Three cheers for the Election Commission, but
Monday, 18 August 2008
Air Commodore Muhammad Zakiul Islam ndu acsc (Retd)
THE Election Commission (EC) clearly deserves some cheers for the job done thus far. More precisely, I think it deserves one and a half cheers at this point in time: one full for completion of the voter list and half for holding the City Corporation and Municipal Elections. We will reserve the remaining half for the proposed UpaZilla elections and, of course, one full for the Grand Finale scheduled for December.
Unfortunately, the EC couldn't win any credit for the barren and inconclusive interlocution and tete-a-tete with its declared "clients." Otherwise, why should the LG Adviser be preparing for administering the oath of office to the elected representative of the people under parole? One wished that they were only exceptions, but unfortunately these people constitute a sizeable number.
Can't one afford to be a politician and an honest gentleman at the same time? It appears that, in some places, the voters were left with no option but to choose the lesser of the evils! There might also be a big disconnect between the common notion and idea of corruption and how the electorate perceives it in general. By extrapolation of the local bodies' scenario to the coming December days, one is shuddered to imagine that the Sangshad which has already been turned into a veritable jail house and court house will soon be stalked by people with "recorded" criminal background. Whatever happened to the reforms! Reform takes time. More than that, reforms need conviction, commitment and willingness.
Before we proceed any further, I just wanted to find out the origin of the very familiar expression "Three Cheers" as a matter of curiosity. For the benefit of the readers, I shall reproduce below verbatim of what I have come across in the internet.
***** HIP! HIP! HURRAH - "The old story can be taken for what it's worth, which isn't much. Hip, we're told derives from the initials of the Latin words 'Hiersolym est perdita,' 'Jerusalem is destroyed.' German knights, not a very bright bunch, were supposed to have known this and shouted 'hip, hip!' when they hunted Jews in the persecutions of the Middle Ages. 'Hurrah!' by the same strained imagining, is said to be a corruption of the Slavonic word for Paradise (hu-raj). Therefore, if you ever shout 'hip! hip! hurrah !' you are supposedly shouting : 'Jerusalem is destroyed (the infidels are destroyed) and we are on the road to Paradise !' There is not the slightest proof of any (of) this, and the phrase, which doesn't date back earlier than the late 18th century, almost certainly comes to us from the exclamation 'hip, hip, hip!' earlier used in toasts and cheers, and 'huzza,' an imitative sound expressing joy and enthusiasm. From "The Encyclopedia of Word and Phrase Origins" by Robert Hendrickson. *****
Those were the by-gone days of the 18th century. Happily, the modern man and the humanity have matured and moved forward with greater understanding in all spheres in the international arena. These words are still being shouted rather innocently and innocuously by almost everyone and everywhere, east or west, young and old, by the school children and college graduates to express jubilation and mark a joyous moment. But, no one with the right frame of mind would wish what the expressions were supposedly meant for.
So much for the Idioms which often have hidden meanings. In any case, our Election Commission rightly deserves Kudos, Greek word for 'praise' which entered English vocabulary in 1800s, for what they have achieved so far. But this was only a "Hit" phase, a term widely used in sports and athletics before a real competition. The EC has qualified in the "Hit" or the trial run although two things stand out significantly. The Ballot Battle in Barisal and the subsequent fall-out from the counting and announcement of the results has raised some eye brows. The EC would definitely look into the possible loopholes and plug them in time. Secondly, held under the umbrella of Emergency, some critics and skeptics have derided the whole episode as a stage-managed one and are ready to give only a pass mark as far as the exercise of free franchise is concerned.
While maintenance of law and order is of paramount importance during the elections and while some in the Government feel that the Emergency Powers are the best recipe to ensure such a peaceful atmosphere, one only hopes that, if not completely withdrawn, the application and exercise of the "Powers" would be kept to a bare minima and, in reality, it remains as illusive an idea as the "non-party" local bodies election that we had. And the role of the Army should be of more of a Good Samaritan of the EC and the electorate rather than being a "striking force".
