By Rashed Khan Menon

Bangladesh since its establishment as a nation state has seen several changes in its political order. Every such change promised to rid the country of the evildoings of the immediate past regime and make a fresh start. But the old order continued, of course in a new form, but not so new or fundamentally different from the old one.
   The changeover of January 11 2007 is fondly called 1/11 by its supporters likening it with the 9/11 of the United States which is claimed to have changed the world. But in the aftermath of 9/11 the world has become more dangerous. In Bangladesh too 1/11 has not brought any change in society or even in running of the state, except for the fear factor at the beginning and tall talks of reforms.
   The reform measures which the protagonists of 1/11 took upon themselves to implement were to make the country and politics corruption free. They also talked about political reforms — of the political parties and the system too.
   To make the country and politics corruption free anti-corruption drive was waged. Though the newly reorganised Anti-Corruption Commission was supposed to carry out this task, it was the national coordination committee against corruption and serious crime, headed and manned mainly by the military personnel, commanded this anti-corruption drive. Though at first the corrupt businesspeople and officials were included, it was the politicians who were the targets of this anti-corruption drive. It soon became clear to all that the anti-corruption drive, though netted many of the bigwigs who could not have been touched otherwise, this drive was using the fear factor, was mainly aimed at succumbing them to the political plan of the power that be. The anti-corruption drive and anti-politics were combined together and the theory of ‘minus two’ came into play which intended to exclude the two leaders of the two main political parties from politics and also to divide the parties and create a new political base for those who really controlled power.
   So as is usual with other changes, this change of 1/11 could not and did not bring in any change, rather people suffered from lack of basic fundamental rights, souring prices and uncertain future, which in particular hampered business and economic activities. The anti-corruption drive though could halt the brazen corruption at the top it has now taken a new dimension involving new sets of people who control power from behind. The corruption at the base level, as was reported by the Bangladesh chapter of Transparency International, has rather increased manifold and the rate has also gone high.
   In the political field, though the reform slogan could make some dents in the main parties creating confusion and almost dividing them. But now that phase is over. The main political parties and their leaders wrested back the authority and also the initiative and the politics has come back to their old self. The old division, rivalry and intolerance have come to the fore again. Though the powers that be are still pursuing with their attempt to establish a controlled political system with the military establishment pulling the string in running of the state and even making out some concessions from the politicians about their role, it seems that time is over for that too. This they can only do by taking some drastic measure, but that would also put their positions in difficulties both with regards to the people at home and also with their international mentors.
   But these are beside the point. The point is that this time also, the change of 1/11, as is lamented by its supporters as a missed chance of the century (!), could not bring in even some perceptible difference with the rules before. Actually the intervention by the military, with the full support and also connivance of western powers, who want to see a stable government in Bangladesh to pursue their political and economic end, was not aimed at changing and curing the fundamental cause of the malice but giving the system a good look by facelift here and there. The drive against corruption and the slogan of political reform was aimed at making the system governable.
   But the malady that pervades the system is not only symptomatic but systemic. By doing away with the symptoms would not do, but the whole system is to be overhauled and overhauled from the root. Of course, this requires a radical and revolutionary reform of the system which Bangladesh should have ventured at the beginning of its new journey as a nation state. This desire for a rationale society with equity and participation of its people at the base was spelled out in the constitution framed immediately after the independence, but it was never meant, because of the class character of the ruling class. The ruling class that assumed power after independence wanted to amass wealth by using the state power and by that way they accumulated the primary capital and from since then on the protection and expansion of this capital became the primary concern of the ruling class. And in the pursuit of that the whole economy was downgraded to loot and plunder and its manifestation was reflected in the corruption, criminalisation and communalisation of the politics.
   So, if any change is to be made, it is to be made in the system, in the economy, which is to be brought out of the loot and plunder of the crony capital which has developed itself under the guidance of the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and the donor agencies and is acting as the subservient of the foreign multinationals, rehabilitating industries, particularly rehabilitating our main industries like jute, reforming the land tenure system and land used and introducing new technology in agriculture and implementing a policy of inclusion of the poor and the downtrodden in the whole economic process.
   In the field of politics it is unfettered democracy and upholding of fundamental human rights that are basic for the governance issue. Any control in the name of development would rather distort and ultimately destroy democracy and democratic institutions, howsoever little that has developed in our country. The main plank of politics here again should be the inclusion of the poor and downtrodden in the running of affairs of the question of empowerment of these people; this becomes the most important issue.
   And with it comes the education and culture. The whole education system must be rid of the commercialisation and communalisation process which has already divided the society and mass movement in this regard is to be ensured.
   These are some of the points to make a new start. But this start is not a new one. The liberation struggle of Bangladesh threw this issue in front of the new nation to chart out its course for its nation building, its development along the path of progress and make its place among the nation states of the world. Much time and precious ones have been lost, but not lost forever. Bangladesh can be rebuilt and rebuilt not for the few, but for its millions of people who in the past without caring what would happen to them took up arms for the future. The future still awaits us and it is important whether we would brace this future with courage to change.