Democracy has always been a delicate plant in Bangladesh, seldom growing steadily.[1]Since the birth of Bangladesh, democracy has been facing a bunch of setbacks in the path of its institutionalization. The working of parliamentary democracy in Bangladesh naturally is not only unhealthy but positively it runs counter to the very spirit it stands for.[2] Bangladesh is facing the problems of parliamentary democracy partly for colonial legacy and mainly because of authoritarian past.[3] Even democracy as a form of governance has not been given a fair deal from political leaders and parties. All political leaders or parties, civil or military, popular or unpopular, big or small, in or out of power talk about democracy incessantly, but they never practice democracy within their own individual life as well as parties’ proceedings. It is irony that democrats after assuming power, turned out to be autocrats. Taking advantage of these situation military leaders grabbed power in the name of saving the country and practices their own version of democracy which only exacerbated the crisis. That’s why in spite of having lapsed thirty eight years since after independence, the nation has severely failed to put democracy into practice and consequently democracy still continues to be the dream and golden deer for the people of Bangladesh.
As mentioned earlier, democracy has been facing many problems in Bangladesh which should be spelt out in details from the socio-politico-economic perspectives of the country. But for better understanding, I would like to confine myself to highlighting major problems for which parliamentary democracy has yet to take deep roots in Bangladesh.
[1] Huntington, S.P., “Democracy for the Long Haul” Journal of Democracy, Vol.7, April, 1996, p. 6
[2] Ahamed, Emajuddin, Political Essays on National and International Issues, UPL, 2003,p.25
[3] Haider, Zaglul, “Parliamentary Democracy in Bangladesh: From Crisis to Crisis” Journal of Asiatic Society of Bangladesh, Vol. 42, No.1 June, 1997, p. 72
As mentioned earlier, democracy has been facing many problems in Bangladesh which should be spelt out in details from the socio-politico-economic perspectives of the country. But for better understanding, I would like to confine myself to highlighting major problems for which parliamentary democracy has yet to take deep roots in Bangladesh.
[1] Huntington, S.P., “Democracy for the Long Haul” Journal of Democracy, Vol.7, April, 1996, p. 6
[2] Ahamed, Emajuddin, Political Essays on National and International Issues, UPL, 2003,p.25
[3] Haider, Zaglul, “Parliamentary Democracy in Bangladesh: From Crisis to Crisis” Journal of Asiatic Society of Bangladesh, Vol. 42, No.1 June, 1997, p. 72