'All democratic institutions destroyed'

Comrade Md Shah Alam has been discharging duties as the general secretary of the Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB) since May 2017. He has been involved with politics since his student life and played a key role during the mass upsurge in 1969. The valiant freedom fighter was the commander of the joint guerrilla force of NAP-Communist Party-Chhatra Union during the liberation war in 1971. Recently, he talked with The Daily Star on the country's politics and other contemporary issues.

The Daily Star (DS): Many people are now confused about CPB's political stance. How do you react to it?

Shah Alam: Our political party has come this far with a long history, tradition and glory. You all know about our role during the liberation war. I think there is no reason to be confused about CBP's political stance.

We don't design our policies based on any incumbent government. Rather, we set our strategies analysing the ruling class. Our focus is on those who assume the state power [and] in which class they belong. Is it the working class or the capitalist class?

DS: The ruling Awami League-led 14-party alliance has assumed power for three consecutive terms. How do you look at that?

Shah Alam: We don't find any difference between Awami League or BNP as far as class is concerned.

DS: Do you mean Awami League and BNP are the same?

Shah Alam: I am not talking about which party is pro-liberation force and which is anti-liberation force. The two parties are different from that perspective. We want to see it from the ground infrastructure.

All governments post-75 are the same in terms of class variation. People-looters class, including businessmen, bureaucrats and politicians, have assumed state power since 1975. A large syndicate has been formed among the people looters' class that is exploiting the people in the name of free-market economy.

DS: Is that a theoretical analysis? What is your evaluation of the current governing system run by AL?

Shah Alam: Authoritarian rule is prevailing in the country now. All the democratic institutions have been destroyed. Everything, including the judiciary, local government institutions and parliament have turned into institutes of the party in power. Lawmakers cannot speak freely going beyond their party's decision. Even, the culture of self-criticism has been missing.

DS: What's your evaluation on the government's campaign of economic and infrastructural development?

Shah Alam: Development for whom? Firstly, it has widened the discrimination between the working class and the capitalist class. Secondly, it has increased the ways of corruption. Thirdly, it has damaged environment and bio-diversity. Our country is small. We need to focus on the expansion of waterways and railways. It will be good for us. Be it the gas sector, energy sector and so on, corruption is everywhere.

DS: But the government claims major success in power generation.

Shah Alam: The government is spending money on quick-rental power plant. It's a hub of corruption. We are still to get uninterrupted electricity supply. 

DS: But the government has ensured supply of electricity.

Shah Alam: It is true. But it is not sustainable. The price should be rational and just. Wrong policies and corruption are everywhere.

DS: Many are opposing Rampal and other coal-based power plants. But what is the realistic alternative for the government?

Shah Alam: The government should focus on increasing production of renewable energy. It needs to end corruption.

DS: Is it possible to fulfil the demand with renewable energy?

Shah Alam: It is possible. It needs to be started at different areas across the country. Use of renewable energy can only protect our nature and environment. Many companies are shifting coal-based power plants to our country as their home countries are not interested in those. They are dumping coal-based power plants on our country. Our country should not be a dumping station.

DS: You were talking about corruption and development and corruption going on together. The government is saying it is taking action against corruption.

Shah Alam: Bank looters have laundered money abroad. Now, the government is taking action against those in the second-layer of the corruption. No initiative has been taken to bring the laundered money back. I think the government is not taking any initiative to bring back the laundered money in fear that such an attempt might throw them out of power.

DS: Why are the mass people and opposition political parties not raising their voices enough if such huge corruption has really taken place? The government is saying people are supportive of the huge development. That is why, there is no protest.

Shah Alam: This is the matter of the organisational capacity of the left movement; there is no lack of sincerity.

DS: You were talking about destruction of democratic institutions. BNP raised allegations of election engineering. What is your assessment of the elections?

Shah Alam: Actually, it was not an election at all. Votes were cast the night before the election and administrations along with other agencies cooperated in the manipulation.   

DS: Do you think fair electoral atmosphere will be restored in future?

Shah Alam: Strong local government bodies is a must to restore it. We have seen mass upsurge in 1969 and mass movement in 1990. People want it again. But it cannot happen due to the absence of leadership.

