Everybody knows it. Yet, it seems that the current govt. and policy makers have failed to identify this important aspect when it comes to the ways in which military is being involved
Bangladesh is going through an emergency period. Emergency times ask for emergency measures to pull the nation out of its miseries. During times of emergencies, the defense forces are usually called up to duty – to serve their nation in a time of need. As a nation, a declaration of emergency might be thought of as unfortunate in a sense. From a different perspective, it could be argued that it is at least good that the people in the policy making have at least recognized the need of urgency and have taken a step in the right direction.
Whatever the situation is, the members of the military forces must feel an utmost pride that they have been asked by the nation to duty – and they should return the call with utmost sincerity. No, we are not about to question the sincerity of our military forces – rather we would question some aspect of decisions that our policy makers have taken with regards to using the military forces at current times.
If you are a coach of a football team, and you are given a choice of using a best player in the field, where do you use that player? Off course, you will ask yourself first this question. OK, the player is a best in some category – what is that category? May be you find out that the player is good as a defender. Once you know that information – what do you do? You plan to use that player in defense position. You should not let that player to play in the offense or striker position and expect that the player would score you the goals. If you as a coach make a decision like that – that would be disastrous for your team. People however would not blame the best defender that you got as your player, the media will blame you – the coach or the policymaker – that you made a wrong decision by not using the strength of your given player.
So, why are we talking about this hypothetical football match here? Yes, there is reason.
The current policy makers – the members of CTG have the great opportunity to use the military forces of Bangladesh to aid in their governance for a short period of time during the emergency period. They should be using this efficiently and wisely. In 21st century time, it is albeit a rare chance to have and still have the legitimacy and support from its people and the international community. But the current CTG have that rare opportunity at their disposal. This is certainly a good thing.
The question that we want to ask is whether the policy makers have done their homework to recognize the strength of the military forces so they can be used in the best possible way? Our answer is mixed – some yes, but there are many nays.
Historically, we as a people, specifically the generation that is currently falls in "grown up" category, they have seen the military in a role of "fear-mongering". And unquestionably, the current CTG has been using the fear factor in many instances – if not using them over the limit. Actually, we would argue that the fear factor should never be used in a sovereign nation – not even to achieve a seemingly good objective. Fear can not achieve any good, not even in the short term. It might seem that you are achieving some good, but the bad side effects that it instills – that outweigh the good.
The military forces have a better characteristics and quality (other than frightening the bad elements of the society) that CTG should use. That characteristics is discipline. To be fair, there might have been a percieved need for the fear factor, but a transition should be made soon.
Some of you would argue that aren’t they the same thing? No. It depends on the way you use it. The same thing becomes fear mongering or discipline based on the context you use it.
Let us give an example. In all district and upozilla level co-ordination committees, there has been a member of Army put into duty. This person could be used as a fear factor for other inefficient and corrupt elements of the field level administration. Or this person could act as an outsider who always gives a fresh view, ask for the rules and what are the regulatory framework that the administration is using for making decisions. Also, a strong outsider could be an effective person in breaking any unholy syndication that might be present among the local administrator. But the question is which of these two options is the intent of the policymakers?
So, in the second context, the army men never threats the UNO, rather he asks for the rules through which its working. Now, how is the situation in the field? We do not know, to be frank. For a private citizen, its really hard to find out unless the country’s media tries to find that out for us. Have anyone in the media thought about this aspect of the policy? We would like to request to the media to look into this aspect of the use of military in the local level.
We want to emphasize that we are not questioning the intent here, but we are asking all the stakeholders to examine this perspective and make sure we understand the difference.
One reasonable question that might be asked that why we are raising this issue? Are we concerned?
An honest answer would be – Yes, we are. We have noticed a tendency on the part of the policymakers to use the fear factor or the show factor of the military uniform on the national level. At least the body language says that. We give two specific examples.
The sports ministry has used military uniform at two key posts to replace the existing corrupt officials. It should be noted that these two positions are highly visible posts. Now the sports adviser might have thought that if he appoints two of his golf buddies as a show of friendship that shouldn’t have been considered. Also, this sends a wrong signal.
