AL embarrasses itself over Joy
When four top people of a political party say four different things about something as important as the possible victory in the coming national election, it doesnt smell nice. Its either amazingly inept or downright conspiratorial and we dont know what it actually is. If one looks at the Awami Leagues recent record, it seems they really dont have any control over the situation and things do happen to them which make them look bad, writes Afsan Chowdhury
IS THE Awami League seriously losing the plot? If you look at the way the party has tried to do damage control after Joys faux pas about having information that the next election will be won by the Awami League, one wonders why elections are held if they are already decided. It certainly doesnt resemble a political party of maturity, let alone a ruling one. How can this be happening to it unless the party leadership just dont know whats going on or what to do next? In the process of managing a bad situation, they are looking like political novices. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party doesnt have to do much. The Awami League on its own is quite capable of losing the election.
***
THE statement by Sajeeb Wazed Joy that he had information that the party was going to come to power could only have been made by a person who neither understands politics nor a great deal of Bengali and maybe lacks a bit in the commonsense sector as well. To say this while the opposition is demanding elections under the caretaker system fearing rigging, defies explanation.
***
WELL ok, people say many things and after Muhiuddin Khan Alamgirs norachora theory, very few utterances can outdo it. We could have forgotten Joy, but in stepped Mahbubul Alam Hanif, the Awami Leagues attack man who clarified that what the prime ministers son had meant was if the inactive workers of the party became active they would win the election. Of course, it made no sense but since nobody expects Hanif to make sense it didnt matter much. But then stepped in the prime minister herself and thats when it began to look like a situation.
***
BUT it didnt stop at that. Hasina defended her son Joy by saying, Joy said one thing; he said that on the basis of survey and poll. Hasina said a survey report showed that the Awami League is in advance in the opinion poll and people still have their faith and confidence in the party. As per the survey, Awami League will secure good result in the next (general) election and will be in power again.
The prime minister didnt bother to mention which survey this was and who conducted it and if it was a credible one and how come no one knows anything about it. If anything all the surveys taken are pointing to a poor performance by the Awami League. But, of course, it was a mother talking and we can take that as well.
But Syed Ashraful Islam, the party general secretary, now has said that he has no specific information but he is smelling victory. Its this one that is the most disconcerting because he is one of the most sober members of the party. If he smells something like victory in times of confusion and electoral loss, something could very well be happening.
And what could that be?
***
WHEN four top people of a political party say four different things about something as important as the possible victory in the coming national election, it doesnt smell nice. Its either amazingly inept or downright conspiratorial and we dont know what it actually is. If one looks at the Awami Leagues recent record, it seems they really dont have any control over the situation and things do happen to them which make them look bad. Just think of the Reshma episode and you will get a feel. But while the stunt backfired because public trust in such stunts is low and the event itself was so absurd, what is there to stop them from consulting each other on such a sensitive issue as the prime ministers sons statement which could have political fallout. Dont they talk or consult each other?
***
MEANWHILE, the BNP, of course, is having a field day and screaming conspiracy and you cant blame them. When four leaders say four different things on the same topic from the same party, you are bound to get suspicious. Creating such a mess seems designed to improve the BNPs chances to come to power.
***
OR IS it that the Awami League doesnt really care? What does it matter how it looks if its going to win the election anyway? Meanwhile, the point is, the BNP has already got its excuse. The environment that could be created to bring the BNP in is now diminished. Unless the BNP is absolutely certain that its winning, it will not join the polls, it seems.
But even if it does, it now has the excuse beforehand that if it loses it was due to a conspiracy hatched
by the Awami League and post-electoral instability is almost certain. It now has become a bloody mess and its difficult to understand why the Awami League has allowed it to slide to this.
***
THE lesson of history is that the unexpected always rules. The BNP didnt expect anything untoward as it played games in 2007 with the caretaker government issue hoping to get in without much effort. It failed as the Awami League took to the street upsetting all plans. It forced military takeover. Now the Awami League is warning the BNP that military rule is bad for them also. It doesnt mean the Awami League is planning anything but uncertain times are ahead.
So the Awami League needs to know a few things. Unexpected things can happen suddenly and the best example of that is the Shahbagh movement which nearly stole the thunder from the AL sails and they were mostly its supporters. And if it came from friend can one be ever sure what the enemy is planning?
***
OUR feeling is that there is no conspiracy because that takes a lot of organisational skills, planning and intelligence to create one. Does the Awami League still have it? They were simply trying to protect Joy but in their enthusiasm they have fumbled very badly. And in politics, such fumbles may carry large prices.