DS: What are left political parties doing to create that leadership? Why are feuds prevailing among left political parties? Why you are not united?

Shah Alam: We, the left political parties, are united in our demands. But we are not united in designing strategies to realise our demands. Many left political parties want to talk with BNP. But we want an alternative platform, other than Awami League and BNP.

DS: There are allegations against you that CPB wants to join the Awami League alliance.

Shah Alam: This allegation is not true. Awami League has taken a U-turn after the 90s. So, there is no way to join its alliance.

DS: Is there any possibility of unity among left political parties in future?

Shah Alam: Of the left political parties, CPB has networks all over Bangladesh, in all the districts. But the strength of those units is not as strong as it was in the past. Other left political parties do not have enough organisational strength. Moreover, the parties have differences in terms of designing strategies. There needs to be an alternative left-democratic alliance. CPB does not believe in left-sectarian. We need for an alliance to be formed with those who believe in non-communalism and corruption-free society. But many of them, like Kamal Hossain [Dr Kamal Hossain] and Manna [Mahamuduran Rahman Manna], have joined the BNP-led alliance. We will continue our movement for establishing good governance instead of assuming power.

DS: What is the prevailing situation in Bangladesh as far as good governance is concerned?

Shah Alam: There is nothing.

DS: Some social activities, like protest against rape, are going on now. What are your observations on it?

Shah Alam: Protests by those, who themselves are involved in rape, will not be effective. This is something that has been happening during both BNP and AL regimes. We need a force to merge with those who are protesting rape. At times we see a glimpse of it, but it disappears soon after. It happens due to power politics.

DS:  The AL government has completed trial of the killers of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman overcoming many challenges. This trial created a kind of hope that good governance would be established.  Why is good governance not seen?

Shah Alam: Trials of killers of Bangabandhu and war crimes are good signs. But good governance cannot be established until there is elimination of criminalisation and commercialisation of politics.

DS: Since such a difficult task like war crimes trial could be done with so many challenges, then why is the state of governance so miserable in Bangladesh?

Shah Alam: The democratic character of the Awami League before '75, the position of the party in the anti-Ershad movement, which I saw, is no more. Now, looters and the corrupt have taken over the party. The ruling party men think they are very powerful. Actually, they don't have any base. They are staying in power with the help of power brokers. If the power brokers withdraw their support, how will the party be run? The government now cannot bargain in favour of our country's interest. If the government had assumed the power with the people's mandate, it could have done that.

DS: We have noticed a sharp rise of influence of regional powers in Bangladesh's politics. India is on one side, while China is on the other. What is CPB's stance regarding the politics centring the powers of India and China?

Shah Alam: India takes a huge amount of remittance from Bangladesh. We should maintain good relationship with India for the sake of our country's interest.

DS: Is our national interest not being protected?

Shah Alam: There are imbalances in many cases. There are issues like border killing and water sharing. But our government cannot bargain as it did not come to power with public support.  If the government had people's support, it could have bargained for national interest.

DS: What about China?

Shah Alam: China has made huge investments in Bangladesh. I don't know about the level of Chinese interference in Bangladesh's politics. But China has allowed us duty-free export facility. So, I think the relation between the two governments is cordial.

DS: Do you support such a relationship?

Shah Alam: We support any relationship as long as it does not affect our national interest.

DS: You said national interests cannot be protected while bargaining with India. Do you think the same applies for China?

Shah Alam: More or less, similar things are happening in case with China. Many mega projects are running in cooperation with China. But our government does not make those transparent so we can't see whether there is any anomaly there.

DS: Have you raised your voice about this matter?

Shah Alam: Yes, we have raised our voice. We have demanded open discussions on mega projects in the parliament, though the parliament was constituted without the votes of people.

DS: What is your evaluation of our economic situation during the Covid-19 pandemic?

Shah Alam: People are not well. Poverty has shot up. People are passing hard days without any alternative options.

DS: Per capital income has been increased. Then, why do you think that people are passing hard days?

Shah Alam: Per capita income is the average income of all. It is not fair, if you present a figure of average income by calculating the incomes of those who earn Tk 5 lakhs or 10 lakhs and those who are living below the poverty line. It's a trick meant to deceive.