Adieu Gen Moeen: An anatomy of past two years

General Moeen U Ahmed, the man behind the Fakhruddin’s Caretaker Government, is still in the newspaper headlines even after his retirement as the Chief of the Army Staff.
The newspapers are replete with stories and counter-stories about his next job in the country or outside.
Speculation is ripe that he is going to succeed Ismat Jahan as permanent representative to the UN. Ismat Jahan who ran into a controversy over marrying a foreigner had been transferred to Belgium. Belgium was a buffer state between Germany and France during the world war.
German troops had to cross Belgium to invade France as the former had no common border with the latter.
The Government spokesman and LGRD Minister Syed Ashraf ruled out immediate appointment of Gen Moeen as permanent representative to the UN. But he said the practice was not uncommon. There were a number of instances that retired Army Officials were given diplomatic jobs. General Wasiuddin was appointed permanent representative to the UN after his retirement from the Army. General Moeen was the Chief of Army Staff for four years. In 2008 his service was extended for one year by President Iajuddin in view of the emergency in the country and the responsibility of the Army which they have to perform in the absence of the elected government. Gen. Moeen is reported to have declined a two-year extension which he was offered by the President. He said, the promotion of the juniors will be blocked if he goes for undue extension.
After December 29 election it was speculated that he will be rewarded for holding parliamentary election successfully which appeared sometime to be uncertain.
At one stage it was assumed that he will be made Defence Minister or Chief of Joint Staff after retirement.
But things took different turn after gruesome killings at Peelkhana in the wake of BDR mutiny where 87 Army officers were slain.
Gen Moeem seemed to be in dire straits and his acceptability in the Army was in crisis. There was a direct charge against him for failing to save the lives of the Army Officers during the BDR mutiny at the Peelkhana on February 25 and 26.
Gen Moeen had to share the criticism which the Caretaker Government had faced during the two-year rule. The Fakhruddin Government was often called Army-backed government.
It is true that the Caretaker Government and the Army had a great role to suppress the politics of confrontation between the two major political parties. The two political parties-the Awami League and the BNP-were in a state of virtual civil war in the beginning of 2007. Street fighting seemed to be order of the day.
The Caretaker Government and the Armed Forces launched the anti-corruption crusade cleaning the political arena of the country. The law and order was restored with the direct backing of the Army. The people’s support to the Caretaker Government and the Army was at its crescendo.
In the beginning the Awami League extended support to the Fakhruddin’s Caretaker Government as the product of their movement. Sheikh Hasina was present in the oath-taking ceremony of Fakhruddin Government at the Bangabhaban where Khaleda’s absence was conspicuous.
Later Hasina withdrew her support from the Fakhruddin Government when a number of corruption cases were instituted against the Awami League Leaders. A number of Awami League Leaders including herself were interned on charges of corruption.
Gen Moeen’s direct meddling in politics and formation of king’s party have given rise to many questions. The attempt to bring about change in the top leaderships of the two political parties with the help of the reformist politicians backfired.
It was learnt that the Caretaker Government has no control in determining political course of the country.
The Government was known as Army-backed government and they had to rely on Army. The then Army Chief said many unpleasant things had happened without his knowledge. He stopped it whenever it was brought to his notice. Many corrupt politicians and businessmen were subjected to tortures while in custody. Some of them were convicted after trial.
The greatest success of the Caretaker Government and the Army was to prepare an acceptable voter list and national identity card. Separation of Judiciary from Executive, reform in the electoral laws, strengthening of EC secretariat and Anti-Corruption Commission. These were product of the joint efforts of the Caretaker Government and the Army. Formation of human rights commission was also an achievement of this government.
The policy makers of the Caretaker Government believed that the two top leaders of the political parties will not be at the helm of the affairs after political reform was carried out. They will relinquish powers to the second line of succession. But it had not come true. The cherished political reform was never implemented. The term ‘political reformist’ turned out to be a stigma for some politicians. Politics remains where it was.

Courtesy of The New Nation