Oppressed people cannot remain oppressed forever. The yearning for freedom eventually manifests itself. —-Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

by Sabria Chowdhury Balland

Bangladesh held its 11th. Parliamentary election on 30 December 2018. To rephrase, “election” was the name given to this event, the layout of which was at least over one year in the making.

In February of 2018, the head of the leading opposition party, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (the BNP), Mrs. Khaleda Zia was imprisoned on charges of corruption. For those who know Bangladesh politics, the amount for which Mrs. Zia has been accused of misappropriating is paltry in comparison to many other politicians, making it evident that her imprisonment was not really about corruption but rather politically motivated. It was about clearing the path and setting the stage for cementing the autocracy which had already taken shape.

The leader of the ruling party, the Awami League (the AL) and the Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina Wajed is the daughter of the founding father of Bangladesh. He was one of the most prominent figures who stood up to the oppression of West Pakistan (currently Pakistan) over East Pakistan (present-day Bangladesh). An extremely talented orator, he gave the oppressed Bengalis the hope to dream of an independent nation where democracy, freedom of speech and freedom of choice were to triumph over a repressive, disconnected government.

Bangladesh was born in 1971 on the premise of this freedom. Through its often turbulent political history, this small South Asian country of 170 million people has become an economic powerhouse. It is currently the second largest economy in South Asia. However, this has come at a considerable price.

Members of the opposition party and their supporters are regularly arrested and tortured. Many were victims of arson caused by Sheikh Hasina’s ruling party, the Awami League’s thugs. One of the most horrifying accounts of the AL’s atrocities occurred on election day when a rural woman went to vote and was told by the AL representatives that she had to vote for their party. She refused and admitted she would be voting for the opposition. She was threatened and later raped and beaten by the AL representatives. Not a word of acknowledgment, empathy or financial assistance came from Sheikh Hasina or her party members.

Countless accounts of such extreme violence, even on an innocent student movement have occurred time and time again. The strategy of the AL government has always been to sweep the growing problems of authoritarianism in the country under the rug and to an extent, it has unfortunately succeeded. The rising economic figures have been a dominant eye wash globally for Sheikh Hasina and AL and a strategy which has paid off. Despite all the reports of human rights abuses over the years, Hasina continues to manage foreign investments and aid packages such as the 200 billion pounds sterling aid package promised by the UK just days after the disastrous election. Just how much of this aid package will be utilized for aid remains to be seen.

At home, to her fellow citizens, Sheikh Hasina artfully plays the victim card as the daughter of the martyred Father Of The Nation, skilfully ignoring that the fight for an independent Bangladesh in 1971 was precisely for independence. Hundreds of thousands of people gave their lives for the freedom of speech, the freedom of choice in governance, for freedom, period. To suppress that quest for freedom, as she did in the farcical election last week, in which the nation was terrorized into voting for the AL or to not vote at all will be a monumental error. It must also be mentioned here that the majority of the ballot boxes were already stuffed with AL ballots the night before the election. Sadly for the ruling party, there have been countless accounts, many with video footage, to prove this fact.

A week after this farce, Sheikh Hasina and her parties are the self-proclaimed victors and Bangladesh a one-party autocratic government. Post-election, there is a reshuffling of the cabinet with cabinet members being chosen only from the mainstream AL party and not even any allied parties, thus further locking in the autocracy. There are promises of further incredible economic growth: roads, bridges, highways, 5G internet, the list goes on. But, there is a problem. There were 100 million voters, a third of them were first-time young voters who have, time and time again, been cheated and violated of their fundamental democratic rights, a common occurrence which they were dreaming of changing on December 30. They saw the light at the end of the tunnel just as their ancestors had done 47 years ago. That hope, that choice, and that right were stolen from them in a ruthless and conniving manner.

The quote by Dr. Martin Luther King has been proven correct time and time again throughout history. Logic dictates that it will ring true once again in Bangladesh. It is just a matter of time.