Although the word politics pedantically pertains to its positive character and meaning, masses along with even academics consider the meaning of politics negative. So, they often utter to mean the politics negatively in this way that ‘don’t do (make) politics with me’ if someone shows cunning-like behavior with other one. Besides, some people mean the politics negatively in a sense that ‘politics has entered into rajniti (politics)’. This negative notion over politics has derived from the observance of the Over-Politics or drastic politicization process hugely practiced by the most politicians especially the ruling parties in developing countries.

In American politics, the sense or principle of Over-Politics appears in the case of the campaign on behalf of a candidature while or prior to holding election. Principle of Over-Politics means that we are calling on our fellow Americans to vote on the basis of the principles espoused and practiced by a candidate, rather than mere party affiliation or supposed political expediency. [The Constitution Party Motto is “Principle over-politics”. What does it mean? [http://www.constitutionpartyofwa.com/forms/Brochure-2011PrinciplesOverPolitics_ver2.pdf].

Putting principle of Over-Politics also means holding fast to our espoused principles and refusing to compromise those values for supposed political expediency. Too often, voters who espouse the Constitutional principles of liberty and limited government, have been told that they have to compromise those values in order to support the candidate who supposedly can win, or who can defeat an even less principled candidate. However, following this philosophy always results in the further erosion of the foundational principles of our Constitutional republic. When people compromise their principles for political expediency, i.e. to win, the principles they espouse will always lose [Ibid].

Although Yankee becomes sufferer as they deny their values to espouse their candidate during or prior to election, they, after election, don’t show their biasness toward their espoused candidates in terms of caring their state-interests or welfare. American’s participation in Iraq war in 2004 might be genuine instance here. Since President Bush endeavored to be succeeded in presenting the logic of being partaken in the Iraq war for the cause of American security for the next, Democrats, the opposition in the U.S parliament espoused the Bush’s proposal to participate in Iraq war overthrowing Saddam Hussain, the autocratic ruler of Iraq as Westerners view. But developing countries especially Bangladesh whose historical past and current state-scenarios delineate the full-length of mistrust among all the political forces of the country, thereby, appearing intensified and intentional mood of politicization process that lucidly takes shape as Over-Politics massively practiced by all, either ruling party or oppositions, in securing their private gain beyond state-interest and welfare.

Bangladesh was liberated in 1971 to stand against Over-Politics of West Pakistani atrocities. In the period of United Pakistan, people from East Pakistan (Bangladesh), but not West Pakistan; massively underestimated by ruling authority in walking on their owing path on which they deprived their legal rights of most sectors like economy, politics, culture etc. which means the ‘divide and rule policy’ of what imposed by British in their almost 200 years’ period in Indian Sub-continent through following sectarian policy to privilege mostly the Hindu people in the occupation of almost all Zamindarship. West Pakistani rule, in this regard, could be treated as the colonialism or post colonialism in its kind as Professor Rounaq Jahan lucidly explains West Pakistani rulers’ attitude and our liberation war that the birth of Bangladesh was a unique phenomenon in that it was the first nation state to emerge after waging a liberation war against a postcolonial state. [Rounaq Jahan, ‘Genocide of Bangladesh’ quoted in Monirul Islam, Contemporary Approach on National & International Issues, (Dhaka: Professors’ Prokashon, 2008), p.1]. Thus, Over-Politics shattered the door of congenial atmosphere between the two wings (West and East Pakistan) due to West Pakistani rulers’ ‘divide and rule policy’ over gentle and innocent East Pakistanis. As consequence Bangladesh as an independent state emerged in the world map in 1971.

After the liberation, people didn’t come out from the domain of Over-Politics; but Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the charismatic leader of Bangladesh who brought about the breakthrough in succeeding in our liberation war, followed or compelled to follow the path of Over-Politics in his tenure of governing the state from 1971-75 through taking fourth amendment bill of Bangladesh constitution. He banned all political parties except BAKSAL that analysts often view the ground for his overthrown as well as his melancholic departure from the world in August 15, 1975. While people and if they are responsible guys loss their rights or power what they belong to their dignified position for the cause of Over-Politics, grievance burst out tears to destroy as happened in Bangladesh in the case of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

