Bangladesh: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow

Bangladesh: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow

Prof. Imtiaz Ahmed, Dhaka Universityommittee Room 1, School of International Studies, JNU

The speaker raised concerns over the inconsistencies of change and causation that led to the general perception of a small state syndrome about Bangladesh. Prof Imtiaz started his lecture by articulating a set of logical paradoxes regarding motion by a student of Parmenides called Zeno, which is referred as Zeno paradox. Zeno of Elea (490-430 BC) argued that if we see things in motion and our theory does not allow motion, then our senses must lie. Thus rather than seeing a solid object, an arrow, existing at definite points in its trajectory, the correct view is to see a wave of energy following the arrow's trajectory with much greater mass/energy presence at certain instances of space time. The speaker gave two examples of how Sunrise and Sunset appears to be factual but not real. He set the introductory observation on existence of contradictions and realities about Bangladesh, where in the reality is generally not understood.

• During yester years, Bangladesh resulted out of three phases – Geo political phase, Geo economic phase and Military regime phase.

• Geo political phase is characterized by Territorialization based on artificial boundaries, Bangladeshi Nationalism and Language movements. Due to the territorial bottle-up, the country is facing continuous disasters in the form of severe floods.

• Geo economic phase is characterized by the increase in non-state actors such as smugglers, traffickers, small arms traders etc who have increased in tempo and magnitude. This had given rise to sub-altern globalization.

• Military regime phase is characterized by the increase in nationalistic and religious fervor.

• Today, Bangladesh is characterized by – Small state syndrome, Power of non-governmental actors and Mastanocrazy.

• Though the country occupies 8th position in overall demography, it is termed to be ‘a small state’, because of its territorial extension.

• Non-Governmental actors play an important role in the development of Bangladesh. Eg. Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee (BRAC) is one of the largest NGO that takes care of developmental activities in the country. It is true that NGO’s has stepped up in the field of education, health and women empowerment.

• The politics in Bangladesh is characterized by Mastanocracy. The overwhelming power of money and muscle made its appearance with the advent of military rule in the country. Muscle power in politics these days, however, is essentially a problem in the developing countries.

• Tomorrow, Bangladesh will be characterized as a ‘soft state’. Soft state in terms of de-masculanised representation in politics, de- governmentalised representation in developmental activities and dealing with disasters. Not to rule out the fact that, Bangladesh is one of the few countries where in a powerful women leader reigns, where in the NGO’s work hand in hand with the government, where in the people learned to mitigate themselves in times of severe floods.

Discussions:

• Bengali people had to pay the highest price for religion during Pakistan period. This was one of the major reasons that secularity was adopted as one of the four state principles in our constitution. After the independence, issues of undertaking program to encourage people about secularity was raised before Banga Bandhu Sheikh Mujibar Rahman. Aftermath of the `75 coup d'état saw the rise of reactionary politics in Bangladesh. Military figures, sometimes in their uniform or in civil dress clutched power for nearly 15 years till 1990. They attempted to make themselves credible using religion. In this way Islam, the religion of the majority, started to be utilized in politics.

• The overwhelming power of money and muscle made its appearance with the advent of military rule in the country. Military or quasi-military rule is inevitably arbitrary and that is where the fault lies. Military governments invariably depended on the two-pronged strategy of coercion and bribery to secure legitimacy. Spreading money was extensively used for degenerating politics. "Money is no problem" became a catchy slogan in so poor a country. Corruption is endemic in Bangladesh and greed seems to be limitless. Public service in this social environment has become a victim of deal-making. In politics the power of money has assumed an unprecedented level of importance.

• The multiple identity has given rise to three forms of globalization – economic globalization, where in ‘production’ is globalized, Reverse globalization, where in culture is transmitted across boundaries, and sub altern globalization where in there exists a strong nexus between illegal traders through out the world.

• For Bangladesh, the terrorism let loose by organized thugs and goons widely reported to be assisted by the government agencies has long term implications for the country. Here the fear psychosis is being used, though rather crudely, with a long-term agenda in mind.It is assumed that a sizable number of Taliban cadres are present in Bangladesh. Most of them are reported to have taken arms training in Afghanistan.

• There are a total 225 identified Indian enclaves where in 119 are exchangeable and 11 are non –excahngeable. There are a total 95 Bangaldesh enclaves, where in 72 are exchangeable and 23 are non-exchangeable. This made nearly 200,000 people living in Indian enclaves along the Bangladeshi border stateless. Providing multiple citizenship might resolve the problem.