Bails are easy in Bangladesh

At last Tareque Rahman, the senior joint secretary of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and elder son of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, freed from imprisonment after almost one and a half year in detention as higher courts grant him bail for all 13 cases filed by the authorities. Khaleda Zia, just former prime minister and Chairperson of BNP, is also at the edge of release from jail. If courts grant her bail for more two cases, she may be freed any time in next week.

Professor Zillur Rahman Siddique, a renowned educationist & a former Advisor to interim government remarked that bails are very easy in Bangladesh now so far.

Earlier another former prime minister and President of Bangladesh Awami League (AL) got parole on medical ground and now she is visiting North America for medical treatment and family affairs. Many other heavyweights from politics and business are also granted bails for medical or other grounds. Most of the accused of corruption charges, who were arrested after the 11 January of 2007, are freed from imprisonment or in the process to be freed from prison.

The political observer mentioned that, for a credible and acceptable parliament election, government may adjust with the political scenario and compromise with the political parties on political issues. The military backed interim government, which is running the administration from January 2007, should not compromise with the misdeeds and proven corruption that is not complying the peoples opinion and contradictory to the sprit of the formation of this interim government, which was widely supported by all walks of people of the country for their anti corruption drive. Political Analysts said that politicians are twisting the wrist of interim government and the government are vowing almost unconditionally to the pressure of political parties.

Any way, on 3^rd September of 2008 Tareque Rahman freed from prison cell of Bangabandhu Medical University as prison guards were withdrawn formally. After release, Tareque Rahman was transfer to a cabin of the same hospital.

He was to go abroad for medical treatment but delayed for loosing passport from police custody. By the time he became the focal point of BNP politics and inner conflict of his party. The leaders who were termed as revisionists getting back from their position, general secretary of Khaleda loyalist also become very passive and leaders and supporters are surrounding Tareque Rahman for future politics. By the time authority issues a new passport for him and possibly he will go abroad for medical treatment. Early news reports stated that Tareque Rahman is severely suffering for backbone illness.

Political Analysts mentioned that the term One/Eleven emerged in the political history of Bangladesh for the unexpected doings and behavior of the politicians and political parties of the country and of course corruption is one of the most heinous misdeeds. BNP is the party, which was in power just before the One/Eleven, is mostly responsible for the situation that pushes the country to One/Eleven type of power transfer. It was a public believe that BNP was engaged in abusing power and involved in corruptions widely. Tareque Rahman was symbolized as the corruption by the interim governments drive; civil society, intellectuals and politicians including a major part of BNP supported this initiative. 

After one and a half year, when Tareque Rahman granted bail for all of his 13 cases filed against him by authorities including Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) question raised about the military backed interim government initiatives taken at the early period of assuming office. Major political parties, excluding BNP led 4-party alliance, termed this bail granting process and release of BNP senior joint secretary, who was known as an alternative power-house of BNP especially when the party was in power at its last tenure, is a process of making corrupts white. AL, Jatio Samajtantric Dal (JSD), Workers Party of Bangladesh (WP), Gono Furam expressed their reaction and frustration to the local press. They termed this process as an arranged drama to make Tareque Raman white.

By the time BNP has a shift on the schedule of parliamentary election. BNP leaders in a discussion meeting that BNP would like to see parliamentary election on or before December 2008 that is committed by the Election Commission (EC) roadmap and by the speech of Chief Advisor delivered t the nation. Earlier BNP was on a strong and almost uncompromising position to hold parliamentary election on October 2008.

Political observers and Analysts are seeing this shift as a matter of understanding between Government and BNP. Analysts also observed that if there is a government-BNP understanding and if it is for holding elections in time through a credible manner, this could be said as an intelligent step from government part. Analysts also said that if it is a result of wrist twisting by any force this will not bring any good for the nation. On chase board of politics, government and parties should go through ethics and consider the peoples psychology Analysts added.

Senior intellectuals of the country cautioned that mass suspending & withdrawal of cases, granting bails and other government initiatives could be developed a pavement to escape the original corrupts from the box of law. #