Wed 25 Apr 2007
Update: Within hours after posting the news on boro chacha, the following happened.
Dhaka, April 25 (bdnews24.com) – The military-backed government Wednesday lifted the ban on Sheikh Hasina’s homecoming and said there were no restrictions on Khaleda Zia’s movement.
In a statement, the home ministry said the ban on Hasina’s return was temporary and the authorities have decided to lift it because of “views from the media and other quarters“.
In another statement, the ministry said the government had never put pressure on Khaleda to leave the country.
[posted before the ban was lifted ]
Daily Press Briefing
Sean McCormack, Spokesman
Washington, DC
April 24, 2007
QUESTION: Sean, two questions on Bangladesh, please. The [Caretaker
Government] in Bangladesh has cancelled elections and also is trying to
establish dictatorship just similar to in Pakistan by General Musharraf. And
a Vice Prime Minister is under house arrest in Bangladesh, second one fled
to London and she has not been allowed and she has been told you cannot
return to Bangladesh. What’s the Secretary feel now as their human rights
and dictatorships and also democracy that we’re talking about around the
globe?
MR. MCCORMACK: Well, the situation in Bangladesh is one that we’re watching
quite closely. There is a caretaker government in place and we have urged
that caretaker government to move as expeditiously as possible to elections
so the Bangladeshis can exercise their right to vote and choose who is going
to lead them in the future and hopefully be able to put these past incidents
behind them. It is a case where if not handled properly and if the caretaker
government doesn’t take the right decisions, then this — there is a real
possibility that this can threaten Bangladeshi democracy and nobody wants to
see that.
QUESTION: Anybody from the U.S. Government in touch with Prime Minister
Sheikh Hasina in London?
MR. MCCORMACK: I know our embassy has been in close contact with them and
several months ago, Nick Burns talked to them.
Translation by tiktiki: Fakhruddin is on the wrong track. Cut the crap about exile, get back into the business of what you are there for — Election. Otherwise risk getting overthrown by you know who.
Tip: Moin
April 25th, 2007 at 12:31 pm
This nonsensical exile business has brought back international attention right back on Bangladesh. From what I gather the international community is not too pleased with this solution of getting rid of the major political parties and starting from scratch.
That road only leads downhill. Our past experiences with the army had all been something we would rather not go back to. We need to put the past behind us and move forward.
Let the people of Bangladesh choose who they want to see in government. It is definitely not wise to leave it up to the army to decide what best for the people. They have never ever in any country done a good job. Bangladesh won’t be an exception.
And as for the caretaker government and the Advisers…the more time goes the more I realise what a stupid idea it is to let ten unelected people run the state. The have no sense of accountability. The power is getting to their head already. I didn’t think it would happen so quickly.
April 25th, 2007 at 1:20 pm
I dont understand who has given the plan of EXILE of KZ and SH to CTG?
The best way of stopping KZ and SH was to send them to JAIL.
But now it would not be so believable if CTG would come back from EXILE PLAN and send KZ and SH to jail.
CTG has given the scope to BORO CHACHA.
AND SH has taken the chance!
April 25th, 2007 at 2:08 pm
This was never a good idea to try to change the political process from outside. Any change to the political system should be done from within and naturally, it’ll take its own time. There is no catalist to fast-pace the process. Anytime you try that, it’ll backfire. That’s exactly what happened in Bangladesh.
The two great examples of accountable democracy in the world are the US and the India. The democratic process in the US is not flawless. But if we can have a democracy in Bangladesh, institutionalized to the extent of the US democracy, we would be happy. But what we have to understand is it took over two hundred years for the US democracy to reach in the current state. And the history of those 200 years are not all roses at spring time.
Now let us consider the Indian democracy. It is by no means close to what we have in the US. But India never moved away from the democratic system to change course. One time Indira Gandhi did use emergency power in India and we all know how badly she lost in the next election.
The point is, the democratic system is not your house that you want to rebuild! You cannot just move to some place else for a few months and crash the current house and rebuild! It’s like you have to leave in the house while you’re rebuilding it! (Not a very good analogy, but I haven’t have my coffee yet!)
In January, when the CTG took office, I said in a thread here on DP that the best thing the CTG can do is to establish some democratic institutions and then leave. I marked a few important ones: 1) Independence of judiciary, 2) Independence of the election commission, 3) Establishing balance of power between the prime minister and the ministers and the parliament and MPs and the administrative bureaucracy. The corruption and other social injustice will be dealt with in the due process that comes after the election. Unfortunately, none in my above list has been done or in the priority list of CTG.
