Evolution of Fundamental Principles of the Constitution of Bangladesh, 1972
The Bengali nation had struggled for democracy, secular values and national rights for years. The Military rulers of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan (1947-1971) tried to deny the democratic and national
aspirations of the Bengalis and carried out a systematic genocide in
the name of religion. As a result, the struggle of the Bengali people
began from language movement of 1952 to the armed resistance in 1971,
which ultimately led to the emergence of Bangladesh as a secular
democratic nation state.
In those circumstances, the Constituent Assembly of Bangladesh passed the "Constitution of the People's Republic of Bangladesh" on 4th November 1972 and it came into effect from December 16, 1972, the day commemorated as Victory Day in the country, making the defeat of the Pakistan's brutal Army in the Bangladesh Liberation War, 1971.
The following fundamental principles enshrined in the Constitution therefore evolved from its tradition and experience of this popular struggle.
1) Democracy
2) Nationalism
3) Secularism
4) Socialism (However this principle was generally considered to mean social justice particularly for the disadvantaged.)
The people of Bangladesh are still continuing their struggle to retain these principles against many odds.
Anyway, the brief history of Bangladesh (period: 1972-2011, after the Liberation War of 1971) as below:
1) Sheikh Mujibur Rahman (10 January 1972 – 15 August 1975)
 |
| Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman |
Bangabandhu
(Friend of Bengal) Sheikh Mujibur Rahman came to office with immense
personal popularity but had difficulty transforming this popular support
into the political strength needed to function as head of government.
This Government had started their journey on the ruins and destructions
of the Liberation War, caused by the savaged army of Pakistan and their
collaborators, Rajakar-Al-bador-Al-shams. In that war, Bangladesh lost
around 3.0 million of its people in the hands of those hyenas. They
raped around 200,000-400,000 women in just nine months’ time (from 25
March – 16 December, 1971). Huge infrastructures (roads, buildings,
bridges) and houses had been demolished by them too.
In that situation, Awami League formed the government and adopted its constitution in 1972 as state policy with four basic principles of nationalism, secularism, socialism, and democracy.
The first parliamentary elections were held on 7 March 1973, with the Awami League winning a massive majority. Total
number of voter = 3,52,05,642, Casting votes = 1,93,29,683 (54.9%); the
Valid casting votes = 1,88,51,808 (53.54%); Reserved Women Seats = 15.
Summary of the First National Election, 1973 (held on 07 March 1973)
Sl#
|
Political Party
|
Total Candidates
|
Captured Seats
|
Votes
Cast
|
%
|
Symbol
|
1
|
Awami League
|
300
|
293
|
1,37,93,717
|
73.2%
|
Boat
|
2
|
Jatiyo Samajtantrik Dal (JSD)
|
237
|
1
|
12,29,110
|
6.52%
|
Torch
|
3
|
National Awami Party
(NAP-Mozaffar)
|
224
|
0
|
15,69,299
|
8.33%
|
Hut
|
4
|
National Awami Party
(NAP-Bhashani)
|
169
|
0
|
10,02,771
|
3%
|
Sheaf of Paddy
|
5
|
Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB)
|
4
|
0
|
47,211
|
0.25%
|
Key
|
6
|
Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB -L)
|
2
|
0
|
18,619
|
0.1%
|
Bullock Cart
|
7
|
Bangladesh Jatiyo League
|
8
|
1
|
62,354
|
0.33%
|
Plough
|
8
|
Banglar Communist Party
|
3
|
0
|
11,911
|
0.06%
|
Axe
|
Source: Wikipedia: Politics of Bangladesh.
The
new Bangladesh government focused on relief, rehabilitation, and
reconstruction of the economy and society. In December 1974, in the face
of continuing economic deterioration and mounting civil disorder, Mujib proclaimed a state of emergency, limited the powers of the legislative and judicial
branches, banned all the newspaper except four government supported
papers, and introduced one-party system banning all the other parties.
Despite
some improvement in the economic situation during the first half of
1975, criticism of Mujib grew. In August 1975, Mujib, and most of his
family members, were assassinated by mid-level pro-Pakistani army
officers under shadow supervision of some high-level army officers, like
Ziaur Rahman. A new government, headed by former Mujib associate and
the associate of the collaborators of that killing, Khandakar Mushtak
Ahmad, was formed.
As a whole, this period has been marked as:
* The state has been emerged and tried to stand on the feet from the ruins of 1971 war.
* The anarchism was ruling in epidemic form at that period, due to lack of resources and appropriate controlling authority. Some so called leftist parties (mostly under backing of anti-liberation forces, ISI and CIA monitored) created this type of anarchism in the newly born country.
* The higher authority depended on the anti-liberation elite class to govern the country, they intentionally misguided Awami League and made them un-popular within very short.
* The worst famine of 1974, which was totally man-made, (specifically saying, it was created by the then US Government) made the Mujib government totally un-popular.
* CIA, Pak-ISI and local opportunists took the opportunity of the situation and overthrew the government brutally on 15 August, 1975.
