Bangladesh: Blueprint Of Alternative Political Force – OpEd

Very recently former President and Jatiya Party Chairman H M Ershad has met India’s newly-elected President Pranab Mukherjee, to become the first Bangladeshi politician to do so.

According to bdnews24 report “During his meeting with Singh, Ershad reportedly raised the contentious issues in Bangladesh-India ties, including the impasse over agreement for sharing of water of common river Teesta, controversy over the proposed hydro-electric project at Tipaimukh in the northeastern Indian state of Manipur and the delay in ratification of the land boundary agreement”.

Suddenly Bangladesh’s ex-martial law administrator becomes a very important person for India that makes to inquire on the issues with my contacts. I got very interesting and important information on his recent tour to India.

During his visit he gave an interview with times of India. On that interview Rudroneel Ghosh asked him several question, if you carefully analysis the questions and answer , some important things will come out. Let’s have a look into those:

Times of India: You were Bangladesh’s martial law administrator, then President, now an elected representative. What are your views on democracy in the subcontinent?

Ershad: There’s no doubt democracy has taken root in India. However, this hasn’t happened in Bangladesh because the country is divided into two camps. Elections take place – but the party that loses doesn’t go to parliament.

Recently, President Pranab Mukherjee said parliament is the soul of the people. Unfortunately, all the parliaments in Bangladesh have been one-party, non-functional parliaments. If we want to make democracy functional in Bangladesh, parliament must function properly.

Now a days many politicians and experts are discussing that there is need of third power , an alternative and that may be military takeover of power , while BNP is thinking to make a better alliance and they have also approached Ershad along with Jamat with better proposal. But for Ershad , the demand was if BNP get elected , they have to elect him as president. But for BNP –Jamat alliance it was hard to agree on that but they had agreed on many issues with Ershad.

Now come to the point, Awami League was aware of that negotiation process and Sheikh Hasina immediately consulted with some political elite and close allies in Indian lobby.

Let’s have a careful lookinto Ershad answer, “…Bangladesh because the country is divided into two camps. Elections take place – but the party that loses doesn’t go to parliament…… all the parliaments in Bangladesh have been one-party, non-functional parliaments. If we want to make democracy functional in Bangladesh, parliament must function properly.”

Sheikh Hasina had a dream to remain in power up to 2020 and if she remains in power that will be very beneficial for India specifically. A high profile political scientist and a group of experts of Indian intelligence have suggested Hasina to create an alternative third force which will act on the order of Hasina and fulfill the common agenda of India and Hasina.

The blue print of alternative political force has been laid by Hasina and both Hasina and India has promised Ershad to be main opostion party in next parliament election and India has promised that they will also help financially.

Ershad has signed an agreement on that he has agreed on several bilateral issues where India will be highly beneficial. And those are clearly anti Bangladesh and if the blue print get successful, Bangladesh will fully in the hand of India, the market and economy will be fully depended on India.

Sources have disclosed that main opposition party BNP is aware of the blue print laid by Hasina and India to wash out BNP from the parliament.

Ershad has been considered as an unpredictable character in Bangladesh politics.

Previously he had joined 4 Party Alliance at the end of BNP term of 2001-06 after meetings with Tarique and Babar at his (Ershad) Residence, which was followed by meeting with Khaleda Zia at her (Zia) Cantonment’s Mainul Road House.

In late October 2006 he said he is not with 4 Party Alliance and the following day he reversed position. Later, he went to hiding for 3 days and joined Grand Alliance at Paltan Maidan with Sheikh Hasina. Sheikh Hasina breached agreement with him on to make him the President for at least six months. Moeen also committed to make him President before 11 January 2007. Ershad was offered to be head of the Government in 1991 by Sheikh Hasina while he was in jail and by Khaleda Zia in 1996 before Awami League formed Government after 21 years.

But the question is what made Ershad to agree with Hasina on this blue print. Sources has disclosed that Eshad was threaten to put behind bar again and Indian intelligence has shared that we have enough evidence that will keep you behind the bar for the rest of the life.