CA's welcome polls announcement
Monday, 22 September 2008
The chief adviser to the caretaker government Dr. Fakhruddin Ahmed has finally come up with a firm date for the ninth parliamentary election to be held on December 18. The national election will be followed by the upazila elections on December 24 and 28. However, since holding of elections is the domain of the election commission, the Chief Adviser has assured the nation that he has made the announcement in consultation with the Chief Election Commissioner. The schedule of the election will be duly announced by the election commission, he stated. So, this has been the fulfilment of the promise the caretaker government had made to the nation upon assumption of office on January 11,2007. We welcome the government's announcement of the election date.
While welcoming the announcement by the chief advisor to the caretaker government, one needs to have an appraisal of the reformative and institution-building steps so far taken by the government. These steps relate to efforts for combating corruption by forming an independent Anti-corruption Commission and effecting necessary changes in the electoral laws, separating the judiciary from the executive, and making the administration transparent and accountable. How far the caretaker government has been able to accomplish its mission will be judged by the people in the future. But for now, the announcement of a firm date by the chief advisor has put a stop to all the speculations about holding of the next general election. Apart from announcing the electoral date, the government has also been mulling the prospect of bringing the heads of the two major political parties of the country, the BNP and the Awami League, to the dialogue table. Though the move is yet to be accepted in good grace by some of the leaders and activists of both the parties, the essence of the matter is that the traditional party leaders have not really taken lesson from the 1/11 changeover. However, any change in the outlook of the traditional political forces will not come automatically. One has to give up old prejudices and pet beliefs to see other's point of view. And that is the essence of democracy which both the contestants for power should cultivate.
The election is meant for the voters to elect the government of their choice. Bangladeshi people have always demonstrated their choice of national leadership whenever the occasion came. Unfortunately, the existing political discourse dominated by money and muscle power has deprived the votes of their actual right to install a government of their choice. All concerned would express the hope that the caretaker government will be finally able to hold the election in an atmosphere untarnished by violence, money and muscle power. However, a few questions have been raised by the political parties about the rationale of holding parliamentary election and the upazila election consecutively. Moreover, the chief advisor in his announcement has not said anything concrete on the withdrawal of the state of emergency for the sake of a free and fair election. The major political parties have been demanding its withdrawal during the election. It is time for the government and the political parties to find a common ground for holding the next elections in a free and peaceful atmosphere.
While welcoming the announcement by the chief advisor to the caretaker government, one needs to have an appraisal of the reformative and institution-building steps so far taken by the government. These steps relate to efforts for combating corruption by forming an independent Anti-corruption Commission and effecting necessary changes in the electoral laws, separating the judiciary from the executive, and making the administration transparent and accountable. How far the caretaker government has been able to accomplish its mission will be judged by the people in the future. But for now, the announcement of a firm date by the chief advisor has put a stop to all the speculations about holding of the next general election. Apart from announcing the electoral date, the government has also been mulling the prospect of bringing the heads of the two major political parties of the country, the BNP and the Awami League, to the dialogue table. Though the move is yet to be accepted in good grace by some of the leaders and activists of both the parties, the essence of the matter is that the traditional party leaders have not really taken lesson from the 1/11 changeover. However, any change in the outlook of the traditional political forces will not come automatically. One has to give up old prejudices and pet beliefs to see other's point of view. And that is the essence of democracy which both the contestants for power should cultivate.
The election is meant for the voters to elect the government of their choice. Bangladeshi people have always demonstrated their choice of national leadership whenever the occasion came. Unfortunately, the existing political discourse dominated by money and muscle power has deprived the votes of their actual right to install a government of their choice. All concerned would express the hope that the caretaker government will be finally able to hold the election in an atmosphere untarnished by violence, money and muscle power. However, a few questions have been raised by the political parties about the rationale of holding parliamentary election and the upazila election consecutively. Moreover, the chief advisor in his announcement has not said anything concrete on the withdrawal of the state of emergency for the sake of a free and fair election. The major political parties have been demanding its withdrawal during the election. It is time for the government and the political parties to find a common ground for holding the next elections in a free and peaceful atmosphere.