An academic, political analyst and commentator, Prof Mohammad Ali Arafat is the founder convener and current chairman of Suchinta Foundation, a Bangladeshi non-profit think tank and research centre. He is also a member of the Awami League's Central Working Committee. In an interview with Dhaka Tribune's Ali Asif Shawon, he shared some of his thoughts with straightforwardness about the country's political situation.
As part of a think-tank of the Awami League, how do you evaluate the BNP's ongoing movement and its demands?
BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia has been convicted by the court. So, the BNP should follow legal steps to get its leader released. We want the BNP to participate in the election with full force and we have nothing to say about its peaceful political programs as we believe in democratic practices.
Is the ruling party weaker than the opposition on social media?
The racist and fundamentalist communities are always more active on social media than others because they spread rumours and false information. When we go for a counter against a rumour, we cannot make a counter post immediately because we need to verify and check the content first before posting anything on social media. There is another thing we should remember: colourful and saucy rumours spread six times faster than facts. We are lagging behind despite giving five times more effort than the BNP, Jamaat and Hefazat activists because they are getting natural advantages.
What's your plan for the next election as you are fighting against rumours and false information?
People are aware of the regime of the BNP and they are able to compare it before giving their mandate. Some people could be misguided for a while but not for a long time. Bangladesh is not isolated from the world; so, the price hike across the world has an effect on Bangladesh too. On the other hand, the BNP does not have any glorious past to show. Then why will people listen and vote for it? I wonder if Covid-19 and the Russia-Ukraine war had not occurred, what would the BNP have said against the Awami League and the government?
What are you thinking about the young generation as many of them believe in anti-establishment sentiment?
I think anti-establishment sentiment will not work here anymore because the youths have already seen the regime of the BNP and the Awami League. Now they can compare and understand clearly what is good for them. They are watching developments and enjoying the facilities of the projects. In the last 14 years of the Awami League government, power and infrastructure development have increased ten times, per capita income increased eight times; export earnings increased 12 times, and total GDP size increased more than four times. I admit that we were not able to conduct a proper election in 2014 and 2018, but the BNP is responsible for it. If we can conduct a proper election, then we can clearly judge whether people have turned pro-government or against the government.
What is the strength that will have the Awami League return to power again through a proper election even as many people say the opposite?
This is not true. The Awami League is not afraid of facing a proper election, rather it wants to conduct a proper election. But we have to keep in mind that conducting a proper election is not possible for a single political party. If the opposition does not join the polls, then no one can conduct a proper election in this country. In the empty field, people do whatever they want and it turns into a controlless situation. For a proper election, the opposition party should participate in it properly.
But the BNP is saying that it will not join the polls without a caretaker government.
There is no option to reinstall the caretaker government system according to the verdict of the Supreme Court. If the BNP does not want to join the polls, we have nothing to do. Actually, it does not have any right to demand the caretaker government, because it has spoiled the system. It is the Awami League that handed over power peacefully through the caretaker government after being defeated. But the BNP manipulated that system by increasing the age of justices, and then made the president the chief advisor to the caretaker government by violating the constitution. Now we cannot bring it back. Rather, we can follow the democratic system, like India and some other countries, as we want a proper electoral system for the long term.
What are the major challenges centering on the next election as the Awami League is governing this country for the third time in a row?
In the next general election, whether the BNP joins with full strength or not, or tries to prevent the election, we do not see any challenges. It is as simple as that because all the stars are aligned in favour of the Awami League. The Awami League's vision is honest and the party has served at its best.