When TR was arrested, I expressed my doubt about making a valid corruption case against him. And now the govt. made a case of “chadabazi” and “goru mara”. And it seems one of these cases was built based on the testimony of another corrupt man who was also under pressure from the govt. to testify against TR. This is not the way to build people’s trust on the system and the due process. Unfortunately, some in Bangladesh still think bringing charges of keeping beer cans and whisky bottles at home is good enough for the due process.
This latest idea of excile of SH and KZ was flawed from the get go. But the CTG chose this as it seemed like a good idea. Without these two, there is no leadership in Bangladesh, whether we like it or not. Look at todays state of things: just the talk of KZ being exciled started chaos in BNP for the leadership. Ever since SH left the country, AL had no voice in Bangladesh. Some lower tier leaders of AL saw the absense of SH as an opportunity to raise their voice against her. But that’s not the way to change leadership. If AL held council today, do you think anybody will vote against SH?
Question is, why CTG thought this excile business is a good idea? In my opinion, they saw no other way to establish a favorable leadership with some little know or unknown, opportunist figures that would legitimize the acts of the current CTG. These people, if we had a fair election today, will not have enough vote to get their “jamanot” back. So they needed an empty post to score one or more goals. The truth is, if Army takes over today, the only leadership that can lead a movement against it is the leadership of SH and KZ. That’s the fact in Bangladesh.
In short, the Fakhruddin govt. did what it was bound to do: mess things up even more. After all, power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.
April 25th, 2007 at 2:22 pm
Indeed sensible, those are the exactly three things that I hoped CTG would do. But they got totally derailed and ati .
Sad part is AL and BNP indeed needs reform. But the true reformers will now get sidelined because the party supporters are so reinvigorated to get Hasina and Khaleda back. So someone truly wanting reform inside the party will be labelled as a “dalal”. In the coming days, you will hear every single leader of the party singing the song to the tune of Hasina and Khaleda. Sad part is because of that Hasina and Khaleda won’t see any need to change either.
Is it time to write the obituary of this government?
Perhaps no. Only if they get back to the track very quickly. But it is getting dangerously close. Next few days will indicate whether they learnt from their mistake or not. If they continue on the exile path, you will know that they are continuing to dig their own grave.
April 25th, 2007 at 2:51 pm
This is funny!
BDnews reports that the govt. lifted it’s ban on Hasina’s homecoming. It also claimed that there was never any pressure on Khaleda to leave the country!
And they think John Kerry is the biggest flip-flop!!
April 25th, 2007 at 2:54 pm
Before Jan 11, BNP said:
1. It has no control on outcome of election and do not want to rig election.
2. AW Issue regarding ballot box is a farce.
3. Voter ID is a lengthy and costly proposal and with limited available time, it is not doable.
4. Voter list is at its best and BNP had not manupulated it.
5. Most importantly if election is not held in due time, nation faces an uncertainity.
6. AW’s request has nothing to do with people, vote or anything, but hampering election process.
As things unfolded in last few months, we see.
1. 2nd CTG takes over, election becomes unclear (# 5 happened)
2. EC decided present ballot box is OK, no need for clear box as it will be waste of money (# 2 happened)
3. Voter ID is lengthy and costly (# 3 happened)
4. Voter list was not manupulated and cancelled (# 4 happened)
5. Present situation is not favorable for nation. (# 5 happened)
6. AW wants election before ‘clear ballot box’ and ‘ID’ is provided. They were succesful in creating chaos.
7. Zia family is not that powerfull as they were made to belive.
8. Present CTG is having difficulties to find ‘all known solid proof of TZ’s huge foreign wealth. People were promised for a terrifying sensation with TZ’s stories of money, alchohol, women, Jangi, HS kill plan, All kill plan, master mind & hard core criminal.
8. All people that “hoorah” for army (including AW) are now backpadling.
Hasina & AW kept their promise of not having election & bringing down country regardless of costs.
April 25th, 2007 at 2:54 pm
The caretaker government merely works as a puppet of the army. Almost all their decisions have to be vetted or approved by “the powers to be”. The obituary of the government will be written as soon as the army decides the government is no longer useful. But can you really write of the army so quickly? I doubt that very much. It took us nine years to get rid of Ershad….
April 25th, 2007 at 3:05 pm
Ha!ha!ha! Uncle Sam must be pleased…
Just goes to show that you cannot defy the unipolar global political currents.
April 25th, 2007 at 3:28 pm
Hasina and Khaleda are now back to being jononetri/aposh hin deshnetri. Great work CTG.
April 25th, 2007 at 3:37 pm
Looks like the AL Young Turks have outsmarted the ten wise men (and one not so wise woman) and the men in khaki.
