Over the last few weeks, Bangladesh has been subjected to an unedifying spectacle of the two major parties making below-the-belt remarks about each other's leaders. Unless good sense prevails, this mudslinging match can get out of hand. Words are free and easy with opinions and ideas bandied around; sometimes making sense, but more often than not it is mostly nonsense. Verbal promises are the corner stones of our political saga more in tune with Shakespeare's lines: "It is a tale, told by an idiot, Full of sound and fury signifying nothing!" That sums up our political speeches and activities.
A political party is defined by others, and defines itself, as much by its ideology as by the leadership it decides to have. It is rather self-serving for any party to insist that its rivals and detractors should not discuss its leader. A debate about leaders, their flaws and their assets is at the heart of democratic give-and-take. Leaders do bring value-additions to their parties. In fact, most of our political parties are increasingly becoming leader-centric. It is, therefore, natural that rivals should want to question the other political parties' leaders. This is the everyday stuff of electoral exchange.
A political party is entitled to place greater emphasis on its programmes and achievements than on its leaders. But the rivals, too, are entitled to try to reverse the order in their sales pitch to the electorate. All that the country can insist on is that political parties remain mindful of good taste and refrain from words, suggestions and insinuations that coarsen the public discourse. As the two largest formations, the Awami League and the BNP have a special responsibility for preserving the tone and tenor of a civilised political culture.
There is a caustic reminder that we need to take a fresh look at our old saying - not only to say the right thing at the right time, but to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment. You are right when you say, "A political party is entitled to put greater emphasis on its programme and achievement than on its leaders" but in our 'Yes Madam'- 'Yes Apa' culture, who bothers about the country and the party's achievements?
It is in the political wisdom of both the parties to settle and carry on with creative action in the interest of the nation. It certainly seeks to fulfil the media's role of leading, enlightening and educating the polity. The thinking but silent citizen, concerned with norms in public life, is sick of hearing political leaders trading personal attacks against each other. One is reminded of the decency and decorum observed by leaders in the distant past. Today, instead of parties being based on ideologies, they are built around personalities. The major political parties should preserve the tone and tenor of a civilised political culture in their own interests as well.
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