The New Nation - Internet Edition

Md. Monirul Islam

It is as usual that the independence of Bangladesh in 1971 was uncertain and unexpected because of giant Pakistani militarists' atrocities that shattered the door of dreams of the people of East Bengal. But in the election of 1970, the East wing led by Bangabandu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman gained absolute majority in East Pakistan which was certain in this sense that whole people of East Bengal agitated against brutal Pakistani ruler for their oligarchic rule that frequently carried fate for the people of the Eastern region.

People never expected that Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the father of liberation war will be assassinated and Ziaur Rahan will also be gone in the same way, no one contains it in his/her mind. But it is the sheer reality in Bangladeshi scenario. No one made their opinion sure that autocracy will be ousted, but it was done. So, we observe that the objects which were uncertain in Bangladeshi history, that came into certainty. This case has further happened with the landslide victory of Awami League-led Grand Alliance in the election of 2008.

Some analysts, before conducting election of 2008, proclaimed that only for two causes, the grand alliance will triumph in the election. First is the price hike. All people mainly poor and middle class whose incomes are not high fall into disastrous condition for their subsistence. And second is people's tendency. People's tendency in Bangladeshi history never elected a government twice consecutively. People of Bangladesh always want change and AL bestowed the charter of changing day in their election manifesto. So, people have espoused AL-led grand alliance through giving their vote as is being called the most silent vote revolution in Bangladeshi history.

Bangladesh has already passed 37 years of her independence. In this sense, it is the new country and the present challenge of the country is also new and what the AL has promised to the people is also the new challenge. Previous governments made it the futile shape. So, AL government has to rehabilitate the country which becomes necessary for the new state when a state is born from the occupation of outsiders. The present situation is like that. The expectation of people has become high on account of promise from victors was high. If the expectation of people is not fulfilled, revolution may be the result.

Huntington's annunciation, in this regard, is suitable although it is not the immediate newly born state. He said that 'the problem of achieving consensus on basic issues of national importance is one of the serious problems that new states usually confront. Soon after independence, the different ethnic, religious, and regional forces that joined hands during the movement for freedom begin to unfold separate identities. To their dismay, the nationalist leaders who led the independence movement discover that the society they have been leading is not at all homogeneous. It is rather a conglomeration of diverse and mutually conflicting interests, loyalties and identities'. (W. Howard Wringgins, "Impediment to Unity in New Nation: The Case of Ceylon", American Political Science Review, 52:2 (June 1961), Pp.313-20) As the leaders fail to make a positive contribution to improve the quality of life of the people, the "the revolution of rising expectation" gradually transforms itself into a "revolution of rising frustration". The consequences of this, in most cases, are turbulence, instability, and resort to violence. (Samuel P. Huntington, "Political Development and Political Decay", World Politics, 17:2 (April 1965), Pp.386-430). All these contribute directly to the problem of achieving consensus on vital national issues.

When general agreement among the members of a political community on vital political mechanism of the state breaks down, revolution may result.

The newly elected government of Bangladesh should seriously think that four-party alliance has got very few numbers of seats in the election. It is very normal case that they may be arrogant or be vibrated in any simple case. Boycotting parliament, strike, procession against government etc. will be the result.

So, government has to maintain the demands of oppositions as far as possible. Present government should take it in their mind that the present scenario of the country is likewise the newly born state because Bangladesh has to face not only the internal problems but also the external pressures triggered by neighbour states and occidental set-up.

It was also intoned by the opponents in the election campaign that if the secularists (AL-led grand alliance) came into power, they will destroy all Islamic institutions of the country. Govt. should prove to construct building, not to destroy. It is the great chance for the government to show their cooperative mentality beyond ravenous conduct.

Present elected government is saying that they will give chance of opposition in their administration as deputy speaker or minister etc. Barak Obama, the newly elected president of US has shown his thoughtfulness to the oppositions with giving appointment in his administration as ministers. These two incumbencies' (US President & AL-led Grand Alliance) motto is to change the circumstance cooperatively thereby, giving chance in their administration in spite of being the opponent in all spheres in the state-affair.

The word of Mahatma Gandhi is highly remarkable-"I do not want my house to be walled in on all sides and my windows to be stuffed. I want the cultures of all lands to be blown about my house as freely as possible. But I refuse to be blown off my feet by any." If this act of incumbency becomes successes, future Bangladesh will be run peacefully under the leadership of Grand Alliance and people's tendency-'not to elect the government twice consecutively'-will be smashed.