Rangpur's ‘humiliation’ and New Year's fright

Farewell to 2022 amid tension and apprehension. Tomorrow the world will unfold the year 2023. For various reasons, the year 2023 is already a hot topic of discussion. The United Nations has already declared 2023 as a disaster year. The United Nations has predicted famine and economic recession in 2023. The World Bank agrees with the UN declaration. The agency said the world will have a tough time next year. As the sky is covered with black clouds before the onset of a heavy storm, the situation in Bangladesh is much like that now. A turbulent environment in economics and politics. The Prime Minister has called upon the countrymen to prepare for 2023. There is no good news in the economy. Footsteps of instability in politics. Bangladesh and the whole world are ready to welcome 2023 amid such fears. One thing is sure that the National Parliament Elections will not be held in 2023. The Election Commission said that the election will be held in the first week of January 2024. Awami League President, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has started soliciting votes from public meetings in Jessore. She also took the initiative to prepare the party for the elections. Awami League completed the formalities of National Council on December 24 as part of the election preparations where the Awami League Council has re-expressed confidence in the old leadership. Sheikh Hasina did not want to take any risk before the election by changing the leadership. It remains to be seen how the almost unchanged leadership will handle the anti-movement and elections. However, the ruling Awami League is overconfident after its 'miraculous' victory in the 2018 elections. That streak continued till the end of 2022. Awami League did not take anyone from the 14 parties or the Grand Alliance in the 2019 ministerial meeting as they were overconfident. Now there is no Grand Alliance, 14 parties are now alive only on paper. The truth is, this alliance is the ICU. But Awami League has no concern or worry about it. There is no initiative to strengthen the 14 party, rather some leaders of Awami League consider them as orphans and refugees. This time, the Awami League showed overconfidence in the council as well. That is why Awami League did not make major changes in the central leadership. Talking to most of the Awami League leaders, they seem quite light and carefree. They think that Awami League will win again like in 2014 or 2018. Most of the leaders of Awami League are dreaming and hoping for staying in power for the fourth time in a row. There is a deep-rooted idea among the leaders of the Awami League, that the election take place in time whether BNP comes to the election or not. Underestimating the opposition. Not caring the negative attitude of the western countries including the United States. An indifference coldness is visible among some of the leaders in the Awami League over the party's internal strife and lack of regard for the sacrifices of the grassroots. Not only indifference, but also a fierce mentality of disciplining the opposing views has spread even the leaders of the Awami League. A senior citizen was distributing an anti-government leaflet a few days ago. Suddenly a party leader of Awami League slapped him. Such unwanted hoolism is not ideal of Awami League. But none of the leaders of Awami League protested that action. ‘Modesty’ has disappeared from many of the Awami League. Some think that this power of Awami League is eternal. No one can ever overthrow the Awami League. If you ask them, how will the Awami League come to power in the fourth term? Almost all the Awami League leaders will give only one answer, "Sheikh Hasina will do something." Most of the Awami League leaders can't tell the development of the last 14 years properly in front of the people. Very few leaders are as humble as Sheikh Hasina. Most of the Awami League leaders do not have the urge to be accountable to the people. They even consider the party’s grassroots a problem. Many central leaders do not even pick up the phone call of a village worker. These elite leaders think that Sheikh Hasina alone will handle all the disasters. Alone will bring Awami League back to power. This thought has been ingrained in their minds after the 2014 and 2018 elections. If Sheikh Hasina has to do everything alone, then why so many ministers, leaders and so many members of parliament? How many ministers and leaders are working to brighten up the image of the party? Besides Sheikh Hasina, how many people are trusted by the people? These questions will come up next year. Awami League must face this question. Otherwise, Awami League will face a difficult situation in 2023. The 'shame' that Awami League received in Rangpur on December 27, may have to face a more difficult situation in the future. Awami League candidate Hossain Ara Lutfa Dalia came forth in Rangpur city election. The Jatiya Party candidate's main opponent is not the Awami League, but the Islamic Movement. Even Awami League, which was in turmoil in 1979, was not in such a predicament like in Rangpur. Awami League did not get such bad results in the army-controlled elections in 1979. In that election, to fulfil the wish of Zia, a military hero, there were a total of 23 seats in Greater Rangpur district. Despite extensive rigging Military dictator Zia could not defeat Awami League in 4 seats. Awami League came second in the remaining 19 seats. Ershad came to power and elevated the subdivisions to districts. 