Slaves do it again

In my letter to the editor of the Daily Star dated Aug 24, 2008 I stated, “It will appear to any casual observer that in Bangladeshi politics the leaders do not have supporters or followers. They have slaves. These slaves blindly support their respective leaders, even if such leaders are grossly wrong, corrupt and unpatriotic.” Two most recent incidents further substantiate my statement. In one incident the standing committee of a major party sat in a formal meeting with its chairperson in the chair who was released from the prison on the preceding day. The learned members of the standing committee unanimously resolved that the chairperson would lead their (or the chairperson’s personal) party for life. The chairperson graciously didn’t say word in the meeting to oppose the resolution. However, after one or two days, when it was observed that the decision faced severe adverse criticism from the local and the international press as an undemocratic one, the chairperson declined to accept the offer. In another incident the secretary general of another major party after coming out of the prison publicly reinstated himself as the secretary general of the party by ousting the acting one. The president of the party now at the opposite side of the globe for “treatment” ruled over telephone that the secretary general cannot reinstate himself to his old post. The acting one should continue till further order. As if there is no constitution or committee to decide such matters. The interesting part of both the stories is that the members of the standing committee of one party, and the members of the central committee of another, all behaved like the slaves in a fiefdom. One may call it anything, but democracy. One eleven has taught our politicians no lessons so far.