2) The Mushtaq Regime (15 August 1975 – 6 November 1975)
 |
| Khandakar Mustaq Ahmad |
In
that period, the anti-liberation forces took the revenge on the
pro-liberation forces by trying to eliminate them from the power. They
got the help of CIA and ISI in that time to settled their power in
Bangladesh. According to the secret documents of CIA, the then US
Secretary of the States Henry Kissinger monitored that killing mission
and provided all out supports to those collaborators to capture the
power.
The collaborators and the army through Mustaq-government imposed the ban on any gathering to protest the brutal killings of 15th August 1975. Even the army and the police did not allow the peoples to gather in the local weekly bazars/hats/market places in the rural areas too for long time.
The collaborators and the army through Mustaq-government imposed the ban on any gathering to protest the brutal killings of 15th August 1975. Even the army and the police did not allow the peoples to gather in the local weekly bazars/hats/market places in the rural areas too for long time.
This illegal government imposed the ban on all of the political parties and political movements in the country for the uncertain period too.
The arrogant self declared
killers were under full supports of the then illegal Government and the
then Army Chief Maj. Gen. Ziaur Rahman. Those arrogant self-declared killers were:
1) Lt. Col Syed Farooq-ur Rahman
2) Lt. Col Sultan Shahriar Rashid Khan
3) Lt. Col Muhiuddin Ahmed
4) Major AKM Mahiuddin Ahmed
5) Major Bazlul Huda
6) Lt. Col. Shariful Haque Dalim
7) Lt. Col. Khondokar Abdur Rashid
8) Lt. Col. Rashed Chowdhury
9) Lt. Col. S. H. M. B. Nur Chowdhury
10) Captain Abdul Mazed
11) Rishaldar Moslemuddin, and
12) Aziz Pasha.
Khandakar Mushtaq Ahmad declared indemnity to the killers of 1975, by issuing an Ordinance (Indemnity Ordinance 1975)
on 26 September 1975 to give immunity from legal action to the persons
involved in those assassinations. Later Major General Zia ratified it in
the Parliament and passed it as an act. According to the act, nobody
would challenge these killings in any court or in any administrative
sector in Bangladesh.
Other disgraceful killings had been occurred by the same group of collaborators on 3rd November
1975 in Bangladesh. In that day the killers killed four most prominent
and veteran leaders of Awami League (AL) in the Dhaka Central Jail.
Those were:
Tajuddin Ahmed
|
 |
 |
Capt. (retd.) M Monsur Ali
|
1) Syed Nazrul Islam (former Vice President)
2) Tajuddin Ahmed (former Prime Minister)
3) A.H.M. Quamruzzaman (former State Minister), and
4) Captain (Retd.) M. Monsur Ali.
Later the killers of this mission got direct and indirect benefits from two Presidents of Bangladesh - President Major General Ziaur Rahman and President Lt. General H. M. Ershad.
After these killings, Khandakar Mushtaq formed an investigation committee on 5th November
1975 to investigate the killings, but it was an eye-washing committee
only. Not only that later Major General Zia abolished that committee of
investigation to ensure that nobody could be able to find out his
involvement in this case too.
3) Coup after Coup (3-7 November, 1975) & the regime of Justice Abu Sadaat Mohammad Sayem (7 November, 1975 – 21 April, 1977)
On
6 November 1975, Khandakar Mushtaque had been ousted by a successive
coup lead by Major General K.M. Khaled Mosharraf and he removed Lt.
General Zia from the post of army chief and kept him as house arrest.
 |
| Khaled Mosharraf |
On 7
November 1975, Khaled Mosharraf was killed by a counter coup lead by
Col. (retired) Taher, released Zia from the prison. Following a major
meeting at the army headquarters, an interim government (the 2nd Illegal
Government of Bangladesh) was formed with Justice Abu Sadat Mohammad
Sayem as "Chief Martial Law Administrator (CMLA)" and the President of
Bangladesh and Lt. General Zia, Air Vice-Marshal M. G. Tawab and Rear
Admiral M. H. Khan as his deputies.
After
November 7, Lt. Gen. Ziaur Rahman (Zia) emerged as the most powerful man
in the country. On 21 April, 1977, Major General Zia grabbed the power
and declared himself as the President and "Chief Martial Law
Administrator (CMLA)" of Bangladesh (the 3rd Illegal Government of Bangladesh) after being forced retired of Justice Sayem.
4) Major General Ziaur Rahman (21 April 1977 – 30 May 1981)
 |
| Ziaur Rahman |
Successive
military coups resulted in the emergence of Army Chief of Staff Major
General Ziaur Rahman ("Zia") as strongman. In 7 November 1975, the army
captured the power under the leadership of Col. (retd.) Abu Taher, and
freed Major General Zia.
They (the army) formed the interim civil government and appointed Chief Justice Abu Sadaat Mohammad Sayem as President (the 2nd illegal Government). Acting at Zia's behest, Sayem dissolved the Parliament, and instituted the Martial Law Administration (MLA).
On 21 April 1977, Zia became the Chief Martial Law Administrator (CMLA) and assumed the presidency (the 3rd illegal Government) upon Sayem's forced retirement five months later, promising national elections in 1978. According to the 5th Amendment Act Case, High Court and Supreme Court later (in 2005 and in 2010) declared this Zia’s Government as illegal and the total violation of the Constitution of Bangladesh.