One has to commend the way the AL international mobilisation campaign has worked. And the indications are that the younger AL brass played a key role.
Hope the Army and the CTG learns its lesson and really does start to work towards free and fair elections instead of trying to rid the country of political forces.
April 25th, 2007 at 3:38 pm
Dont worry Udayan
CTG will be making many many case against them. And BORO CHACHA will negotiate the cases again!
April 25th, 2007 at 3:45 pm
[...] [Via Drishtipat] [...]
April 25th, 2007 at 4:07 pm
I am with sensible. His comment in #3 pretty much sums up the issues and challenges.
The army belongs in the barracks. Now let’s send them back there.
April 25th, 2007 at 4:56 pm
My reading is a bit different from you guys, I believe begum Hasina has single handedly managed to save begum Khalidas Ass and put a stop to any meaningful progress that was happening under the CTG (prosecution of some fig fish, election reform, separation of judiciary, some much needed economic reform, establishing the rule of law etc), she could have used her clout to force the CTG to take necessary action against the true enemy of state “the Razakars” and get rid of her political opponent Khalida for once and for all, of course the CTG made a wrong move by overreacting to her squabbling (such as putting up a fake case and baring her from the Country), now the outcome of this fiasco is “back to the pavilion” the country will still have to deal with the wrangling of two begum and I have serious doubt if the corrupt big fish will get the required punishment they deserve, god help us.
April 25th, 2007 at 4:57 pm
Today’s two press notes raise one simple question: who is lying here? Media should come out with evidences that it were not lying. Looks like CTG has been double-lying. Suppoters of military and extra-democratic forces, pls take note!
April 25th, 2007 at 6:15 pm
Nobody at any time has questioned the AL leaderships ability of sparing no efforts to undermine their compatriots in front of foreign powers in order to take power.
April 25th, 2007 at 7:03 pm
Tiktiki,
At best, the grumblings of the US and the end of the exile plan are coincidences. If you think that a press conference in the US state department was called just to talk about BD, you’re simply mistaken.
Americans do not care who comes to power in BD as long as they can deal with them. Seriously. They’ve been saying the same thing since the CTG has taken over.
If they had called a conference just to give out this press statement, that would be something. But this sounds like a regular press conference (I could be mistaken).
Moin’s worries about the loss of control over the military is the true worry. I’d like to see Sean McCormack help us there! If their Pakistan policy is anything to go by, they’ll just remain silent.
April 25th, 2007 at 7:16 pm
Congratulations to everyone. This is time for unity.
I wrote a story which I read in internet. The story is about two Bangladeshi who were always jealous of each other. A foreign national visiting this country heard a lot about them and wanted to test it. So one day he approached one of the two and said, I am going to give you something but with a condition. What ever I give you, I will give exactly double to the other person sitting beside you. So tell me what you want from me. The person posed for a while, thought a bit and replied, take out one of my eyes.
I think Leaders of both major political parties now should understand they need to solve the entire problem through dialogue. At the same time they need to identify the conspirators within the party.
For example, if we look at the incident of October 28, 2006, where Sheikh Hasina is the prime accused as per charge sheet of the police. And surprisingly name of Abdur Razzak and Tofayel Ahmed dropped from the charge sheet. The then State Minister for Home Lutfuzzaman Babar, IGP Anwarul Iqbal, DMP Commissioner Mizanur Rahman ensured that there will be no police at Paltan Crossing. Fight between Jamat and AL continued from 10 am till 6 pm, but police was silent in that area. Same time, we saw police is in action at Paltan Maidan. If police was active in Paltan crossing 6 live may be saved. AL supporter may blame Jamat and Jamat supporter may blame AL, but this is the time to find the real culprits.
I am surprised to know from internet that how Mr. Babar is connected with a Jewish activist. I think if people of Bangladesh know it, Mr. Babar will fall in a deep problem.
http://www.docstrangelove.com/2007/03/12/the-talented-dr-richard-benkin/
April 25th, 2007 at 11:55 pm
I think the Boro Chacha theory does not hold much water. Khaleda Zia and BNP were prepared to steamroll the election process with Iajuddin at the helm and boro chacha could not have stopped it, if it wasn’t for the military intervention.
I beleive Hasina and Khaleda have received temporary reprieve due to the bugnled attempt to exile them. It has happened due to the Hasina’s successful media and political campaign while she was in London.
People are upset not because KZ and SH were being exiled but because CTG’s minshandling of the whole process and because the attempt has been unsuccessful for the time being.
