Awami League sees jealousy about Bangladesh’s development behind autocracy tag

The Awami League has dismissed the classification of Bangladesh as an autocracy by a Germany-based think tank, saying the label is slapped at a time when the country is being praised worldwide for uninterrupted development.

“This is utterly false and unrealistic findings,” senior Awami League leader Tofail Ahmed told bdnews24.com on Saturday.  

Tofail Ahmed. File Photo

A member of the ruling party’s presidium, Tofail claimed the government was not violating the right to speak, and the media were free to publish any report.

“It’s not that no one can speak. In fact, they (those behind the report) want to obstruct the country’s development,” he said.     

In a clear reference to the US, Tofail said, “Those who termed Bangladesh ‘bottomless basket’ after independence are now spreading such news out of envy.”  

Bertelsmann Stiftung put Bangladesh among five countries that are no longer meeting minimum standards of democracy in a recent report on a study from February 2015 to January 2017.

BBC Bangla on Friday ran a report on the study.

Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir speaks at the press conference.

At a press conference on Saturday, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said the observation by the German organisation was a ‘global recognition’ of what his party is claiming.

He termed the report ‘shameful’ for the country.

The BNP, which sits out of parliament after a violent boycott of Jan 5, 2014, elections, has been saying democracy is absent in Bangladesh and blamed the ruling party for this.

Asked for comments on the allegation raised by the BNP, Abdur Razzaque, another member of the Awami League’s presidium, told bdnews24.com, “There have been questions over the 2014 elections, but the country is still treading the path of democracy.”

Abdur Razzaque. File Photo

Razzaque referred to the support of the US, the UK and other Western countries for the Awami League government despite the questions over the election.

“A large party did not contest in the polls. The law-enforcing agencies had to face many odds at the time. Our rivals tried to carry out sabotages,” he said.

“But there is no option of being autocratic as the judiciary and media are free; there is freedom of speech, the rule of law; basic rights are fulfilled following the constitution,” he added.  

He also thinks there is a ‘different agenda’ behind the BBC Bangla report.

“BBC published the report intentionally,” he said.

Jahangir Kabir Nanak. File Photo

Awami League Joint General Secretary Jahangir Kabir Nanak agreed with Tofail and Razzaque.

“Some forces can never accept the stable condition when a country like Bangladesh makes progress, achieves development,” he told bdnews24.com.

“Those who are saying these (autocracy report) are saying these intentionally. They are spreading false information.”

He also claimed the people were enjoying all sorts of freedom in Bangladesh.

“Keeping the country stable, suppressing militancy – are these out of the purview of democracy?” he questioned.