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Originally Posted by Jadukor
I think the people who are committed to a particular party in the context of BD politics have been the ones abandoning their intellectual honesty and not the people who are sitting on the fence.
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Sorry but simply cannot share your sweeping cynicism or make sense of the idea that sitting on the fence is somehow superior to being proactive from within. There are plenty of people in organized politics who at great risk to themselves and their families, often from godfathers/thugs/goons within their own political parties, compromise neither their principles nor their intellectual honesty for the sake of money and power obtained at the expense of national interest and the law.
Sitting on the fence is a luxury because it changes nothing. Positive political changes do not occur by osmosis, and I'm sure you know that. Fundamentally positive political change is a long and arduous process from within fueled, driven and inspired by popular upsurge. The dynamic processes involved in generating the sort of mass awareness necessary create that kind of popular upsurge even more so. In fact, it is long and arduous enough be thought of as rare in our country. That has been my direct experience ever since I moved back to Bangladesh for good.
I am a nationalist totally committed to AL because of its ideals and unrivaled role in the creation of Bangladesh from the day Suhrawardy, Bhasani, Shamsul Haque, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Shahid Tajuddin and others formed the party in 1949 for the sole purpose of advocating our autonomy in a democratic, just and secular society that nurtures our cultural identity. Those principles COMPEL me to be its critic, and NOT BE blind to its corruption.
Whether or not key individuals within the party know of those values or in fact value them in their actions or intent is irrelevant. I firmly believe that the nation is greater than any party but the party MUST be greater than the some of its members in light of the principles it stands for. There's a price to pay for this in our political culture of opportunism, ignorance and sycophancy, but that price is never enough when one thinks of the the difference he or she is making under very difficult circumstances. No matter how small those differences seem at the moment, they are there nonetheless build a better future no matter how slow and exasperating the process. That is the sort of proactive love of country that we need, and can't love like that sitting on the fence, my friend
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The people who are not committed to any political party have little reasons to be biased and are still looking for a better alternative to what we have had over the last 40 years. These people are not stuck in the past with General Zia or Father of the Nation but are more concerned about the current progress of the economy, people's security etc. Which ever political party proposes a clear plan for the future rather than rhetoric from the past will win the vote of these people.
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Disagree, again in light of my direct experience. I know more people who are a helluva lot more "anti-AL" due to BAKSAL and misrule than "pro-BNP" for its ideal, whatever those may be, and vice versa. "Looking" for an alternative to be brought about by someone else isn't enough. One needs to make it happen. I tried to do my little part when Bikalpadhara was formed by my maternal uncle (the railroaded BNP selected President) and his son (the charming and approachable former BNP and BDB MP). I lost faith and made the decision to return to the far more diverse and politically effective fold, than be involved in another family-based but tiny new party not willing to innovate change within and have principles and patience to try and prevail over the unsustainable political expediency of the day.
Change in this country must be political and must involve large political parties. I chose the AL simply because there no better alternative in light of our ugly reality in my opinion. At least its principles still attract true believers willing to commit to change they're unlikely to witness in their lifetime.