Dr. M. S. Haq
At present, a few of the concerns about Bangladesh are: one, sizes and ramifications of additional losses, as well as damage – in terms of, as appropriate, life, property and other things including economy – that might arise out of and in the course of January 05 election, unless the election is postponed at the eleventh hour; two, impacts of the election or postponement of the election or otherwise as appropriate on for example modus operandi and timeframes of the next election or the delayed election or both in the country; three, futures of democracy, politics, governance, election – free, peaceful, fair, credible and inclusive – and the per capita entitlement of say poor and hungry through for example 2014; four, how best and quickest people of Bangladesh especially the ordinary people, and others concerned could liberate themselves from say clutches of present day political turmoil and cope with ramifications thereof (?); five, the right and affordable justice for political parties and others concerned associated with for instance causes, effects and causalities of ‘massacre’ of democracy in the country; and six, capabilities of friends of Bangladesh including the US and the UN, neighbors of Bangladesh including India, and others concerned when it comes to assisting ordinary people of Bangladesh in efforts towards say strengthening of bottom up transactions in the country in pursuits of solid political accountability, as well as better governance therein at an accelerated rate and an affordable cost, to maximum satisfaction of all concerned, as practicable though.In the midst of above concerns, an initial and brief examination of a report of one of the leading English dailies of Bangladesh of today, the 2nd of January reveal – Jamaat is now apparently in self-introspection modes against the backdrop of developments such as and as appropriate – unequal participation in say hard (street) agitations by members of 18 party alliance – Jamaat is a component of that alliance; Jamaat “paid dearly” when it came to “losing many of its leaders and activists in the violent movement against the government”; failures of all concerned with regard to the march for democracy; and the terror labeling.
I believe outcomes from careful self-introspections by Jamaat against the backdrop of for example independent Bangladesh and its continuous wellbeing could inter alia be instrumental in Jamaat’s renewal based on requirements and expectations of the country, in particular and the world at large, in general. The quicker the realization, the better it will be for Jamaat – to mainstreaming itself in national, global and other politics as an influential and competitive partner; to become a critical mass of integrative national development; and to act, if required, as powerful antidotes to extremism and terrorism through future times; to mention a few.
Let us now focus on inter alia as to how best and quickest Bangladesh could deal with above and other concerns associated with elections 2014. In that respect, a few of the suggestions have been presented here – not in the order of priority and importance but they are relative to time, space and other variables.
01. Let the January election pass peacefully because it is at present difficult to predict with a 100 percent accuracy as to whether or not ramifications of for example the election day violence (if that occurs) could match with the return from above ramifications in the form of for example cancellation of the election and a breakthrough pertaining to free, peaceful, fair, credible and inclusive elections in the country. But having said that – a serious deterioration of domestic security situation as a result of say above violence could end up in a military (other than the ongoing election duty) or other types of intervention or otherwise, as appropriate.
02. The18 party alliance under BNP could declare peace on and from the election day and use the development as a bargaining chip for negotiation and eventual agreement on matters such as – a firm date for election, and methods of that election enabling Bangladesh to ensure a free, peaceful, fair, credible and inclusive election in the country, and sustainable modus operandi for holding future elections after the next election in the above manner.
03. Since concerned people of Bangladesh and others are getting fed up with present day political situations and ramifications thereof, a further continuation and deterioration of for example above situations could take the toll on election vote banks of concerned political parties through future times. It implies inter alia changes for better in present day political dynamics by politicians and political parties of Bangladesh on an urgent basis, could work inter alia in their favor because a total rejection of concerned politicians and political parties – irrespective of their life span or contribution or both – by people of Bangladesh could not be ruled out in the future, all perhaps, in the best and overall interest of for example a modern and competitive Bangladesh, to the satisfaction of all concerned.
04. The 18 party alliance under BNP should start gearing up political counseling throughout the country – via for example each one convince one, and other methods – in support of free, peaceful, fair, credible and inclusive elections in the country on a sustainable basis. The alliance should hold town hall and other types of meetings and use the media including social media in pursuits of say development and promotion of peoples constituencies in support of good voting practices for building futures of Bangladesh and people of Bangladesh, in particular and those of the world at large, in general.
05. The 14 party alliance under AL and the 18 party alliance under BNP should step up efforts towards earning people’s vote and not otherwise as applicable, via strengthening top-down transactions within respective parties in pursuits of for example nominating the right person for elections in the best and overall interest of Bangladesh and its people.
The last word: let us rise on the occasion for creating, sustaining and promoting futures of Bangladesh and its people in particular, and those of the world at large in general, to the satisfaction of all concerned, as maximally practicable though. Also, let us work towards the right and affordable justice for all at all time in the form of say free, peaceful, credible and inclusive elections from now onwards in the country. Bangladesh is expecting a breakthrough in matters of election via PM Hasina’s upcoming address to the nation. God bless. (The author is inter alia former Consultant, United Nations Department of Technical Cooperation for Development – UNDTCD, Kabul – Afghanistan).
Related Posts
