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After the presentation of the national budget for fiscal year (FY), 2011-12, in the Jatiya Sangshad (JS), different forums have been expressing their opinions about it. Many observations are being made by them. But in most of them, there is noted emphasis on one factor and this is : the budget's successful implementation or realizing the various projection in it, would depend, to a great extent, on maintaining and improving political stability in the country. But the question that cannot help but arise in this connection is: whose responsibility it has been to try and maintain this political calm? While everybody, including the opposition parties, are to be held accountable for helping to maintain this politically peaceful environment or otherwise, it should be obvious that the government or the ruling party has the most to contribute to a positive situation. For example, the political situation in the country is becoming increasingly volatile. But it would very likely be a different picture if the ruling party played out its role sensibly in this regard. The issue of amending the Constitution of a country is serious business. The practice in all mature democratic countries is to attempt the same based on a political consensus. But in Bangladesh the government party is perceived to be, not unjustifiably, pushing particularly for a major constitutional amendment to hold national elections under it when there is no groundswell of opinion in favour of such a move. From 1996, the Constitution has provided for a caretaker and neutral government to preside over things for a short-lived period to conduct elections and peacefully transfer power to an elected government. The caretaker system has been in existence for nearly a decade and a half, and has otherwise proved to be successful by staging credible elections above partisanship and cheating, in the given political culture in Bangladesh and that culture has unfortunately not changed in essence. No major contender for power other than the ruling party or its alliance partners, will like this system of caretaker government to go, for ensuring a level-playing field and, thus, paving the ground for participatory general elections. Can the opposition quarters -- it does not matter which political parties are in opposition -- be blamed for resisting the ruling party's attitude in relation to the caretaker system when they know fully well that only retention of such a system holds out an assurance to them of fairly holding national elections in the future? For the opposition, the issue has become one of a do-or-die sort since it involves their political existence even in the short term. Railway tracks have become unfit on a good number of routes for lack of regular maintenance. The speeds of the trains have to be slowed down, therefore, to guard against accidents. But even with such caution, the probabilities of accidents are always there. The present state of negligence in repair and maintenance works is a cause for concern. It has to be reversed. Amenities that travelers of railways have to depend on, such as clean toilets and seats, comfortable and hygienic rest rooms in the rail station, etc., have now become dream things for the passengers of the Bangladesh Railway (BR) as these requirements are hardly ever fulfilled. This is why the entire experience of a train travel in many cases turns out to be risky and agonizing for the train travelers. Besides, travel without proper payment for the tickets is a very familiar practice. It robs BR of great amounts in revenues. No wonder that it is found strapped for funds to spend on maintenance and developmental needs. Under such circumstances, the prevailing state of the BR calls for its complete reorganization at the heart of which should be making its employees accountable to a corporate body with rewards for good works and harsh penalties for corruption and under performance. Further privatisation of the services of the BR in more areas of operations may also be encouraged as an answer to its present problems. Obtaining donor funds for improvement and modernization of the BR will become easier, if its operations are strengthened through enforcement of accountability and transparency.