Socialism in Bangladesh

{{Short description|Role and influence of socialism in Bangladesh}}

File:National emblem of Bangladesh.svg represent the four fundamental principles of the constitution: nationalism, socialism, secularism, and democracy. Like most other socialist countries, sheaves of paddy in the borders represent the agricultural workers as a symbol of socialism.]]

Socialism ({{langx|bn|সমাজতন্ত্র}}) is one of the fundamental principles of the Constitution of Bangladesh, along with nationalism, democracy and secularism.{{cite web |title=The Constitution: 8.Fundamental principles |url=http://bdlaws.minlaw.gov.bd/act-367/section-24556.html |website=Legislative and Parliamentary Affairs Division Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs |access-date=25 April 2017}} The constitution names Bangladesh as a people's republic,{{cite web |title=The Constitution: 7.Supremacy of the constitution |url=http://bdlaws.minlaw.gov.bd/act-367/section-24555.html |website=Legislative and Parliamentary Affairs Division Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs |access-date=25 April 2017}} and declares all powers to be vested to the people.{{Cite web|url=http://bdlaws.minlaw.gov.bd/act-367/section-24547.html|title=Article 1 of the Constitution of Bangladesh|access-date=2021-06-28|publisher=Legislative and Parliamentary Affairs Division, Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs}} However, in Bangladesh, as a liberal democracy, the reference of "socialism" is generally used to describe the state's goal to construct an exploitation-free society,{{cite web |title=The Constitution: 10. Socialism and freedom from exploitation |url=http://bdlaws.minlaw.gov.bd/act-367/section-24558.html |website=Legislative and Parliamentary Affairs Division Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs |access-date=25 April 2017}}{{Cite book |last1=Phillips |first1=Douglas A. |last2=Gritzner |first2=Charles F. |year=2007 |title=Bangladesh |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=c-6NQOImIPMC |publisher=Infobase Publishing |pages=65 |isbn=978-1-4381-0485-0 |language=en}} rather than its original meaning and implementation, which is characterised by social ownership of the means of production, as opposed to private ownership. The constitution allows cooperative and private ownership along with state ownership.{{cite journal|last1=Afzalur Rashid, Sudhir C. Lodh|title=The influence of ownership structures and board practices on corporate social disclosures in Bangladesh|journal=Corporate Governance in Less Developed and Emerging Economies|date=1 January 2008|volume=8|pages=211–237|doi=10.1016/s1479-3563(08)08008-0|publisher=Emerald Group Publishing Limited|series=Research in Accounting in Emerging Economies|isbn=9781848552524}}{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lRY91lMkEOcC|title=Bangladesh: Report on Observance of Standards and Codes-Fiscal Transparency|last=International Monetary Fund|author-link=International Monetary Fund|date=25 June 2003|publisher=International Monetary Fund|isbn=9781451877182|pages=8|language=en}}

Socialist and democratic socialist political parties played a key role the independence movement of both British India and Bangladesh. Upon the independence in 1971, country's founding leaders shaped the economy of Bangladesh as a socialist economy as described in the constitution, however, liberal democracy wasn't scrapped. But due to economic mismanagement and political turmoil, the economic system resulted in a stagnation, with the deadly famine of 1974 further created a humanitarian crisis. In 1975, the country's political structure was reorganised in a one-party socialist republic with BAKSAL being the sole legitimate political party. After the 15 August 1975 Bangladesh coup d'état and 1982 Bangladesh coup d'état, reformist military leaders would redefine socialism with social justice in 1979 and eventually introduce market and property reforms to push to a capitalist system. In 2011, the term "socialism" and "socialist" were again redefined to make the constitution more in line with the original document, but the country remained a liberal mixed economy.

Constitution

Words "socialism" and "socialist" appear several times in the Bangladeshi constitution. In the constitution, the concept of socialism seems to be more fiscal and social then political. Preamble briefly mentions the socialist principle and aim of the state:{{cite web|url=http://bdlaws.minlaw.gov.bd/act-367.html |title=Preamble of the Constitution of Bangladesh |website=Legislative and Parliamentary Affairs Division Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs|access-date=2021-06-18}}

{{Blockquote|"...Pledging that the high ideals of nationalism, socialism, democracy and secularism, which inspired our heroic people to dedicate themselves to, and our brave martyrs to sacrifice their lives in, the national liberation struggle, shall be the fundamental principles of the Constitution;

Further pledging that it shall be a fundamental aim of the State to realise through the democratic process a socialist society, free from exploitation a society in which the rule of law, fundamental human rights and freedom, equality and justice, political, economic and social, will be secured for all citizens;..."}}