As
President, Zia announced a 19-point program of economic reform and began
dismantling the MLA. Zia recaptured a five-year term in June 1978 by a
fake “YES/NO” elections (referendum), with 76% of the “YES” vote.
After capturing the power, Zia continued the Mustaq's policy on banning the political parties and their movement until February 1979 too.
Disguised Democracy and constitutional order were restored under military regime when the ban on political parties was lifted, new parliamentary elections were held in February 1979. The AL and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP / founded by Zia), emerged as the two major parties.
After capturing the power, Zia continued the Mustaq's policy on banning the political parties and their movement until February 1979 too.
Disguised Democracy and constitutional order were restored under military regime when the ban on political parties was lifted, new parliamentary elections were held in February 1979. The AL and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP / founded by Zia), emerged as the two major parties.
But
one of the most notorious collaborators of Zia, Khandakar Mushtaq Ahmad
termed his (Zia’s) democracy as the worst than that of autocratic
rule!
To
protect Zia's illegal power-capture and excessive power exercises under
so called Martial Law Administration, he amended the constitutions (the
5th amendment). Not only that, he banned any step to challenge his
rulings and mass killings from 15 August 1975 to 1979 in any court or
tribunal by this amendment.
He
established anti-liberation forces directly in his own political party
and in the country too. He appointed Shah Azizur Rahman, a notorious
collaborator of 1971, as prime minister. In his cabinet Rajakar Abdul
Alim became his minister, etc.
The
most wide-spread events were the secret trial of 496 pro-liberation
army officers, who were the freedom fighters too, and the trial of Col.
(retd.) Abu Taher (sector commander, Sector No.11, 1971 and the leader
of JSD) in the secret military tribunal and hanged them unmercifully
just because to fulfill the ambition of Zia to make the power free and
clear from those veteran freedom fighters’ influences. Actually Zia took
the help of Jatio Somajtantric Dal (National Socialist Party, JSD)
technically to grab the power and later he either hanged or imprisoned the leaders of JSD.
To
describe about Ziaur Rahman in the court, Major (retd.) Zia Uddin
(another veteran freedom fighter and Col. Taher's associate) told that
"Ziaur Rahman was not a freedom fighter, since he had not fought any
battle during the Liberation War of the country". He also termed that
“Ziaur Rahman was loyal to Pakistan and acted as its agent” (The Daily Star - "Col Taher was not the only victim", January 12, 2011). The activities of Ziaur Rahman during his capturing power and during his ruling period, it proved perfectly.
On 30 May
1981, Zia was assassinated in Chittagong by dissident elements of the
military. Some conspirators were either taken into custody or killed,
some influential plotters still remained unreachable. Vice President
Justice Abdus Sattar was sworn in as acting president, and elected
president as the BNP's candidate six months later. Sattar followed the
policies of his predecessor and retained essentially the same cabinet.
As a whole, this period has been marked as:
* Rise of the anti-liberation cliques under the direct support of the military regime of Zia. By the 5th amendment act of the constitution (later in 2005, the High Court declared it as illegal and in July 2010, Supreme Court confirmed the verdict), this process has been legalized under the constitution. The "Political Islam" spread its branches everywhere in the society and stood on the strong feet in the country in this period.
* According to the research of Dr. Muntasir Mamun, it was revealed that the most of the anti-liberation forces (peace committee members, chairmen, leading Rajakars, even many Muslim League leaders, etc. - who were actively and directly involved in the anti-liberation forces and war criminals during the Liberation War of 1971) gathered under the umbrella of BNP.
* Mass
killing and uprooted of the pro-liberation army forces. In that period,
the Zia-regime killed more than 4,500 pro-liberation army officers and
soldiers. In this context, Mascaranhas wrote that, Zia "Vengeful,
savage, authoritarian .... No General in the history of the
sub-continent massacred his own troops the way that General Zia did
after the aborted coup of 2nd October 1977".
* Established army supremacy over the civil society and administration.
* Mass destruction of the ideology and beliefs of liberation war of 1971 and adoption of pro-Pakistani ideology.
* Tried to
make politics difficult by establishing corruption and made the
politicians corrupted by providing them money and power under the
military regime.
5) Lt. General Hussain Mohammad Ershad (March 1982 – 6 December 1990)
 |
| Lt. General H.M. Ershad |
In
March 1982 Army Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. H.M. Ershad captured the power
illegally and suspended the constitution and declared martial law citing
pervasive corruption, ineffectual government, and economic
mismanagement, though he had no authority to do that.
Political
life was liberalized through 1985 and 1986, and the Jatiya (National)
Party was established as Ershad’s vehicle for the transition back to
democracy.
Parliamentary
elections were held in May 1986, but were boycotted by the BNP, now led
by President Zia's widow, Begum Khaleda Zia. The Jatiya Party won a
modest majority of the 300 elected seats in the National Assembly. The
participation of the Awami League—led by the late President Mujib's
daughter, Sheikh Hasina Wajed—lent the elections some credibility,
despite widespread charges of voting irregularities.
