How intact is the democratic environment?

Bangladesh has not had a democratic environment for many years. During the previous Awami League government, three elections were held without the active and spontaneous participation of the people. Moreover, many state institutions were controversial. The law enforcement agencies were controlled. There was fear everywhere when it came to freedom of expression. Since the mass uprising, Bangladesh has embarked on a journey with the determination to build a new state. State reforms are underway. Once the reforms are completed, elections will take place. But how much of a democratic environment remains intact in Bangladesh now?

Democracy is not understood merely through elections. A simple way to understand whether a society has a healthy democratic environment is by examining how much freedom there is to express opinions in that society. It can also be assessed by how tolerant the society is towards dissenting views. Moreover, how free from corruption the state's other institutions are, the level of gender equality, and how independently law enforcement agencies can work—all of these are criteria for measuring a democratic environment.

However, if we look at our society and state, we will see that there is still a lack of tolerance. A culture of accepting differing opinions has not yet developed. Dissenting views are still suppressed as they were before. Sometimes, this is done through personal power, by certain political factions, or even by law enforcement agencies.

The threat of surrounding the office of the Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB) and the presence of hundreds of law enforcement personnel to prevent any unpleasant incidents clearly show that a proper democratic environment has not yet been established in the country. Otherwise, a political office that has been active for many years would not need to be under police surveillance.

Founded in 1948 as the Communist Party of East Pakistan, which later transformed into the Communist Party of Bangladesh, has played a leading role in everything from the language movement, the 1969 people’s uprising, the Liberation War, post-war nation-building, and maintaining a democratic environment. The party has been led by self-sacrificing politicians like Nepal Nag, Mani Singh, Mohammad Farhad, and Mujahidul Islam Selim. Every political party has opinions both in favor and against it, and some of their activities are praised while others are criticized. In the current political context, there may certainly be criticism of CPB’s role. But why should their office be threatened by the incitement of individuals?

A report published on Sunday (March 16) stated that eight organizations have announced a mass procession demanding justice for murders, rapes, and oppression, and the removal of the Home Adviser. While it was mainly left-wing parties, CPB was at the forefront of the leadership. Many are criticizing that it is through CPB that the Awami League is making a comeback. The July revolutionaries demand that any party that assisted in the rise of Awami fascism must seek forgiveness from the nation before engaging in politics in Bangladesh. However, under the name of the July revolution, many individuals and groups have now launched efforts to suppress dissent. How reasonable is this? How will it help in consolidating our democratic environment? We want an environment in Bangladesh where differing opinions can be expressed freely.