Article 7 declares the people's relationship with the state:

{{Blockquote|"All powers in the Republic belong to the people, and their exercise on behalf of the people shall be effected only under, and by the authority of, this Constitution."}}

Article 8 of the re-describes the preamble's reference to socialism as the fundamental principle:

{{Blockquote|"The principles of nationalism, socialism, democracy and secularism, together with the principles derived from those as set out in this Part, shall constitute the fundamental principles of state policy."}}

Article 10 defines the characteristics of the socialist economy and freedom from exploitation:

{{Blockquote|"A socialist economic system shall be established with a view to ensuring the attainment of a just and egalitarian society, free from the exploitation of man by man."}}

Further, Article 14 of the constitution pledges to ensure the emancipation of the peasants and workers:{{Cite web|url=http://bdlaws.minlaw.gov.bd/act-367/section-24562.html|title=Article 14 of the Constitution of Bangladesh|access-date=2021-06-30|publisher=Legislative and Parliamentary Affairs Division, Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs}}

{{Blockquote|"It shall be a fundamental responsibility of the State to emancipate the toiling masses the peasants and workers and backward sections of the people from all forms of exploitation."}}

Likewise to the socialist states, Article 17 calls for free and compulsory education system:{{Cite web|url=http://bdlaws.minlaw.gov.bd/act-367/section-24565.html|title=Article 17 of the Constitution of Bangladesh|access-date=2021-06-30|publisher=Legislative and Parliamentary Affairs Division, Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs}}

{{Blockquote|"The State shall adopt effective measures for the purpose of establishing a uniform, mass oriented and universal system of education and extending free and compulsory education to all children to such stage as may be determined by law."}}

Article 20 of the constitution best describes the socialist features of economy with the famous Marxist phrase "from each according to his abilities, to each according to his work", inspiring from the Soviet constitution:{{Cite web|url=http://bdlaws.minlaw.gov.bd/act-367/section-24568.html|title=Article 20 of the Constitution of Bangladesh|access-date=2021-06-30|publisher=Legislative and Parliamentary Affairs Division, Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs}}

{{Blockquote|"Work is a right, a duty and a matter of honour for every citizen who is capable of working, and everyone shall be paid for his work on the basis of the principle “from each according to his abilities, to each according to his work”."}}

History

= Early history =

File:22 Feb 1952 DURoad.png which led the destruction of Muslim League in East Pakistan, 1950s.]]

Before the partition, region of Bengal was one of the important centers of revolutionary activities in British India. Bengali leaders played a vital role to introduce and assemble socialism as well as communism in India, such as Muzaffar Ahmad, co-founder of Communist Party of India.

After partition, communist activities were re-organized in newly established Pakistan. In 1949, Awami Muslim League, the predecessor of modern Awami League, was established aiming to establish exploitation-free society and abolishment of zamindar system. During the 1954 provincial elections in East Pakistan, Awami League-led United Front gained the exclusive mandate in East Pakistan. Earlier in 1950, Communist Party of Pakistan played a major role in labour strikes for the support of the language movement.{{cite book|last=Ali|first=Tariq|title=The Clash of Fundamentalism|year=2002|publisher=New Left Book plc|location=United Kingdom|isbn=1-85984-457-X|pages=395|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=C8h_VjG4ucsC&q=Pakistan+elections+1954+communist&pg=PA181}} The Communist Party, with support from the United front, formed a democratic government in East Pakistan. In 1958, the government in East Pakistan was dismissed by the central government.{{cite book|last=Busky|first=Donald F.|title=Communism in history and theory : Asia, Africa, and the Americas|year=2002|publisher=Praeger|location=Westport, Conn. ;London|isbn=0275977331|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=K5Bxd7sq9KcC&q=Pakistan+People%27s+Party++Communist&pg=PA62}}

= Socialist era (1972–1975) =

{{Main|Premiership of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman|Second Revolution (Bangladesh)}}

After the liberation of Bangladesh in 1971, some socialistic approaches were taken by the Government of Bangladesh, increasing state participation in the productive activities to improve the economic status of the war ridden country. With a view to establishing a socialist nation under a Soviet economic model, many large and medium-sized enterprises and public utility enterprises were nationalized.{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=A5ykCgAAQBAJ |title=Governmentality and Counter-Hegemony in Bangladesh |last=Alam |first=S. M. Shamsul |year=2016 |publisher=Springer |isbn=9781137526038 |language=en}}{{Cite journal |last=Ahamed, Emajuddin |author-link=Emajuddin Ahamed |date=1 January 1978 |title=Development Strategy in Bangladesh: Probable Political Consequences |jstor=2643299 |journal=Asian Survey |publisher=University of California Press |volume=18 |issue=11 |pages=1168–1180 |doi=10.2307/2643299}} On 26 March 1972, all banks, and all insurance companies excluding the branches of foreign banks were nationalized.{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7uIjCQAAQBAJ |title=A Political and Economic Dictionary of South Asia |last1=Schottli |first1=Jivanta |last2=Mitra |first2=Subrata K. |last3=Wolf |first3=Siegried |year=2015 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=9781135355760 |pages=4 |language=en}}

Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the first president and the "founding father" of the country, advocated socialism and secularism in the country. According to him, the country's wealth belongs to all the people of Bangladesh. Everybody will have share in whatever would be produced. Exploitation would be stopped.{{Cite book |title=Bangabandhur Manobadhikar Darshon |publisher=National Human Rights Commission |year=2013 |editor-last=Hossain |editor-first=Abu Md. Delwar |location=Dhaka |pages=16–25 |script-title=bn:বঙ্গবন্ধুর মানবাধিকার-দর্শন |trans-title=Bangabandhu's View of Human Rights |editor-last2=Ullah |editor-first2=Md. Rahmat |language=bn}} The constitution was highly dominated by socialist ideas and his party Awami League became the de facto vanguard party.

However, these initiatives resulted a rise of left-wing insurgance in the country, and many anti-AL organizations broke out, like Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JaSaD) and Purba Banglar Sarbahara Party. A people's militia named Jatiya Rakkhi Bahini (JRB) was formed to handle the insurgance, which eventually involved with extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances and atrocities.

The economy also saw a backslide. Reformation process left only the small and cottage industries for the private sector. Public sector expanded very rapidly, but the share of public sector in GDP and in total productive efforts was insignificant.{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UNr_DQAAQBAJ&pg=PA40 |title=The Aid Lab: Understanding Bangladesh's Unexpected Success |last=Hossain |first=Naomi |year=2017 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=9780198785507 |pages=40 |language=en}} This was because the agricultural sector was left to the private sector, which comprised about 80% of the national economy.{{Cite book |url=http://www.plancomm.gov.bd/the-first-five-year-plan-1973-78/ |title=The First Five Year Plan (1973-78) |last=Planning Commission |publisher=Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh |date=November 1973 |location=Dacca |pages=48–49}} In 1974, a great famine broke out in the country, which emerges the mismanagement and failure of the system.

On 24 February 1975, due to increasing insurgency and political and economic mismanagements, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman called for a socialist revolution in the country, named Second Revolution. Using the powers granted to him by the fourth amendment of the constitution, he formed a new political party, Bangladesh Krishak Sramik Awami League (BaKSAL). It would be the only party allowed in Parliament.{{cite book |last=Ahmed |first=Moudud |author-link=Moudud Ahmed |year=1984 |orig-year=First published 1983 |title=Bangladesh: Era of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman |location=Wiesbaden |publisher=Franz Steiner Verlag |pages=245, 247 |isbn=3-515-04266-0}} Bangladesh became a one-party state. The party advocated state socialism as a part of the group of reforms under the theory of Second Revolution.{{Cite book |last1=Molla |first=Gyasuddin |editor1-last=Mitra |editor1-first=Subrata Kumar |editor2-last=Enskat |editor2-first=Mike |editor3-last=Spiess |editor3-first=Clemens |year=2004 |chapter=The Awami League: From Charismatic Leadership to Political Party |title=Political Parties in South Asia |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dObxI9xahSYC&pg=PA225 |publisher=Praeger |pages=225–226 |isbn=978-0-275-96832-8}} BaKSAL was the decision making council to achieve the objectives of the Second Revolution.{{Cite magazine |url=http://content.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,912808,00.html |title=Bangladesh: The Second Revolution |date=10 February 1975 |magazine=Time |access-date=1 May 2017 |issn=0040-781X}} Government also restricted civil liberties and most of the newspapers were banned.

Growing insurgency, political and economic mismanagements and JRB atrocities formed an anti-Mujibist and anti socialist sentiment in the military. On 15 August 1975, Mujib along with his most of the family members was assassinated. Four of his closest allies and leading figures of the Revolution were killed on 3 November in that year. With the assassination of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, BaKSAL was dissolved and Second Revolution failed.{{citation needed|date=June 2020}}

= Post-socialist era =

After the assassination of Mujib in 1975, new military leaders launched a de-Mujibization and liberalization programme develop a capitalist society. During the years of military rule that followed under Ziaur Rahman (1975-1981) and Hussain Muhammad Ershad (1982-1990), socialist policies and rhetoric were abandoned. Zia withdrawn most of the policies of the Second revolution and reintroduced multi-party representative system. Liberal and progressivist political parties were revivaled, as well as JaSad and other revolutionary Marxist–Leninist political parties were crushed during the post-coup purges. Relationships with United States and other Western Bloc countries also improved by that time.