Although initially I was supporting the move to exile the two begums, I now beleive it is better to keep them in Bangladesh and prosecute them for ANY involvement in corruption and abuse of power. Hasina should definately be prosecuted for inciting terrorism and violence for urging people to demonstrate with logi boithas which many of AL thugs did and in the process murdered people on Dhaka’s road.
April 26th, 2007 at 12:40 am
AsifY, the state department briefing is important for a number of reasons.
First, this is the first statement about Bangladesh from either the State Department or the White House. Nothing gets said at these daily press briefings by accident. That statement is official US government policy. State Department statements in response to press questions are prepared well in advance - the spokesman is not simply winging it.
Second, as I said, this is the first public statement from Washington. They made sure it was public. They also highlighted it by putting it on the front page of the State Department website under the title “Bangladesh Democracy at Risk?” That sends a very strong public message to the Bangladeshi government. I have a screenshot of the item from the main page of the State Department website on my blog. You can see it here:
http://www.docstrangelove.com/2007/04/25/breaking-bangladesh-military-government-losing-ground-in-bangladesh/
Now, clearly the US government wants the military govt in Bangladesh to back off their exile plans - and also as important they want the whole world to know that this is US goverment policy. Whether that means the US is trying to reign in the military government and is setting boundaries or whether this means that the US has withdrawn support remains to be seen. I think it will become quite clear in the next week which of the above is the case.
Again, after months of radio silence from Washington, this is a significant policy shift. What the new policy is is not yet apparent.
April 26th, 2007 at 1:13 am
This will weaken all the corruption charges against those mega-corrupts. Sometime I feel like this regime has taken these steps to save Begum-Tareq-Coco-Falu-Lalu-Bulu-Dulu gong from public wrath. Whatever it did initially was a publicity stunt. They are trying to make grounds for a martial law.
Autocratic Khaleda and feudalistic Hasia will emerge as invincible and tighten the rope around dissidents’ necks. Was this the purpose of the whole plot?
Or was the plot of M&M? In that case FU should go ahead with ‘minus 2′ aka ‘minus M&M’ plan.
April 26th, 2007 at 1:44 am
The encouraging news is that the Bhatija from Savar is still listening to the Chachas. Perhaps, we won’t get full-scale military rule after all.
April 26th, 2007 at 2:07 am
I was/am(hopelessly hopeful) a big supporter of the CTG but it is painful to see some of their recent actions. SKHasina and KZia case is a major setback for the CTG and also is a sad affair for the country. First of all, the decisions taken against these two ‘netris’ were short sighted and completely wrong. I am glad that the CTG has backed down (or was made to back down) and we’ll have to see if they can salvage anything from this or not. This has put the whole reform ’slogan’ of the CTG at risk. Many of the bloggers have already discussed the implications of this actions.
1. The CTG has lost most, if not all, of its credibility.
2. The disorganization and the short sightedness of the current govt. has been exposed.
3. The two ‘netri’s are back with a ‘bang’ and the chance of much needed reforms within the major parties is waning.
4. As Asif said earlier, the reformists will be labelled as ’shubidhabhogi’ or ‘dalal’ and will be cornered. This is really sad!
5. Cases against corrupt leaders will be undermined and deemed as fake. I am not sure how this government will resist their rehabilitation in respective parties.
6. Any future (positive)actions taken by the CTG will be resisted, now that everybody knows that the CTG is not invincible and they will melt under pressure.
I guess we will come to know soon whether the CTG pulled it back just in time to get some of their proposed reforms done. Otherwise, all these commotions will lead us back to square one. I am sad, angry, frustrated, and feel utterly helpless.
April 26th, 2007 at 2:20 am
Dhanmondhi Sid,
How many minutes was it us state department front page website news for. Looking through the state department(phaoronic) website transcript there was very little there. Just 2 small questions. What there was was near the end and not new.
It was a press breifing, and comments on bangladesh were responses to questions from the press. Thats all!!
The questioner/transcriber even got the details wrong. BKZ is not the vice prime minister. SHW didnt flee to london, she went to the US, then came to London partly for the publicity stunt one would suspect.
Of course SHW had done the washington lobby scene while she was and done what you would expect her to do there.
From the howling errors in the question and the govt response I would suggest that the US don’t find our leaders credible, I doubt they ever have(maybe ershad and zia, for reasons of erm ‘being doers’). Its actually quite embarrassing that we can’t elevate articulate, graceful and forward thinking individuals.
whats worse is these circular self indulgent discussions over nothing.
April 26th, 2007 at 3:15 am
Fugster, I think you are referring to me, so I’ll answer your question.
