THE recent Global Freedom and Prosperity Report once again shows the alarming state of political and economic freedom and adherence to the rule of law and human rights in Bangladesh. The report, prepared by the US-based think tank Atlantic Council and composed of two indexes on freedom and prosperity, puts Bangladesh among the 鈥榤ost unfree鈥� countries. Out of the 164 countries surveyed, Bangladesh ranks in the 141th position on the Freedom Index, securing the second-lowest score after Afghanistan in South Asia. The index says that political freedom in Bangladesh has been on a downward trajectory since 2000. In 1999, Bangladesh held the 108th position globally in terms of political freedom. The index says that political rights in Bangladesh have witnessed an alarming decline over two decades, indicating a downward trend in the protection and exercise of rights crucial to the democratic political process. The index attributes the alarming state of political freedom to factors such as diminishing civil liberties and political rights and restrictions on the freedom of expression and political programmes. The index also mentions the recent democratic backslide in Bangladesh and refers to the January 7 national elections as the solidification of a 鈥榙ominant-party system鈥� that has undermined good and democratic governance.
The findings of the Freedom Index are complemented by all other recent reports and indexes that show a sorry freedom and rights situation in Bangladesh. All reports and indexes covering democracy, press freedom, corruption, labour rights and governance show the country鈥檚 downward trajectory. The Democracy Index continues to categorise Bangladesh as a 鈥榟ybrid regime鈥�, pointing to the worrying decline in the culture and spirit of democracy. A decline in the rule of law, representative government, democratic atmosphere, the holding of credible parliamentary elections, sovereign parliament, the independence of the judiciary, rights of the people and the spirit of the war of independence, coupled with political demobilisation of people and the weakening of democratic institutions, are cited as reasons for the sorry state of democracy. All human rights reports and indexes show a serious decline in human rights, characterised by rampant rights violation at the hands of personnel of the law enforcement agencies and of ruling party musclemen. Press freedom has also remained bleak, with controversial laws having muzzled people鈥檚 freedom of expression. The economic growth of the country has, meanwhile, become a source of growing inequality as a growing number of people are faced with food insecurity. This is no wonder that the Atlantic Council鈥檚 Prosperity Index has put Bangladesh among 鈥榤ostly unprosperous鈥� countries.
Bangladesh increasingly appears to have failed to ensure an effective democratic dispensation and to deliver on its birth-time promises of equality, social justice and human dignity. It rather seems that the country is slipping away from the promises and embracing forms that are starkly undemocratic and anti-people. It is time that the government and the political parties showed the will and made a course correction to revive the spirit of democracy and put people鈥檚 interests at the centre.
