Nothing changed in Bangladesh

When Barack Obama became President of United States, he showed dreams and hopes to the people. But, in less than one year, voters have already started realizing, it was a blunder to vote for Obama. According to recent surveys, Barack Obama's acceptance and popularity is on sharp decline.

In Bangladesh, democracy was restored from a military controlled interim government and Bangladesh Awami League, under the leadership of Sheikh Hasina snatched landslide victory during the general election in December 2009 with their electoral mandate titled 'Vision 2021'. They promised to change the old-typed politics of confrontation and corruption in Bangladesh with something new. People were aspired with the dreams and hopes shown by the oldest political party in the country. But, just in one year, there is frustration everywhere! Nothing changed, rather turned even worst! Let us have glimpse over some of the issues:

Corruption and nepotism:

1. Commerce Minister Lieutenant Colonel [retired] Faruk Khan is already alleged of awarding a huge business contract to a foreign company, existence of which is already questioned by the government of that particular country. Mr. Khan also failed to control the exorbitant rise in the price of essentials. It is even reported in the media that, ruling party men are aligned in 'syndicates' in playing with the people of the country, by extracting highest stake of profit through increasing price of essentials as per their whims.

Though very loud about syndicates, Faruk Khan has now stopped making any fresher comments on either bringing the price of essentials to a tolerable level, or dealing with the syndicates in a tougher manner.

2. Communications minister Shah Abul Hossain has already been able to draw the attention of media by spending a few million Taka from his fund in setting a so-called reception organized at his own constituency. When journalists asked the minister the reason behind such lavish spending in just one single 'reception', the minister said, "I am shocked to see that you people are trying to criticize it".

State minister for local government Jahangir Kabir Nanak is already accused of allocating major segment of development budget for his own constituency defying all other areas in Dhaka. He has allocated 21 million Taka for his own constituency for development, maintenance and repairing of roads, while 349 million was allocated for rest of the Capital city.

While questioned by journalists, the state minister said, he never instructed anyone to allocate such huge amount of fund for his own constituency. He said, it might have been done by some officials of the department concerned, with the aim of pleasing him.

Then the state minister continued saying, most of the roads in his own constituency are damaged. So, repairing those roads was of utmost urgency.

From this statement of the minister, it becomes crystal clear that, Jahangir Kabir Nanak played important role in such uneven allocation of fund for road development in the city.

3. Although ruling Bangladesh Awami League harshly criticized its main political opponent, Bangladesh Nationalist Party of massive corruption, when it ruled the country during 2001-2006, similar stories of corruption by the ruling party is now getting published in local press.

While in opposition and after forming the government, ruling party repeatedly claimed that, electrical poles were purchased and installed in various parts of the country, though connection to those areas were not possible even in near future. Now, they have also committed the same 'crime'.

According to Daily Manabzamin, a leading vernacular daily, Energy ministry has recently awarded contract to a local company for supplying concrete electrical poles for various rural areas in the country, though it is uncertain as to when those areas, where the newly procured poles would be set would get electricity connections. It is also reported that, contracts were accorded for this supply at a price, which is much higher than the estimated cost.

The ruling party repeatedly mentioned similar activities by the previous government for buying poles from a company, which was owned by the friend of former Prime Minister's son, and spending millions of dollar for this project.

Terrorism:

According to latest information, law and order situation in the country, especially in the capital city is in a very alarming stage. Robbery, murder, kidnapping, rape and various forms of crimes are continuing thus putting the citizen into a state of infinite horror.

Members of the student wing of the ruling party are leading campus terror since Awami League formed the government in January 2009. The latest incident took place right inside Dhaka University, where a meritorious student named Abu Bakr Siddik died of internal confrontation of the student wing of the ruling party. On Monday [February 1, 2010], two fractions of the ruling party's student wing went into virtual campus war during the late hours of the night. In this tragic repetition of campus violence, three students named Abu Bakr Siddik, Amirul and Ujjal were critically injured. Abu Bakr Siddik died on Wednesday night while condition of both Amirul and Ujjal are extremely critical.

