Bangladesh’s political order may have shifted since the July uprising, but the behaviour that ignited public fury has not, according to political analysts.
Fifteen months after the fall of the fascist Awami League, allegations of graft and abuse of power are surfacing across the political spectrum, casting doubt on promises of a new, cleaner era in national politics.
During the Awami League’s uninterrupted 15-plus years in power from 2009, graft became deeply entrenched. It seeped from the highest tiers of the ruling party down to the grassroots.
As senior leaders allegedly siphoned off thousands of crores of taka and moved the money abroad, even marginal local leaders amassed fortunes running into the hundreds of crores.
Bank accounts belonging to district-level Chhatra League leaders reportedly revealed deposits in the thousands of crores of taka.
Public fury over this widespread plundering was one of the major drivers of the July movement. After the Awami League’s fall, many Bangladeshis imagined a new beginning – a country free from the practices they had risen up against. Fifteen months later, that hope has faded.
In a fragile democracy like Bangladesh, politics is often seen as the starting point for wrongdoing. And despite the 5 August changeover, the patterns did not stop.
Instead, they appear to have become more deeply embedded.
Over the past 15 months, allegations have surfaced against nearly all major political parties.
But the largest number has been directed at the National Citizen Party (NCP), formed by student leaders who were at the forefront of the July uprising. Some grassroots BNP leaders have also faced charges.
In Netrokona’s Kendua upazila, for example, BNP leader Rezaul Hasan Bhuiyan – known locally as Suman, 38 – has been accused of cutting down 31 mahogany trees beside a rural road. Bhuiyan is president of Maskha Union BNP and a resident of Pijhati village.
In Chandpur’s Matlab South, a string of accusations has been levelled against Abul Kalam Azad, general secretary of BNP in Nayargaon Dakshin Union (Ward 2). They range from extorting money in the name of the local officer-in-charge, to cutting and selling forest department trees, illegally trading subsidised rice, intimidating residents for money, and misappropriating funds under the guise of arbitration.
Public outrage has followed, and similar complaints have emerged across the country. BNP, as a party, has adopted a strict stance, taking disciplinary action against more than a thousand leaders and activists over various allegations.
But the deepest disappointment has come from those in whom people placed the greatest trust.
The nine-month-old NCP now finds itself overwhelmed by accusations of misconduct – some of which have triggered national uproar. Among the most prominent are claims that more than Tk400 crore was pocketed in commissions through manipulated paper procurement for NCTB textbook printing.
The allegations involve several NCTB officials and Gazi Salauddin Ahmed Tanvir, once a key NCP leader who has since been expelled.
A former female NCP leader ignited a storm on social media by accusing another party figure of becoming wealthy overnight.
Many Bangladeshis are openly questioning the sudden rise in luxury among NCP leaders, asking how individuals who once survived by tutoring can now afford high-end cars. Within the party, accusations and counter-accusations have spilled into the public domain.
Hafez Muntasir Mahmud, a suspended central organiser of the NCP, has accused the party of deceiving the public and raised several serious allegations.
The controversies extend beyond the capital, reaching district-level units as well.
After criticism sparked by leaked “case-trading” call recordings, the NCP temporarily expelled one of its leaders. An official notice dated 5 November – signed by Sadia Farzana of the party’s office cell – charged Azizur Rahman, the southern region organiser, with violating party discipline and demanded that he explain within three working days why he should not be permanently removed. The notice described his actions as “inconsistent with the party’s principles.”
In Bogura’s Sariakandi upazila, Saiful Islam Bulbul, chief coordinator of the local NCP unit, faces allegations of embezzling seven lakh taka with the promise of securing a job.
Abdul Mannan of Fulbari Dakshinpara lodged complaints with both Sariakandi police station and the local army camp on 12 June, and also served a legal notice. Mannan says Bulbul promised him employment at the Bogura Zila Parishad; when the job did not materialise, Bulbul issued a cheque – which later bounced.
Such allegations are now common. Almost daily, new complaints emerge against the NCP, the party that had vowed to transform Bangladesh’s political culture.
Yet many fear it has instead reproduced the very practices it once opposed.
And it is not limited to the three major parties – AL, BNP, and NCP. Smaller parties, including Nur’s Gono Odhikar Parishad, have also been drawn into controversy, widely discussed on social media.
The political landscape may have shifted since 5 August, but the practices have not, observe analysts.
Bd-pratidin English/TR