Sadeq Khan
A surprise announcement addressing an "unprecedented" press briefing at the Army Officers Club by the Director of Personnel Services Directorate of the Bangladesh Army on January 19 afternoon appears to have buried media enthusiasm over possible compromise between the two major blocks of mainstream politics. The media has been speculating a lot about an interim all-party government formula replacing the abandoned caretaker government system to oversee the next general election. The first blow to the expectation of a compromise to smooth over the long-running political crisis in the country came from the lame outcome of the President's dialogue for political consensus-building over the mechanism of free and fair elections. The opposition block led by BNP had responded to the President's invitation for dialogue, and placed their demand for restoration of the caretaker system for the next general election.
The media quoted a section of the ruling coalition suggesting that a possible alternative similar to the abandoned caretaker system was being mulled over by the policy-makers of the government with a nod of assent from the prime minister. The President's recommendation for a search committee for the new Election Commission, after the much-trumpeted dialogue with all political parties without any mention whatsoever about the issues raised by the Opposition, brought out a chorus of complaints about the trickery and hypocrisy of feigned government moves. The main opposition party BNP rejected the move, but the government went ahead with EC "search" by appointing a body of constitutional office-holders for the purpose. The ruling party has also increased pressure unnerving litigations on the leader of the opposition in parliament, allegedly by "prompting" the Anti-Corruption Commission to submit to court a charge sheet against Begum Zia and her two sons, amongst others, for criminal breach of Trust Act, in their capacity as Trustees of the Zia Orphanage Trust. The Prime Minister herself was venomous in a public speech declaring that she would not show any indulgence to the Leader of the Opposition by sparing her the rod of criminal justice. Rhetoric on both sides were thus hotting up. But the date set for a showdown by Begum Khaleda Zia, now leader of an expanded sixteen party opposition alliance and riding the wave of popular outbursts of anti-government grievances, was for an "occupy Dhaka" rally for regime change on March 12, some seven weeks away. The media got the impression that behind the scene bargains were in progress to reach a political settlement within that time-limit.
Bolt from the blue
That impression was shattered by a military press briefing that came like a bolt from the blue. Dramatically wagging his fingers at the reporters, the army spokesman, a Brigadier, claimed that "whole-hearted efforts of army soldiers" had frustrated the attempt by those in active service to seize power. "A band of fanatic officers had been trying to oust the politically established government. Their attempt has been foiled."
Not much was given out about the details of the plot, other than to say that as many as 16 hard-line Islamist mid-level officers were involved, including two retired military personnel, a junior officer rabble-rousing in social networks on the web was absconding after being ordered to report to the Army Log Area, and at least two officers were detained while others remained under surveillance. A court of inquiry was said to have been convened Dec. 28.
Sitting next to the spokesman was the acting judge advocate general of the army, a Lt. Colonel. Also present at the briefing was the Army's Chief of General Staff, a Lt. General who is reportedly in the shortlist of senior most Army officers under consideration for appointment as the next army chief. The army spokesman, in his written statement explaining the suspected purpose of the "attempted" coup, openly admitted significant "Islamist" penetration in the Bangladesh Army. Such Islamist/extremist penetration was for many years being alleged by the Indian security establishment, orchestrated by RAW propaganda in the Indian media, and always denied by the Bangladesh Army. Now the written statement said, "Recently at the instigation of some non-resident Bangladeshis some retired and serving army officers with fanatical religious views and capitalizing on others' fanaticism led a failed attempt through their ill motivated activities to thwart the democratic system of Bangladesh by creating disorder in the army."
Foreign media
The news of the "failed coup" obtained worldwide coverage in international radio and television news, including particular reference to the "Islamist" inspiration behind the plot of the coup. But the international press, with the exception of the Indian newspapers, found the materials presented in the army briefing inadequate for the incident's definition as a serious coup attempt. For instance the Los Angeles Times, quoting various analysts in Dhaka and in Delhi, reported that it wasn't immediately clear why news of the coup was delayed, when it was foiled, or exactly who was involved. Sources close to the military put the number of those arrested at between four and six, including a Bangladeshi who had lived abroad, with several others being watched carefully. Critics of the government say this is an attempt by the government to make a plan against its critics in the military, that it's a government-made plot. It's difficult to know the exact situation now. Shortly after (Sheikh Hasina) Wajed assumed power, paramilitary forces staged a revolt that left more than 70 people dead, including 51 army officers, before it was crushed. Since then, some of the young military officers were not happy about the handling by the current regime. There are potential seeds of dissent. Rumours have been circulating for about three weeks of some sort of problem within the military. Wajed''s popularity has also taken a hit as economic growth has slowed, even as inflation remains high. Politics in the country also remain deeply divided. If the military can't handle it properly, it may turn more difficult in coming days.
The Telegraph of Kolkata, India, on the other hand, reported as follows: Tip-offs from Indian intelligence helped foil the coup plot in Bangladesh, sources in Dhaka said today as police arrested five members of banned Islamic group Hizb-ut-Tahrir, accused of supporting the army conspirators. Officials in Delhi refused to confirm the claim. India had been keenly watching the developments in Bangladesh, especially because of indications that Sheikh Hasina's government could be on a sticky wicket in the end-2013 general election. It was a raft of anti-government posts on social networking sites put up by the alleged coup mastermind, Major Syed Mohammad Ziaul Huq, which apparently alerted Indian intelligence.
