December 25 was the Christmas holiday. All offices and courts were closed. In the meantime, a fire broke out in a sensitive area like the Secretariat late at night. On December 26, the last working day of the week, government employees stared in horror at the burning wreckage. Valiant Freedom Fighter Abdul Hai Kanu was assaulted and forced to wear a garland of shoes in Cumilla’s Chauddagram on December 22. The whole country was shocked by this incident. The scene of his insult on social media has made many people cry. Five bodies were recovered from a fertilizer-loaded ship anchored in the Meghna River on December 23. Three others were rescued with critical injuries. Of them, two succumbed to their injuries. The incident of beating a woman in Lakshmipur on Monday spread on social media. Such incidents are now happening every day. No peace, no relief anywhere. The whole country is afraid of the unknown. What will happen tomorrow? No one knows. The exercise of sudden roadblocks to meet the demands is going on almost every day. The police are inactive. Incidents of murder, robbery, and snatching are normal now. People are relaxed in the kitchen market due to the hike of every essential commodity. After the fall of the Awami League government through a mass uprising on August 5, those who dreamed of a new Bangladesh are now disappointed. Many people are worried about the dire situation in the upcoming days. Has Bangladesh lost its path?
The tenure of the interim government is about to expire for five months. But this government has not been able to bring back the normal situation in the country so far. Rather, it is embracing the new problems by itself. There was early optimism within the administration. Young talent officials and employees were ready to work in a non-discriminatory administration. After sending several aides and bureaucrats of the fascist government into retirement, the young officials hoped that the government would give them new responsibilities. They may get promotions based on merit. But, they become hopeless. Those who retired 12 years ago are being appointed as secretaries. Various important posts are going under contractual recruitment. Contractual recruitment has engulfed the entire administration. Meanwhile, the interim government is working on sensitive issues like public administration reform which is the job of an elected government. The interim government has destabilized the administration itself by doing this unnecessary work. The administration is almost inactive due to inter-cadre conflicts.
Doctors are also on the streets with various demands. Road blockades are happening in Dhaka every day. Once upon a time, Dhaka city was called 'city of mosques'. During the Awami League regime, it is called a 'city of traffic jam'. Now, it has become a 'city of blockade'. You never know where and when your road will be blocked. You will be in danger. Business and industry remain at a standstill. No businessman or industrialist is taking any new initiative. Industrialists and businessmen are being harassed in various ways. Incidents of attacks and arson in factories were not prosecuted. Businessmen are being harassed in the name of curbing corruption. As a result, industrialists are sitting in extreme insecurity. Instability also prevails in the rice market. The economy is under great threat.
Awami League's 'disease' seems to have caught some of the interim government. It is like old wine in a new bottle. As the Awami League government strictly repressed dissent and had no room for opposition, the same situation now prevails. The lack of tolerance in the government is the same as before. Many people do not have the mentality to tolerate criticism. What they are doing is right - this is the thinking among some in the government. The business of litigation was rampant during the Awami League tenure. Like that filing cases is now the most profitable business. From this perspective, the interim government defeated the then-Awami League government in almost five months. The trial has been turned into a farce by registering mass murder cases. Now anyone can file a murder case against any person. Extortion is going on in the name of dropping names for the cases. The plaintiff does not know that the case has been filed. Even the plaintiff does not know any of the accused. From politicians to businessmen, journalists to ordinary employees, all are accused in murder cases. Hundreds of thousands of people are victims of harassment in such cases across the country. The deceased is also an accused in the killing case. This seems to be a continuation of the previous government. The same is going on with the claim of 'achievement'. The number of talkative persons has also increased in the government who talk inappropriately. People were fed up with the torture of some talkative persons during the Awami League regime. Now, some people are saying such strange words. People do not know whether to laugh or cry. Some people in the government go crazy if they don't show their faces on television. People's ears are filled with rude talk. In this situation, many questions have arisen in the public mind about who is running the country. Whose shadow is behind the throne? Dr Muhammad Yunus is a wise man. He received the Nobel Peace Prize. He has been a well-established, admired and respected person in the international arena for a long time. But it seems the country is not under his leadership. He does not seem to have any control over the advisers or the officials in the adviser's office. Sometimes it seems that two to four advisors have all the power. They are talking about everything, but do not take responsibility for the problems. The public has many questions about this. It is now clear that the advisers’ council is not the real owner of power. The army is at the field level. However, the army does not interfere in the running of the government except to assist in law and order. The law and order situation that has been maintained so far is due to the presence of the army. The armed forces have no role in any other function of the government. So the army is not ruling the country. The question is who is ruling the country? People recently joke that nobody is ruling the country. It is not running. There is no work at the Secretariat. A standstill situation prevails there. If a case is filed at the police station, the case is not investigated. Doctors are not providing proper treatment to patients. The country’s businessmen are not able to run business safely and seamlessly. There are only threats and bragging. Bangladesh is now a country without a path. Nobody knows its destination. Another major disease of the Awami League government was blaming the BNP for everything. Now the disease has infected some of the interim government. The simple strategy of blaming the Awami League is being applied when they fail. It seems the government is looking for self-satisfaction with 'conspiracy theory'.
No one is denying that the country is in a deep crisis. What to do in such a situation? Everyone now agrees that a 'safe exit' of this government can be only through elections. The current standstill situation can only be resolved through the assumption of a new elected government. The country can move forward to a specific destination. Pathless Bangladesh can find a path through elections. This interim government took office after August 5 with huge popularity. But now its popularity stands at the bottom. Its popularity will decrease further in the upcoming days. For this reason, the government should go to the election soon. However, there are allegations that the government is delaying the election process by forming various reform commissions. Many of the reform commissions have said that elections should be held after the reforms are completed. But these words are contrary to public desire. The country’s people have also questioned the extent of the people's mandate regarding these reforms. People on the reform commissions are saying contradictory words in a single day. They give more focus on their publicity than their work. They have been talking endlessly before submitting the report. It seems they are also advisers. They are more interested in television appearances than work. The government is getting involved in many other problems through the reform commissions. A chaotic situation has developed in the country. It is never possible for an unelected government to overcome this situation. If this interim government rules the country for a long time, it will lead the country to a deeper crisis. Therefore, it would be wise for this government to hand over power to an elected government. It would be the most honourable job for this government to hold elections and hand over power to elected public representatives within a short time. By doing this, the country will get relief.
On the other hand, if the election is delayed, the country’s people will wage movement on the streets. BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir in his Thakurgaon rally has already asked the people to get prepared for movement. He is a pro-people leader. He understands the feelings of the people. People are tired of everything. They can’t tolerate it anymore. There is no employment and no ray of hope. It seems Bangladesh is running through a dark tunnel by losing its track. This situation must be ended. Exactly for this reason, everyone expects a wise decision of the interim government. Only elected public representatives can resolve the existing crisis in the country. They are engaged with the people and will assume office after passing votes. The elected government will find out the paths after discussion with the people. They will have people’s support and mandate. The reformation is a continuous process. Bangladesh has had many good and bad experiences in the 53 years. Many reformations were made during the period. Reformation is not an antibiotic which works with specific doses. BNP has already given 31-point state reform proposals. Other political parties have also submitted their proposals. People are the owners of the republic. They will fix which reform they will do and which they won’t. By what rights interim government impose its will on the people? The delay in the name of reformation will force the interim government into failure. If this government is failed, then the mass uprising will also be failed. The government needs to understand the reality and should take action on course. The lost path of Bangladesh is an election and handing over power to the people.
* The writer is a playwright and columnist. She can be reached at [email protected]
