On the 6th anniversary of the one-eleven military dispensation of the 2007 caretaker government by a civil declaration of emergency, our present Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina made a fervent address to the nation for her re-election to power for another term. She said: “We had liberated the country under the leadership of Father of the Nation. He started work for economic emancipation of the country. ..... We are implementing Vision 2021 for completing the unfinished tasks of Bangabandhu.

“We will establish digital Bangladesh, which will be free from poverty and hunger, a prosperous, non-communal and peaceful one through the development work, Insha Allah. We need continuation of the government to achieve the goal. You can give us that chance. It will help us to continue the bright potential of the economic emancipation of Bangladesh.
“I urge the Opposition to avoid conflict. Don't try to save the war criminals, as the nation will never forgive you.”
Sheikh Hasina also claimed: “We have achieved 6.5 percent growth on average despite global economic recession. In four years, 20,40,000 manpower have been employed abroad. It was 10,00,000 lakh during the four years of the previous government.

Nearly $4,800 crore have been received as remittance in four years. It is four times higher than the same period of the previous government. The export earning has increased at $2,430 crore from $1,411 crore between last fiscal year and 2008.
“Our foreign currency reserve has reached at $13.11 billion. It is highest reserve in the history of Bangladesh. It was $3.88 billion in 2006 during the BNP government. ..... The revenue collection has been doubled in four years.
“Work on modernisation and restructuring of the Armed Forces under 'Forces Goal-2030' is going on...... Fourth generation tank, self-propelled gun, weapon locating radar, modern helicopter and armoured recovery vehicles have been purchased.
“We have purchased Maritime patrol aircraft, helicopters, frigates, corvette large patrol crafts and hydrographic survey ships. Special force has been formed.
“Missile (surface to air) has been added to the Air Force and new Biman base has been set up.
“BNP, while in power, was not able to hold a single credible election in a free and fair manner. Instead, it set a record of massive vote rigging and terrorism during the by-polls in Magura and Mirpur in the capital.
“They resorted to major poll manipulation during February 15, 1996 Jatiya Sangsad elections and paved ways for Col. Rashid and Major Huda, two killers of the Father of the Nation, to become parliament members.
“And they passed the caretaker government system in that controversial parliament, but the people rejected the entire parliament. The BNP government had to step down under a major mass upsurge on March 30, 1996.
“BNP again did the same thing in 2006. It published a national voter list with 1.23 crore fake voters in the list. A controversial person was made chief election commissioner.
“It formed the caretaker government with a party loyal as its chief adviser, who happened to be the then president. Its motive to grab the power through vote manipulation was clear to the people. ..... At one stage, the then president Iajuddin Ahmed announced the state of emergency in the country. “One thing you all must keep in mind that persons who were active to implement the so-called 'minus two formula' are still active and they want to show off their existence whenever they get scope. “I would also urge the people of the country to pay special attention to another issue -- Bangladesh has never seen a peaceful transfer of state power since the gruesome killing of August 15, 1975. Only Awami League government had, however, handed over power peacefully to caretaker government on July 15, 2001.”
Debunking all the credits claimed by the Prime Minister and castigating her, her family members and her government for “absolute corruption”, the Leader of the Opposition in Parliament Begum Khaleda Zia had declared in various street addresses on December 27 across Dhaka under a mass-contact programme that if the government hiked energy prices another time, she would declare a hartal. She promised, however, to cancel all the agitation programmes if the caretaker system was brought back to the constitution to oversee general elections.


Khaleda’s challenge
Khaleda challenged: “The government will be forced to arrange the next general election under a non-party caretaker government through movement. They’ll have to amend the constitution. Or else, no election will be allowed to be held.
"Prove your popularity by holding election under a neutral government. People will reject you and throw you out like a piece of torn cloth.
“Election must be held on time. The Awami League can complete its tenure. But it must pass a caretaker government bill in parliament. The Awami League will be made to meet our demand."
The government had declared price-hike for all fuels, imported or indigenous. The BNP observed a countrywide hartal on January 6 that turned bloody, as both policemen and party men of those in power clashed with opposition pickets. The handcuffed body of BNP’s local leader of Dhaka city was found dead in an onion-growing patch in Kushtia.
In a press conference condemning the acts of repression of the ruling party, BNP spokesman Tariqul Islam suggested the Awami League had forfeited all credit in government, “eclipsed by corruption, bribery, killing, enforced disappearances and financial scams. It will require a microscope to see successes of the government.
“Rafiq was picked up men showing identity of RAB. So it is cent percent sure that he was killed by RAB -police. The government has to be ousted by unity against their oppression, murder, torture, unfair deeds.”
On January 10 while addressing a discussion meeting marking the historic Homecoming Day of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said the opposition was staging anti-government movement to foil democracy, bring back a 1/11-like situation and to save war criminals. She warned: “We have amended the constitution for continuation of democracy and none can play ducks and drakes with the fate of the people. If anybody wants to do so they must be punished."


‘Hasina welcomed Army-backed 1/11 govt’
On the anniversary next day of 1/11, BNP Standing Committee Member and Co-ordinator Tariqul Islam retorted: “It was the government that was plotting to bring back 1/11. Sheikh Hasina had welcomed the then Army-backed Fakhruddin-led government. The democratic rights of the people had been violated through the announcement of the state of emergency on January 11, 2007 and subsequent arrests of many politicians.
“We are observing this day to express our disapproval to emergency state, but on the contrary Awami League is doing nothing.”
The political impasse over the 15th amendment cancelling the caretaker system is not showing any sign whatsoever of a way out, although both sides clearly have in mind the 1/11 experience.