Economy of Bangladesh saw a de-socialization as well as de-centralization by this time. Many state-owned enterprises were privatised, like banking, telecommunication, aviation, media, and jute. Trade liberalization and exports promoted. Economic policies aimed at encouraging private enterprise and investment, privatising public industries, reinstating budgetary discipline, and liberalising the import regime were accelerated.{{cite web |url=https://2009-2017.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/3452.htm |title=Background Note: Bangladesh |date=March 2008 |website=Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs |access-date=11 June 2008}} This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.

= Contemporary Bangladesh =

Today, contemporary Bangladesh has among the most liberalized economies of South Asia.{{Cite book |last=Siddiqi |first=Dina Mahnaz |editor1-last=Riaz |editor1-first=Ali |editor2-last=Fair |editor2-first=Christine |year=2010 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WQvGBQAAQBAJ |chapter=Political Culture in Contemporary Bangladesh |title=Political Islam and Governance in Bangladesh |publisher=Routledge |page=8 |isbn=978-1-136-92623-5}} It is characterised as a developing market economy.

{{cite book |last1=Riaz|first1=Ali |last2=Rahman|first2= Mohammad Sajjadur |author-link1=Ali Riaz |date=2016 |title=Routledge Handbook of Contemporary Bangladesh |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4y5-CwAAQBAJ&q=bangladesh+market+economy |page=165 |publisher=Routledge |isbn= 978-1-317-30876-8 }}{{cite journal|title=Bangladesh, Bangladesh!—A Review Article|volume=45|doi=10.2307/2056087|number=4|journal=The Journal of Asian Studies|publisher=Cambridge University Press|author=Thorp, John P.|year=1986|pages=789–796 |jstor=2056087|s2cid=159085593 }}Siddiqi, Dina M. “Miracle Worker or Womanmachine? Tracking (Trans)National Realities in Bangladeshi Factories.” Economic and Political Weekly, vol. 35, no. 21/22, Economic and Political Weekly, 2000, pp. L11–17, {{JSTOR|4409325}}.Paksha Paul, B. (2010), "Does corruption foster growth in Bangladesh?", International Journal of Development Issues, Vol. 9 No. 3, pp. 246-262. {{doi|10.1108/14468951011073325}}Chowdhury, M.S. (2007), "Overcoming entrepreneurship development constraints: the case of Bangladesh", Journal of Enterprising Communities: People and Places in the Global Economy, Vol. 1 No. 3, pp. 240-251. {{doi|10.1108/17506200710779549}}Bashar, Omar K. M. R., and Habibullah Khan. “Liberalisation and Growth in Bangladesh: An Empirical Investigation.” The Bangladesh Development Studies, vol. 32, no. 1, Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies, 2009, pp. 61–76, {{JSTOR|40795710}}.Ahamed, Md Mostak. “Market Structure and Performance of Bangladesh Banking Industry: A Panel Data Analysis.” The Bangladesh Development Studies, vol. 35, no. 3, Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies, 2012, pp. 1–18, {{JSTOR|41968823}}.Abdin, MD. Joynal, The Nature and Evolution of Capitalism in Bangladesh (March 16, 2016). Abdin, M.J. (2016). The Nature and Evolution of Capitalism in Bangladesh, “The Nature and Evolution of Capitalism in All World”, March 16, 2016., {{SSRN|2752969}}. {{doi|10.2139/ssrn.2752969}}. Awami League, the party which one time promoted socialism in the country, is currently encouraging free market economy and foreign investment. In 1991, AL president and Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina noted that socialism was a failed system.{{cite web|url=https://www.groundreport.com/wikileaks-socialism-a-failed-system-said-sheikh-hasina/|title=WikiLeaks: Socialism a failed system, said Sheik Hasina|publisher=GroundReport|date=19 February 2015|access-date=18 May 2018}}

Bangladesh ranked 128th out of 178 countries in the 2017 Index of Economic Freedom.{{cite web|author=View Chart of Scores over Time |url=http://www.heritage.org/index/country/bangladesh |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090115142235/http://www.heritage.org/index/country/Bangladesh |url-status=unfit |archive-date=15 January 2009 |title=Bangladesh Economy: Population, GDP, Inflation, Business, Trade, FDI, Corruption |publisher=Heritage.org |date=2017-01-13 |access-date=2017-07-11}}