Phiriye Ano Bangladesh is a non-partisan group, and so members cannot be explicitly for or against any particular party. Having said, that, however, it seems to me that Dr. Yunus' talk of a new party has already produced some very good results, and will hopefully produce even more. Let's look at some of these.
Firstly, everyone is fed up with the current parties and their personality cults. No one cares any longer who is pro-Mujib or pro-Zia, but that is all Bangladesh politics has been about. During the last BNP government, the following graffiti turned up all over the place: Ziaur Rahman is our philosophy, Khaleda Zia is our leader, Tarek Rahman is our ultimate destiny. It perfectly summed up the sorry state of our useless political parties, who have no real philosophy, no real leadership and no plan for the country's future. So naturally, the public expects nothing good to come from them. In this vacuum, any change is good. Yunus coming into politics is potentially a big change.
Secondly, we need real competition in the political scene. It's not a coincidence that Awami League dropped its awful pro-fatwa pact with the Khelafat Majlis as soon as Yunus turned up. Suddenly, AL is worried that they can no longer take their vote base of progressive-minded people for granted. They are actually responding to the wishes of their grassroots supporters rather than the political cattle-trading of Jalil and Hasina. Imagine that.
Thirdly, we should consider the religious element, which is strong in Bangladesh regardless of how we feel about it. Even though Yunus has not announced any political agenda, look at what Grameen Bank, the institution he has built, represents; a secular institution, actively non-Islamic in its reliance on interest, which is nonetheless accomplishing the work of improving the human condition that everyone always claims is the goal of Islam. We need someone to stand up and say that conventional Islamic concepts such as interest-free banking and Sharia law are not important, and be able to show more working examples of how the relevant religious principles of uplifting the poor can be upheld in a secular framework.Yunus is the only political figure in Bangladesh capable of subverting the Islamist paradigm in this way, and we badly need someone to do that.
Unfortunately, he has already made a mis-step by proposing that his party's local committees be called Yunus Samarthak Goshthi, which just seems to be creating another personality cult around himself. The reliance on his own personality is intensified by his lack of a personal ideological stance on religion or otherwise. He should resolve both of these shortcomings quickly if he wants to continue to build public support.
Footnote: For more information on Grameen Bank as the ideal "Islamic bank", please read the article debunking Islamic economics at my web site.
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7 comments:
Sadly Dr. Yunus, in spite of his courage, convictions and good intentions, is probably politically doomed. How is it going to be possible for him to set up Thana, Union and Ward level committees in, say, 300 constituencies? I wish him the best but I don't see this party getting anywhere. AL, BNP, Jaamat and JP already has this structure.
There is also the problem of field level workers. People joining Yunus' party won't be political novices. They'd probably be dissidents from the other established parties. I don't see how things will be any different.
it is indeed heading Kamal Hossain's gono forum way. Perhaps this message needs to be sent to him somehow?
That’s just what we need --- another genuflecting “shomorthok gushti.” Another gaff by Yunus! Soon our libraries will be adorned by “Yunus-isms,” placed next to, “Bush-isms.”
Clearly, Yunus is being advised very badly. Of course, he can always get better advice. However, my real fear is that he thinks that he doesn’t need any.
I have e-mailed this posting to Dr. Yunus' e-mail address as given on his open letter to the public. Also sent it in as a letter to the editor of Daily Star.
Miran, there's still the possibility that all those thousands of BNP/AL workers will be locked up during the election. In that case, Yunus has as much a chance as anyone.
An aweful step by Dr. Yunus. He might have just gotten ahead of himself and gotten a little too big for his own ego.
This is about the worst time and place to launch a "[Place my name here]Somorthok Gushti".
He, in IMHO, is going down a path he will learn to regret.
People: don't you think it’s about time we had had a break from these moronic fools & bloody political thieves better know as AL & BNP. I understand Dr. Yunu's announcement was a bit premature not well planned, but aren't you forgetting that he is the master of making things happen. His Grameen Bank is the living example. What bigger honor can there be for a country. He had a modest start (lending Tk. 856 from his pocket) & helped millions of poor people of the country to come out of the vicious cycle of poverty. Which bloody political party has done so far??? None 0. Guys its About time see some change, and I can't think any better agent of change than Dr. Yunus. So say we all.
The other organizational structure & everything will fall into its own place & position if you are clean at heart. The intention to do something better for the country from the heart will drive everything positively. Nothing is bloody impossible.
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