We will reserve that full "Sabash" for the grand finale although a big question mark still looms large. Are we going to have the Upzilla Election? If we do, then when -- Before, Along, After or Hereafter (BAAH!)? There might be genuine logistical considerations for the election planners, but the players are viewing this more from an angle of electoral strategy and policy. One only hopes that after so much of torments, turmoil and talking in the past year and a half, and after traveling so far, these matters are resolved through discussion and in a manner of goodwill.
But in the final analysis, if the EC wants have a trial run on a slightly larger scale than the just held local bodies' ones, they might as well be allowed to go for it without distraction or getting derailed from their main goal of holding the national elections.
Participation of the major political parties is essential for a credible election.
It is interesting to note that the caretaker government (CTG) and some of the international partners seem to be cajoling and wooing certain quarters to win its heart. Is this kind of kowtowing by the CTG either necessary or proper? If the political parties claim to represent the citizens, and also claim to be the friends and well wishers of the country and the people at large, they owe it as much as their sacred political responsibility to this nation. And if they are true to their claim and pronouncement, they ought to rise above petty personal matters and contribute to the greater cause of the nation. Any talk of boycott or abstention at this stage would only push this nation to further chaos and uncertainty which we can ill afford. By the same token, they also risk themselves of being boycotted and abandoned by the people. The big wigs should realize that such irresponsible talks and acts can, at best be termed as un-statesmanlike, heavily lacking and wanting in far sight and futuristic vision.
The present EC is comprised of very learned and dedicated professionals who are luminaries in their own field and the composition can probably be termed as a "by-product", if not the "main harvest" of the popular movement of the political parties. They are there by virtue of their own merit and right. Everyone expects them to deliver what they have vouched and promised so far. And at this point in time, they certainly seem to be well poised for that.
However, there's a lighter side of life: We started with the number 3. A maverick friend of mine has, of late, made a discovery: all the three Commissioners have one thing in common -- initials of their names. You have guessed it right. And it happens to be the 19th letter of the English alphabet. Together, this alpha-numeric is akin to the title of a popular TV Serial which is much to the liking of the kids.
We will have to wait till the 4th week of the 12th month of the 8th year of the 2nd millennium to find out how far and by what mark and margin these gentlemen are capable of falling behind in living upto the insinuated titles!
THE Election Commission (EC) clearly deserves some cheers for the job done thus far. More precisely, I think it deserves one and a half cheers at this point in time: one full for completion of the voter list and half for holding the City Corporation and Municipal Elections. We will reserve the remaining half for the proposed UpaZilla elections and, of course, one full for the Grand Finale scheduled for December.
Unfortunately, the EC couldn't win any credit for the barren and inconclusive interlocution and tete-a-tete with its declared "clients." Otherwise, why should the LG Adviser be preparing for administering the oath of office to the elected representative of the people under parole? One wished that they were only exceptions, but unfortunately these people constitute a sizeable number.
Can't one afford to be a politician and an honest gentleman at the same time? It appears that, in some places, the voters were left with no option but to choose the lesser of the evils! There might also be a big disconnect between the common notion and idea of corruption and how the electorate perceives it in general. By extrapolation of the local bodies' scenario to the coming December days, one is shuddered to imagine that the Sangshad which has already been turned into a veritable jail house and court house will soon be stalked by people with "recorded" criminal background. Whatever happened to the reforms! Reform takes time. More than that, reforms need conviction, commitment and willingness.
Before we proceed any further, I just wanted to find out the origin of the very familiar expression "Three Cheers" as a matter of curiosity. For the benefit of the readers, I shall reproduce below verbatim of what I have come across in the internet.
