Tanim Ahmed
Dhaka, Feb 24 (bdnews24.com) -- A former Bangladesh ambassador to Libya has said that the oil-rich country under its undisputed leader Muammar al-Gaddafi is like being under a fool's dictatorship.
In fact, the country resembled so much like the one Satyajit Ray had deftly portrayed in 'Hirok Rajar Deshe' that former ambassador, also a retired major general, Jamil D Ahsan would sign off his mails under 'Jamil from HRD' — borrowing the initials of the film to stand for where he was posted between 2005 and 2007.
The north African country hugging the Mediterranean has been one of the more recent sites of popular uprising sweeping the Middle East, almost taking cue from its two neighbours, Tunisia to the east and Egypt to the west.
The former envoy recounted an instance of how the entire country bowed to Gaddafi's rule. During an interview with bdnews24.com on Thursday, he explained that Libya followed a different calendar that began with the death of Prophet Muhammad and not from his pilgrimage. "So it is different from the Hijri."
"The announcement of Eid is generally made by the 'leader of the great Al Fateh revolution', as Gaddafi is generally referred to. Once, the announcement from him for celebrating Eid came for a certain date. Naturally, everyone celebrated Eid on the given date," Ahsan said
But then it was found out that there should have been one more day of fasting as the Eid had been celebrated a day early. "So, there was another announcement that people would fast for another day immediately following the Eid, although Ramadan was officially over."
The former major general explained that Gaddafi's hold was strongest around the country's capital, Tripoli. But King Idris, whom the leader had overthrown in a coup in 1969, was from the eastern part of Libya, which is generally considered more progressive.
"It's quite complicated there...and their clan-like composition also has a role to play," he tried to explain.
Ahsan, also a Bir Pratik inducted in Bangladesh military through the first War Course, also known as the Murti Commission, used to see Gaddafi as a firebrand leader, who took on the mighty United States single-handedly.
"His strong socialistic ideals were quite novel when he had taken over in a bi-polar world. But Gaddafi failed to move on to the next century," said Ahsan.
He explained that Gaddafi had tried to combine socialism and Islam in Libya. "But despite his socialistic ideals, there is sharp disparity among the people. Many in that country still have a very primitive lifestyle."
"There is a very sharp division between the haves and the have-nots there," he pointed out.
"The 'iron man' keeps a tight leash on any kind of dissent and crushed any such possibility quite ruthlessly," the former envoy said, but the very next moment, he was also at a loss to explain the driving force behind the current unrest, which is creeping west -- towards Tripoli.
"Even then there was one attempt on Gaddafi's life...many years ago, and that too when he was visiting Benghazi," Ahsan said.
On the continuing anti-government protests, he said, "This is a show of pent-up opposition…it has been bottled up for long."
But he agreed that there was no such organised opposition in Libya because Gaddafi ran a police state. "Libyans always kept a distance from foreigners no matter how friendly because at the back of their heads there was always this nagging suspicion that you are working for the intelligence."
"There is also no such educated civil society to speak of, that could have acted as the platform for this popular uprising," he added.
But then, that also complicates the government's task of repatriating trapped Bangladeshi workers. That's why, Ahsan suggested tying up with international agencies like the International Organisation of Migration or UN agencies. "They have far more credibility and are recognised worldwide."
At the same time, he pointed out that the Bangladesh government must act very diplomatically, because Libya also offered a significant market for manpower exports. "That is precisely the reason why even a large country like India has not reacted sharply to the ongoing incidents."
Ahsan cautioned, "We must make sure that whatever the next regime, Bangladesh is able to hold on to the market it had there."
Although he differed with the figure of about 60,000 Bangladeshi working there, the former envoy said it would be close to 35-40,000. "But that does not make it any less of a priority. There are still a large number of people trapped there."
Ahsan said most of these workers lived in camp sites of Korean companies they worked for and were clustered mostly around the capital Tripoli. "Only a few living in far off places may be in serious danger...but getting them out of Libya will be real difficult."
"Besides, this is not a problem unique to us. Other countries with their people trapped in Libya are also facing the same crisis," said Ahsan, suggesting that such parties could act together to rescue their people.
Having spent about 20 years under economic sanctions, Gaddafi made his compromise with the United States several years ago. Ever since, it has been a dependable supplier of large volumes of high quality crude oil to the European Union and a buyer of arms.
"In fact, these very possibilities had driven heavyweights like Condoleezza Rice, and the British and Italian prime ministers to meet Gaddafi." He explains that regardless of military might and firepower, Gaddafi presented a potential market for major arms deals as well.
Ahsan goes on to say that though 'the leader of the revolution' had no official position in the government, there was little dispute about his supreme authority. "And among his children, Saif el Islam is the most influential, as he supposedly controls all the big businesses."
Saif, however, does not hold any official position in the government.
The former envoy, who has himself witnessed many twists and turns, and in a way took part in the events shaping up Bangladesh's history, found the Libyan reality hard to explain. He offered another anecdote to illustrate how the country is run under its colourful dictator, who has been in power for 42 years now.
Ahsan said there would be times when the diplomatic corps would be asked to reach some place at a certain hour. "But there would be no details."
So, the diplomats would gather at the place at the given time only to find themselves being packed off into buses to the airport. "We would privately wager 10 dinars each on who could guess the closest time of our return, as no one would tell us where we would be going and how..."
Once the former ambassador had to be at a certain hotel at 8:00am. "I skipped breakfast presuming it will be provided." But soon enough Ahsan found out that the entire diplomatic community was being flown off to Surt, Libya's second capital where there is a large convention hall.
"Gaddafi would address us," he told one of his counterparts. "Even though our bladders would be bursting with pressure, the guards would not allow anyone to go to the loo...and that is too much of a punishment."
"We are mostly old men, you see," he pleaded with one of the local officials to secure a chance to relieve himself.
The leader finally showed up about three hours later and rambled on for the next four hours. That was followed by a gala evening where hundreds came to pay their respects to the great leader riding his horse gallantly. "This was followed by a supper close to midnight."
It was another hour before the diplomats were packed off to the airport again. By the time they returned to Tripoli, it was 4:00am. Ahsan, however, could not quite remember who had won the wager.
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