On the opposite, the industry ministry could have used some young, efficient honest officials to send to the different jute mills – by appointing them as GM of the mills. These jute mills needs discipline, not closures. If one wants to look at the histories of BJMC, there are many examples where retired army officials have made significant changes in the profitability of these govt. industries – by instilling or sometimes forcing discipline. It also does not give as much exposure to the media, yet it gives results by using the strength of military which is discipline. Better yet, if the willing captains and majors are given early retirement who have a good track record and management training, appoint them with these industries with contract basis with the goal to bringing discipline back to the industry floors. Also have some incentive mechanisms if the mills can be turned around. Govt. should not take responsibility of the liabilities that has accrued over the years of corruption and inefficiency. Rather mills should be better managed so they can become profitable within a short term – even if that means forcing military discipline for the time being. We think, workers will prefer to work harder in a army like discipline rather than loosing jobs. Once the discipline is restored, the mills are profitable, then govt can privatize these mills with much more advantage. The way the industry adviser is doing it – or at least trying to do it – that gives us the reminder of thievery that was perpetrated in the name of privatization under Khaleda / Saifur / Hasina Gong. Replace the corrupt chairmans of these govt. corporations in the industries sector, replace the management of Biman (hopefully there is some in BAF who also knows management), replace all other similar big item govt agencies. Restore discipline.
But remember, you can not keep the discipline which is imposed for ever. Government eventually should plan to get out of doing business. Govt. job is collecting tax, making policy and enabling private citizens to prosper in a fair way. But in order to achieve that goal, proper caution should be used to make it smooth. Otherwise, those steps will give the opportunity to the hostile and corrupt politicians to disrupt the law and order situation.
Bottom line is:
Use the inherent strength of the military which is discipline. Do not use the fear factor or show factor of the military which dictators have used in the past and people of Bangladesh have a bad memory of those usage. The coming one year should act as a healing time of those bad memories – rather than reminding them of those bad times in the British period, Paki period or Ershad period.
How?
We have shared some thoughts on that. Hopefully the policy makers will think it over. Also, discuss this in the public sphere. The examples that has been used in this writeup are the perception that has been achieved through the media. The nation do not need the military dresses from high officials in the media. That adds to fear factor. A better approach to use the military is to expose the junior officers (upto major) upto which the appointments are usually non-political. Let these officers work in the level of the general citizens.
Also, there should be a provision within our military forces to allow short-term involvement of the students such as internship or similar. More people within the country should be exposed to military discipline. Also, currently there is a big problem when an officer wants to join the civilian workforce. The regulation should be reformed so the officers and jawans can easily return to civilian life with an obligation to return if the nation needs them – something similar to reserve force. If that provision is created, then there would be more option to hire more jawans and officers to fill in the places that was emptied by leaving soldiers. Hope our military high officials would start thinking about how to reform the military forces while the whole nation is examining and soul searching. Military forces should also do the same.
There is also another important thing. From outside, we have the understanding of discipline within the military. But how is the status of justice system within the military? Is there anything like that? Have anybody examined the military justice system within our military forces? If you do not know what we are talking about, watch some episodes of JAG or read through this article from Wikipedia titled JAG .
These should give you some idea what we are talking about. Since our military is increasingly involved in different peace missions around the globe, there is an immense need for the military to build a competent military justice system. Otherwise, it might give a wrong signal to the world. Just like there was a need for our Military chiefs to get promotion – to be at par with other military forces, this JAG thing is much more important from that perspective. Promoting a Lt. General to General is easy – however, creating a world standard military justice system is much harder, but more needed. Hope Gen. Moyeen and other policy makers within the military forces would focus on these aspects of the military while there is a good opportunity to get support from the government.
If you thought some of the ideas are worth of your reading time, please forward it to others. If you have an ear to the members of the CTG, members of military forces, please forward it to them. If you have an ear to the journalists and news editors of the electronic media, discuss it with them. Hope they would look at the suggestions and give due diligence.