Ershad
retired from military service in preparation for the presidential
elections in October 1986, and won 84% of the vote. Protesting that
martial law was still in effect, both the BNP and the AL refused to put
up opposing candidates. In November 1986, martial law was lifted, and
the opposition parties took their elected seats in the National
Assembly.
In
July 1987, after the government hastily pushed through a bill to
include military representation on local administrative councils, the
opposition walked out of Parliament. As the opposition organized protest
marches and nationwide strikes, the government arrested scores of
opposition activists. After declaring a state of emergency, Ershad
dissolved Parliament and scheduled fresh elections for March 1988.
The
elections were held despite an opposition boycott, and the ruling
Jatiya Party won 251 of the 300 seats. The Parliament passed a large
number of bills, including in June 1988 a controversial constitutional
amendment making "Islam" as Bangladesh's state religion.
On
December 6, 1990, following general strikes, increased campus protests,
public rallies, and a general disintegration of law and order, Ershad
resigned. On February 27, 1991, an interim government headed by Acting
President Chief Justice Shahabuddin Ahmed oversaw what most observers
believed to be the nation's most free and fair elections to that date.
As a whole, this period has been marked as:
* The follow-up of Zia’s strategies and tactics to rule the civil society and administration.
* All out corruptions and anarchism of the ruling clique in the country.
* Like Zia, Ershad also tried to legitimize his ruling by amending the constitution (7th amendment). The court also declared it as illegal and un-constitutional in 2011 just like the 5th amendment.
* The period of the mass destruction of "social ethics and morality", which had been started from Zia's regime.
6) Begum Khaleda Zia (January 1991 – March 1996)
 |
| Begum Khaleda Zia |
Fifth General Election, 1991
Summary: Parliamentary Election of 1991 (Election held on: 13 January, 1991)
Sl#
|
Party
|
Total
Candidates
|
Captured
Seats
|
Obtained
Votes
|
Percentage
(%)
|
1
|
Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP)
|
300
|
140
|
1,05,07,549
|
30.80%
|
2
|
Bangladesh Awami League
|
264
|
88
|
1,02,59,866
|
30.10%
|
3
|
Bangladesh Krishak Sramik Awami League (Bakshal)
|
-
|
5
|
6,16,014
|
1.80%
|
4
|
Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB)
|
-
|
5
|
4,07,515
|
1.20%
|
5
|
Ganatantri Party
|
-
|
1
|
1,52,529
|
0.40%
|
6
|
Islami Oikkya Jote
|
-
|
1
|
2,69,434
|
0.80%
|
7
|
Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh
|
222
|
18
|
41,36,461
|
12.10%
|
8
|
Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (Siraj)
|
-
|
1
|
84,276
|
0.20%
|
9
|
Jatiyo Party
|
272
|
35
|
40,63,537
|
11.90%
|
10
|
National Awami Party (Muzaffar)
|
-
|
1
|
2,59,978
|
0.80%
|
11
|
National Democratic Party
|
-
|
1
|
1,21,918
|
0.40%
|
12
|
Workers Party of Bangladesh
|
-
|
1
|
63,434
|
0.20%
|
13
|
Independents
|
-
|
3
|
14,97,369
|
4.40%
|
14
|
63 other parties
|
-
|
0
|
16,63,834
|
4.90%
|
15
|
Invalid/blank votes
|
-
|
-
|
3,74,026
|
-
|
Total =
|
300
|
3,44,77,740
|
100%
|
||
Source: Bangladesh Election Commission, Statistical Report, 5th Jatiya Shangshad Election
In
February 1996, Khaleda Zia was re-elected by a landslide in a fake
voting process, boycotted by the three main opposition parties. In March
1996, following escalating political turmoil, the Parliament amended
the constitution to allow a neutral caretaker government to assume power
and conduct new parliamentary elections.
As a whole, this period has been marked as:
* Started the actual democratic process (since 1991) in the country after a long time.
* BNP tried to recapture the power by any means. The election of February 1996 is the proof of their intention.
7) SHEIKH HASINA WAZED (June 1996- July 2001)
 |
| Sheikh Hasina Wazed |
Elections were held in June 1996 which was found by international and domestic election observers to be free and fair. The Awami League won a plurality of the seats, and formed the government with support from the Jatiya Party of deposed president Ershad. AL leader Sheikh Hasina became Prime Minister.
Seventh General Election, 1996
Summary: Parliamentary Election of 1996 (Election held on: 12 June. 1996)
Sl#
|
Party
|
Candidates Contesting
|
% Votes Obtained
|
Seats Obtained
|
% Seats Obtained
|
1
|
Bangladesh Awami League
|
300
|
37.44
|
146
|
48.67
|
2
|
Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP)
|
300
|
33.6
|
116
|
38.67
|
3
|
Jatiya Party
|
293
|
16.4
|
32
|
10.67
|
4
|
Jamaat-E-Islami Bangladesh
|
300
|
8.61
|
3
|
1
|
5
|
Islami Oikya Jote
|
166
|
1.09
|
1
|
0.33
|
6
|
Jatiya Samaj Tantrik Dal (Rab)
|
67
|
0.23
|
1
|
0.33
|
7
|
Independent
|
284
|
1.06
|
1
|
0.33
|
8
|
Others
|
864
|
1.67
|
0
|
0
|
Total
|
2,574
|
100
|
300
|
100
|
Source: Bangladesh Election Commission, Statistical Report, 7th Jatiya Shangshad Election
In June
1999, the BNP and other opposition parties again began to boycott
Parliament, and stage nationwide general strikes. A four-party
opposition alliance formed at the beginning of 1999 announced that it
would boycott parliamentary by-elections and local government.
