General's comments
Rigan Chowdhury, Dhaka University
The other day our army chief in an informal conversation with the editor of a daily and the journalist from a radio channel reportedly told that the army would in no way grab state power. Now they are only helping the present caretaker administration to carry out the long needed reforms and would go back to the barracks after finishing the necessary tasks. His statement was lauded widely by the politicians. But when this same army chief in a seminar suggested tailoring the democracy in a way which would suit our own socio-economic conditions, it was severely criticised by these same politicians and some commentators. They did not accept it as a mere intellectual exercise which was given in a political science seminar where various views were supposed to be expressed. Now it could be pointed out that it is not the task of the army chief to propagate the lessons of democracy. But my view is, it is an undeniable fact that the army is playing a very important role and their credibility is largely enhanced because of their coming forward at this critical moment to save us from possible ruin and not to usurp state power but to transfer it to a civil administration within the constitutional framework. In the circumstances, if the army chief who has shown great maturity and prudence expresses his views and provokes us to think critically, then what's wrong in it?
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