personnel were killed and injured. No initiative for investigation has yet been seen. No effort to compensate the victims in this force has yet been processed.
Both the architects behind the conspiracy as well as the portfolio holders concerned in this unconstitunal administration must be held accountable for undermining as well as destryoing the role of police.
Ashish Singh: Is there trust among the non-radicalised citizens in the state machinery?
Anisur Rahman: In two months, non-radicalised citizens have partially lost their trust in the state machinary. At the same time, it is also confusing whether the machinary functions or not.
The people witness killing, rape, harassment, forced resignation, looting, robbery, arson, vandalising everyday. No significant drive to discourage and control all these attrocities all over the country has been initiated.
Different groups favouring radicalised Islamist politics by using loudspeakers are publicly threatening the supporters of the pro-1971 politics in line with the spirit of Liberation War of Bangladesh. Banned Islamist organisations like Hizbut Tahrir and Islami Chhatra Shibir are manifesting and running their programmes without any bar.
Both, Army Chief Wakaruzzaman and unconstitunal interim regime boss Muhammad Yunus seem much more loyal to the anti-Liberation agendas.
Ashish Singh: Is Bangladesh basically moving towards another military rule?
Anisur Rahman: It is by now a semi-military rule. I would like to call it a ’military-jongi’ friendship rule. Through the betrayal by army boss Wakaruzzaman of Sheikh Hasina’s administration, it sounds the military holds political ambition.
The military, together with other forces, obviously are favouring Islamist groups and targeting secular progressive forces. Bangladesh is now witnessing drastic polarisation. One is for Liberation War of Bangladesh in 1971 and the other is its opposite.
Both unconstitutional regime bossYunus and army chief Wakaruzzaman are playing a role on the side of anti-Liberation. They dream of a ’reset button’. This reset button dream will not succeed.
According to surveys conducted by both national and international media, more than fifty percent people do not support this unconstitutional interim regime.
No freedom of expression, no free media, no citizenss’ security, no law and order exist in the country. It is a regime of total anarchy. Secular progressive lawyers of every bar association in Bangladesh are in hiding for their survival. They are under threat of false cases against them or harassment by the joint forces or Islamist terrorists favoured by the Yunus regime. The meaning of human rights in Bangladesh now may exist merely in the dictionary. In reality, the country is under the rule of tyranny.
It’s consequence could turn out to be a complete military rule or taliban-type regime in future. It seems, both, the military and interim regime look forward to signals from the US.
However, people’s awareness is a significant positive sign. This military-jongi backed Yunus regime will have to hold early general elections. Their motive of creating an alternative third political force will remain a daydream like that during the semi-military regime in 2007-2008.
Ashish Singh: How is the situation now with respect to the security of minorities in Bangladesh?
Anisur Rahman: Bangladesh is now prominently for the male Muslim population. The rest of the population are kind of inferior groups.
Not only religious and ethnic minorities but also all except male Muslims are now targeted. The extremists are imposing their ideology exactly what the Taliban do in Afghanistan.
There is no fear free environment to practice ethnic and religious rituals. Girls and women face eve-teasing by extremists every day. Ethnic or religious minorities in some contexts are bound to convert to Islam. This trend must end. Ethnic minority regions, for instance, Chittagong hill districts are now a warzone.
Tourists are not allowed to visit the area. Minorities are experiencing a situation as if it is a domestic war.
(Ashish Singh is a social and political scientist.)