BANGLADESH INSTITUTE OF INTERNATIONAL AND STRATEGIC STUDIES

CIVILIAN CONTROL OF THE MILITARY IN BANGLADESH: MOVING TOWARDS A DEMOCRATIC TRADITION

Author: Ishfaq lIahi Choudhury

DOI Link: https://www.doi.org/ BIISSj1999v20n1a4

ABSTRACT

Civilian control of the military is a sine qua non of a modem democratic state. The central objective of the paper is to examine how best to exercise civilian comrol of the military in Bangladesh to ensure democratic continuity coupled with high military professionalism. In this order. a careful study of the US experience on civilian control of the military provides basic principles for the ex-ante equilibrium of power sharing between the relevant actors and ensures that no single person or authority exercises overwhelming power. Civilian control over the military is shared between three organs of the state: executive. legislature and the military. Military. like other government agencies. provide advice. but the onus of the decision making is on the civilian government. In case of Bangladesh. although the military is constitutionally under the control of the elected representatives. but the effective control of Ihe parliament had been only marginal except for the recent years. Unlike the American Supreme Court. the Judiciary in Bangladesh cannot oversee the military. including safeguarding the rights of the armed forces from executive excesses. The paper calls for institutional reform measures within a coherent and panicipatory national security and strategic policy in order to initiate the evolution process of civil control over the military in Bangladesh. Also. a vibrant interaction between the military and the civil society is sought in this order.