The New Nation - Internet Edition

Mostafa Kamal Majumder

Former President Hussain Muhammad Ershad has been living upto his reputation that the people have of him since the start of his sojourn to the corridors of power from early 1982 as the chief martial law administrator (CMLA) that his critics used to fondly refer to as - cancel my last announcement.

During the last 20 months Gen. Ershad shifted his position five times. His last statement of readjustment of position was published in the media on Saturday as he said he would be with the Bangladesh Awami League-led mahajote for the next general elections. His first reaction to the change of power on 11 January 2007 was retirement from politics; a position at that time had already been legally enforced for all through the prohibition of political activities under the state of emergency.

When indoor politics was introduced with conditions, in Dhaka city on 10 September 2007 and in the rest of the country on 12 September this year, the former president distanced himself and his party from the AL-led combine of which he now reaffirms to be a partner once again. The gain he made was reunification of the two factions of his Jatiya Party which earlier used to be led by himself and his wife Begum Raushan Ershad. Resumption of political activities by him was, however, not marked by any formal announcement about a comeback from retirement.

Before the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP)-led four-party alliance relinquished power on completion of a five-year tenure, Ershad had made a firm announcement to be with the alliance in the subsequent national election. After the resignation of former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia and her council of ministers on 27 October 2006, Hussain Muhammad Ershad was quick to announce, 'there is no last word in politics'.

He soon after aligned himself and his party with the 14-party alliance which was renamed mahajote with Dr. Kamal Hossain's Gano Forum and former president Prof AQM Badruddoza Chwdhury's party Bikalpa Dhara throwing their weights in its favour.

There will always be scope to refer to the dictum 'there is no last word in politics' of which the retired General has proved to be a master manipulator. It was on the cancellation of General Ershad's nomination papers, on the basis of a court order, for the January 22 election that the mahajote had announced on January 10, 2007, its boycott of the polls that its leaders also vowed to resist. Emergency was clamped on the following day and with that there was also change of caretaker administration.

A dynamic approach to politics is welcomed by all, but the same approach to changing political stand may not always be good for the one who practices it, or the country for which politics is meant. One may for instance change a principled stand and allow disproportionate increase of salary and benefits of industrial workers just to ward off the threat of a general strike. But such kind of crisis management burdens the industry which in time turns into a losing sector. One may give a blank cheque to primary school teachers for political convenience and ruin not only them but also the system of state-run free primary education.

It will, however, be unfair to make shifting of political stand look like only a monopoly of HM Ershad, because most of our politicians have the reputation of so doing. Former President AQM Badruddoza Chowdhury, chief of Bikalpa Dhara and former presidential candidate Dr Kamal Hossain, chief of Gono Forum, who at one point of time looked like destined to chart a common path and steer the country back to democracy fell apart, reportedly because of personality clash.

Former member of BNP standing committee Col (retd) Oli Ahmed who joined Prof Chowdhury, after a number of BNP ministers and lawmakers deserted the party and sided with Chowdhury, and formed the Liberal Democratic Party however could not remain together when their common foe Begum Khaleda Zia fell into rough weather.

The former President has been left with his Bikalpa Dhara while Col (retd) Oli Ahmad is operating with his Liberal Democratic Party a faction of which is again being led by Nazimuddin Al-Azad. After his parting with Prof. B. Chowdhury, Col Oli Ahmed even expressed his desire to be back to the BNP provided he was taken back with full dignity and honour.

Prof B. Chowdhury has of late demanded referendum on whether or not to hold upazila elections before parliamentary elections.

From the AL-led camp the initial stand against local government elections before parliamentary polls has been undergoing a gradual change. First the alliance expressed its support to the municipal and city corporation elections. Now the alliance is reportedly planning to support upazila elections before the Jatiya Sangsad polls.

The BNP-led four-party alliance remains firm in its stand against local government elections before national elections. These are no exceptions because parties and their leaders take and change stands to suit their political convenience to achieve the ultimate goal of having share of political loaves and fishes.

(The author is the editor of this paper)