17-Apr-2011, 12:40 AM
Bangladesh has in the last two years witnessed a lot of changes in the political arena. Especially important one is the ban on Jamaat e Islami, the usage of religion in politics etc. by the Supreme Court of Bangladesh.
Now there is a lot of hullaboo amongst Pakistani liberals who want to emulate Bangladesh which at least to them seems to be gearing toward rapid secularisation of state, society and polity headed by the government in power and the Supreme Court.
I don't really buy this argument.
Reasons are myriad. First amongst them, Supreme Court of no country has no right to dismantle or ban any political party based on any* political ideology. Especially so, since a party which has garnered more than a million votes in previous elections, deemed to be free and fair, amounts to ostracizing the particular community that votes for that political party. Here, that political party is Jamaat. Even if we agree that Jamaat's evolution in Bangladesh was il-legal, the fact remains that after more than 20 years in polity, it HAS developed a vote bank and the side which polity take must be decided by the people instead of unelected representatives.
Secondly, an overwhelming victory in an election doesn't necessarily mean that the people trust every bit of your agenda. What I am trying to say is that in the 2008 elections, Awai League clean sweeped the polls, but that doesn't really amount to a radical shift in how people look toward the society and the state. And to be frank, back in 2001, the same party had lost the elections. Just eight years, and the whole society shifted its paradigm to staunchly secular doesn't just add up.
Thoughts and criticism much welcomed.
*Lets just not discuss if JI is like EDL or not. Lets just talk about any political party.
Now there is a lot of hullaboo amongst Pakistani liberals who want to emulate Bangladesh which at least to them seems to be gearing toward rapid secularisation of state, society and polity headed by the government in power and the Supreme Court.
I don't really buy this argument.
Reasons are myriad. First amongst them, Supreme Court of no country has no right to dismantle or ban any political party based on any* political ideology. Especially so, since a party which has garnered more than a million votes in previous elections, deemed to be free and fair, amounts to ostracizing the particular community that votes for that political party. Here, that political party is Jamaat. Even if we agree that Jamaat's evolution in Bangladesh was il-legal, the fact remains that after more than 20 years in polity, it HAS developed a vote bank and the side which polity take must be decided by the people instead of unelected representatives.
Secondly, an overwhelming victory in an election doesn't necessarily mean that the people trust every bit of your agenda. What I am trying to say is that in the 2008 elections, Awai League clean sweeped the polls, but that doesn't really amount to a radical shift in how people look toward the society and the state. And to be frank, back in 2001, the same party had lost the elections. Just eight years, and the whole society shifted its paradigm to staunchly secular doesn't just add up.
Thoughts and criticism much welcomed.
*Lets just not discuss if JI is like EDL or not. Lets just talk about any political party.