***** HIP! HIP! HURRAH - "The old story can be taken for what it's worth, which isn't much. Hip, we're told derives from the initials of the Latin words 'Hiersolym est perdita,' 'Jerusalem is destroyed.' German knights, not a very bright bunch, were supposed to have known this and shouted 'hip, hip!' when they hunted Jews in the persecutions of the Middle Ages. 'Hurrah!' by the same strained imagining, is said to be a corruption of the Slavonic word for Paradise (hu-raj). Therefore, if you ever shout 'hip! hip! hurrah !' you are supposedly shouting : 'Jerusalem is destroyed (the infidels are destroyed) and we are on the road to Paradise !' There is not the slightest proof of any (of) this, and the phrase, which doesn't date back earlier than the late 18th century, almost certainly comes to us from the exclamation 'hip, hip, hip!' earlier used in toasts and cheers, and 'huzza,' an imitative sound expressing joy and enthusiasm. From "The Encyclopedia of Word and Phrase Origins" by Robert Hendrickson. *****
Those were the by-gone days of the 18th century. Happily, the modern man and the humanity have matured and moved forward with greater understanding in all spheres in the international arena. These words are still being shouted rather innocently and innocuously by almost everyone and everywhere, east or west, young and old, by the school children and college graduates to express jubilation and mark a joyous moment. But, no one with the right frame of mind would wish what the expressions were supposedly meant for.
So much for the Idioms which often have hidden meanings. In any case, our Election Commission rightly deserves Kudos, Greek word for 'praise' which entered English vocabulary in 1800s, for what they have achieved so far. But this was only a "Hit" phase, a term widely used in sports and athletics before a real competition. The EC has qualified in the "Hit" or the trial run although two things stand out significantly. The Ballot Battle in Barisal and the subsequent fall-out from the counting and announcement of the results has raised some eye brows. The EC would definitely look into the possible loopholes and plug them in time. Secondly, held under the umbrella of Emergency, some critics and skeptics have derided the whole episode as a stage-managed one and are ready to give only a pass mark as far as the exercise of free franchise is concerned.
While maintenance of law and order is of paramount importance during the elections and while some in the Government feel that the Emergency Powers are the best recipe to ensure such a peaceful atmosphere, one only hopes that, if not completely withdrawn, the application and exercise of the "Powers" would be kept to a bare minima and, in reality, it remains as illusive an idea as the "non-party" local bodies election that we had. And the role of the Army should be of more of a Good Samaritan of the EC and the electorate rather than being a "striking force".
We will reserve that full "Sabash" for the grand finale although a big question mark still looms large. Are we going to have the Upzilla Election? If we do, then when -- Before, Along, After or Hereafter (BAAH!)? There might be genuine logistical considerations for the election planners, but the players are viewing this more from an angle of electoral strategy and policy. One only hopes that after so much of torments, turmoil and talking in the past year and a half, and after traveling so far, these matters are resolved through discussion and in a manner of goodwill.
But in the final analysis, if the EC wants have a trial run on a slightly larger scale than the just held local bodies' ones, they might as well be allowed to go for it without distraction or getting derailed from their main goal of holding the national elections.
Participation of the major political parties is essential for a credible election.
It is interesting to note that the caretaker government (CTG) and some of the international partners seem to be cajoling and wooing certain quarters to win its heart. Is this kind of kowtowing by the CTG either necessary or proper? If the political parties claim to represent the citizens, and also claim to be the friends and well wishers of the country and the people at large, they owe it as much as their sacred political responsibility to this nation. And if they are true to their claim and pronouncement, they ought to rise above petty personal matters and contribute to the greater cause of the nation. Any talk of boycott or abstention at this stage would only push this nation to further chaos and uncertainty which we can ill afford. By the same token, they also risk themselves of being boycotted and abandoned by the people. The big wigs should realize that such irresponsible talks and acts can, at best be termed as un-statesmanlike, heavily lacking and wanting in far sight and futuristic vision.
The present EC is comprised of very learned and dedicated professionals who are luminaries in their own field and the composition can probably be termed as a "by-product", if not the "main harvest" of the popular movement of the political parties. They are there by virtue of their own merit and right. Everyone expects them to deliver what they have vouched and promised so far. And at this point in time, they certainly seem to be well poised for that.
However, there's a lighter side of life: We started with the number 3. A maverick friend of mine has, of late, made a discovery: all the three Commissioners have one thing in common -- initials of their names. You have guessed it right. And it happens to be the 19th letter of the English alphabet. Together, this alpha-numeric is akin to the title of a popular TV Serial which is much to the liking of the kids.
We will have to wait till the 4th week of the 12th month of the 8th year of the 2nd millennium to find out how far and by what mark and margin these gentlemen are capable of falling behind in living upto the insinuated titles!