AL embarrasses itself over Joy
When four top people of a political party say four different things about something as important as the possible victory in the coming national election, it doesnt smell nice. Its either amazingly inept or downright conspiratorial and we dont know what it actually is. If one looks at the Awami Leagues recent record, it seems they really dont have any control over the situation and things do happen to them which make them look bad, writes Afsan Chowdhury
IS THE Awami League seriously losing the plot? If you look at the way the party has tried to do damage control after Joys faux pas about having information that the next election will be won by the Awami League, one wonders why elections are held if they are already decided. It certainly doesnt resemble a political party of maturity, let alone a ruling one. How can this be happening to it unless the party leadership just dont know whats going on or what to do next? In the process of managing a bad situation, they are looking like political novices. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party doesnt have to do much. The Awami League on its own is quite capable of losing the election.
***
THE statement by Sajeeb Wazed Joy that he had information that the party was going to come to power could only have been made by a person who neither understands politics nor a great deal of Bengali and maybe lacks a bit in the commonsense sector as well. To say this while the opposition is demanding elections under the caretaker system fearing rigging, defies explanation.
***
WELL ok, people say many things and after Muhiuddin Khan Alamgirs norachora theory, very few utterances can outdo it. We could have forgotten Joy, but in stepped Mahbubul Alam Hanif, the Awami Leagues attack man who clarified that what the prime ministers son had meant was if the inactive workers of the party became active they would win the election. Of course, it made no sense but since nobody expects Hanif to make sense it didnt matter much. But then stepped in the prime minister herself and thats when it began to look like a situation.
***
BUT it didnt stop at that. Hasina defended her son Joy by saying, Joy said one thing; he said that on the basis of survey and poll. Hasina said a survey report showed that the Awami League is in advance in the opinion poll and people still have their faith and confidence in the party. As per the survey, Awami League will secure good result in the next (general) election and will be in power again.
The prime minister didnt bother to mention which survey this was and who conducted it and if it was a credible one and how come no one knows anything about it. If anything all the surveys taken are pointing to a poor performance by the Awami League. But, of course, it was a mother talking and we can take that as well.
But Syed Ashraful Islam, the party general secretary, now has said that he has no specific information but he is smelling victory. Its this one that is the most disconcerting because he is one of the most sober members of the party. If he smells something like victory in times of confusion and electoral loss, something could very well be happening.
And what could that be?
***
WHEN four top people of a political party say four different things about something as important as the possible victory in the coming national election, it doesnt smell nice. Its either amazingly inept or downright conspiratorial and we dont know what it actually is. If one looks at the Awami Leagues recent record, it seems they really dont have any control over the situation and things do happen to them which make them look bad. Just think of the Reshma episode and you will get a feel. But while the stunt backfired because public trust in such stunts is low and the event itself was so absurd, what is there to stop them from consulting each other on such a sensitive issue as the prime ministers sons statement which could have political fallout. Dont they talk or consult each other?
***
MEANWHILE, the BNP, of course, is having a field day and screaming conspiracy and you cant blame them. When four leaders say four different things on the same topic from the same party, you are bound to get suspicious. Creating such a mess seems designed to improve the BNPs chances to come to power.
***
OR IS it that the Awami League doesnt really care? What does it matter how it looks if its going to win the election anyway? Meanwhile, the point is, the BNP has already got its excuse. The environment that could be created to bring the BNP in is now diminished. Unless the BNP is absolutely certain that its winning, it will not join the polls, it seems.
But even if it does, it now has the excuse beforehand that if it loses it was due to a conspiracy hatched
by the Awami League and post-electoral instability is almost certain. It now has become a bloody mess and its difficult to understand why the Awami League has allowed it to slide to this.
***
THE lesson of history is that the unexpected always rules. The BNP didnt expect anything untoward as it played games in 2007 with the caretaker government issue hoping to get in without much effort. It failed as the Awami League took to the street upsetting all plans. It forced military takeover. Now the Awami League is warning the BNP that military rule is bad for them also. It doesnt mean the Awami League is planning anything but uncertain times are ahead.
So the Awami League needs to know a few things. Unexpected things can happen suddenly and the best example of that is the Shahbagh movement which nearly stole the thunder from the AL sails and they were mostly its supporters. And if it came from friend can one be ever sure what the enemy is planning?
***
OUR feeling is that there is no conspiracy because that takes a lot of organisational skills, planning and intelligence to create one. Does the Awami League still have it? They were simply trying to protect Joy but in their enthusiasm they have fumbled very badly. And in politics, such fumbles may carry large prices.
AL embarrasses itself over Joy
guess this was the last straw, which just got washed away by ******** of JOY.
