Considering the recent developments in Bangladesh politics it seems that the country's one of the major political party, BNP has to a great extent realized that the decision to boycott the 10th parliament election held on January 5th 2014, was unwise and perhaps was even suicidal. If it participated it could have done well and could even have maneuvered to form the government. Unfortunately Begum Zia was ill advised by her advisors, most of whom were retired civil and military bureaucrats, her son Tarique Rahman and her alliance partner Jamaat, whose only agenda is to go to any length to disrupt the proceedings of the International Crimes Tribunal and save their party leaders convicted for committing crimes against humanity and war crimes in 1971. On the other hand BNP instead of relying on its organizational strength for its political gains always relied on Jamaat; a party condemned for its anti-Bangladesh role in 1971 and naively allowed Jamaat to ride on its back for their own political gains. This have not only discredited the BNP but also often demoralized the rank and file of its own party workers for the misdeeds of Jamaat.

Just months leading to the 10th parliament election BNP-Jamaat led alliance began a reign of terror across the country demanding for holding the election under a scrapped Non-party Care Taker Government (CTG). Earlier this was scrapped by the Supreme Court of the country on a writ filed by one Abdul Mannan Khan in 2005 when BNP led Four-Party led alliance government was in power. The appellant challenged the CTG system (13th. amendment of the constitution) terming it as ultra vires the constitution. The court after a lengthy hearing that ended on May 10 decided in favour of the appellant declaring that the provision of CTG is ultra vires as it is against the basic spirit of the constitution. In its analysis the court ruled that in any democratic system the rule of the country should not be handed over to any unelected person or persons even for a single moment. The only issue for judgment before the court was whether the 13th amendment was ultra vires or not and this is on what the court decided upon. The court ordered the judgment to be effective prospectively. In its observation the court citing a number of Latin Maxim also observed that if the parliament decides there may be a CTG for two terms, but the members should preferably be drawn from the elected members of the parliament. Observations are non-binding and not part of any judgment. The issue was placed before the parliament and the parliament decided to hold all future elections as per the decision of the Supreme Court. Earlier the court also struck down all the amendments made by the military rulers, General Zia and General Ershad and ordered the government to revert back to the constitution of 1972. Under any circumstances because of the court ruling it is not possible to revert back to the original CTG (13th. amendment). But BNP-Jamaat alliance along with their other petty partners was not ready to accept the verdict of the court.

To enforce their unconstitutional demand the BNP-Jamaat unleashed a reign of terror prior to the January 5, 2014 election across the country. International bodies including the UN tried to broker a peace deal amongst all the political parties but failed. Sk. Hasina went to the extent of asking the BNP to come and join an election time interim government, take charge of any ministry of their choice and agreed that she would remain a Prime Minister without any executive power. Because of the stubbornness of the BNP Chairperson nothing worked. The country further plunged into organized terrorism, mostly carried out by the Jamaat storm trooper members of Islami Chakra Shibir. Jane's Defence Weekly, a magazine published from Britain branded Shibir as the third most dangerous terror outfit in the world. Rail tracks were uprooted, stations and vehicles torched, innocent people petrol bombed to death or maimed for life and not even animals were spared from this terror merchants. Even the members of the law enforcing agencies, including the members of the armed forces were not spared. Suddenly the peace loving Bangladesh looked like occupied Gaza strip. Amidst all these chaos and confusion including the widespread violence across the country the election was held on the designated date, 12 political parties taking part. On the day of the election in 36 constituencies 385 schools, which were temporarily being used as polling centers, were torched of which 111 were completely gutted. In 13 districts 26 people were killed by the goons of BNP and Jamaat including one presiding officer. Boycotting of election by a particular party is not new in this country but earlier no such boycott was marked with so much of violence, arson and killing. 153 candidates got elected without any contest, but that according to the constitution is perfectly all right. It may not have been a perfect and ideal election but there is no scope of terming the election illegal, which the BNP-Jamaat now loves to call along with their sympathizers.

On the occasion of the first anniversary of the January 5 election the BNP-Jamaat axis had decided to observe the day as the 'democracy killing' day whereas the government termed the day as the 'democracy protection and constitution upholding day.' Both wanted to observe the day in Dhaka with separate rallies and sought permission from the Dhaka Metropolitan Police. Apprehending trouble the police banned all sorts of political and public rallies in Dhaka. They smelt BNP-Jamaat conspiracy to cut off Dhaka from rest of the country and obstructed Begum Zia from leaving her Gulshan office from the night of January 3rd 2015. She was told if she wanted she could go to her residence nearby which she refused. On January 5th she announced that her party and the alliance will enforce a complete blockade across the country cutting off rail, road and water transport thus holding the country hostage again.

Her alliance goons reverted to the actions of last year and began another bout of organized terrorism throughout the country. Already a number of people lost their lives and dozens of vehicles torched and rail tracks uprooted. Even houses of High Court judges were torched. They even did not spare hundreds of thousands of devotees who came to Dhaka to join the Bishwa Iztema, the largest congregation of Muslims after the Holy Hajj inspite of the fact that a delegation of the Iztema met Begum Zia and requested her to call of the blockade. The demands are again the same. Handing over the power to a 'neutral' Care Taker Government and arranging for a mid-term election though no such provision is allowable under the present constitution. If any such thing needs to be done it can only be done by scrapping the present constitution and framing a new one by changing its basic structure. Such a step seems farfetched and uncalled for. What is needed is first to strengthen the Election Commission giving it complete autonomy and wait for the election to be held in the right time. Whether a mid-term election will take place it will have to be decided by the government and whenever it takes place it must be under the prevailing constitution. Anything beyond that will just lead the country to further chaos and may usher an evil force to take over the rule of the country. In a democratic country politicians must learn to shun ego and learn to act more responsibly. Politics should be for the good of the people and not for any particular person, party or group. Let the current madness end and good sense prevail amongst all political parties. It will do lots of good if BNP could only shake off Jamaat from its shoulder. For democracy to survive the country needs a number of dynamic and modern political parties, all of which will be pro-Bangladesh unlike Jamaat-e-Islami.

The writer is a former Vice-chancellor, University of Chittagong

(Daily Sun)