Civil society losing credibility, say eminent citizens

Amid the culture of political intolerance, a divided civil society is losing its credibility due to lack of steadfastness to stick to only public issues keeping themselves above the fray of politics, according to eminent citizens, reports UNB.
While talking to the news agency they said the space for civil society is shrinking day by day, preventing them from playing a vibrant role for which they blamed both its members' individual loyalties to political parties and intolerance among political leaders.
The noted citizens underscored the need for a strong and impartial civil society to raise their voice for ensuring public rights, good governance and democracy, and easing public sufferings in the country taking a neutral position between the government and the people.
Renowned educationist Serajul Islam Chowdhury said public perception is that civil society is losing its effectiveness as it fails to take a neutral stance on various national issues.
"Civil society members mostly work for non-government organisations (NGOs) in Bangladesh. The NGOs work on limited agenda and don't want conflict with the government. Besides, many members of civil society act as fronts of political parties," said the Professor Emeritus of Dhaka University's English Department.
National University Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr Harun-or Rashid said the civil society itself is divided as an influence of the country's sharp political divisions.
"The civil society in Bangladesh is still in its embryonic stage.
Most of its members are loyal to one political party or the other.  There are political party-based civil societies in the country," said the political science professor.
An independent civil society must take a strong position in between the government and the mass people to advocate for citizens' rights, human rights and freedom of speech, Prof Rashid said.
"They'll have to take an independent stance in the space between two political polarisations as well as to reflect the voice of mass people in its activities without serving any political agenda.  Otherwise, a strong civil society will not be built," the NU vice-chancellor added.
Former adviser to the caretaker government M Hafizuddin Khan said the neutral civil society is getting smaller due to civil society members' loyalties to political parties. "Since the neutral civil society is small, it can't play an effective role."
"A strong and impartial civil society is needed for ensuring good governance and human rights and removing misrule," he said.
Executive Director of Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) Dr Iftekharuzzaman said it is true that there is political division in the civil society amongst doctors, teachers and lawyers.