The latest ACC list of eighty individuals contains the name of Major Quamrul Islam, state minister in the last government. This is significant because his younger brother is married to Barrister Mainul Hossein’s daughter. That Maj. Islam could not get his name removed from the list using Barrister Mainul Hossein’s clout, although he used it to avert arrest during the last round of arrests, probably indicates the widening rift within the military government, with Lt. Gen Masud. Lt. Gen. (ret.) Mashud, and Maj. Gen. Matin in one side, and General Moeen and Barrister Mainul Hossein on the other side. This alignment would also explain how Sayeed Iskandar, Lt. Gen. Masud’s brother-in-law, has managed to stay off the list so far.
Given that the current government is in power through intimidation and force, and are not united by any ideological underpinnings, such a rift was inevitable sooner or later. It will, in the short run, decrease the already abysmal quality of governance this military government is providing us. In the long run, it will make infighting amongst the government that much more inevitable when they decide to transform power to a successor regime.
September 28, 2007 at 9:05 pm
Your second para sums up all of it. I totally agree with your fear and predictions.
And of course, there is a rift. I am not sure the line up is the way you put it.
My guess is, while govt tries to make AL and BNP irrelevant in BD politics, they themselves are divided into two groups which can be roughly termed as pro-AL and pro BNP groups. In that regard I do not think Moeen and Moinul is in the same bracket. (and recently there has been a public disagreement too). In that equation, Moeen may be a little lonely in the government. Mysteriously many of his events are attended by people like Asaduzzaman Noor, Saber Hossian Chowdhury etc.
You will feel the Maj Gen Matin’s deep dislike of AL, or even prothom alo etc if you read his book about generl Nasim’s coup. Mionul, Masud etc are also not too less anti Awami league or Anti PA-DS.
September 28, 2007 at 9:23 pm
I see what you’re saying. I have actually read that book, although in current settings, it may be well worth a re-read. When this military government started Moeen and Masud took Matin as their senior advisor and pledged themselves to work with him. That relationship, at least between Moeen and Matin, is in tatters now. You may have seen that Matin has pretty much shut up the last month or so and let Mainul Hossein make all the grandiose announcements.
September 29, 2007 at 3:33 pm
This ACC is what our country was waiting for. We need to clean our culture of corruption. General Hasan Mashud Chowdhury should be given a lifetime post so none dare remove him and stop his good job. He is a jewel of our nation.
October 2, 2007 at 3:47 am
Tacit,
The only split that matters, for good or evil, is the one between Moeen and Masud. There’s been a lot of talk lately of Hasan Mashud having a lot of clout, and there were talks earlier about Matin having influence. But when was the last time in any junta retired officers had the upper hand over serving generals?
Rumi bhai,
Matin and Barrister Mainul are no friends of AL, and Matin doesn’t get along with PA-DS. And Moeen’s talk of recognition for Sheikh Sahib etc may sound AL-friendly - at the very least, he comes off as a rather scholarly type. But if you look back at the media reportage in the early months, you’ll see that Masud got the best coverage from PA. So, it’s not at all clear who is allying with whom.