19 districts increased to 64. On May 7, 1986, the third parliamentary election was held under Ershad. In that election, there were 6 seats in Rangpur. Ershad's Jatiya Party lost to Awami League in 3 seats despite extensive rigging. Awami League candidate Anisul Haque Chowdhury won Rangpur-2 seat. Shah Abdur Razzak in Rangpur-4 seat and HN Ashiqur Rahman in Rangpur-5 seat. Rangpur was the stronghold of Awami League in politics after 75. People of Rangpur have a different passion and love for the party, especially because it is the in-laws of the Awami League president. After the fall of Ershad and his arrest in 1990, the political scenario of Rangpur changed. Emotion prevails over logic. Residents of Rangpur voted for the Langol (plow) symbol to save the 'Rangpur’s Son' from execution. Since then, Rangpur has been Ershad's base. Jatiya Party base. But after Jatiya Party Awami League is the strongest in Rangpur. Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chowdhury was elected from a seat in Rangpur (Peerganj). Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi became Member of Parliament from another seat. Ershad did nothing for Rangpur compared to the development that has taken place in Rangpur in the last 14 years. Two heavyweight leaders could not build an organization in Rangpur. Flatterers, sycophants and opportunists have devoured the organization. New leadership did not develop. To come forth in city elections is a result of that. I know, many Awami League leaders who despise everything will say, it does not matter. We let Jatiya Party win this one. Rangpur city election has proved that the government is serious about conducting free, fair and impartial elections. They will say so may such things to hide the real problem. But the Rangpur results need to be analyzed properly. Why did the party in power for three consecutive terms drowned in shame in Rangpur? If the Awami League does not conduct a proper and credible analysis of Rangpur disaster, then more surprises await them in 2023. Analyzing the results of Rangpur, it can be seen that Awami League's rebel candidate Latifur Rahman Milon got 33 thousand 883 votes. Adding the votes of Milan and Dalia, Awami League came second in Rangpur (56 thousand votes). Rangpur was a disaster because Awami League was divided. But is this division only in Rangpur? No, this division is everywhere. In all the local government elections, including Union Parishad elections, Upazila elections, Municipal elections, the countrymen have seen the appalling form of division of Awami League all over the country. Awami League is the opponent of Awami League. Ministers and MPs fielded 'My Man' as an independent candidate. Again, in protest against the nomination of an ineligible controversial candidate, the sacrificed leader of the grassroots has become a candidate against the boat symbol. The fire of rebellion has spread everywhere. The past committee of Awami League has shown endless failure and incompetence in suppressing this rebellion. It was announced that there will be no pardon for those who will candidates against the boat. They will be banned for life from the party. But before the council they were declared 'Amnesty'. In other words, the message has spread to the grass roots that standing against the party is not a crime. This is what encouraged Milon to stand in Rangpur. Surely he has a godfather in the team. So what will this divided Awami League do in the next election? This question came to the fore after the Rangpur elections. Grassroots leaders and workers were enthusiastic before the council this time. They were optimistic. They thought, new leadership will come and there will be a place to talk about the problems and crises of the grassroots. The real Awami League, battered by hybrids and intruders, will have a place to air their grievances. But the old leadership has been re-established at the center as well. Likewise, the dispute between the infiltrators, hybrids, rajakars transformed into Awami League and the renegade, tested, hard-time fighters has also been continued in the council. Who knows where this dispute will stand next year? A few leaders of Awami League informed that many of the protest fighters of 75 have silently wrapped themselves up. Many Awami League workers tortured in October 2001 still weep in despair. The Jamaat-Shibir who burnt their houses are now the big leaders of Awami League. When the reformist leader of 1-11 is resettled in the Presidium, where will the workers who chased him flee? This council could not find a way to remove the intra-conflict disorder that had infected the Awami League. Instead, it tried to hide the wound. Awami League will have to pay for this in the future.

