The recent steps of the CTG to put into exile the leaders of the two major parties revive the nagging doubt about the real motivation of the government and also brings into question how much independence this CTG really has in terms of decision-making.

One cannot but wonder about the curious timing of the charges against Sheikh Hasina and Tarique Rahman's brother combined with direct and indirect threats to ensure the exile of Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia (along with their families) and ask why these are necessary.

The government with support from the military has clearly been in total control of the country's political space. Many of the leaders from both parties are in jail. The ban on indoor politics is maintained without much resistance. Under these circumstances, is it justified to send these leaders to exile on the grounds that they may cause undue political and social unrest? If they do, the government clearly has enough strength and control to counter it -- what is the point of sending these leaders to exile?

There is a difference between rooting out corrupt elements from the political parties and rooting out political parties altogether and right now the CTG is walking along the thin line that distinguishes the two. If the motivation of this CTG is to re-establish democracy, shouldn't they be concentrating more on strengthening the democratic institutions, the judiciary and the anti-corruption commission instead of going to great lengths to forcibly send leaders to exile.

I am not saying that the country will lose much without leaders like Sheikh Hasina or Khaleda Zia since it may well be argued that they have possibly collectively done more harm to the country than good over the years. But it should be left to the people's mandate to decide whether to accept or reject them and to the legal system to decide their fate -- not unanimous and uncontested decision by the government to keep them out of the country.

Also, why are the trials of the thousands in jail taking so long? This unexplained delay in their trials is beginning to bring into question whether the CTG really wants to put them through a fair trial or just keep them out of politics for the time being and then free them when the time is right and their allegiance is aligned with the powers that behold.

Another nagging question is why are the leaders of the Jamaat-e-Islami and Jatiya Party relatively untouched? Have the leaders of those parties not done anything to deserve exile or jail? This selective punishment by the CTG also arises curiosities that have no clear responses.

The feeling of uncertainty is compounded by the army chief's proclamation of the need for a "new kind of democracy" and then falling short of clarifying what he exactly means. The citizens of this country are indebted to the army for stepping up in a crucial moment and leading the drive against corruption. But when the army steps out of its boundaries and starts defining the political system of a country, there is adequate reason to worry.

I sincerely hope that these worries and curiosities will prove to be unjustified in the long run and that the CTG in collaboration with the army will make way for democracy to flourish so that the existing parties can re-define their priorities and leadership, the emerging parties such as Nagorik Shakti can make a headway as an alternative political platform, and the new generation can participate in clean and honest politics of reform rather than destruction.

For now, my one source of comfort and hope is that I am able to write my thoughts in a newspaper. A corner of my mind still dreads the day that this government will "put the press to exile" too by saying that the press is contributing to political unrest. If the CTG ends up doing that, no amount of justification will be able to convince me that the CTG is not just "new wine in old bottle."

Mridul Chowdhury is a graduate student at Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government and can reached at: speakoutbangladesh.blogspot.com.