In July
2001, the Awami League government stepped down to allow a caretaker
government to preside over parliamentary elections. In August, Khaleda
Zia and Sheikh Hasina agreed to respect the results of the election,
join Parliament win or lose, forswear the use of hartals (violently
enforced strikes) as political tools, and if successful in forming a
government allow for a more meaningful role for the opposition in
Parliament. The caretaker government was successful in containing the
violence, which allowed a parliamentary end. But their administrative
role on election procedures were not fair and clean. They actually took
steps to harass the workers of AL and its supporters in many areas in
the country to ensure their defeat in elections. The army and Police
arrested many of the field workers and threaten them not to carry out
the poling activities on behalf of AL.
As a whole, this period has been marked as:
* After long time, the pro-liberation forces (AL) governed the country after 1975.
* The democratic process continued.
8) FOUR PARTY ALLIANCE GOVERNMENT UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF BNP (10 October, 2001 – 27 October, 2006)
 |
| Khaleda Zia: after 2001 |
Eighth General Election, 2001
Summary: Parliamentary Election of 2001 (Election held on: 1 October 2001)
Sl. No.
|
Party name
|
Candidate Contested
|
Seats
Won
|
Votes Obtaind
|
Percentage (%)
|
1
|
Bangladesh Awami League
|
300
|
62
|
2,23,10,276
|
40.0244
|
2
|
Bangladesh Jatiya Party (N-F)
|
7
|
4
|
5,21,472
|
0.9355
|
3
|
Bangladesh National Party (BNP)
|
259
|
193
|
2,30,74,714
|
41.3958
|
4
|
Independent
|
486
|
6
|
22,62,045
|
4.0581
|
5
|
Islami Jatiya Oikya Front
|
280
|
14
|
40,23,962
|
7.2189
|
6
|
Islami Oikya Jote
|
6
|
2
|
3,12,868
|
0.5613
|
7
|
Jamaat-e- Islami Bangladesh
|
31
|
17
|
23,85,361
|
4.2793
|
8
|
Jatiya Party (Monju)
|
140
|
1
|
2,43,617
|
0.437
|
9
|
Krisak Sramik Janata League
|
39
|
1
|
2,61,344
|
0.4688
|
10
|
Other 44 Parties
|
389
|
0
|
3,46,051
|
0.6209
|
Total =
|
1,937
|
300
|
5,57,41,710
|
100.00
|
|
Khaleda
Zia appointed two notorious war-criminals of 1971, who were the
commanders of Al-Badar and collaborators of Pakistan army and who took
part in the mass killings of civilians and intellectuals of Bangladesh
directly, as the full ministers in her cabinet. Both are now under
arrested on charges for war-crimes in 1971 along with other cases too.
Head of Al-Bador, Pakistan 1971
|
Head of Al-Bador, East Pakistan 1971
|
The
widely publicized 10-trucks arms trafficking case (1 April, 2004),
which had been arranged from China for ULFA of India to disrupt Indian
political situation in Easter Part of India (Aassam), been caught in
that period. But the 4-party Alliance Govt. tried to hide/divert this
case by arranging a drama and tried to blame the Opposition Party (AL)
as the master planner of those smuggled arms. But after long
investigation, it was revealed that some of the influential persons of
the Govt. (Khaled Zia's) had been involved in this case, like:
1) Ministers: Motiur Rahman Nizamee (Jamat), Lufuzzaman Babor (BNP) and
2) DGFI & NSI: Major Gen. Rezzakul Haider Chowdhury, Brigadier Gen. Abdur Rahim, Lt. Col. Shahabuddin, Capt. Liakat, etc.
They cooperated with Pak-ISI to send those arms to ULFA. Actually Pak-ISI arrange those smuggled arms for ULFA and those accused persons of Bangladesh had been involved to let them safely handed over to ULFA through Bangladesh. In an interview with media in Delhi, the leader of ULFA, Arovinda Rajkhoa, admitted that it was not the first and last shipment of arms for the ULFA. They received arms from ISI several times like this through Bangladesh channel.
 |
| Babor (in white) - ex-state minister One of the accused of 10-trucks arms case |
The
grenade attack on a rally of Sheikh Hasina killed 24 people and wounded
almost 500 people seriously on August 21, 2004. It was a pre-planned
and well organized attack on the opposition party to make them
leaderless. After long investigation it was revealed that some top level
BNP-Jamat leaders and ministers (among them, Tareq Zia, senior
Vice-president of BNP and eldest son of former Prime Minister Khaleda
Zia, Ali Ahsan Mohammad Muzahid of Jamat-e-Islam, Haris Chowdhury of
BNP, Lutfuzzaman Babor, the former State Minister, Abdus Salam Pintu,
another state minister, etc.) were involved in the conspiracy of that
attack. They are now under trial as accused.
 |
| The Scene: After grenade attack on 21 August, 2004 |
The rise of Islamic Terrorists' activities:
The
massive rise of Islamic terrorist activities in the country marked as
the starting point of the bad practice of religious politics in
Bangladesh. Jama-atul-Mujahideen-of-Banglaesh (JMB) started their open
operation in the northern part of Bangladesh in Rajshahi as the parallel
administration and judiciary body and they implemented their brutal
verdicts instantly in front of the civil society. They killed many
people within few months and they forced the people of that area to give
ransoms according to their demands, otherwise, the ignorant-people had
been punished severely by their cadres and activists. The local and
national authorities kept silent on those issues. Even in those issues,
the local authorities helped and supported those miscreants in their
illegal activities.
