Bangladesh - kind acts in an often unkind world

When there is talk of a UN Mission to somewhere hostile, there is often a debate in Europe about carrying our fair share of the burden. Often, that consists of rather hoping that someone else will do it. And yet, Bangladesh has a well-earned reputation for punching above its weight in terms of peacekeeping.

Indeed, Bangladeshi troops have been active in;

• the Western Sahara (MINURSO)
• the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUC)
• Liberia (UNMIL)
• the Ivory Coast (UNOCI)
• Sudan (UNMIS)
• Darfur (UNAMID)
• the Central African Republic and Chad (MINURCAT)
• East Timor (UNMIT)

In addition, there are Bangladeshi police personnel in;

• Haiti (MINUSTAH)

By any standards, that isn't bad. And perhaps, when the British public complain about sending troops to Afghanistan and elsewhere, they might like to contrast the resources we dedicate to keeping them safe, well-fed and well-armed, with those available to Bangladeshi troops in some of the grimmer corners of the so-called 'Dark Continent'...

Bangladesh - when two tribes go to war...

Bangladeshi politics is dominated by two political parties, the Awami League and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party. Such a two-party system is, in itself, not unusual. However, the divide between the two parties is based on the relationship between two men, both of them dead, and is the cause of genuine and sustained hostility, up to and including violence and murder.

The Awami League is the older of the two, founded in 1949 and, amongst its key players was Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, a persistent thorn in the side of the Pakistani government, and a passionate believer in greater autonomy for the Bengali community who made up most of the population of what was then East Pakistan. He spent most of the following years in prison, gaining a reputation as an inspiration for the freedom movement.

After the 1971 war, when Indian forces supported an uprising of Bengali troops, Bangladesh became an independent state, and he was named as its first Prime Minister, going on to become the country's President in 1975. And that is where the second man, General Ziaur Rahman, enters the story.

In August 1975, a successful military coup took place, led by General Zia, during which Sheikh Mujibur, his wife, three sons and other family members, were murdered in his home. The ensuing military dictatorship lasted for four years before elections were finally held.

In that election, a new political party, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, designed to be a platform for General Zia, made its electoral debut. Politics could not have been more personal, with one party mourning the loss of its leader, competing against a party led by his effective assassin. But fate had another twist in store for Bangladesh.

In 1981, in an abortive military coup, General Zia was assassinated and Bangladeshi politics entered a new phase, with two political parties, led by the widows of their founders, opposing a military-led government, distrustful of each other. And, astonishingly, following the resumption of democracy, the two women, Sheikh Hasina and Begum Khaleda, still lead their respective parties to this day.

As a result, the emnity between the two parties is as strong as ever, with the older members of the leadership couching everything in terms of 1975 and 1981, whilst a younger  generation strive to move the debate on. When power changes hands, bridges, airports and other public facilities are renamed to suit the history of the new ruling party and snub the outgoing one. It might be said that the people of Bangladesh have other priorities...

'Liberal Bureaucracy' launches 'Bangladesh Week'

To mark the return of a delegation from the UK Branch of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, I thought that it might be nice to post a few pieces linked to their destination, Bangladesh.

Over the next week, I'll be exploring micro-finance, Bangladeshi politics and the history of the nation, amongst other things... but let's start with a few facts.

With thanks to Lonely Planet, from whence this map is reproduced, you can get an idea as to the political issues. Almost surrounded by India, the country is criss-crossed by major rivers, and prone to flooding.

Bangladesh declared its independence from Pakistan in 1971, and a short but bloody war ensued, with India siding with the Bangladeshis (indeed, a member of my family saw action as an officer in the Indian Air Force). However, it developed a reputation for poverty and misfortune, with a fast-growing population.

Today, Bangladesh is the seventh most populous nation on Earth, estimated as having 167 million citizens, and is one of the most densely populated countries too. And despite that density, and the fact that 40 million live on less than 50 cents (U.S.) per day, it has an economy that is growing fast, 5% per annum on average since 1990, according to the World Bank.

The population is 87% Sunni Muslim, and 9% Hindu, with a small Shia Muslim minority, a few Buddhists, the odd Roman Catholic or two and a few animists. As for language, the official, and most widely used language is Bengali.

So join me over the coming week, it will be informative, and won't hurt at all...