Oct 12, 2010

The Rise of a Modern Moderate Nation

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina defined the rise of a modern Bangladesh as she urged the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon for a policy making role in the United Nations in a meeting with the UN secretary general in New York.  She outlined ambitious goals of making the country free from poverty, illiteracy and corruption by 2021, she said, “We're working hard to improve the fate of the country and its people.” Winning the MDG award for reducing child mortality rate has also been a singular achievement on this front. “I appreciate your sincerity to your people and the world mankind,” Ban Ki-moon told the Prime Minister.

Bangladesh is also currently the highest contributor of troops in the UN Peacekeeping Missions. The United States came up with the requirement for contribution in Afghanistan. Thus while Bangladesh is increasingly assuming significance on the world stage with involvement of the Prime Minister in high level diplomacy in the UN, how far it is able to leverage the same to greater advantage may be depend on commitment it will make towards Afghanistan. While the Bangladesh Armed Forces are making sizeable contribution to United Nations Peace Keeping missions, whether the country would like to join an alliance as International Security Assistance Force remains to be seen. For there are larger policy issues involved apart from the key one of giving vent to forces of fundamentalism within the country. Thus how Sheikh Haseena can manage the situation remains to be seen. Yet the path ahead is that of prosperity and sanguinity.

Internally the spat between the ruling Awami League and the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) continues as the latter is not attending Jatiya Sansad or Parliament sessions in the past and will continue this policy as it appears in the future as well. While its presence in the Parliament would not impact voting on bills with overwhelming majority enjoyed by the Awami League alliance the same is token as it grants legitimacy to the functioning of the Establishment. However the opposition is abstaining with excuses as non allotment of preferential seats in the house to demands of removal of charges and granting of parole to the son of the BNP Leader Khaleda. All this is making the task of the government difficult but the loser is informed debate on various issues which are important for governance in Bangladesh.

            While the Awami League government is going ahead with trials of Jamaat leaders on war crimes that are alleged to have been committed during the War of Liberation of the country in 1971, there has to be an absolutely fair perception of the ongoing trial and this has to be driving factor to ensure that these elements are not able to derive political advantage not just in the country but also in the larger Islamic community for they would be able to raise support outside Bangladesh as well particularly through Pakistan whose forces they are supposed to have supported during the Liberation war. The overall fallout of the trials would have to be thought through to ensure that this remains within the precincts of legal propriety and is also perceived to be so.

            The country is also facing the challenge from terrorist groups as the Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB), while the Rapid Action Battalion has been effectively bringing the group under control the groups support base remains significant with reports of it getting more than Tk 50 lakh a month from local and foreign sources in the form of monthly contributions, Zakat and donations The Group has some 3,000 JMB supporters in Australia, England, Italy, Canada, Malaysia and middle-east countries who belong to Ahle Hadith community. The group also earns around Tk 50,000 from open business such as Taxicabs, CNG-run three wheelers, vans and rickshaws.  The main requirement for terrorist and extremist activities is two fold, information flow and finance. While information flow enables the organization to build its socio political base and carry out operational activities, finance ensures that the organization is able to continue to regenerate itself by paying its cadres and sponsoring activities from time to time. The JMB seems to be having a regular flow of funds from the moneys being sent by expatriate supporters who as the reports claim are even abroad. In addition the organization collects money from supporters with monthly contributions and also is able to gain funds from “taxes,” it collects in the country side. With a large number of poverty stricken rural communities collecting small money these can add up to huge numbers apart from providing recruits on a regular basis who can join up for moneys as low as $ 50 to 75 per month. Thus despite the stringent action by the Rapid Action Battalion, the JMB has managed to survive in the country.

OCT 2010

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