The
critics of that system marked it as a dangerous practice for the
welfare of the country. They feared that those terrorists tried to make
Bangladesh just another Pakistan where their reign of terror prevailed
uninterruptedly.
It was widely spoken that BNP-Jamat clique intentionally helped those groups to be more active and powerful to control the politics and power in the country by using them in various ways. The connection of Jamat-e-Islam in that activities reveals the main intentions of these terrorists activities as below:
1) Jamat has intention to protect their leaders against the judgments of war-crimes allegations.
2) It tries to establish their supremacy over the politics of the country by threatening the opposition parties by using those miscreants.
3) BNP-Jamat clique has intention to capture the power again permanently by using those terrorists in every sphere of politics and elections.
For these reasons, Jamat has invested a huge amount of money on those terrorist groups (JMB, JMJB, Huji, Hijbut Tahrir, etc.) from long ago and they have controlled them by their own people (who are mainly from Jamat-e-Islam) by posting them on the top positions of those terrorist groups.
Some middle-eastern countries and their donor agencies and ISI of Pakistan have been involved in those terrorist activities by providing money, plans and other logistics supports. These allegations have been revealed after arresting some top level activists of Huji, JMB, Lashakar-e-Tayoba, etc., like, Syedur Rahman, Bhagina Shaheed, etc.
It was widely spoken that BNP-Jamat clique intentionally helped those groups to be more active and powerful to control the politics and power in the country by using them in various ways. The connection of Jamat-e-Islam in that activities reveals the main intentions of these terrorists activities as below:
1) Jamat has intention to protect their leaders against the judgments of war-crimes allegations.
2) It tries to establish their supremacy over the politics of the country by threatening the opposition parties by using those miscreants.
3) BNP-Jamat clique has intention to capture the power again permanently by using those terrorists in every sphere of politics and elections.
For these reasons, Jamat has invested a huge amount of money on those terrorist groups (JMB, JMJB, Huji, Hijbut Tahrir, etc.) from long ago and they have controlled them by their own people (who are mainly from Jamat-e-Islam) by posting them on the top positions of those terrorist groups.
Some middle-eastern countries and their donor agencies and ISI of Pakistan have been involved in those terrorist activities by providing money, plans and other logistics supports. These allegations have been revealed after arresting some top level activists of Huji, JMB, Lashakar-e-Tayoba, etc., like, Syedur Rahman, Bhagina Shaheed, etc.
On
August 17, 2005, near-synchronized blasts of improvised explosive
devices in 63 out of 64 administrative districts targeted mainly
government buildings and killed two persons. An extremist Islamist group
named Jama'atul Mujahideen, Bangladesh (JMB) claimed responsibility for
the blasts, which aimed to press home JMB's demand for a replacement of
the secular legal system with Islamic sharia courts. Hundreds of senior
and mid-level JMB leaders were arrested to protect the face value of
the government to the international society and the powerful
donor-countries of the west.
 |
| The rise of JMB (Islamic terrorist group) Under full support of BNP-Jamat Govt. |
In
February 2006, after sporadic boycotts, the AL returned to Parliament,
demanded early elections and requested significant changes in the
electoral and caretaker government systems to stop alleged moves by the
ruling coalition to rig the next election. The 'Dialogue Drama' between
the Secretary Generals of the main ruling and opposition parties failed
to sort out the electoral reform issues.
The Election Commission Drama:
BNP-Jamat
alliance prepared with full equipments to win in the next National
Election. For this reason they appointed Justice MA Aziz (one of the
most controversial persons) as CEC in the Election Commission on 23rd May, 2005 (later on 12 December 2007, the HC declared his appointment as CEC was Illegal).
 |
| Justice M. A. Aziz |
Later
President Iajuddin Ahmed appointed other two controversial peoples like,
SM Zakaria and Justice Mahfuzur Rahman as Election Commissioners (EC).
Those were the BNP-Jamat backed stooge-commissioners. With the help of
those controversial ECs, CEC MA Aziz arranged a controversial voters’
list by including almost 14 million fake voters by wasting 600 million
taka of the poor country. There was no doubt that it happened in
accordance with the master plan of BNP-Jamat Alliance to achieve their
hidden goals in the next National Election.
 |
| Mahfuzur Rahman-SM Zakaria (in front) |
In view of this situation,
the main opposition party (AL) and its 14-party Alliance demanded the
removal or step down of MA Aziz and other two ECs from their posts. By
avoiding this demand, they tried to stick to stay to their posts firmly.
