By Mursi Saad El-Din Today Bangladesh is celebrating the 33rd anniversary of its liberation, indeed of its birth. I have a soft spot for this country, and this for some reasons. It is one of the few Islamic countries which can claim a really democratic governance. It is the only Muslim county, as far as I can tell, with a woman as Prime Minister. It has proved that democracy is no stranger to Islam. Indeed the basics of democracy are embedded in Islam. Another reason for my rather emotional link with Bangladesh is that I watched its very birth in 1971, when its people won their struggle for independence. Being at the time deputy secretary general of the Afro Asian Peoples' Solidarity organization (AAPSO), I followed closely the liberation movements in both Africa and Asia. Furthermore I had quite a number of Pakistani friends who were diplomats but adopted the newly-born Bangladesh as their motherland. And through them I was able to follow the political, social and economic development of the country. Like most, if not all newly independent countries, Bangladesh had its ups and downs and its growing pains, as it were. It went through one-party system, military state and finally to settle down to a democratic system. But that final gain had its price, the highest being the assassination of President Ziaur Rahman in 1981, who is regarded as a champion for democracy. During his rule from 1975 until his death, he introduced multi-party system, freedom of speech, freedom of press and other fundamental rights. I do not intend to give details of the events that have taken place during the 33 years of the young state. Now Bangladesh is ruled by the Government of the BNP with Begum Khaled Zia as Prime Minister. It is interesting that the opposition Awami League is also headed by a woman Sheikha Hasina. This goes to show the falsity of claims that Islam denigrates women. Bangladesh is now recognised as a moderate, non- communal democratic state with a Muslim majority. It has been cited as a role model of religious harmony. It has as President an intellectual, Dr Iajuddin Ahmed. on the occasion of the 33rd anniversary the Presidency, the Prime Minister and the opposition leader issued messages calling for national unity to make a peaceful and prosperous country. What has impressed me most about Bangladesh is the degree of freedom of the press the country enjoys, which is an essential basis of democracy. Going through the Bangladesh paper the Daily Star I cam across a feature on the occasion of the anniversary. It is written by Dr Qazi Kholiquzzaman Ahmed, President of the Bangladesh Economic Association and in which, while underlining the achievements of the country, he is critical of certain failings. "It is necessary", he writes "that we search our souls and analyse our actions. Where do we sand with reference to fulfilling the promise into which Bangladesh was born." The promise, he goes on to say, "consisted, among other elements, of the establishment of participatory democracy, creating social and economic equity, the building of a nation that stands tall in the comity of nations." There is no doubt, he maintains that there have been some significant achievements, "an increasing agricultural production, reduced population growth rate, reduced infant mortality and increased literacy, as well as improvement in the status of women." But, and one knows what the word entails, he goes on to mention what he describes as "social tensions and violence" and then he goes on to discuss what he terms "neo-liberal politics and economics, on the basis of which the affairs of the state of Bangladesh are run." This is, I am sure, not a subject for us to discuss on this anniversary
