The interim government that has been formed in Bangladesh in the mass uprising of students can be called revolutionary government. Keeping in mind the people’s wishes, the government should make necessary reforms in the country as well as create a field for holding free, fair and impartial elections. The expectations of the common people of the country towards this revolutionary government are very high. All the broken state institutions should start work on reform without delay. Those involved in disappearances, murders and corruption should be brought to justice. The reform agenda of the government should be negotiated with the political parties and an initiative should be taken to sign a ‘National Charter’ based on consensus.
The panelists said these things in a webinar titled ‘Bangladesh: The Way Forward’ of the US-based rights organization Right to Freedom (R2F) on Friday.
Ambassador William B. Mylam, President of RTUF, gave a welcome address at the beginning. Board member of the organization and the former Deputy Mission Chief of the United States appointed in Dhaka, John F. Danilowich, spoke in the webinar. Badiul Alam Majumdar, Executive Director of Center for Policy Dialogue (CPD). Fahmida Khatun and Michael Kugelman, director of the Wilson Center’s South Asia Institute. Mushfiqul Fazal Ansari, Executive Director of Right to Freedom, introduced the speakers in the webinar.
This is the first panel discussion program of RTUF since the August 5 coup in Bangladesh. At the beginning of the discussion, John Danilowich thanked journalist Mushfiq for his tireless efforts at the policy-making level in various countries of the world including the United States in the fight to restore democracy in Bangladesh in the past years.
Mylam said in his welcome speech, I would like to start today’s session by telling a little history. Because although I am old I have seen many things. Referring to the collapse of Ershad, who served as ambassador in Dhaka in the 90s, he said, “I have seen this scene before when I was in Dhaka. This is no laughing matter. Not twice, but three times; In the past 35 years, Bangladesh had to start a new journey three times. We are in a sense back to the same place again. You have to keep the government in one place and the people have to go back to another place. What happened in Bangladesh is very important. If you want to know Bangladesh, you need to know about the history of Bangladesh. The country had to start anew three times.
He is a Nobel laureate. Yunus wished the government success.
Dr. Sujan editor. Badiul Alam said in his speech that the coup that happened in Bangladesh is the biggest coup in history. Not only the youth, but from all over the villages, towns and cities, the rich, the poor, the middle class all participated in it. It was a real coup d’état. What message did this uprising give us? Hasina government created an empire of terrorists. Those involved in this terrorism must be punished. It never repeats itself. Hasina’s misrule before August 5 should not return.
He said, they (Sheikh Hasina government) have committed crimes against humanity by killing more than 8 to 9 hundred people. It is estimated that the number will be more than a thousand. People of all classes, including children, young and old, were killed in this uprising. Because all classes of people participated in it. It is a type of crime.
The second crime is that they have carried out terrorist activities for the past 15 years. Violence, arrests, extra-judicial killings, disappearances, making mirror houses, they have committed unimaginable acts. These are serious criminal offences. They must be judged.
Sujan editor also said that their other crime was economic crime. Looting, theft and money laundering – these crimes have been committed. Billions of rupees have been smuggled out of the country. These smugglers must be punished. Their punishment is an important demand. Another demand has been raised for state reform. The youth raised this demand from the safe road movement. The young children of the school raised this demand. Those who raised this demand are now studying in the university.
The interim government has to do three things, this member of the Shark Project Management Council said, we have to do three things. Institutions which have collapsed should be reorganized. Hasina made the police her personal army. He used the police for his party and his own interests. The police did not play the role of a state force. This institution has declined. Bureaucracy is also very bad. Those who have committed crimes should be brought to justice and punished.
Second, these institutions need to be reorganized. They should be converted into effective institutions. Without these, this interim government will not be able to do any work properly.
Third, major reforms are needed in various areas. Now we are talking about the extent of reforms. How much this interim government will have the opportunity to reform is the question. Some say that the constitution has become invalid after the revolution. It no longer works, must start over. The other side says that the interim government has taken oath under this constitution. It is not done in full constitutional process, we need to amend this constitution. Some major reforms are needed, so that the old government cannot come back again.
Dr. Badiul Alam said, if we want to change everything, start anew, as Professor Ali Riaz said, the constitution should be rewritten. If so, the matter will be long-term, complicated and not easy. In this case we need a constitution drafting committee. After that there will be elections. After the election, a constitutional session will be convened, where the draft will be raised and discussed. After the discussion, the new constitution will be passed. There are many laws that need to be changed, institutions need to be reformed and many need to be removed from them. The Election Commission should be restructured, the judiciary should be reformed. Many judges have resigned, but action must be taken against those who remain whose quality is in question.
Executive Director of the Center for Policy Dialogue (CPD). Fahmida Khatun said, “We all saw how the government fell on August 5 through student-led uprisings in July and August.” In this shift, the interim government has to work on almost all issues to fulfill the aspirations of students and masses for a society without discrimination. This task has become very challenging as the institutionalization has broken down over the past 15 years.
Michael Kugelman, director of the Wilson Center’s South Asia Institute, said foreign policy is not a priority for the interim government in the days ahead. I think law and order, economic stability, reforms and other issues are more important for this government. I am not saying that foreign policy is not important for this government, I am talking about the country’s relationship with India. Sheikh Hasina has been in India for more than four weeks since her ouster. The situation in Myanmar is also important, as recent months have seen a prolonged war there. The country’s war is affecting Bangladesh. These should be given importance on an urgent basis. How the Bangladesh government responds to international relations matters.
Regarding the bilateral relations between India and Bangladesh, Kugelman said that it is necessary to talk about India’s foreign policy with Bangladesh. It has now become the most complicated relationship in Bangladesh. It is the only close country and friend that cannot embrace, welcome the new government. Although Dr. Yunus and Modi had a brief conversation but could not elaborate. One thing Bangladesh can assure the Indian government is that they want to start afresh. India cannot interfere in their foreign policy, internal affairs and governance. I think Bangladesh should not fail to negotiate with India. They need this partnership. This relationship is necessary for trade, border and geopolitical reasons. Bangladesh needs a working relationship with India rather than a very close one.
Sheikh Hasina is not going anywhere from India. In response to the question of what effect this position will have on the country’s relationship with the interim government of Bangladesh, Kugelman said, I think the longer Hasina stays in India after Hasina’s regime, the more difficult it will be to normalize India’s relations with Bangladesh. It is difficult to say how long India will give Hasina shelter, but India’s analysts say that India will not turn back their friend and will give shelter as long as necessary. I think the Indian government will be realistic about maintaining the relationship with Bangladesh even though there are concerns in India about the situation in Bangladesh. And for this reason, the Indian government will want to find a country that will give shelter to Hasina. I don’t know how long it will take. India has a prisoner exchange agreement with Bangladesh. I don’t know if the interim government will want Hasina back. He must be arrested if he is sent home. This is a very difficult issue for India.