Another issue came to fore in Rangpur Election. It is important to select qualified candidates in any election. When Hossain Ara Lutfa Dalia was nominated by Awami League, many people said that Awami League gave such a candidate to gift Rangpur City Corporation to Jatiya Party. After the 2018 elections, popularity and public acceptance in the selection of candidates started to get ignored. They are nominating whoever they like. Like scoring a goal in an empty field, that candidate will win either unopposed or by force. Such a tendency can be seen in the Awami League. But the new Election Commission surprised the Awami League by canceling Gaibandha by-election. This was a clear message by the Election Commission. Whether BNP will participate in the next election is the next issue. But the Awal Commission has given the signal that the 2024 election will not be like the 14 or 18 election. Awami League leaders and workers knows the condition of MP’s very well. Everyone knows that no MP is in a condition to go to the area to seek votes. Which member was involved in nomination trade is not a secret anymore. Therefore, candidate selection is an important issue in the upcoming elections. But the complacent Awami League is now averse to change. There were no major changes in the 2019 ministerial meeting. Allegations of rampant incompetence against some in this cabinet are well known. The story of corruption by some members of this cabinet is as endless as the story of Arabian Nights. Yet they did not lose their ministry. Because Awami League did not take risks. Did not want to give an opportunity to criticize the opposition. Awami League was averse to change in the district level conferences before the council and door of change in the council is also closed. If the Awami League does not welcome the change in the next parliamentary elections, then it will be at great risk.

Rangpur election has proved that if the candidate is not right, the workers will not stand beside him. In the new year, the selection of candidates for the upcoming elections is a big challenge for the ruling party. How Awami League will face this challenge? Whether BNP participates in the elections or not, Awami League will have to prepare for a tough election. If the BNP ultimately insists on a non-partisan, neutral caretaker government, then it must be understood that the BNP is not alone. Behind BNP are some western countries, civil society and influential media. If someone thinks that BNP will not participate in the election and they will be re-elected unopposed like in 2014 then they are living in a fool's paradise. 2023 will be the year of the squid game. Kill or be dead. So the tendency to ignore BNP and challenge the US should be reduced. There is no reason to think the opponent is weak. History does not repeat itself in the same way. Bangladesh will never have an election like 2014.

Even if BNP comes to the polls, Awami League will have to fight hard. 2024 election will not be like 2018. The election commission have shown in Gaibandha what they are capable of doing. And it is not impossible for Awami League to end up like Rangpur if a free and fair elections is held.

Awami League is running the country for three consecutive terms. The Awami League government has changed the image of Bangladesh in the last 14 years. This is Wednesday (December 28) the dream journey of Metrorail began. In 2008, who would have thought that Bangladesh would have Metrorail, Padma Bridge, Karnaphuli Tunnel. Sheikh Hasina is the shaper of this development. She has pushed the limits of our dreams. But has Awami League done justice to Sheikh Hasina? Sheikh Hasina is not only Awami League but the biggest asset of Bangladesh. But most of the leaders of Awami League are irresponsible and incompetent, we are wasting this wealth by negligence. A section of Awami League is on a mission to make Sheikh Hasina controversial. This is alarming. Awami League must remember that Sheikh Hasina is the biggest brand of Awami League. Awami League is in power today only because of Sheikh Hasina. So they must cooperate Sheikh Hasina. Stand beside her. Follow her instructions. 2023 is important for the current government, Awami League and Bangladesh. Awami League has to walk on a thorny path. No one has seen better than the Awami League about the consequences of arrogance and contempt for the opponent. In 2022, Awami League received the same warning in Rangpur.