Bangladesh Army chief gives timeline for democracy, seeks election in 18 months

Shajeeb Wazed Joy, the son of deposed leader Sheikh Hasina, said that the interim government’s reform agenda will take decades to complete, and it would be best to have election at the earliest

Bangladesh should return to electoral democracy within one-and-a-half years, the chief of Bangladesh Army General Waker-uz-Zaman said on Tuesday (September 24, 2024). In an interview with news agency Reuters, General Zaman said that he will support the interim government in carrying out the reforms and that the Bangladesh Army will be “professional” and stay away from politics.

“If you ask me, then I will say that should be the time frame by which we should enter into a democratic process,” General Zaman said underlining that the country should return to democratic process within one-and-a-half years. Bangladesh entered a phase of political turmoil with the fall of the Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League government on August 5. This was followed by widespread police and legal actions against large number of Awami League members which has created uncertainty about the prospects of the League to participate in any electoral process. 

The situation has left Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) that had fashioned itself as the principal opposition party during the sixteen-year long Hasina era – in a more advantageous position as the party has strong cadre base that is playing a more visible role in Bangladesh.

General Zaman’s remarks giving a timeline for democracy is different from Chief Adviser Mohammad Yunus who has not given a timeline for return of democracy since taking charge on August 7. In a telephone conversation with The Hindu, Shajeeb Wazed Joy, the U.S.-based son of deposed PM Sheikh Hasina pointed out that there is evident difference between the approach to democracy between General Zaman and Prof. Yunus.

“What you are seeing in Prof. Yunus is basically power greed. The kind of reforms that they are talking about can not be done in two or five years and in fact will take decades. This interim government is completely unelected and unconstitutional,” Mr. Wazed told The Hindu.

Mr. Wazed alleged that the ambitious agenda of reform is aimed at strengthening the interim government’s control on the administration which is facing law and order challenges and added, “There is daily killings taking place of my party’s representatives. There is certainly no reform happening in Bangladesh. Best thing is to have election as soon as possible.”

BNP’s general secretary Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir had earlier told The Hindu that he was disappointed with Prof. Yunus not announcing a timeline for the return of democracy.

General Zaman also informed that the Bangladesh Army would conduct itself professionally and promised full support for the extensive agenda of reform that the interim government has taken up. “I will stand beside him. Come what may. So that he can accomplish his mission,” General Zaman said confirming his support for Prof. Yunus’ agenda of reform in the economy, election process, judiciary, media. In a speech delivered on August 25, Prof. Yunus had clarified that the agenda of reform was meant to pave the road for a “political dialogue” to help Bangladesh return to the democratic path. He is however yet to elaborate on his vision and timeline for the return of electoral democracy in Bangladesh.

General Zaman said that he enjoys “very good relations” with Chief Adviser Prof. Yunus and added, “I’m sure that if we work together, there is no reason why we should fail.”

The removal of Sheikh Hasina’s government from Dhaka has also impacted the local government in Bangladesh where a large number of local level bodies operate to conduct governance at division and district levels. Elections in these bodies are also a matter that is part of the election reform.

Published - September 24, 2024 10:02 pm IST