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Originally Posted by mufi_02
In answer to this and Shubho bhai's inquiry, do you guys really think it's that easy to create a new political party and generate enough mass appeal. Most of the intellectuals are people from academia. But to succeed in politics, especially in a violent immature country like ours, you need to be something more.
There were obviously more intellectual people than Sheikh Mujib but it was him who transformed an entire nation and whose call people took arms. Because he had all required of a great leader. Bottom line, intellectuals doesn't always become good political leaders. Even if they do, they can't bring change. Abul Maal Muhith got his degrees from Oxford and Harvard and he is still corrupt. Dr. Tawfiq Elahi taught at Yale Univ and yet took bribes as energy minister.
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You are absolutely right in that one needs solid grassroots support to launch a party with popular appeal. Intellectuals aren't enough, particularly in the current environment.
That said, I think people like Mohammad Yunus missed a trick in the run-up to the 2008 general election. With the army and technocrats in power, the two netris in jail or under house arrest and legal actions against leading politicians pending, these "intellectuals" (or eminent persons) could have united to create a new platform, generated significant publicity and garnered a lot of support without fear of persecution by the goons of the AL, BNP, Jamaat, etc. It was the perfect opportunity and these guys blew it.
In particular, I am mad that Yunus couldn't mobilize his core "constituency", i.e. Grameen Bank borrowers, mostly women, across the country. Why was he busy contemplating the launch of a political party from his house through lofty pronouncements via email? How did he expect to receive popular support in that manner?
Whatever movement is launched now will take years to generate sufficient momentum to challenge Jamaat or JaPa, let alone AL or BNP. Said movement would lack the "muscle" to out-muscle the thugs of established parties.
Looks like we are stuck with AL/BNP for the foreseeable future, which is a damn shame.