[ALOCHONA] Politics denied any change

Politics denied any change



Ruling AL fails to live up to its poll pledge for change in political culture; BNP sticks to traditional negative opposition politics


The Awami League-led government has yet to move to formulate a code of conduct for political parties and take consensual steps against the culture of boycotting parliament.It also has yet to make it mandatory to hold discussions on important national issues in the House.

AL in its electoral manifesto in 2008 and in its party manifesto, amended in 2009, promised to do so, to bring changes to the country's pervasive culture of confrontation in politics, and to establish good governance.

But frequent boycott of parliament by BNP-led opposition parties despite BNP's strong position against such practices in its last electoral manifesto, treasury bench's refusal to hold discussions on important national issues in the House, and strong animosity between ruling and opposition camps -- demonstrate intensification of the culture of confrontation.

Thanks to the ruling party's indifference to its own promises to bring changes to the political culture, and the opposition parties' latest strategy to launch street agitation against the government on different issues -- the situation might deteriorate ahead of the next parliamentary election, observed political analysts.

Observing the current state of political culture, the Election Commission (EC), a constitutional body, on Monday expressed anxiety about the possible political atmosphere ahead of the next parliamentary election.

It said the country might face another political turmoil before the next parliamentary election if the culture of confrontation in politics does not change, and that will have a negative impact on the possibility of holding a free and fair election.

The EC also cited the debate over formation and the role of the caretaker government that will assist the next EC in holding the next parliamentary poll in early 2014.

Political analysts said the situation might worsen if there is no consensus on the appointment of the chief adviser to the next caretaker government, and formation of the new EC in early next year, after the retirement of the incumbent chief election commissioner and the other two election commissioners.

Since restoration of democracy, through a mass upsurge against autocratic ruler HM Ershad in 1990, the country witnessed waves of general strikes as part of anti-government agitation, and political unrest ahead of parliamentary polls.

The political turmoil claimed many lives, destroyed public and private properties, disrupted the communication network, and caused severe sufferings for the people.

"If by abandoning the strategy of confrontational politics on the streets, the legislators can make Jatiya Sangsad the centre of debates, discussions and decisions on vital national issues, parliamentary politics would gradually gain ground," observed noted political scientist Prof Abdul Hakim in a book titled "The changing forms of government in Bangladesh: The transition to parliamentary system in 1991, in perspective", published by Bangladesh Institute of Parliamentary Studies in 2000.

In the wake of political violence on the streets in 2006 and 2007, AL in its last electoral manifesto pledged to bring changes to the culture of confrontation in politics which hampers making the parliament effective, establishment of rule of law, and good governance.

"Tolerance and decency will be developed in the political culture and efforts will be taken to formulate a code of conduct acceptable to all," reads the AL electoral manifesto that contributed to the party's overwhelming victory in the December 29, 2008 parliamentary poll.

It also pledged reforms for ensuring democratic practices within political parties, and promised to take all measures necessary to make the parliament more effective.

Later, in July 2009, ruling AL amended its party manifesto declaring it would make it mandatory to hold discussions in the parliament on various important national issues, and would build a consensus against the culture of House boycott.

Obaidul Quader, an AL presidium member, said, "It is true that the government has more responsibilities, because there is a matter of taking the initiative. But we couldn't do so since we had to deal with some other crucial issues."
He said there must be a joint effort from both the ruling and opposition parties to bring a positive change to the political culture through compromise, accommodation, and adjustment.

AL General Secretary and LGRD Minister Syed Ashraful Islam however recently said without holding trials of war criminals and the perpetrators of the August 21, 2004 grenade attack on an AL rally, and curbing of militancy -- it is not possible to bring a positive change to the political culture.

Quader hoped that the government will take an initiative within its current tenure to establish a positive political culture in the country.

When his attention was drawn to the EC's observation, Quader said the EC's remark was too early. "It should not have made such a remark hurriedly," Quader, chief of the parliamentary standing committee on information ministry, told The Daily Star on Tuesday.

A member of the AL advisory council, Suranjit Sengupta, however echoed the EC. "The culture of confrontation in politics must be transformed into a culture of consensus," he told The Daily Star.

Suranjit, also the co-chair of the parliamentary special committee on constitutional amendment, cited the committee's move to hold talks with top political leaders and constitutional experts, and said the practice of forming political consensus will gain ground one day through such moves.

Main opposition BNP's national standing committee member, MK Anwar, however thinks the possibility of bringing change to the political culture is very slim, as the premier herself has been hurting people's sentiment through her use of aggressive language.

"The ruling party must take the initiative first to change its own political culture before seeking assistance of opposition parties. But they do not believe in what they said in their electoral manifesto," Anwar told The Daily Star.

Referring to the EC's observation, he said it is true if the culture of confrontation in politics does not change, it will not be easy for all to perform their duties.

BNP leaders alleged that ruling AL is not interested in holding discussions on important national issues in the parliament.

The opposition leaders' allegation is true to a large extent as the ruling party in the current parliament did not move to change the culture that had existed in previous parliaments. Rather it favoured the previous practice of refusing to discuss the opposition's demands in the parliament.

The treasury bench in the current parliament did not accept any notice of the opposition lawmakers for holding discussions on important national issues.

Similarly, BNP-led opposition parties also opted to practice the culture of previous parliaments, by boycotting the House as a part of their strategy to foil the government's move to make the House effective.

In the last 20 years, opposition MPs boycotted around a half of the total sittings of successive parliaments, according to records of the Parliament Secretariat.

Since 1991 to March 24 this year, successive parliaments including the current one had 1,362 sittings, 677 of which were boycotted by opposition lawmakers.

The ninth parliament, constituted through the last general election, was expected to bring change, as it was termed "a parliament for change".

But the current parliament so far failed to deliver on the promises. Instead of encouraging tolerance, politics seems to have deteriorated to quite an extent.Going with the culture of House boycott, BNP-led opposition lawmakers boycotted most of the sittings of the current parliament, as they joined only 51 out of a total 207 sittings till March this year.

BNP is now planning to wage anti-government street agitation which might strengthen gradually ahead of the next parliamentary election.Just like in the past, ruling AL activists and supporters might also come out on the streets to foil the opposition's agitation, which in turn might trigger clashes between the two arch rivals.

 http://www.thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=182467

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