As a whole, this period has been marked as:
 |
| Tareq-Koko: Two infamous Sons of Khaleda Zia |
* The most worst political Government like the Four Party Alliance in Bangladesh had never been seen before. They tried to eliminate the opposition political parties, especially AL and its supporters by attacking physically. The mastermind criminals are Tareq Zia, Haris Chowdhury, Lutfuzzaman Babor, Salahuddin Kader Chowdhury, Abdus Salam Pintu, Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujahid and his political party, Jamat-e-Islam. To fulfill their goals, they involved JMB, JMJB, Huji, RAB, etc in the scene.
* The
corruptions and anarchism spread in epidemic form just like cholera.
The two sons of the PM marked as the most corrupted persons in the
country. The Ministers and party men took the opportunities to make
black money uninterruptedly.
* The
rise of the racists and Islamic-terrorists (like: JMB, Harkatul Zihad,
JMJB, etc.) in the country under the supervision of the ruling alliance
(mainly the direct supervision of BNP and Jamat-e-Islami).
 |
| Badsha: One of the victims of JMB in Rajshahi, 2004 |
*
Ethnic cleansing of the ruling cliques on all over the country just
after their victory in the election of 2001, became the headlines of
global media. A huge number of hindus and supporters of Awami League
(AL) had been killed and uprooted from their own homes during that
period. Most of the occurrences had been done from October 2001 to
December 2002.
* Nobody could be able to criticize them at that time. Many intellectuals had been detained and been tortured at that time under false allegations.
* The
alliance tried to uproot the main opposition party (AL) by killing its
leaders and workers and thus they tried to be sole and supreme authority
of the country.
* They corrupted the Election Commission to ensure their victory in the next general elections according to their master plan. They appointed the most controversial CEC, like Justice M. A. Aziz according to their game plan to fulfill their target.
* Nobody could be able to criticize them at that time. Many intellectuals had been detained and been tortured at that time under false allegations.
 |
Genocide-2001: the credit
of BNP-Jamat Cliques |
* They corrupted the Election Commission to ensure their victory in the next general elections according to their master plan. They appointed the most controversial CEC, like Justice M. A. Aziz according to their game plan to fulfill their target.
9) Caretaker Government (From October 29, 2006 – January 6, 2008)
 |
| Iajuddin Ahmed Puppet of BNP-Jamat |
First
Caretaker Government was formed in October, 2006 after dissolving the
government of Khaleda Zia and the then President Iajuddin Ahmed
appointed himself as the Chief Adviser of that government and declared
the date of general election on 22 January, 2007.
On January 3, 2007, the Awami League announced it would boycott the January 22 parliamentary elections. The AL planned a series of country-wide general strikes and transportation blockades.
On January 11, 2007, President Iajuddin Ahmed declared a state of emergency, resigned as Chief Adviser, and indefinitely postponed parliamentary elections.
 |
| Fakaruddin Ahmed: Puppet of Military Regime |
Dr.
Fakaruddin Ahmed, as known to all as a gentleman, tried to fulfill his
commitment by arranging the fair and fresh election in the declared
(scheduled) time and he successfully did it. But he had no control over
the DGFI and the military regime at all. They worked according to their
own plan and procedures.
 |
| General Moeen U Ahmed The then Army Chief |
This government also arrested many politicians and some business-men in that period under the prescription of the army intelligence wing, DGFI. But most of the politicians were from AL and some others were from BNP. They actually arrested BNP leaders just only for level playing purpose, their main target were to degrade the image of AL and their influences in the country. If they were be able to achieve their target, the military regime would capture the power of the country like Maj. Gen. Zia and Lt. Gen. H. M. Ershad.
As a whole, this period has been marked as:
* The first Caretaker Government of Iajuddin (October 2006 - January 10, 2007) was the continuous ruling of Four Party Alliance. By this government, they tried to re-capture the state power by any means.
* The
Caretaker Government of Fakaruddin Ahmed (from January 11, 2007 to
December 2008) was one type of army ruling under the shadow of civil
administration.
* They tried to minimize the agitation of the public against the leaders of the ‘Four Party Alliance’.
* The
army and the DGFI tried to proof corruptions of the leaders of the
political parties (especially of the AL leaders) and tried to detain
them in the jail without any proper legal process.
* Like other military regimes under Zia and Ershad, the military establishment tried to create their field to capture the power by proving the politicians as corrupted and unworthy to rule the country. They followed the processes of Zia and Ershad - without any proper legal procedure and process.
* They (the army) failed to grab the power permanently due to many reasons, like:
* Like other military regimes under Zia and Ershad, the military establishment tried to create their field to capture the power by proving the politicians as corrupted and unworthy to rule the country. They followed the processes of Zia and Ershad - without any proper legal procedure and process.
 |
| Students' angry protest against the Army Rule: August 2007 |
1) The strong oppositions of AL and people of the country,
2) The strong opposition of the teachers-students of the universities,
3)
The oppositions of the powerful donor agencies and countries, like:
UNO, European Union, USA, etc.; they emphasized on the democratic
process only.
* A
fair election has been done in that period. New voter ID-cards has been
issued in that period, this matter ensured the fair election as a
whole.
