Touché Awami League
Brig Gen Shahedul Anam Khan, ndc, psc (Retd)
The PM has turned down the recommendations of the special parliamentary committee on constitutional reforms to continue with the caretaker system for two more terms. She had taken umbrage at some newspaper reports which, to her, conveyed the impression that it was she who was responsible for doing away with the caretaker system. Of course it was the Supreme Court which has declared 13th Amendment illegal and she was only reiterating the legal bindings that the verdict has placed on her government.
But that being said, it is also matter of public perception that while it is the verdict that has put the final nail in the caretaker's coffin, it is the AL that has played the part of the undertaker in this instance, having put the caretaker system in the coffin in the first place.
From what has eventuated thus far, one must unreservedly admit that the Awami League's handling of the Constitutional issues, particularly of the caretaker system, speaks volume of the party's political astuteness that is capable of looking far ahead. The prime minister's dismissal of any thoughts of continuing with the system, citing legal obligation, was a piece of political masterstroke delivered with the panache of a hardened politician. And that is just as we had predicted it would be, in the final outcome of things. The prime minister has merely followed a very well defined path which, one must admit, emerged from well thought-out and well-scripted plans.
Since the verdict of the highest judiciary is incontrovertible, the party cannot be faulted for its stance on the caretaker system, a stance which fulfills all legal requirements. But while the legal aspect can never be overlooked, there is a moral facet of our behaviour that should be exhibited in one's conduct, particularly when it has to do with the country's political stability.
And if the BNP finds itself left in the lurch it is only because the party leadership failed to anticipate AL's moves. Politics is all about foreseeing what ones opponents are up to for the present and the future, which can be done with a little bit of political insight. And this is the difference between a party that is made up of fulltime politicians and one that consists of people some of who merely dabble in politics.
We are not at all surprised at the turn of events, as we had predicted in these very columns a fortnight ago exactly what has come to pass. Judicial fiats can come in handy; they help to explain away many things. But it may not help to avert a political crisis that may not only result in a political stalemate but may also bring about a serious national crisis.
And we are again constrained to repeat our anguish, as has been done by many quarters, including a major component of the Alliance government, at the possibilities that are ominous to say the least. We are sorry for sounding alarmist, but exhilaration is not quite the feeling that the political situation in Bangladesh infuses in a person. And most often pessimistic formulations are unavoidable. One is even more perturbed when one considers that with the 13th Amendment being declared illegal, the political existence between the 1996 June election and now is illegal.
It is difficult to accept that things have changed since 1996. The PM's comment to the media that 1996 was a different set of circumstances doesn't sell. On the contrary, if anything, the hiatus between the parties has widened and the animosity has become more intense. To say that there is deficit of trust between the AL and BNP will be an understatement. And under these circumstances it is difficult to think that elections under a ruling party in government is at all possible. The objective conditions have not changed at all. The motivations behind the BNP current positions on, and demand for, continuing with the caretaker system, are as strong as the AL's in 1996, SC verdict or not.
There is no point taking shelter behind the SC verdict. One finds it ridiculous that the AL is now shooting down the caretaker system and talking about how unconstitutional, undemocratic and illegal the system is when it had participated in four elections under this special arrangement, and had come to power twice through these elections. If that be so, the party must make a public statement to the effect that its movement for a caretaker system in 1996, its boycott of the parliament and the general strikes it had called during that time, because it did not want elections under the BNP, was all for an unconstitutional, undemocratic and illegal system.
And one fails to understand why all the effort and time was wasted on several rounds of discussion on the caretaker system between the parliamentary committee and different sections of the society, when the course of action was predetermined?
Notwithstanding the SC verdict there are indeed compelling reasons to revisit the issue of caretaker system. Politics cannot be about assuming power only and holding on to it by any means. It is also about ensuring peace and stability. And both seem to be under threat.
The writer is Editor, Defence & Strategic Affairs, The Daily Star
http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=188180
__._,_.___
