Back in 2006, the Bangladeshi government was dismissed to make way for a caretaker government that would oversee elections. But it didn't go smoothly. In January 2007 the country was put under emergency rule by the military and the elections postponed. In most countries in the world, the intervention of the military in government creates a panic. It signals that the separation of powers and democratic principles have been overridden.
Although the election date continues to be postponed, the military bizarrely seem to have assumed a benevolent character, striving to protect democracy and right wrongs. Most significant has been a massive crackdown on corruption. The crackdown has involved the arrest and prosecution of 100s of corrupt politicians and businessmen, including 2 former Prime Ministers.
Although people claim to be shocked and appauled by the scale of corruption and the are supportive of the crackdown, many people seem to have almost become paralysed by the fear of being implicated in corruption. This must be a very real possibility given Bangladesh's ranking on Transparency International's Corruption Perceptions Scale. Bangladesh came in last place five years on the trot between 2001-2005 and remains 7th from bottom.
But there is a greater paradox.
No-one expects these positive steps forward to last long. The election, to be held in late 2008, is forecast to result in one of the two leading parties coming to power. People expect that whichever of these two leading parties comes to power, there will be a major backlash: those who were convicted of corruption will be released and their sentences quashed; the laws brought in under the caretaker government will be deemed invalid; and the members of the caretaker government will be arrested, if they are still in the country. Some people speculate that key figures in the caretaker government will be on the last flight out of the country before the elections, fleeing into exile.
Anticipating this the caretaker government seem to be buying time. They have announced a country wide voter registration scheme. Elections will nto occur until this is complete. This enormous task - across a country of 150 million people - is underway. Meanwhile, there are rumours the caretaker government is trying to form an alliance among the smaller parties. An alliance that can prevent the two leading parties coming to power.
Whether or not they succeed, the run up to the election looks like it will be unsettled. Aside from the corruption crackdown, the 'talk of the town' is food prices. Food wholesalers are manipulating the market and colluding to increase prices dramatically. Some people forecast mass protests as this is getting intolerable, particularly in terms of staple goods like rice. It's these sort of things - things that affect people's daily lives rather than the political manueoverings of the elite - that could spark more civil unrest.
Although the election date continues to be postponed, the military bizarrely seem to have assumed a benevolent character, striving to protect democracy and right wrongs. Most significant has been a massive crackdown on corruption. The crackdown has involved the arrest and prosecution of 100s of corrupt politicians and businessmen, including 2 former Prime Ministers.
Although people claim to be shocked and appauled by the scale of corruption and the are supportive of the crackdown, many people seem to have almost become paralysed by the fear of being implicated in corruption. This must be a very real possibility given Bangladesh's ranking on Transparency International's Corruption Perceptions Scale. Bangladesh came in last place five years on the trot between 2001-2005 and remains 7th from bottom.
But there is a greater paradox.
No-one expects these positive steps forward to last long. The election, to be held in late 2008, is forecast to result in one of the two leading parties coming to power. People expect that whichever of these two leading parties comes to power, there will be a major backlash: those who were convicted of corruption will be released and their sentences quashed; the laws brought in under the caretaker government will be deemed invalid; and the members of the caretaker government will be arrested, if they are still in the country. Some people speculate that key figures in the caretaker government will be on the last flight out of the country before the elections, fleeing into exile.
Anticipating this the caretaker government seem to be buying time. They have announced a country wide voter registration scheme. Elections will nto occur until this is complete. This enormous task - across a country of 150 million people - is underway. Meanwhile, there are rumours the caretaker government is trying to form an alliance among the smaller parties. An alliance that can prevent the two leading parties coming to power.
Whether or not they succeed, the run up to the election looks like it will be unsettled. Aside from the corruption crackdown, the 'talk of the town' is food prices. Food wholesalers are manipulating the market and colluding to increase prices dramatically. Some people forecast mass protests as this is getting intolerable, particularly in terms of staple goods like rice. It's these sort of things - things that affect people's daily lives rather than the political manueoverings of the elite - that could spark more civil unrest.
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