10) Grand Alliance Led by Awami League (from January 6, 2009 – till date)
 |
| Sheikh Hasina Wazed: after 2008 |
Nineth General Election, 2008
Summary: Parliamentary Election of 2008 (Election held on: 29 December 2008)
Alliance
|
Party
|
Votes
Obtained
|
%
|
Seats
won
|
Change
|
Grand Alliance
(Total 14 Parties)
|
Bangladesh Awami League
|
3,38,87,451
|
49.00%
|
230
|
+168
|
Jatiya Party
|
48,67,377
|
7.00%
|
27
|
+16
|
|
Jatiyo Samajtantrik Dal
|
4,29,773
|
0.60%
|
3
|
+2
|
|
Workers Party of Bangladesh
|
2,14,440
|
0.30%
|
2
|
+1
|
|
Liberal Democratic Party
|
1,61,372
|
0.20%
|
1
|
±0
|
|
Four Party Alliance
|
Bangladesh Nationalist Party
|
2,29,63,836
|
33.20%
|
30
|
–163
|
Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh
|
31,86,384
|
4.60%
|
2
|
–15
|
|
Bangladesh Jatiya Party-BJP
|
95,158
|
0.10%
|
1
|
–4
|
|
Islami Oikya Jote
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
|
Independents and others
|
33,66,858
|
4.90%
|
4
|
–2
|
|
Total
|
6,91,72,649
|
99.99%
|
300
|
||
On
December 29, 2008 Bangladesh went to the polls and the nation elected
the Grand Alliance which was led by Sheikh Hasina's Awami League and
backed by Hussain Mohammed Ershad's Jatiya Party. On the other
hand Khaleda Zia's BNP-led Four Party Alliance plagued by allegations of
Khaleda Zia's and her infamous son Tareq Rahman's corruption
allegations, suffered the most embarrassing defeat ever in Bangladesh's
history.
Sheikh
Hasina became Prime Minister and formed the government and a cabinet
which included ministers from Jatiya Party, although no post for Hussain
Mohammed Ershad.
The
mutiny of Border Guards (BDR) took place from 25 to 27 February 2009.
More than a thousand BDR soldiers took over the BDR headquarters, and
held many of their officers as hostages. By the second day, fighting
spread to 12 other towns and cities. The mutiny ended as the mutineers
surrendered their arms and released the hostages after a series of
discussions and negotiations with the government. Total 76 persons died,
including 52 army officers, in that incident.
After
long time, the present government has taken initiatives to arrange the
Trial for the war criminals (crimes against humanity) of 1971. For this
reason, Motiur Rahman Nizamee, Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mozahid (both were the
ministers of Khaleda Zia) and Delwar Hossain Sayeedi, Mohammad
Kamaruzzaman and Abdul Quader Mollah of Jamat-e-Islam, Salahuddin Kader
Chowdhury, Abdul Alim of BNP have been arrested and under custody of
International War Crimes Tribunal of Bangladesh.
Accused Top 'War Criminals' and 'Collaborators' of the brutal Pakistani Army, 1971:
(Jamat / Convicted to 90 years imprisonment)
|
(Jamat / Sentenced to Hang to death)
|
 Delwar Hossain Sayeedi (real name: Delwar Hossain Sikdar alias Delu)
(Jamat / Convicted to die)
|
(Jamat / Hanged on 12th Dec. 2013)
|
 S. Kader Chowdhury
(BNP / Awarded with death sentence from the Tribunal)
|
 Abdul Alim
(BNP / Got life time imprisonment)
|
Except those six persons, Motiur Rahman Nizami and Ali Ahsan Mohammad Muzahid (both are the top leaders of Jamat-e-Islami) are also under arrest as accused of War Criminals.
The
present Government has implemented the verdict of the court on the
killing of Bangabandhu Sheikh Muzibur Rahman partly in 2010.
The current government has passed the Fifteenth Amendment of the constitution on 30th June 2011.
As a whole, this period has been marked as:
* The Grand Alliance Government is trying to solve many problems like below:
1) Acute electricity and gas problem.
2) The prices of the essential commodities (like: rice, sugar, oil, other food items, etc.), still they have no such remarkable success to keep them in the range of the public.
3) The trials for the crimes and corruptions of the “Four Party Alliance”.
4) The trials of war criminals (crimes against humanity) of the "Paki Genocide" of 1971.
5) The law and order situation.
* The Education and the Agricultural ministries are marked as the most successful in this period of Grand Alliance.
*
The fifteenth Amendment of the constitution under the verdicts of the
court on 5th, 7th & 13th amendments already been done on 30 June,
2011.
* The failure to control the law and order situation in the country might lead to the total collapse of the government. The students wing of the ruling party (Chhatro League) is totally out of control and they're hampering the total law and order situation severely and hampering the face value of the ruling party.
* The inefficiency of some ministries and their corruptions (like, former Communication Ministry) have been made this government too much vulnerable.
* Some controversial Ministers (like, Shahjahan Khan, Col. (retd.) Faruk Khan, etc.) are hampering the images of the government.
* The lack of control of the government on "Stock Market" has been marked as inefficiency of the government and hampered the overall situation of the government.