Does Pakistan provide clues to the future of Bangladesh? On the surface the similarities are striking: dysfunctional democracy, corrupt politicians locked in an unending feud, general arises vowing to clean up, minus two plan successful, general ascends to power buoyed by popular discontent with the status quo, he gains guarded kudos from the international community. Now fast forward eight years: general’s popular support wanes, corruption allegations and army entrenchment grows, failures in governance looming all around, bideshis are unhappy with the results, popular demand for democracy is a rising threat. Then comes the lady to the rescue, bearing blessings from abroad, carrying the standard of democracy, and paving the way for the general to become president and for a king’s party to thrive. Yet, she is tainted, having made a pact that wipes away all questions about her past sins. She is now seen by many to be providing him a much needed life line, a reprieve from the burgeoning democracy movement, and an exit strategy from military to civilian office. Now that Benazir is back, the international media is clamoring for Nawaz Sharif’s return.

The New York Times opines:

Ms. Bhutto’s greatest challenge will be to redeem this tawdry trade-off by using her popularity and skills to leverage this modest political opening into something resembling genuine democracy. Her first step should be to insist that those parliamentary elections are open to all, including her longtime political rival, Nawaz Sharif, another former prime minister. His previous tenure, like hers, was badly flawed. But they are Pakistan’s two most popular politicians, and without the participation of both of them there can be no Pakistani democracy.

Had the minus two plan worked would we one day have to hear that there can be no talk of genuine democracy in Bangladesh without the Hasina-Khaleda duo? What kind of democracy will we have in their absence? They are, after all, the only leaders we have who are actually “popular.” They have the unique power to draw spontaneous crowds of hundreds and thousands, and they win their seats in parliament with natural ease. This is not an exercise in nostalgia. No doubt both have failed us as leaders. But what are our alternatives for credible, legitimate leadership? As two astute columns in today’s New Age by Mahtab Haider and Nihal Singh point out, there is a possibility that Benazir will play democracy while Musharraf carries out business as usual.

http://www.newagebd.com/edit.html

The Pakistan saga is unfolding so it is unclear whether Benazir will indeed keep her side of the bargain with Musharraf. But the question worth raising is: Are we to face a similar fate where a bickering litter of neophytes in parliament play democracy while real power remains in other hands?