A question to all the non biased Bangladeshis: Is the new government any different?
Following the July-August uprising, Bangladesh has gone through a shift in power. The autocratic party that grappled and suckled onto power for 15 long years by rigging elections and suppressing opposing parties has finally been defeated. Now my question goes to all the impartial Bangladeshi's reading this, did we protest to remove this specific government or did we protest to dismantle the autocratic and bureaucracic system which was a big obstacle for the democracy of the country?
Where is this question coming from? As we know during the election times Awami League used to lock up, threaten and even murdered to weaken the opposing parties. Now, following the overthrow we are witnessing not same but somewhat similar from the interim government.
Currently,people who supported or were affiliated with the Awami League are being arrested, assaulted and even killed on sight. Awami members are being detained and incarcerated without due process or a fair trials. Yes, I agree that many of the awami members were corrupt and were involved with alot of crimes but to think literally every single one of them were bad is a vague argument. And what we are doing right now can affect a great deal on the future of this country and its democracy. I believe that every Awami member has the right to a fair trial conducted by an impartial court. And I'll throw my two cents on it why.
Firstly, let’s start by acknowledging that each political party has its own ideologies and nearly all major parties have been involved in some form of corruption at some point. The Awami League has its ideology of the 71's liberation War and the legacy of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman (predominantly); now we all know that not everyone who supports the Liberation War and admires Mujib is necessarily affiliated with the Awami League. To make my point, let's say hypothetically, if the current interim government engages in similar corruption and the public becomes aware the next party in power may respond by doing the same thing arresting and prosecuting without due process everyone especially the sommonayoks involved in the July uprising maybe even including all those who shared the ideology of the interim government. This would lead to a repetitive cycle basically same wine presented in a new bottle. This would create constant political instability resulting in a downturn for the economy. And the people who lives hand to mouth and doesn't give a f**k about politics gets punished for this.
I support banning the Awami League and its affiliated parties if that is the will of the people. The argument that 'BNP and Jamaat will have no opposition' is stupid. New parties can establish themselves in no time. However, people need to remember that the Awami League was once a legally and constitutionally elected party. If it is banned, former members should not be arrested solely for their affiliation with the party. This is not how a democratic society operates. If they are found clean (not involved with corruption) through a fair and impartial trial and renounce their support for the party they should be allowed to move forward.
Also, I've noticed some people comparing the Awami League to small mustache man's N--i party in germany, which is simply absurd. The killings associated with the Awami League were politically motivated whereas the N--is targeted for persecution based on their ideology. What the Awami League has done is something that many political parties in underdeveloped and developing countries do. These comparisons just diminishes the atrocities committed by the n--is. I understand the jew hate in this country because of the current events in Palestine but let's not get that far.
We have removed an autocratic government but we have yet to liberate the judicial sector of this country in order to achieve a good enough democratic country.