Aug 8, 2010

Awami League Path of Political Reforms

The Supreme Court struck down validity of 5th amendment that had endorsed takeover of state powers in the past by leaders such as Khandaker Mushtaque Ahmed, Abu Sadaat Mohammad Sayem and Maj Gen Ziaur Rahman and firmly rejected martial law in the country. On 21 July the Parliament passed the proposal for forming a 15-member special parliamentary committee to review and amend the country"s constitution. Deputy leader of the House Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury has been made the chairperson of the committee while Awami League lawmaker Suranjit Sengupta has been made the co-chairperson. The opposition Bangladesh National Party is however not part of the Committee. The committee is to submit a report in the House after necessary examinations on amendment of the Constitution and if needed it would take expert opinions.

On 26 July the International Crimes Tribunal issued arrest warrants against four top detained Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami leaders on charges of committing war crimes in 1971. The four Jamaat men are party Ameer Motiur Rahman Nizami, its Secretary General Ali Ahsan Muhammad Mojahid and two senior assistant secretaries general Muhammad Kamaruzzaman and Abdul Quader Mollah.

Meanwhile garment workers in the country went on a rampage protesting minimum monthly pay of Tk 3,000 against their demand of Tk 5,000. There are reports that the wage issue may not be entirely driven by dissatisfaction in workers and would be comprising of some anti social elements possibly driven by political motives as well which is not surprising given the level of antipathy now building up between the government and opposition in the country with the BNP leaders proclaiming that the time is ripe for a revolution.

The structural changes that the Awami League is wanting to bring in Bangladesh may result in some political confrontation in the country over a period, some of the issues that the government is attempting to foster including the trial of war criminals and constitutional amendments are likely to be opposed by the opposition the BNP and since it does not have substantial numbers in the Parliament, there is a concern that these issues could be taken to the streets leading to bandhs and protests. The Awami League should however see how it can use the comfortable majority that it has in the parliament for long term peace and stability in the polity of the country rather than use it to push an agenda of confrontation.

AUG 2010