Masks of Authoritarianism: Hegemony, Power and Public Life in Bangladesh

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“The essays in this volume … argue that it is as a pluralist and democratic society that Bangladesh can flourish, not under restrictions on the public sphere and the political process. An uncomfortable critique, to be taken seriously.” – Hans Harder, Professor, University of Heidelberg, Germany “This important volume unfolds the profound grief and trauma that exist in complex layers of everyday lives; built on rights violations, exclusions and silences.” – Bina D’Costa, Professor, Australian National University, Australia “[The] essays are well-researched, fully documented and academically invulnerable; and they are written with commitment to examine what has been happening in the vital areas of creativity, governance and economy as also the reasons thereof. … The publication is intellectually stimulating and will continue to be useful for understanding Bangladesh.” – Serajul Islam Choudhury, Professor Emeritus, Dhaka University, Bangladesh How are lives affected by the increasingly authoritarian regime of Bangladesh that masks its despotic nature behind democratic rhetoric and economic growth? The chapters here investigate how professionals, officials, artists, opposition activists and ruling party men negotiate the ever-increasing power of an authoritarian regimes and how it affects their public engagement. This volume will interest scholars of democracy, hybrid regimes and authoritarianism. Arild Engelsen Ruud is professor of South Asia Studies at the University of Oslo, Norway. Among his recent publications are Mafia Raj: the Rule of Bossism in South Asia (Stanford UP 2018, co-author) and, as co-editor, South Asian Sovereignty: the Conundrum of Wordly Power (Routledge 2019) and Outrage: the Rise of Religious Offence in South Asia (UCL Press 2019). Mubashar Hasan PhD is an Adjunct Research Fellow at the Humanitarian and Development Research Initiative, Western Sydney University, Australia. He is the author of Islam and Politics in Bangladesh: The Followers of Ummah (Palgrave Macmillan, 2020), and the lead editor of the book Radicalization in South Asia: Context, Trajectories and Implications (Sage, 2020). Previously he was a post-doctoral fellow at Oslo University, Norway. He taught political science in North South University and Journalism in University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh. Contents Notes on Contributors Introduction What Kind of Regime Is the Bangladeshi Regime? This Collection Apprehension as a Tool of Authoritarianism References The Media The Everyday Politics of Rumours and Information: Bangladesh’s Hybrid Media System and Party-State Corporatism Introduction Vignette 1: Suppression of Local Journalists in Bangladesh’s Party-State System Vignette 2: The Inception and Operationalization of an Online Media Portal Vignette 3: Factionalism and Online Media Portals: The Politics of Rumours and Information Conclusion References Working Under the “Sword of Damocles”: Experiences of Journalists in a Hybrid Regime Introduction Hybrid Regime and Information Control Bangladeshi Media Under the Shadow of a Hybrid Regime Living Under the Sword: Journalists Speak Deteriorating Press Freedom Self-Censorship, “Enforced Censorship”, or “Strategic Silencing”? Surveillance by State Institutions “NO–NO” Topics Local vs. International Press Conclusion References Making Cinema Under Authoritarian Codes Introduction Institutions and Legal Frameworks Censor Combat: Recent Cases Conclusion References Snapshots of Insiders The Win–win Game in Politics? A Study on Student Body of the Ruling Party in Bangladesh Introduction Bangladesh Chhatra League: A Journey into the History Brief Note on the Method Internal Conflicts and Unaccountability Photo-ops in the Age of Social Media Campus Violence Election Rigging Loyalty and Godfathers New Players in the Town The Hefazat Conundrum Conclusion References: The Crocodiles Are Closing in: Everyday Life for a Local BNP Leader Introduction Political Pressure and Secret Campaigning Intimidation and Rumours Eroding the Political Safety Net Undermining Daily Life Arrest and Prospects Bibliography Survival Strategies of Jamaat as a Religion-Based Political Opponent in Bangladesh Introduction Research Method Survival Strategies of Jamaat The Need for Change and Organizational Reform Public Engagement, Recruitment and Electoral Strategy Social Media, Outreach and Mutual Support Discussion and Conclusion References The Neutral Apparatus Rewarding Conformity, Silencing Dissent: The Case of Academic Freedom The Notion of Academic Freedom Constricted Spaces A Culture of Fear A Politicized Academic Culture Negotiating Spaces of Freedom Toward Democracy: Opening Up Academic Spaces References Everyday Life in a Hybrid Regime: The Case of Health Sector in Bangladesh with a Focus on COVID-19 Pandemic Introduction Method Affected Social Wellbeing Reprisals Because of Political Identity Powerlessness Against Corruption Lack of Freedom of Expression Conclusion References Durniti or Durbolata: Self-Policing, Social Relations and Regulative Weakness in the Everyday Lives of Bangladeshi Government Officials Introduction: Self-Policing Versus Corruption Pre-emptive Self-Policing Maintaining Good Relations Ghush: Weakness in the System Conclusion: From Durniti to Durbolata References Snapshot of Society’s Outsiders Conformers and Rebels: Competing Patterns Among Bangladeshi Rap Musicians Introduction: A Brief Background of Our Research Transformation of Rap Singers from Rebel to Conformist or “Conscious Rapper” The Rebels: “F*** Tha Police,” “Fascist Bangladesh” and “Fear” Conclusion Bibliography Security Conundrums of Queer Lives in Bangladesh: The Bulbul That Has Always Been A Crow Introduction Of Security and Insecurity Digital Security Act in a Digital Life Living with a Criminal Identity Surrendering Intellectual Capacity and Agency The Established Singular Narrative Conclusion References Targeted by Militants and Abandoned by the State: The Case of Shuddhashar Publication House Story of Shuddhashar A Turning Point Targeted by Islamists Abandoned by the State References Vulnernability Are Mega Projects Inherently Undemocratic? Field Narratives from Mega Projects Sites in Bangladesh Megaprojects, Land Grab, and Forced Displacement Megaprojects, Resistance, and Repression False Impression of Democratic Engagement Concluding Analysis References “We Are Alive, but Have No Life”: Rohingya Refugees, Deprived of the Prospects for a Future No Freedom and Nowhere to Belong No Jobs No Education What Future? References Democracy in Scare Quotes: The Granularity of Control in the Hybrid State of Bangladesh Producing Fear as an Environment The Future of the Hybrid State Bibliography Index