The Finished Revolution

Traffic was uncharacteristically brisk that winter morning in Dhaka, and it took me less than an hour to get from Lalmatia to Savar.  We barely even stopped around Asad Gate, and only after we had crossed the junction that the historical significance of it occurred to me — fifty years ago that week, those red pillars in Mohammadpur got its current name.  That evening, I flicked through seemingly endless streams of Bangla channels to find not a single mention — no septuagenarian waxing nostalgic, no Tagore-quoting melodramatic fictionalisation, not even a perfunctory news item, nothing — about Asad’s bloodstained shirt.

Something for everyone

Voters of Dhaka and Chittagong are supposed to exercise their democratic right on 28 April.  These elections are hardly going to change the political status quo that is Mrs Wajed’s one-person rule over Bangladesh.  And yet, there is something for everyone in these elections.

In Dhaka North — where yours truly spent a part of his life — there really is a choice.  Towards the end of this post, you will find the preference of this blog.

সাতকাহন

Seven trashes collected by the senses.  Well, bonus holiday edition of 20 trashes.

সাতকাহন

Seven trashes collected by the senses.

Socialism in Bangladesh

Defined as “nationalisation of the means of production and central planning of production”, socialism has failed conclusively and has no political future anywhere.  If the 20th century economic history didn’t make that clear, the failure of such a platform to gather pace even after the ongoing global recession should do so.  However, defined as “redistribution of wealth  or economic power”, socialism could have a political future in Bangladesh. 

Redistributive politics usually needs a homogenous population.  A diverse population means anti-redistributive factions can play off the poor against each other.  If not sure what that means, look at the voting records of poor, redneck Americans, and then look at the relatively homogenous Scandinavian countries.  Bangladesh is, of course, one of the most homogenous countries in the world. 

In addition to homogeneity, for their to be redistribution, there has to be sufficient inequality to begin with.  The rich has to be sufficiently wealthy for the state to tax.  Bangladesh isn’t particularly unequal.  Is there a constituency for soaking the rich?

সাতকাহন

Seven trashes collected by the senses.

সাতকাহন

Seven trashes collected by the senses.

সাতকাহন

Seven trashes collected by the senses.