First, the reporter was Raghubir Goyal from India Globe. He is somewhat of a fixture at the White House and State Department press briefings. He is often off topic and garbled - he is known here as “Goyal the foil”. The response from Scott McCormack however was quite premeditated. I explained in detail on my blog why this exchange was significant. I wont repeat it here. Follow this link and read the comments: http://www.docstrangelove.com/2007/04/25/breaking-bangladesh-military-government-losing-ground-in-bangladesh/
To answer your question about how long the Bangladesh story was on the front page, it was up most of the day until it was replaced by the headline from today’s press briefing. You don’t put up the story on your front page with the title “Bangladeshi Democracy at Risk?” unless you are trying to convey a very public message.
Also, here is a link to the video of the press briefing. The exchange is at the 36:50 minute mark. Enjoy the antics of “Goyal the foil”: http://video.state.gov/index.jsp?fr_story=c657c26dbabfec02e659beb3290279d6c4f0b393
April 26th, 2007 at 3:21 am
Well I am agreed with #14 post. Now I feel
there are two reasons why the credibility
of the current IG is in question mark.
1) Internal Democracy of the party is very popular topic now a days.But None of us is
thinking what root level party workers are thinking. I think this process should start
gradually. If you want to impose some thing
suddenly negative reaction is natural
2) Funny & Immature attitude of Some advisers of IG. Particularly this famous
M&M duo .Basically I am not sure if those are intentional or not.Actually people like
Akbar Ali Khan, Hassan Mashud, Shafi shami, Sultana Kamal, Mahbubul Alam, Dhiraj Nath
gave people hope. But To be very Honest
in this council M&M is become the only spokes men.
I think these two are quite responsible for
this incident.
April 26th, 2007 at 8:50 am
Looks like most of us are wowed on ‘boro chacha’ & Hasina magic, forgetting other related facts such as Khaleda’s visa issue, high court verdict etc. This exile policy was a dead case way before ‘boro chacha’ showed up, when Khaleda showed her resistance and Saudi kingdom refused to accept her against her will. Moreover there was no way CTG can convince high court on show cause on Khaleda case. Rather this ‘boro chacha’ comment even helped CTG to find a easy way landing, though a damage is beyond doubt. But IMO, we are giving too much attention to ‘boro chacha’ & Hasina in this regard.
However, CTG changed their policy and that is all good for all of us. Now CTG have to do their best legally, and these ladies have to do their best to prove they and their family is clean, and must have to show their LEADERSHIP to the people demand of political reform. It is not just the case that CTG has lost every thing, nor those ladies has won some thing, rather it is just the beginning of real struggle and confrontation in the process of change,,, the change towards we all desire and hope for a long time. More or less, no one can deny the positive change or atmosphere that has started by this CTG, and BD will not go back to pre 1/11 era and that’s for sure. After all that is what this CTG all about! Rumors and conspiracy theory were always after this CTG and no doubt it will continue now on, but as long as they do things legally and legitimate way ( in a sense sometime ) ‘boro chacha’ and co. will always be there for sure. It is highly unlikely to imagine that ‘boro chacha’ and co. will be pleased with those ladies without having reasonable political reform in party and action against corruption.
I don’t see the reason why we should feel like we lost every thing and our hope yet, as well as those ladies to feel so exited, while the real struggle for change has not started yet.
April 26th, 2007 at 6:29 pm
In way it is good to see the CTG being pragmatic about the exile debacle. I don’t think they have reversed their decision under any pressure from outside.
Although I don’t see anything wrong with exiling the two begums but the so called “Sushil Shomaj” appeared to be againts such move and the CTG sort of given in for the time being. While in way is good because in way it shows that they are sensitive to public opinion.
It’s funny to see many of the newspaper editorials now declaring their opposition to SH and KZ’s exile, while only until few days ago their headlines were sensationalizing the exile stories.
I am also quite surprised that none of the dailies are printing “corruption” stories anymore about multi millionaire meter readers and such. No stories are being printed about the arrested big wigs either!!
Have we all been had by the print media!!
April 29th, 2007 at 3:20 pm
CTG is following example of Pakistan or Thailand ? Though it seems similiar but we always try compare our enemy with Pakistan. Pakistan Army is one of the active (deeply involed in patriotic operation) army but ours is not. Our Army didnot fight any battle nor they are fighting war at border line. So how can we compare our Army with Pak Army. The way Pakistani warship their Army in our case that is not true. However Army is the best among all other forces in our country. They may succeed in may case but not always.
Army can not sustain alone only with the popular support, cause popular support will vary with the socio-economic situation. Like if they can not control cost of common comodities it is just matter time this popular support will be converted to violence. The corrupted bussinessmen and politicians are very active in thie regards. They can do that cause still they have the black money in their hand.