The absence of any concrete social movements has contributed to a lack of democratic spaces in Bangladesh, and going by the recent wave of anti-gun movements currently being witnessed in the US, we stand to learn a thing or two from them.
Democracy gives people the space to make their voices be heard. A true democracy acknowledges that, at the end of the day, the citizens of a country are the ultimate decision-makers, and without participatory and inclusive democratic spaces the nation’s claim to democracy starts to slip.
Bangladesh has a rich history of democratic movements. Its people have, time and again, rose against autocratic and undemocratic regimes and established their rights to vote and elect their own representatives.
Of course, all of our movements have thus far been led by political parties and they certainly had their own political agendas to push. Despite all the progress we have made as a nation, all the fights we’ve fought as a people, democracy still evades us in its most complete form.
We have failed to establish democracy as a part of our culture, unfortunately. And it should be a matter of concern for everyone who calls this country “home.”
One of the key characteristics of any self-respecting democratic society is space for non-political social movements. Social movements are characterized as non-political movements related to social issues by a group of individuals or civil society organizations, or a combination of both.
Academically, social movements are defined as “dense social networks and effective connective structures which draw on legitimate, action-orientated, cultural frames that can sustain actions even in contact with powerful opponents.”
One of the key characteristics of any self-respecting democratic society is space for non-political social movements
Looking back in history, some of the most notable social reformation movements were led by individuals -- such as Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, Raja Ram Mohan Roy, and Begum Rokeya. They managed to shake the foundations of our thought process as societies.
In post-independence Bangladesh, we are witnessing fewer social movements despite having more social issues than ever. It’s almost as if we’ve given up on trying to protect our nation’s identity as a democracy.
So much so that, in the 47-year history of Bangladesh, the number of social movements, irrespective of their success, can be handpicked. Considering the wealth of social issues that we are witnessing now, this is a truly sorry state of affairs.
Any grassroots movements that we witness in the more fringe parts of our nation are always hijacked by influential party elites, or drowned in a sea of misinformation. The rise and death of the Shahbagh movement and the controversies surrounding it is an excellent example in this regard.
I have been following the ongoing movements in the US started by school kids against gun violence, and their activities show a level of prudence and vision that we need to take note of. After the Parkland school shooting which took the lives of 17 school children, the surviving students began speaking out on the state of gun violence in their country.
The students have organized marches around the US -- and even other counties -- gathering in Washington DC to make their voices be heard by their government. The speech by 11-year-old Naomi Wadler is an example of how democracy survives by creating spaces for people to allow their voices to be heard.
Her speech was a clear message to the political establishment that the voices of the grassroots and the youth must be heard and taken seriously as there will be inevitable political consequences otherwise.
Young Naomi’s words made me think about the state of our own democracy, and the shrinking spaces for democratic movements that our indifference inevitably gave way to. Where did we go wrong? To be able to answer this question, we all have to collectively gather our thoughts irrespective of our political colours.
Shahariar Sadat is an Advocate of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh and Academic Coordinator, Centre for Peace and Justice, BRAC University.