Thursday, September 27, 2007

Bangladesh Army: Don't Overstay Your Welcome

In Bangladesh, the question on everybody’s mind is: when will the army return to the barracks, where they belong?

Army Chief General Moeen U Ahmed yesterday said the troops are working to help the government and will go back to their barracks the moment the government asks them to do so.
Translation: we’ll return to the barracks when we damn well please. It’s obvious who wears the pants in this relationship, and it’s not the caretaker government.

Let’s hope the military doesn't overstay its welcome. Sure, Bangladesh is less corrupt and electricity is more abundant, and things are good in general, but the army should remember that times of instability often follow times of prosperity. The Bangladesh Army should avoid Pakistan’s mistake and leave the running of government to civilians.