Hearing the news of death of Abu Bakr Siddik, members of the ruling party's student wing went into massive rampage inside the campus. They smashed windshields of at least 12 vehicles. It is important to mention here that, during Monday's violence, more than 50 vehicles were damaged by the students around Dhaka University campus.

There had been al read fifty incident of violence by the members of the student wing of the ruling party in various campuses in Bangladesh since Bangladesh Awami League formed the government. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina repeatedly cautioned her student wing members to refrain from violence. But, no one paid any attention to such call from the party chief. As a result, Sheikh Hasina resigned from the Supreme post of the student wing [named Bangladesh Chhatra League]. But, later, she stepped back from this resignation at the request of the student leaders.

There is series of allegations against members of Bangladesh chhatra League and other fractions and wings of the ruling party for various forms of crime including rampant extortion in the country. Some of the senior leaders of the ruling party are also reportedly behind such extortions.

Members of the law enforcing agencies are compelled to remain mere-spectators to all such illegal activities.

Mid-term Election:

In United States, Democrats saw a massive setback, when Senator Kennedy's 46-year old seat was taken by Republicans in Massachusetts. Again a similar setback is indicated at the left Senate seat of Barack Obama in Illinois State. There is possibility of many setbacks for Barack Obama during the November mid-term polls in United States.

In Bangladesh, Election Commission finally declared the lawmaker of the ruling party in Bhola-3 constituency unfit and declared the seat vacant. Earlier higher judiciary in Bangladesh also declared elections in two other constituencies illegal, which are now at the disposal of Election Commission for formal announcement of re-election.

It may be mentioned here that, a number of ruling party lawmakers violated Election Commission's rule and participated in the general election in December 2009. Political opponents of the ruling party are already raising fingers at the neutrality of Election Commission and the electoral process during the general election in December. They are terming it as 'Engineered Election'.

A number of mid-term polls will possibly take place in Bangladesh during this year, if remaining court orders will also ultimately come into force. Bhola-3 constituency will be the first acid test for the ruling party to show to the world that, they are also able to ensure neutral election. On the other hand, it will also be important to feel the pulse of the voters of Bangladesh, who voted for the ruling party thus presenting them a landslide victory.

Jamuna Group under assault:

One of the leading business conglomerates in Bangladesh, Jamuna Group has finally been made a victim of anger of some influential figures in the government. According to latest information, Rajdhani Unnayan Kartipakkhan [City Development Authorities], under the orders from Ministry of Housing has starting demolishing three floors of country's largest shopping mall named 'Jamuna Future Park', which is owned by the Jamuna group.

Jamuna Group's shareholder and a lawmaker told parliament recently that, some influential people in the government are annoyed at her business conglomerate as the vernacular daily owned by Jamuna Group published few reports on corruption in the housing ministry. She sought help from the prime minister is saving her business enterprises from severe financial loss, which she feared to face due to adverse attitude of influential figures in the present government.

But, on Thursday, February 4 2010, bulldozers of Rajdhani Unnayan Kartipakkha reached the huge structures of Jamuna Future Park and started demolishing a few floors of the building.

Earlier, government snatched the transmission license of the television channel owned by the conglomerate and shut off its transmission.

It may be mentioned here that, chairman of this group, Nurul Islam Babul was arrested; harassed and imprisoned a number of times by the previous BNP led government as he allegedly annoyed a junior minister in that government.

Later Mr. Babul was also arrested by the military controlled interim government and imprisoned for months, when he was forced to pay huge amount of ransom for his release. Later, on being released from prison and after Bangladesh Awami League formed the government, Nurul Islam Babul demanded return of TK. 1200 million, which was forcefully taken by the military controlled government in exchange of his release.

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Nothing changed in Bangladesh

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