The mass upsurge of August 5 is an important achievement for Bangladesh. Students-people successfully overthrew an autocratic government that had been in power for over 15 years through an unprecedented movement. The July Revolution once again proved that the democratic aspirations of the people were invincible. No matter how powerful a person may be. He/she cannot stand against the united strength of the people. We have got this probe through the July Revolution. However, if we look back seven months after the victory of the August 5 mass uprising, we see that our achievements are gradually fading and being questioned. There is a looming fear that these achievements may be lost. In this situation, on February 25, Chief of Army Staff General Waker-Uz-Zaman made some important, significant and meaningful remarks. He said, "If you engage in mudslinging and fighting, the independence and sovereignty of this country and nation will be at stake." The army chief spoke at an event at Raowa Club in the capital, marking the National Martyred Army Day. In his speech, the army chief highlighted the dire situation of the country. He also issued a warning to the entire nation. General Waker-Uz-Zaman expressed hope that parliamentary elections would be held by December and reaffirmed that the army would return to the barracks once an elected government takes office.
On the same day, BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman, currently in London, echoed almost similar speeches. Addressing a conference of the Cumilla city BNP via video conference, he emphasized the urgency of elections and warned of ongoing conspiracies. Tarique Rahman said, "The only solution to the current crisis is elections and the transfer of power to elected public representatives. We see some individuals and organisations used to say that BNP wants only elections. It doesn’t understand something without elections.” He criticized those who downplay the importance of elections and called upon partymen to remain vigilant against any conspiracy against the electoral process.
Meanwhile, on the same day, the information adviser and one of the key figures of the mass uprising, Nahid Islam, resigned from the advisory council. At a press conference following his resignation, he said, "At this moment, being on the streets is more important than being in the government." He emphasized the need to uphold the aspirations of the mass uprising and announced his involvement in forming a new political party led by students and youth.
By reading these three statements, we can draw an equation. All of them described the ongoing crisis in the country. They all agreed that the aspirations of the people remain unfulfilled and that the nation is in crisis. If we summarize their speeches, we find that the goals of the August 5 mass uprising have yet to be achieved. A lot of obstacles have emerged along the way, and the government is struggling to manage the situation. Especially, the law and order have worsened alarmingly over the past seven months. People are angry with the state of law and order.
Meanwhile, a late-night press conference at 3:00 am by the Home Adviser raised numerous questions. Although he assured that there would be visible improvements in law and order starting Monday, this promise has yet to be fulfilled. Killings, rapes, muggings, and robberies have become everyday occurrences. Movement in Dhaka at night has become a risky matter. If this situation persists, people will lose confidence in the government. Policymakers must recognize this reality. We can’t see any lack of sincerity in the government. However, the statements made by high-ups of the government have contributed to public frustration. On the same night that the Home Adviser addressed the media about law and order, another advisor claimed that "Awami League members are distributing money to destabilize the law and order situation." The government's role is not to blame anyone. Its job is to resolve the problems. Shifting blame is merely an excuse for avoiding responsibility and an old tactic used by past government. Whenever Awami League struggled with controlling law and order, inflation, or other issues, they resorted to blaming the BNP and the opposition, levelling everything as a conspiracy. But such strategies no longer work. The people are not concerned with the conspiracies of the Awami League. The government will have to resist the criminals if Awami League commits terrorism and destabilizes the law and order. Criminals must be caught whoever he is. It is not the issue to the people who are hatching a conspiracy. People want a terror-free country, improvement of the law and order situation, and finally the guarantee of free movement.
The government has the responsibility to identify the causes of the deteriorating law and order situation and address these issues. The army chief pointed out an important cause of the problem. In his February 25 speech, General Waker-Uz-Zaman said, "Police members are not working, many are facing cases, and some are in jail. RAB, BGB, and NSI are panicked." He clearly said that these institutions have played crucial roles in the past, combining good and bad actions. Those responsible for wrongdoing must be punished. But these institutions must not be undermined. He warned that if these institutions are undermined, peace and stability will not prevail in the country. The army chief’s statement is meaningful. He may find out a major cause of the deteriorated law and order. No police officer in the country is working with responsibility. One kind of unknown fear has developed among them. That fear is they can lose their jobs anytime and they can face harassment or attack at the police station. All of them are embarrassed thinking about the future action of the works. As a result, no one wants to take responsibility.
The army, having been deployed for a long period, is also exhausted and struggling to manage the situation. Apart from this, the army chief clearly said that improving the law and order situation is not the sole duty of the army. Now the question is what should the government do? The political parties are divided on this issue. Many believe that holding elections as soon as possible and handing over power to an elected government is the best course of action for the interim government. Many of them think that law and order will improve if the elected government takes charge of the country. Especially, BNP is pushing strongly for elections by December, warning that those seeking to delay elections are engaged in new conspiracies. On the other hand, the upcoming student-led political party is not in favour of immediate elections. They want local government elections first and the trial of Sheikh Hasina and others accused of genocide before the national polls.
The election is becoming a new point of crisis in national politics. Several parties, including Jamaat-e-Islami, have also supported holding local government elections first, while BNP and maximum parties argue for immediate national elections. In his February 25 speech, the army chief has expressed hope that elections will be held by December mentioning that discussions on this matter have taken place with the Chief Advisor, who also supports this timeline.
We must understand the core objective of the August 5 mass uprising. Its primary goal was to establish an inclusive society with a democratic government where all voices matter, rights are equal, and the people are not held hostage by a single individual, party, or group. The only way to achieve such inclusive governance is an election. Establish democracy in the country through a free, fair, participatory, and neutral election. The main desire of the July Revolution was the empowerment of the people. People have overthrown the fascists to regain their power. But have they truly regained it? The straightforward answer is no. Instead, they are now facing new crises regularly. City dwellers are affected by gang violence. The streets are unsafe, businesses are at risk, and women are vulnerable. Everything is stagnant. This was not the desire of the July Revolution. The main spirit of the July Revolution was an egalitarian, non-discriminatory Bangladesh. A new Bangladesh of friendship and harmony. But that journey to new Bangladesh is fading gradually. That is why we must remain vigilant. The army chief warned all. We have to understand its true essence avoiding other meanings. We must exercise patience and tolerance. There is no denying that the country needs an elected government. Only an elected government can resolve the crisis. Whether we like it or not, when a government is elected by the people, all sectors of society will have confidence in it. Therefore, before the achievements of the July Revolution are lost, we should finalize a roadmap for democratic transition. We can foster and expand the desire of the July Revolution by transferring power to an elected government.
* The writer is a playwright and columnist. She can be reached at [email protected]
