Will the charade of democracy survive in the Islamic Republic of Bangladesh? The question becomes relevant in the wake of protests by tens of thousands of Opposition activists in Dhaka on September 18, demanding electoral reforms ahead of the 2007 general election. The massive march was a sequel to almost 15 months of intense agitation involving strikes and protests to buttress the demand for fair and free election in Bangladesh.

Will the charade of democracy survive in the Islamic Republic of Bangladesh? The question becomes relevant in the wake of protests by tens of thousands of Opposition activists in Dhaka on September 18, demanding electoral reforms ahead of the 2007 general election. The massive march was a sequel to almost 15 months of intense agitation involving strikes and protests to buttress the demand for fair and free election in Bangladesh.

What was expected to be a secular state where all citizens would be sharing opportunities for growth and prosperity, has turned out to be a hub of fear for the minorities. Hindus are fleeing Bangladesh in large numbers and its share in the country's population has reduced from 33 per cent in 1947 to less than 10 per cent today. The Buddhist Chakmas are living in refugee camps. Minority bashing, with bands of marauders entering Hindu villages and killing innocent people in full knowledge of the state administration, has been going on unimpeded to stop them from participating in election.

At the political level, there ought to be even more concern over the BNP-led Government's systematic attempt to sabotage the instruments of democracy by planting its own people in the Election Commission, the judiciary and the bureaucracy. Not only could this lead to the continuation of the BNP rule, but also provide greater space for the Islamist parties that could demand greater share in governance as reward for their cadres manipulating the electoral process. It could also lead to further instability in Bangladesh, thus preparing grounds for the country to be taken over by a military-jihadi alliance. There are serious allegations (supported with credible evidence) that about 13 million bogus voters have been included in the list of 61 million electorates.

This sordid picture was brought out in graphic detail by The Pioneer columnist Hiranmay Karlekar in his recent well-researched book, Bangladesh: The Next Afghanistan. In Bangladesh, secular attitudes are waning while the fundamentalist influence is steadily rising. The situation has been gathering momentum for years. The demon of violent fundamentalism performed its danse macabre during the days of Pakistani occupation. The Pakistani Generals encouraged the razakars and other fundamentalist and pro-Pakistan elements to use religion in order to discourage the rising popular aspiration for separation from Pakistan.

After independence, these fundamentalist elements remained quiet for sometime. But the tragic death of Sheikh Mujibur Rehman, followed by the Army takeover of Dhaka, once again gave them the encouragement they needed to demonise India. The unpopular and corrupt military regime never hesitated in using Islamist elements to sustain itself in power and suppress popular sentiments. It is the same story in Bangladesh as elsewhere. But why is it more successful in Muslim countries than elsewhere?

The danger in Bangladesh is not so much that there is a thriving fundamentalist challenge to secular democracy and liberal Bengali intellectualism. It has always been there. In fact, there had been systematic decimation of professionals and intellectuals in East Pakistan by the razakars and their inspiring clerics. These elements have now been systematically wooed and supported with funds from Pakistan, so that Bangladesh could once again come under Pakistani influence. There is the added dimension of the Pakistan Army first incubating the Taliban and later disowning and even suppressing it under American pressure. With Afghanistan no longer available for nurturing jihadi terror, a new home was needed and that is precisely where Bangladesh comes into picture.

Will Bangladesh go the Afghanistan way? Will it give shelter to terrorists like Osama bin Laden and help them in attaining their jihadi goals? For answer one has to look at the role of individuals like 'Bangla Bhai' (the leader of JMJB), who have been acting as 'cultural revolutionaries' by killing people whom they dislike, after declaring such public executions in advance. The report of Bangla intellectuals and liberals being beaten publicly with bamboo poles after being hung upside down and their screams broadcast over loudspeaker (it happened in May 2004), gives a taste of what is to come if Bangladesh morphs into the Taliban's version of Afghanistan. Graphic details of all these are available in Dhaka-based newspapers.

Is there a ray of hope in Bangladesh? The scenario appears bleak. The BNP Government under Ms Khaleda Zia depends on the support of the four-party alliance of religious politicians. Matiur Rahman Nizami, identified by the country's post-independence National Commission as among the 15 criminals opposing the 1971 liberation war, is now the Minister for Industries in the Khaleda Zia Government. He is also Amir-e-Jamaat and president of its central executive committee. Most of the other identified criminals, too, are either in Government or in positions of influence. Then there was a blueprint for capturing power by the Jamaat, prepared in April 2003 to convert the country into an Islamic one, with a Taliban clone as its ruling power centre.

According to former Minister Abu Sayeed, over 50,000 Islamists, belonging to more than 40 militant outfits, have received military training in 50 camps functioning across Bangladesh. Besides, there is an entire trail of regular inflow of funds to these militant outfits - major part of that money comes from Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.

Over 700 madarsas are propagating jihad in Bangladesh. No wonder most of the recent terrorist activities in the world - London, Ayodhya, Delhi, Mumbai and Malegaon - have one connection or the other with our eastern neighbour. And, thus, there is a growing concern over the 'basket case' turning into an incubator of Islamist terror.

Courtesy: dialypioneer.com, September 22,2006