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USIPeace BriefingBangladesh: Human Rights and the Rule of Law in Crisis?By Christine Fair and Kerem Levitas Bangladesh has long been heralded as a moderate Muslim country that has encompassed diversity in belief and praxis of Islam. It has also made laudable strides in improving the availability of health services, expanding educational opportunities for its 144 million citizens, and has done much to empower women. Bangladesh, along with Turkey, exemplifies the coexistence of Islam and democracy. Unfortunately, Bangladesh has entered a difficult phase. Since 1999, Islamist militants have unleashed a campaign of terror that has gone virtually unchecked. They have attacked opposition party members, authors, cultural assemblies, religious minorities, and even Muslims who prefer Bangladesh’s traditional Sufi variants of Islam. Many fear that the alliance of the ruling Bangladesh National Party (BNP) with two hard-line Islamist political parties has encouraged the spread of violence. Meanwhile, the government is in a state of paralysis, as both the ruling and opposition parties struggle for power at all cost. Alarmist headlines have declared Bangladesh a “Cocoon of Terror” and the site of the next “Islamist Revolution.” How significant are these events and what risks do they really pose to human rights and rule of law in this important—if flawed—democracy? The U.S. Institute of Peace convened an expert panel to consider these issues and examine their significance. The panel included former American and Bangladeshi diplomats as well as current and former representatives of the U.S. Department of State. This Peace Briefing, prepared by Kerem Levitas and Christine Fair of the Institute of Peace, provides a summary of the issues, challenges, and policy options discussed at the meeting. Bangladesh is an Important Democracy and U.S. AllyAll panelists agreed that Bangladesh is an important U.S. ally. With its 144 million inhabitants, Bangladesh is one of the most populous Muslim countries in the world. It won its independence from Pakistan in 1971 through an armed struggle that was based upon Bengali nationalism and an ethos that amalgamated religious tolerance and strands of socialism. While Bangladesh has had its experiences with military leadership, since 1991 it has held three mostly free and fair elections and boasts an involved electorate with massive election turnout. All participants acknowledged Bangladesh’s extraordinary progress in human and economic development over a short period of time and with relatively few resources. It has achieved one of the fastest birth-rate reductions without the use of coercion. It has expanded life expectancy for both men and women and has achieved impressive results in expanding education and economic opportunities for its citizens. Bangladesh has also proven to be a social and democratic entrepreneur. It has given the world the concept of micro-credit in the form of the Grameen bank and other micro-credit operations throughout the country. It has also made important contributions to the fight against child trafficking and child labor. Bangladesh has shown the world how a Muslim society can effectively deal with issues of gender discrimination. Women have led both the country and the two main parties for the past 14 years. In addition, large numbers of women sit on Bangladesh’s superior courts and have been instrumental in handing down judgments against the restrictive edicts of village council fatwas. To the lexicon of democracy, it has added the concept of the neutral caretaker transitional government. Bangladesh is also a good international citizen. Currently, it is the second-largest contributor of troops to United Nations Peacekeeping Operations with some 4,500 soldiers in missions around the world. Bangladesh’s Zero-Sum Political Culture Hinders Governance And Encourages Faustian BargainsBangladesh’s political system is dominated by two heritage parties, the ruling BNP and the opposition Awami League (AL). Panelists acknowledged with concern that both are bitter rivals and are obsessed with undercutting each other—at the expense of Bangladesh’s governance. Unlike India or other robust democracies, the opposition in Bangladesh has very little role to play in governance. This fact compels opposition parties to engage in practices that are inconsistent with democratic principles and practices, such as calling economically debilitating national strikes, violent street politics, and any other means to destabilize the government. This culture of zero-sum politics has resulted in a parliament that operates fitfully at best and has encouraged dangerous alliances. One participant explained that in recent decades, both parties have made Faustian bargains with Islamist political parties to win a majority of seats in the parliament. For instance, the current BNP government has two such parties in its coalition, Jamaat Islami (JI) and Islamia Oikya Jote (IOJ). The JI was given two cabinet positions, including the sensitive and crucial social welfare portfolio. Panelists observed that Islamist parties have grown in influence and prestige and have emerged as kingmakers in Bangladeshi elections. The Rise Of Political Islam And Islamist Violence: Crisis Or Challenge?The speakers generally agreed that Bangladesh has not reached a state of crisis but they did express concern about recent events, including:
All panelists agreed that these issues merit concentrated attention. Unfortunately, policy measures to address these developments were more illusory. The Way Forward…All panelists agreed that the United States should vigorously encourage Bangladesh to address the issues of governance, law and order, and human rights and to diminish the influence of violent Islamists.
Of Related Interest
This USIPeace Briefing was written by C. Christine Fair, Program Officer and Kerem Levitas, Program Assistant in the Research and Studies program at the Institute of Peace. The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the Institute, which does not advocate specific policies. The United States Institute of Peace is an independent, nonpartisan institution established and funded by Congress. Its goals are to help prevent and resolve violent international conflicts, promote post-conflict stability and development, and increase conflict management capacity, tools, and intellectual capital worldwide. The Institute does this by empowering others with knowledge, skills, and resources, as well as by directly engaging in peacebuilding efforts around the globe. Briefings ArchivePublicationsUSIP Weekly BulletinReceive notices of USIP publications, events, and more via e-mail. |
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