he dynastic trend in politics in South Asian countries is now complete with the ascent of Bangabandhu’s (the Founding Father of Bangladesh) grandson, Sajiv, in Bangladesh politics. Political dynasties are nothing new in the world but much of it has been wiped out, as is the case of France, or ceremonially kept as a political settlement as in the United Kingdom.
The USA is unique in that it has no political dynasties. Families are involved in politics but each must succeed by his own merit. The USA is one exception where power has been decentralised with checks and balances; although now the US federal government has become a vast bureaucratic machine, a Leviathan, and controls the American people and those of the world in various ways.
When the US was founded, the Americans did everything to avoid the European lesson of absolute rule. Lord Acton the ‘historian of liberty’ and one of the most learned Englishmen of his time, had famously remarked that ‘power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.’ Pioneering Americans fled away from European feudal monarchies and domination by the church, determined to keep despotic tyranny out of their lives. They chose individualism and democracy, legally ensured their system to prevent one individual from gaining absolute power. However, that political philosophy seems lost today.
People tend to submit to human power and authority for a variety of reasons, and this caused the practice of Divine Kingship and of monarchies to flourish until people no longer accepted human authority in any form, as the Americans and French did in the 18th century. But, man’s inclination to dominate man cannot be wiped out, and new forms of dictatorship and authority continue to plague the world.
Nevertheless, the struggle for freedom and liberty continues and will continue until the end of this world. Through centuries, man has trailed liberty and in the words of Lord Acton again, ‘liberty is the prevention of control by others’.
As Muslims, we too are free from any human authority and control other than the Authority of God. Unfortunately, the Muslim political world is yet to be democratic where individual freedom and the right to dissent are anything but honoured.
However, man’s frailties and his weaknesses are more pronounced when in poverty. In this situation, to speak up is to risk one’s life or income. In Bangladesh, whether in business, in job or in politics, we readily agree with authority or risk getting into deep trouble.
Excessive loyalty or sycophancy has another human dimension. We will often do it for an afterwards reward knowing well that sycophancy is the only way to reach the top, or to get something. Here, merit, wisdom, integrity or experience is of no value.
We often hear that people are vile as they shamelessly run after power and authority, but they are far clever and realise that only sycophancy is the sure way to be somebody. In undemocratic conditions, Dr. F. A. Hayek, the Austrian free market legend and 1974 Nobel Prize winner in economics, fittingly said, ‘only the worst gets to the top’.
Bangabandhu was immensely popular but he was surrounded by self-seekers and sycophants. He did not live to see the true nature and character of his followers. Those who had pledged to give their lives for him were the first to run for cover. They were also the first to comment harshly about him after his death, which they did not do when he was living for fear of losing their jobs and benefits.
Perhaps Bangabandhu’s greatest political friends were General Osmani and Moinul Hossain of Ittefaq newspaper. Both had resigned from their high positions protesting the formation of one-party rule in 1975. Had free speech, or men with great morals as these had existed within the Awami League, Bangabandhu’s tragic end could not have happened.
Tariq Rahman, the legacy of another dynasty, has welcomed Sajiv as the new generation’s new spirit to better the country. However, in politics, it is naďve to think that young age is imbued with stronger zeal or higher intelligence to produce something good. Knowledge, maturity, ideas, and beliefs do not come at young age. These take time.
Prophethood was bestowed on Hazrat Mohammed when he was 40 and not before, despite the showings of remarkable greatness at his younger age. But, he had a Message for humanity and struggled to teach us values and righteousness. Kings and dynasties, with their greed for power and authority, have nothing to offer other than war, hate, widespread poverty and exploitation.
Bangabandhu’s grandson, Sajiv, has come to visit his home country but his visit has surprisingly become a political party’s public celebration. Such public parade or open celebration would not have happened if the wife was a deshi. Sajiv is not a member of the party and the fact that still the party hierarchy must queue up to receive the couple is disgraceful for a 50 year old people’s organization.
Bangabandhu, when he returned as a hero from the prisons to a free Bangladesh in 1971, disappointed the people when he graced his dynasty into active politics. This was unpopular, but Bangabandhu ignored the discontent and forgot about his earlier promises of democracy and political honesty. The sycophants cheering the entry of his dynasty into politics had probably reassured Bangabandhu that his step was accurate.
Bangabandhu opposed Pakistan’s President Field Marshal Ayub Khan, who ruled from 1958 until 1968, for doling out favours to his dynasty. Bangladeshi people had deeply disliked Ayub Khan for his autocratic rule with his sycophants reigning supreme.
Bangabandhu’s agitation for justice, parity and democratic rule gained ground on the dictatorial blunders of Ayub but Mujib himself forgot the past and indulged himself into a monarchy that lasted from 1947 to 1971.
His grandson’s entry into politics with his American wife is considered similar to Rajiv and Sonia Gandhi’s. Sonia’s Congress did not win the polls by merit, but for the failures and excesses of India’s opposition party, the BJP. BJP’s Gujarat episode and their improper assertion that India’s economy is shining cost them the government.
Macro figures can shine and so can graphs but economic fact is different. The mathematical and computer generated figures hide truth. It is hard to believe those figures when reality is something horribly different. When people do not shine, those figures are untruthful, but plenty of money and time is spent to present those to the nation.
The now extinct Soviet Union used to claim tremendous economic progress but the woeful conditions were hid behind the Iron Curtain. Likewise, the strong macro fundamentals and the continuous assertion of the experts make Bangladesh’s Bamboo Curtain and through it, plainly visible are our poverty. Ask the common people, not the armchair experts, and let them tell the real story.
We, however, welcome Sajiv to Awami League, a party that is neither democratic nor accountable. Until now, we, the public, do not know how this party pays for its activities. Who funds it, and how that money is utilised? Besides, the office that the party uses belongs to the government as an abandoned building, but this is common for Awami Leaguers to be occupying such abandoned properties as they did from 1971 to 1975, when Bangabandhu looked the other way while his workers, leaders and the members of his dynasty were engaged in illegal activities. That was the time to be ruthless in maintaining discipline, and by now a firm rule of law would have been well established.
Dynasties in Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka or Bangladesh, despite their prominence have done nothing significant for democracy or the economy; rather they have stymied democracy and economic potential by trying to hold on to power and corruption.
We wish the couple an enjoyable visit and safe return. The government is doing the right thing in providing them security but the law, not the rulers, must provide the same to those who criticise autocracy for Bangladesh to become truly democratic.
Nizam Ahmad is director of the Bangladeshi think tank MOER (Making Our Economy Right). He can be reached at nizam_moer@btinternet.com |
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