Civil society, considered as key element of a democratic system as its prime functions is to maintain a watchful eye and advocate for the democracy and country’s national interest. But when the so-called civil society organizations (CSO), funded by the western countries, are actively perpetuating recurring vengeful narratives demeaning Bangladesh’s vibrant democracy, it’s been matter of concern.
Following Bangladesh’s January 7 elections, Bangladesh Awami League emerges victorious with people’s clear mandate, western countries including the USA changes its tone and seeking way to embark on a new phase in the bilateral relationship, a sentiment reiterated during the conclusion of a three-day visit by a US delegation.
The USA delegation included some high profile includes Rear Admiral Eileen Laubacher, President Biden’s Special Assistant and Senior Director at the National Security Council, USAID Assistant Administrator Michael Schiffer and State Department Deputy Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asia Afreen Akhter.
Along with different stakeholders of Bangladesh including the government officials, the delegation met with the so-called civil society and ‘courageous and committed figures’ to engage on ‘democracy and human rights issues’, the USA Embassy in Dhaka said in a Facebook post. But who are this civil society and what’s their motives in Bangladesh?
Civil Society: For-Hire Intellectuals
The USA uses these ‘civil society’ members and their organizations, funded by the USA and its allies, to exert pressure on Bangladesh to serve its purposes.
The US, which claims itself a champion of democracy (read: westernism), follows the policy of ‘funding’ (read hiring) various institutions and persons to do its bidding in the target country. Apparently, Bangladesh has no dearth of such ‘mercenary intellectuals’ whose words sound more like the BNP’s political rant than well-thought-out lines.
Their unified voices are uncanny, particularly when it comes to attempts at demeaning Bangladesh’s free and fair polls and marvelous development journey led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Accusations of leveraging democracy to advance self-interests of this people (dream of capturing power through riding in the USA’s back) aren’t novel. The USA often finance these groups (CSO) to inject its agenda (meddling) and change states’ power dynamics without slightest respect to people’s mandate.
The BNP, which carried out extensive terrorism across the Bangladesh to foil the 12th elections, have failed but now the party vehemently demanding unreasonable re-elections and so-called Susil (civil society) just echoing the BNP’s demand.
On February 24, BNP convened a closed-door meeting with a US delegation, staunchly advocating for re-election. The incessant cries and monetary donations of BNP eerily resemble the modus operandi of certain elements within civil society, perpetuating a recurring narrative.
Centre for Governance Studies: The second CIA?
The Centre for Governance Studies (CGS), based in Dhaka, has been a subject of controversy. Funded by the United States, CGS positions itself as a think-tank dedicated to promoting democratic governance in Bangladesh. However, its activities have sparked heated debates.
Zillur Rahman, the head of CGS, has faced allegations of involvement in anti-state campaigns linked to the perpetrators of violence against Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, as well as terrorists and war criminals. These accusations have drawn attention both before and after recent 12th national elections.
However, The CGS claimed collaboration with the US Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE), which is funded by the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) of the United States, an entity reliant on the US annual budget. In a revealing interview, NED’s founder, Alan Weinstein, likened its operations to those of the CIA in the seventies, earning it the moniker “second CIA” globally.
Months before the election, Zillur aggressively refusing to engage with journalists who questioned his role in disseminating disinformation. When asked about his double standards—posing as an independent entity while promoting politically motivated content—his infamous response was, “I don’t care.”
Zillur remained evasive regarding the sources of income that sustained his lavish lifestyle and funded the operations of the Centre for Governance Studies (CGS). His cryptic reply—“We are not typical NGOs”—left the criteria distinguishing his organization from others unexplained.
During a press briefing, an incensed Zillur declared, “I don’t care, actually…”—indicating that these concerns were inconsequential in the grand scheme of things.
As for the financial underpinnings of CGS, Zillur opted to keep the sources undisclosed, merely stating, “We earn money from various sources… we are not a typical NGO.”
In a controversial move, Zillur interviewed a self-confessed killer of the country’s founding father. This attempt to circulate accounts justifying the 1975 midnight massacre drew sharp criticism from journalists. They deemed it “unthinkable in any civilized democracy” that a fugitive murderer could freely propagate their narrative instead of facing justice.
Odhikar: Penthouse of Vengeful Disinformation
Adilur Rahman, who grabbed the ownership of the ‘Odhikar’ at gunpoint, has been spreading lies and rumors about Bangladesh’s human rights situation and Hefazat-e Islam’s protest in 2013. He is also an opportunist who has used his position in the Odhikar organisation to advance his political agenda.
Adilur and his colleague Nasir Uddin Elan were convicted of fabricating and disseminating false information about the Hefazat rally on May 5, 2013. They claimed that hundreds of people were killed by the security forces, while the actual death toll was much lower. Their false propaganda was one of the worst examples of rumor-mongering in Bangladesh’s history.
Adilur’s background reveals that he was a law officer and deputy attorney general during the BNP-Jamaat alliance regime. He was hoping to become the attorney general if BNP came to power again. He switched from being a BNP activist to a human rights activist to suit his political interests.
The NGO Bureau recently cancelled Odhikar’s registration for financial irregularities, lack of cooperation, and damaging the country’s image. The United States allegedly is the main donor of many human rights organizations in Bangladesh, including the Odhikar.
Shahriar Kabir, the president of Ghatak Dalal Nirmul Committee, an author and a journalist, said , “We issued a white paper in November 2013 after the Shapla Square violence, containing more than 2500 pages. There, we presented the full statistics. Hefazat was claiming thousands of casualties, while so-called human rights organisations such as Odhikar claimed that more than 300 Islamic scholars had been killed.
“But we compiled a list of those who were claimed to have been killed, along with their names and photos. After investigating, I got the names of 39 people from Hefazat, Jamaat, BNP and Awami League. Among them there were people who did not belong to any party.”
Kabir said that many NGOs, including Odhikar, are run with foreign money. “They provide statistics the way donors want them. They know what donors want. The intelligence department and government policymakers should be careful about this. If they are not careful, then the government and the whole nation will have to pay the price.”
Role of Media and Civil Society Figures
Individuals like Zillur Rahman and Adilur Rahman, who claim to represent ‘civilized’ society, have faced scrutiny for their associations with political parties and foreign influences. Collaborative events with political entities raise questions about impartiality and independence, highlighting concerns about external interference in domestic affairs.
The alignment of certain individuals with foreign powers raises broader concerns about national sovereignty and autonomy. The influence exerted by external actors through funding, partnerships, and advocacy efforts can potentially undermine democratic processes and distort local decision-making.
