The Day Democracy Won
On December 6, 1990, military dictator Hussain Muhammad Ershad stepped down in the face of a mass upsurge and handed power over to a caretaker government ending his nine years of autocratic rule which began through grabbing power in a coup on March 24, 1982. It was a watershed moment in Bangladesh's history that brought together staunch political rivals, students who played an instrumental role in the anti-autocracy movement, civil society—basically people from all walks of life to stand united against an undemocratic, military rule. Here we reprint two editorials published on December 6 and December 7 in the Bangladesh Times and images of the front pages of the two main English dailies that announced the victory of democracy and the people.
Call For Calm
With the victory of the people in their heroic struggle against an autocratic regime, the first task of reorganising a caretaker government in preparation for holding free and fair elections to parliament is under way. In actual fact, the process of fulfilment of the aspirations of the people, for which a mass upsurge convulsed the nation, will begin after the true representatives of people will constitute a sovereign parliament in about three months from now.
There is an urgent need now to expedite and facilitate efforts for restoration of democracy in order that socio-politico-economic objectives are realised in the best democratic tradition in accordance with the wishes of the people.
This is a critical time for the nation. The journey to the actual restoration of democratic order is going to be an arduous one. Peace and discipline at all levels of society—government, economy, education, business, commerce, transportation, agriculture, social work and so on—are an indispensable condition for ensuring a smooth passage to that goal.
The transition from today's distorted democratic setup to a sound system must needs be orderly and peaceful. In recognition of this fact the political alliances and leaders have made strong pleas for maintaining calm, patience, and restraint in the society. The Acting President Mr Justice Shahabuddin Ahmed emphasised that an atmosphere of peace and discipline in the society and realisation of the ideals for which the people did not reckon any danger great would be easy of achievement.
The creation of the right environment for restoration of democracy dictates the firm establishment of the rule of law and the supremacy of law must be clearly perceived and respected. Anybody taking the law into his own hands will do it at his peril. That any obstruction in the free operation of law will be prejudicial to the interest of the nation in these difficult times must be understood by all.
Every man and woman should mount vigil against any manner of violence provoked by a spirit of revenge, jealousy, animosity, selfish interest or any differences.
The arduous task will, however, not be over as soon as elections will be held. That will only be the beginning of a major national undertaking.
In a proper democratic environment, the nation can march forward towards attaining economic goals and there are formidable economic challenges facing the nation. The economy must be rescued from its present stagnant condition, investments need to be increased, new jobs created and population growth rate curbed.
These are difficult tasks indeed, but the country has vast potential which can be harnessed to promoting people's well-being. The important point is that these resources can be best utilised for the development of the nation under a democratic order. The national effort now has to be directed towards hastening the process of restoration of democracy.
(This editorial was originally published in The Bangladesh Times on December 7, 1990)
Majesty of the masses
Once in a long while there comes a time in the life of a nation when it faces its appointment with destiny. That is a time history chooses to test whether a nation has acquired the ability during the period of its existence to ascend to a higher plateau to begin a journey towards greater freedom, peace and progress.
The nation has come upon such a time. People's power has triumphed. The regime of President Ershad has collapsed before the majesty of the masses and it ends as soon as the formalities for transition to a caretaker government are completed.
The final phase of the mass upsurge began on October 10 when the mainstream political parties ringed the Bangladesh Secretariat in Dhaka at a sit-in demonstration to back the demand for resignation of the government and fresh elections under a neutral interim government. This led up to events that stirred public feelings to new heights and in an amazing display of a chain reaction of people's total support to the movement for fundamental rights, political freedom, and economic emancipation, members of all professional groups and people from all walks of life were united to wage a heroic struggle. The All Party Students Unity (APSU) played a unique role in mobilizing the whole nation to topple an autocratic regime.
Since then the days had been eventful and turbulent—electrifying to the movement and traumatic to the people. The period was marked not only by a new dynamism in the movement but also by the promulgation of emergency regulations, suspension of fundamental rights and imposition of press censorship. The people braved all dangers, defied all challenges. Many gave their lives when demonstrations were fired upon in many places of Dhaka and across the country. They went through the agony of detention, harassment and humiliation on account of curfew that continued for long hours through days. The state machinery and economic life of the nation were paralysed and, as rarely happens, the country went without newspapers for more than a week.
The success of the movement heralds a new era of enormous opportunities dictating to the leaders the imperative of strengthening unity that has brought them to a new horizon of national life. The need of the hour is an unexceptionable sense of realism which demands the upholding of the principle of consensus that has contributed to their reaching the present glorious stage.
The nation is faced with a formidable challenge which has already put its political wisdom, steadfastness of its will and sincerity of purpose to a test of utmost rigour. It is indeed a very hard time. And no matter how hard the ordeal is, we must overcome it. There lies our survival and our unhindered journey towards the goal of attaining an ever-increasing measure of success in our efforts for development in various fields—human rights, democratic ideals, individual liberty, economy and so on.
We must overcome the challenge because there are no options other than victory in this battle for a fuller fulfilment of the aspirations of the people. We must pass this test for graduation so that we may guarantee a brighter future for the posterity. This is the time to face the challenge with the highest degree of calm, patience, pragmatism and, above all, foresight.
(This editorial was originally published in The Bangladesh Times on December 6, 1990)
Comments