Is Islam incompatible with democracy?

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Former Bangladeshi prime minister Sheikh Hasina was barred from flying from London to Dhaka after an arrest warrant was issued against her by a Dhaka court.

However, Hasina remains defiant and says she will return but it seems Bangladesh could be heading for a military rule after the new regime prevented the Awami League leader from returning to the country.

Hasina was barred from flying from London to Dhaka after an arrest warrant was issued against her in a murder case. The warrant has been suspended for now, but that’s not all. Bangladesh government also plans to send Hasina’s archrival BNP leader Khaleda Zia to exile.

On the other hand, India’s other neighbour Pakistan, with President Pervez Musharraf in power, had also forced former prime ministers Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif to live in exile.

So, is Islam incompatible with democracy?

This was the topic of debate on CNN-IBN show Face the Nation conducted by Rajdeep Sardesai.

On the panel of experts to discuss the issue threadbare were Majlis-e-Mushawarat President Syed Shahabuddin and Consultant Editor of Pioneer Hiranmay Karlekar.

Begams of Bangladesh

The two Begams of Bangladesh – Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia – seem to be in serious trouble. While Zia is under pressure from military backed government to go into exile, Hasina, who is outside the country, is finding it difficult to get back.

Hasina claims that she was denied entry into the British Airways flight in London on Sunday, but others say she wanted to stage an international drama to gather sympathy.

“I wanted to go back to my country. I went to the airport and British Airways showed me the letter they received from the Bangladesh government, in which it was categorically written that they will not allow me to go back to my country. The government also issued a press release that they will not allow me to go back to the country and they have filed a case against me. When I said that I will go back to my country and face the case, they issued the order,” clarified Hasina.

But is Hasina actually ready to go back to Bangladesh and get arrested on return?

“Of course, I will go back. They may arrest me, they may kill me – whatever consequences happen to me, but I want to go back to my country, go back to my soil, go back to my people,” Hasina claimed.

But there are many in Bangladesh who feel that the government is taking these steps to create an atmosphere in which democracy can function. There is a belief that Hasina and Zia are not allowing democracy to function in Bangladesh and it was the war between these two leaders, which is breaking the country apart.

However, Hasina disagrees saying, “It is not true.”

Style of Islamic democracy

Bangladesh was seen as synonymous, in a sense, with the democratic Islamic state and this is the one state, which is also struggling to come to terms with democracy. So, is Islam incompatible with democracy?

“Well, that will be happening in many developing countries. Democracy has not taken roots,” said Shahabuddin.

Giving the example of Iran as an Islamic democratic country, Sahabuddin said that despite it being a theocratic state, Iran is based on people’s will and people are free there.

Agreeing that Western style of democracy is incompatible with Islam, Shahabuddin said, “The Westminster type of democracy does not suit the Islamic ethos.”

Another military regime along Indian border?

Sheikh Hasina said she is ready to return to Bangladesh in a moment’s notice if allowed but the caretaker government is not permitting. So, is India now facing a situation where not only on western border with Pakistan, but also on the eastern border a military regime is imminently taking over?

In reply, Karlekar said that on April 2, Chief of the Army Staff of Bangladesh Moeen U Ahmed, addressed the International Political Science Association in Dhaka saying, “We want a particular type of democracy, which suits the genius of Bangladesh.”

He explained that it should be based on Bangladesh’s history, society and culture and religion must play an important role in it.

“Whenever a General talks like this, I am reminded of Ayub Khan’s Basic Democracy and I am reminded of Sokarno’s Guided Democracy. What is wrong with democracy that you want a special kind of democracy? Now, this is a warning signal,” said Karlekar.

“The second thing, which buttresses what I said, is Fakhruddin Ahmed’s message to the nation on the eve of Bengali New Year’s day. He now said that elections will be held before the end of 2008. Now, that means they captured power on January 11 – two years,” Karlekar added.

Rare co-existence of Islam and democracy

Among the Islamic countries, Turkey, Indonesia and Malaysia are the only states having strong democracy. But, why are Islamic countries incompatible with Westminster type of democracy?

“Westminster type of democracy needs a certain trend and ethos. And I think, as some of these are struggling democracies, they cannot establish the system of checks and balances,” explained Shahabuddin.

However, Shahabuddin also advocates that Islam is compatible with democracy because “Islam mandates the ruler to have the sanction of the people.”

Then why is Bangladesh, which emerged through a democratic movement, today is finding it difficult to sustain democracy?

“Well, the situation varies from country to country and there are many factors working in Bangladesh,” Shahabuddin said but declined it is specific to Islamic society.

Then why is it that Bangladesh has been unable to institutionalise democracy?

“First of all Bangladesh in many ways is a political continuation of Pakistan, which had a military dictatorship from 1958 onwards. Secondly, Pakistan never had democracy in the sense of working democracy because, after the assassination of Liyakat Ali Khan it plunged into disorder, which led to military rule. So, it inherited the history of military rule, inability of civilians to run the country and then came the huge freedom struggle,” said Karlekar.

Karlekar concluded the discussion by reminding that a large section of Bangladeshi elite was first wiped out by the Pakistanis and then by the killings in jails on November 3-4, 1975 by the Army. So, the initial leadership was destroyed and Bangladesh it seems is still carrying the burden of its history.

Results of the poll: Is Islam incompatible with democracy?

Yes - 58 per cent

No - 42 per cent

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