Happy reading :)
http://www.alapbangladesh.com/2009/04/13/first-90-days-of-al-rule-in-bangladesh/
AL came to power with a very big margin during the Dec 2008 election. The people from all walks of life lend a big hand to this surprise win by a big margin and they were expecting a big change that they can be proud of. Instead the happening of the last 90 days are a bit disappointing and deserves a closer look. Mostly AL's methods of governing and accountability are at stake and needs to change.
1. The Upazila election during the month of January had a very low participation rate. May be its because the government was not supportive of the idea of the Upazila system. Upazila system that was initiated by the Ershad government, truly was a remarkable achievement and helped to grow the enthusiasm of the ordinary people of Bangladesh.
2. Handling of the BDR Massacre was a mess and full of controversy. The government stood by and let the mutiny suspects kill more than 60 of the best Army officers of Bangladesh. What is worse, there was no recourse of actions or even firing of the people who were suppose to handle the situation maturely. Even the junior state minister Taj who was in Washington DC to cater to his Subway restaurant was not even reprimanded and removed for this carelessness and lack of responsibility.
3. Passage of the Upazila Parishad bill which was a complete disappointment for the people. Giving the MP's the say into everything what the Upazila chairman does and will do is a complete opposite to the spirit of the bill and will hamper the sovereign activities of the Upazila chairmans, not to mention the hold ups.
4. Removal of the eminent VC Prof Nazrul Islam of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU), was very much done to satisfy the pro-Awami League doctors' association Swadhinata Chikitsak Parishad. Prof. Nazrul Islam was installed by the last caretaker government of Fakhruddin and was a very able body personal and respected widely.
5. Force Removal of the ACC chairman Hasan Mashud Chowdhury is a disgrace for the AL lead government and its pledge to fight corruption and nepotism in the Government. What is striking is comments by some ministers who were branded as corrupt by the same ACC they are going after now. I guess the corrupt triumphs again.
6. Cabinet decision to remove Khaleda Zia from her residence was an act of vengeance and cruelty. Removing any person specially an opposition leader of the house is wrong and done not for the good of the nation but for pure vengeance.
7. Dilly delaying of the award of Off Shore oil block to Conoco Phillips and others. In the mean time, India has called for its tender to award off shore blocks for exploration. The question remains was it done to give India more time, so that they can encroach more of our areas and bid as their own? The visit by Indian Foreign Secretary Shiv Shankar Menon right after their floating of tender is rather suspicious.
8. Closing of various education institutions by the AL student terrorist activities are becoming a norm of the nation. Session jams are increasing as a matter of fact and hampering the real growth of the education system of Bangladesh.
9. Continuous branding of Bangladesh as a Islamic fundamentalist heaven is self destructive and bears no good for Bangladesh. It only tarnishes the image of Bangladesh to the world. I am not sure how it helps AL by branding Bangladesh a terrorist country.
10. Relying heavily on Russia to build our first Nuclear power plant to augment our electricity generation. While there are other options and chance to have similar agreements to construct more Nuclear Power plants with the assistance of China and South Korea, the government of AL is only looking a viable deal with Russia. Russia has a bad reputation about completion of their projects and we should not rely only on one source for our energy rather have multiple sources.
11. The transit deal and water transport deal was done hastily with India without any opinion from public.
12. Daily shuffle of Administrative officials are becoming a major stumbling block for progress and enthusiasm of secretariat officials are at an all time low. There should be some kind of a rule about their shuffle and reshuffle without hampering the day to day activities of the officials and their state activities.
Now some positive outcomes:
1. The much anticipated go ahead for Padma Bridge design.It will undoubtedly be the biggest project of this government.
2. The go ahead to implement Rooppur Nuclear Power plant is another milestone in AL's time.
3. Pledge to hold war crimes trial through special tribunal courts.
4. Pledge to dredge major rivers of Bangladesh to mitigate the sufferings of people and safeguard the river system of Bangladesh.
5. Pledge to go ahead with the caretaker government plan to construct multiple roads and transport system in and around Dhaka to fix the traffic problem.
6. Pledge to set up a performance based system for Government employees.
7. Pledge to construct Deep sea port at Sonadia and subsequent expansion of the port facilities.
8. The jails of JMB activists and their arrests.
9. The passage of the CrPC bill.
10. The passage of the Biman Bangladesh, Bangladesh Telegraph and Telephone Board, and Dhaka Electricity Supply Authority bill that was promulgated by the Caretaker government
11. Finally the legality of the caretaker government by the AL lead parliament.
12. Instruction to not to go overboard with the founding father of the nation Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was a strategic move.
I might have left some other details and lists. But most of all, the people of the country will decide what AL or its partners did in the last 90 days. If I was, I would have been more careful and taken into account the emotions of the people of Bangladesh and judge from their perspective. After all, they are the true judges of our activities. Leaders come and go but their legacy stays and haunt others. Election pledges are easy to say but harder to do.
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