When polls-time comes, senior politicians like Badruddoza Chowdhury become active and prior to the 11th National Parliamentary Elections, about a dozen alliances became active.
But in the last few months, many have disappeared except Jatiya Oikya Front and Bam Ganatantrik Jote. There is also a sense of apathy among politicians.
Many have said that there is an intimidating situation in the country and so, they have decided to remain inactive. In Jatiya Party (JaPa), several leaders close to HM Ershad are inactive and analysts attribute this to a sinister environment in politics and an impact of the administration.
There is a sense of dictatorship in the political parties which results in an adverse impact. Workers, activists are becoming disgruntled, losing interest in politics. Analysts feel that the situation may exacerbate in the future.
Sources say that there is unrest as well as divisions within BNP, Gano Forum, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD), Kalyan Party, and Liberal Democratic Party (LDP).
BNP leaders Mahbubur Rahman and M Morshed Khan have left the party.
A presidium member of JaPa has said that they are not certain about the state running policy at the moment.
“We feel much of it is controlled by an invisible force.”
JSD General Secretary Abdul Malek Ratan added: “Democracy won’t come if power goes from one party to another.”
Dr Zafrullah observes: “There is a political malaise within the country. The PM is providing one magic after another and the people are hypnotized; but once the masses come out of a daze, the real truth will emerge.”
Professor Badiul Alam feels there’s no politics in the country and since the parties are facing problems arising from a clash of interest, there is a division within them.
Secretary for SUJON, a good governance platform, says: “We now have a profit-based political system; everyone claims if they are in power then they can improve their economic conditions.”
The situation will deteriorate further, says Badiul Alam.
Chief coordinator of Gano Songhoti Andolon, Zonayed Saki feels that the country is under authoritarian rule and political institutions are under constant surveillance.
“The government is controlling the people through fear, which will soon dissipate. We will hit the roads and have asked the BNP but they cannot come since they have many political weaknesses.”
There is a culture of enforced disappearances, he added.
Commenting on the matter, BNP standing committee member Dr Khondokar Mosharraf Hossain observed: “Now everything is unnatural but we are trying to maintain some form of stability.”