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Hasina's Stewardship—A Mixed Bag

by Farid Hossain
WHEN the Awami Lea gue opens its 2-day council session on Sa turday delegatee are expected to greet Sheikh Hasina with bouquet and protest
Thirst at the helm of the Awami League to avoid a rift 1 1 years ago Hasina faces no real challenge to her leadership of the 43 year old party, once led by her Illustrious father slain president Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
But her stewardship, marked by achievements and failures, is no more as undls putable as it was in 1981 when she was elected president of the largest opposition party at a crucial council at Dhaka's Eden Hotel premises.
To her supporters Haalna is the only leader who can keep the fractious party united and bring It back to power Yet she failed to make the party victo nous tn the two parliamentary elections she participated in 1986 and 1979
SOIL her supporters would give her credit for rejuvenating the party into a strong opposition group, which has in creased its parliamentary strength remarkably durtpg the last elcctlsns. The posw 1975 Awami League had won only 39 seats in the 33O-mem-ber parliament, that number raised to 76 tn 1986 and to 93 tn 1991.
Hasinas critics inside the party and outside would not like to call the party's perfor mance in the last elections a success story. They argue that the party squandered a golden opportunity of returning to power after 16 years in the opposition mainly because of what they call unpredictable and unstable leadership of Hasina
Hasina s own defeat in two of the three constituencies she contested during Feb. 27 elections is often cited against her by the critics. However. Hasina and her supporters blame the defeat on unidentified conspirators who once again prevented her party from return ing to power. Her supporters pride in the fact that Bangabandhu's daughter has presided over an 'election
victory" by securing 31 89 per. cenl of votes, more than the ruling BNP has got.
Kasina's supporters would like to add another feather to her crown the countiy's return to parliamentary form of government ending 16 years of presidential system. They say. Prime Minister tiegum Khak-da Zia would not have switched over to parliamentary system had there been no strong pressure from Hasina and her
Political observers watching Hasina closely, however, agree Hasina has not been able to manage her own house -- the Awami League — as neatly aa expected In creating her own ■ Image as Awami League chief she has distanced herself from a number of party stalwarts who include Dr. Kamal Hossain. Abdul Mannan. Begum Zohra Tajuddln and Abdul Momen Dr Kamal tn particular has turned into an Awami League leader not really belonging to the party. That perhaps prompted him to float his organisation — Democratic Forum * ty ry la: can be on his
According to observer* llaslna finds it difficult to fully trust the so called stalwarts mainly because of their failure to protest the tragic assassina tion of her father, mother, brothers and other relatives. Hasina has simply ignored the senior leaders instead of driving them out from the party, a situation that has melted away much of the party's dynamism.
On the other hand Hasina rallied behind her young Awami League leaders like Amir Hossain Amu, Mohammad Nasim and Abdul Jalil. But some of the young leaders are still controversial and they lack the clout to keep the rank and file united.
Hasina's lack of trust In many of the senior and otherwise proven Awami League leaders has always plagued her choice of an efficient General Secretary of the party. After the departure of Abdur Razzak (who has now returned io the
Awami League) the office of the General Secretary virtually re-rsialned vacant though Hasina Allied the post with Begum Sajeda Chowdhury as a compromise move The aspirants for the office six years ago when the last Awnml league council was held arc still com peilng In the same spirit. The qiucstton now Is Will Hasina pick Tofacl Ahmed or Amu Akbdur Itizzak or someone < In 7 Or will she simply continuc with Sajeda Chowdhury 7
Factionalism is one phenomenon which Is common to aJmosl all political parties In Bangladesh. Hasina cannot Jusl wish It away. But her sympa tHlsers believe that Hasina. being the daughter of (bangabandhu, was the best person to ease the problem If not eliminate it.
Many have praised Hasina for being firm against Mostafa Mohsin Mantu who is said to be leading a faction of Baingladcsh Chhatra League responsible for gunning down ri-vtil BCL activist Manirul Islam tbadal But the expulsion of Mantu unfortunately was not Unanimously accepted by the . pauly s leadership, with Begum • Tatjuddin and her supporters openly siding with the renegade Jubo Ixaguc leader.
Hasina is an Awami league k-adcr today because of assas-sLnalion of her father In the 1975 coup. She is leading a party which was founded by Mlaulana Bhasani In 1949 and subsequently steered by her fa-ti*er Sheikh Mujtb. Launched as a party of middle class and krwer middle class people to fight the then ruling rightwing Muslim League and protect the interests of Bangalees in erstwhile East Pakistan, the Awami League has always been a centrist organisation except for the post independence daiys. The Awami League, es-sentlally a petty bourgeoisc parjy, turned to the left after Bangladesh's independence when Bangabandhu adopted so-cialism as one of its main principles.
Being one of the most struggling political party and
having the glorious pas I of leading the country's independence war the Awami League has ruled Bangladesh only for three and a half years Tragedy struck the party amid allega tions that Bangabandhu. found Ing father of the state, failed to live up to people's expectations In running the administration first as prime minister and then as president of the country Moreover, his Intro-ducllon of one parly rule in the form of BKSAL was widely >l< nounecd as an authoritarian nx»vc.
With BKSAL gone and the Awami Ix-aguc revived 1n talc 1970s the party was still struggling to reorganise Itself and flghl for survival until Hasina look the reins. But Its mm iallst Ijngc lingered with emphasis on public sector until recently when the Awami League opted for competitive free market economy. The latest move Is designed to make the party acceptable to the business community which , still harbours a fear about the Awami League. Analysts believe redirecting the party towards promoting the private sector ts one of the best moves Hasina . has taken In her I 1 -year leadership. - J *
The Ittldfr 'cronohiic manifesto is expected to be cn-dorvd by delegates in next week's council which will also amend I he parly's constitution and rewrite some political strategics. A pressure Hasina ts expected to face from a strong lobby is to further democratise the organisation, may be introduction of the system of secret ballots to elect the leadership at all levels, especially the central working committees.
But the main focus will be on how the organisational strength of the party can be beefed up to reinstall it to power through popular votes, if no more council session is held by 1996 when the next parliamentary elections arc due, the forthcoming council should lay the political and socio-economic programmes that may transform the party from the largest opposition group to the ruling party.