The ruling trail of Ershad dogged the same in taking state-atmosphere on his behalf resulted in his identity as autocratic ruler. Ershad after taking over power as military junta intended to engage himself in electoral politics in an effort of legitimizing his unconstitutional army regime from 1982 to 1986. Vote rigging in election and subsequent scenario during his rule after win in election symbolizes the Over-Politics that carried miseries for the people of Bangladesh and finally, people in the form of different alliances e.g. 17th party alliance led by Sheikh Hasina, 15th party alliance by Khaleda Zia and left leaning 5 party alliance etc. were agitated against autocratic Ershad regime and he (Ershad) was overthrown from the throne as he occupied power unduly through military take over and misused power in the sketch of Over-Politics that tarnished the populace-rising in transition to democracy.

In the way of democratic ushering started from 1991, such type of overthrowing of ruling authority from politics didn’t happen although incumbent’s move often foiled to satisfy the people’s aspiration. Two dominant parties-Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and Awami League (AL) came to power in a row and continued to exercise power in the contour of Over-Politics. Sometime they husbanded narrowly different law enforcement bodies like police, RAB, detective forces, army etc. in individual as well as partisan interest that might widely be called as state-terrorism under the surveillance of state. Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman formed a special force namely Rakkhi Bahini and of what this force did is questionable. In the tenure of 2001-2006, BNP-led four party alliance like the Rakkhi Bahini structured Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) as an elite force. It is widely spread that whatsoever done by RAB in the tenure of BNP-led four party alliance, let us show the persecution over the opposition Awami league. But it was surprising that general masses espoused this elite force due to the homicide of most wanted terrorists through the cross-fire of RAB across the country. But this killing focuses the path of Over-Politics and this unjustified manner of politics could not be tolerated in the right-based society of democracy. Now Sheikh Hasina-led grand alliance government is tacitly using this elite force RAB to suppress oppositions in the overt and covert forms that brings about fatal atmosphere for the people of Bangladesh.

The current state authority consists of Sheikh Hasina-led 14 party grand alliance has vexed the oppositions and even general people in a way of using law enforcement bodies in securing party interests, controlling oppositions from lawful assemblies, settling up international tribunal for war crimes without following legally recognized international norms and standard, a mammoth presence of corruptions etc. denote the massive process of Over-Politics in the governing agenda. Dr. Muhammad Yunus, the noble laureate in peace, in spite of being the son of the land of Bangladesh who deserves the great honor from the country and its people, has been harassed by the government in the perspective of the ownership of Grameen Bank for which he won the noble prize. To take full control over the Grameen Bank, government has shown this sort of audacious attempt ousting Mr. Yunus from his position and being lucrative in the process of profit maximization through exploiting Grameen Bank’s potentials. This naked move from government side discloses the Over-Politics that neither bears the name and fame of government as they wish to achieve nor assists to maximize profit from Grameen Bank.

The widespread present confrontational situation of Bangladesh in terms of constructing Padma Bridge massively draws attention not only to the people of Bangladesh but outsiders also because of having vehement involvement of minister and notables bigwigs in corruption in grasping money of this project that was assumed to be financed by World Bank, the most donor agency across the world. The government, in place of taking the case of corruption into account seriously to give statement of ensuring corrupted men under trail, is frequently stating against World Bank and is also questing World Bank’s corruptions as well. Analysts view that we are losing our foreign friends who often come forward if Bangladesh falls into disasters like natural calamities, political and economic crises etc. through giving loans, grants, aid etc. This self-contradictory approach from government side means to aim at saving the corrupted men called as ‘self-saving attempt’ in the biased frame of Over-Politics.

Historical and recent state-affair let us know the place of Bangladesh under the misappropriate Over-Politics. Partisan and group interests were articulated and now it is remained same in the current politics of Bangladesh. Although the principle of Over-Politics is observed in American politics, placing principle of Over-Politics requires that we abandon partisan loyalties when a party has become destructive to the fundamental purpose of civil government, i.e. the protection of our God given rights to life, liberty and property. Can we, the Bangladeshi take the principle of Over-Politics as Americans do in protecting their life, liberty and property in an effort of the establishment of good governance in our country, Bangladesh?


Writer is an Assistant Professor & Coordinator
General Education Department (GED)
Bangladesh Islami University (BIU)