Delhi is bound to go on high alert if the web buzzes with the dissent of army officers in a neighbouring state. It is in India's interests that Hasina stays in power. Delhi reacted quickly and Dhaka was even quicker. Although news of the plot, hatched by mid-level retired and serving army officers, became public only yesterday, several key plotters had been nabbed by mid-December. Ziaul was detained but fled, apparently after two days, and posted his account of his interrogation and "torture" on Facebook and other sites, exhorting fellow officers to help oust the government. In an email sent to people known to him, Ziaul has claimed that intelligence officials abducted him from Savar and "took me to an unknown place where foreign intelligence officials were present". The Hizb-ut-Tahrir was meanwhile distributing leaflets on the "Tale of Maj. Ziaul Huq" that said: "Patriotic army officers, the incumbent government has killed your colleagues." (On 20 January) the police's elite Rapid Action Battalion arrested five Tahrir members from Dhaka. Sources close to Hasina said the Awami League leader, who has survived two attempts on her life, was calm when she was briefed about the plot.
The Washington Post quoted AP report from Dhaka to comment that it's not clear why the alleged coup participants are being described as religious fanatics. Hasina banned Islamic militant groups after taking office in 2009 and has warned in recent speeches that such groups are "conspiring against her elected government." Vernacular media in Kolkata, India on the other hand, claimed that Jamat-e-Islami and BNP were together behind the coup plot, masterminded by Tareq Zia (son of the Leader of the Opposition, living in exile in London). The Prime Minister of India, Dr. Manmohan Singh reportedly sent a message of assurance to Sheikh Hasina, prime minister of Bangladesh, that India will be by her side and ready to offer "all sorts of help" (including military intervention?) if there was any "undemocratic attempt" to remove her from power.
Propaganda barrage
Indeed, leading voices from the ruling party, including the prime minister, had seized on the news of attempted military coup to start a propaganda barrage implicating the Leader of the Opposition and Jamat leaders in alleged coup conspiracy. After the initial shock of the army statement about the alleged coup attempt, the BNP and the Jamat-e-Islami had only reiterated that they do not support any unconstitutional method of regime change, and that they strongly stand by steps to maintain military discipline. But in an official reaction given on January 22, a BNP statement was read out with rebuttals as follows:
"The present government has been trying to fish in troubled waters by using a sensitive incident. As part of an ill attempt to make the armed forces controversial, they have directed a pointing of the finger at the opposition while describing the incident.
We notice with sorrow that in a description of the incident at Thursday's (January 19) press conference, some comments were made which could be seen as at an attempt to add a political colour to the incident. Despite the clear explanation given by the BNP, a fresh attempt to misinterpret a part of Begum Khaleda Zia's speech at a Chittagong rally on December 9 has saddened us. Some comments uttered in the same breath are consistent with the ruling party's political propaganda. As a responsible political party, the BNP wished to refrain from making any comment on a sensitive incident under investigation. But, unfortunately, it became necessary to respond to the untrue, confusing, irresponsible, provocative and aggressive unilateral comments made by the prime minister herself, the ministers, ruling party men and Indian media against the BNP.
Peelkhana tragedy
The incident of the killing of 57 smart and meritorious army officers in the Peelkhana tragedy during the tenure of this government remains a scar on our memory. The BNP has the glorious history of being the architect of establishing multiparty democracy on the ashes of one-party Baksalite autocracy. The BNP struggled uncompromisingly against military autocracy and re-established parliamentary democracy. As the biggest patriotic democratic political institution, the BNP always believes in constitutional politics.
"Questions have been raised among citizens and in the international community about the trustworthiness of the publicity as the propaganda has been based on incomplete information about an incident which is under investigation. We call for an unearthing of the whole truth behind the incident through proper investigation and letting the people know the truth. We urge the government to refrain from its tendency to use the national armed forces, which symbolizes national aspirations, for mean political ends.
"We make a fervent call —-no disunity and division, unity and disciple are the demand of the hour. A blame game will not bring any success for any of us."
But the blame game is continuing in full swing, with the government leaders feverishly equating with the alleged coup the "ultimatum" pronounced by BNP leaders in various public meetings demanding the government to quit power.
A military voice was also thereafter added to the media hype over the alleged coup plot. In a seminar on January 23 organised by one Centre for Security and Development, little known hitherto, and covered exclusively by ATN Bangla TV news, Lt. General Md. Mainul Islam, Chief of General Staff of the Army himself talked on "National Security strategy for Bangladesh." It was lead news in some newspapers the next day. Incidentally, ahead of the army press briefing on January 19, a scoop news was published by Kaler Kantho, a morning daily containing all the essential revelations as given in the army statement. In the seminar, referring to the latest developments in the army, Lt Gen Mainul said that some religious bigots had tried to indoctrinate the pious officers in a planned manner. They were so clever that they had targeted the deeply religious officers as a way of carrying out their coup plot. He cautioned that these kinds of schemes must not be allowed to succeed.
Some sceptics wondered: were the "premature" army press briefing about alleged coup plot, which presumably could have been quietly dealt with and investigated, and the "motivational" campaign for the civil population that has followed, actually prompted by compulsion to keep the public informed or by a jockeying for credit and promotion in the high ranks of the army itself?