Six months under the caretakers

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Enayet Rasul
The reconstituted caretaker government has been in power for the last six months . Every day, prior to the takeover by this government, people in Bangladesh woke up from sleep in the morning with anxieties and worries filling their minds. Life in Bangladesh then had progressively turned into anarchy. There was no assurance for anybody whether he or she would be able to reach his or her workplace and return home safely. The barricaded roads, street clashes and only deepening of these troubles and no improvement in sight, deeply disheartened countrymen.
'Hope' at the level of the individual and the nation was the worst casualty under these circumstances. The entire country turned directionless like a ship in the high seas without its communications equipment and drifting aimlessly. Finally, by the end of last year, the country seemed about to be plunged into a civil war.
Thus, when this remade caretaker government took over in the first part of January with its avowed determination to save the country from passing over the cliff, there was noted a feeling of great relief among people in all walks of life who suffered so long from the uncertainties and anarchic conditions. As if like magic in the fairy tales, the great city of Dhaka that appeared to have lost its mobility and natural conditions of movement and life in greater part, seemed to come back to full life and vigour at the touch of the magic wand of the new government. The same revival was witnessed all over the country as the intense feuding between political elements ceased almost overnight and normalcy of life and living returned.
This situation of normalcy has been the greatest gift of this second caretaker government. And this is no small a gift either considering that sheer hopelessness had gripped the people earlier. But the caretakers have been able to revive and restore hope and a sense of direction for the people and the country. Singularly this is their biggest positive achievement to be noted during the last six months.
There are other major accomplishments too. Right from day one of their tenure, the major issues that have been at the source of instability such as charges of rigged voters' list, the charges of lack of integrity at the Election Commission, the sway of party loyalists over the civil administration, all of these factors and more which were poised to frustrate the free and fair holding of elections in Bangladesh, were sought to be effectively addressed. This government has since then restructured the Election Commission that has led to its getting back of credibility, taken steps to ensure foolproof redrawing of the voters' list to be above any probable charge or misgiving, depoliticized the civil administration to make it fit to hold impartial polls, etc. Thus, the stage is being set very clearly and very convincingly in broad view of the people to hold the postponed national election with utmost fairness in all respects. The results of such an election, therefore, will have to be accepted by all . Thus, the elections will likely contribute to political stability.
This government must also be credited for thinking and acting not only for the short term but for the long term interests of the country. This aim has been reflected in its striving for good governance on a lasting basis. Enduring good governance for the country can come only from deep and driving political reforms as experiences over the years proved infallibly. The caretakers have claimed that they are not dictating things to the political partiers. But they have made known their nod of approval to members of political parties who are making the moves that would revitalize their institutions and make them acceptable to the people. Thus, political reforms are sweeping the main political parties that would hopefully bury dictatorship in them, lead to their leaders getting elected to their posts on the basis of merit and integrity and not on the basis of family name or fame, nomination of candidates for election on the basis of the quality and character of the nomination seekers and not their wealth and spending power, etc.
The leading figures in the major political parties are proposing reforms to basically change the negative political culture by banning hartal, siege and other destructive action programmes. They have also proposed mandatory participation in the deliberations of the parliament by all the parties represented in it, the strengthening of the parliamentary committees and their functioning with ample effect, the creation of the post of an ombudsman, etc. All of these reforms activities, on completion, are expected to much change politics and the political culture positively and qualitatively.
The government meanwhile, has taken other measures to separate the judiciary from the executive and to reform the Public Service Commission (PSC). It is also contemplating actions to cleanse the judiciary of party loyalists or incompetent persons who were most irresponsibly allowed to gate crash into this very vital institution of the state. The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has been turned fully potent and steps are being taken to enlarge it physically to cope with the cases coming to it. All of these measures, plus the reform activities within the political parties, should lead to significant changes for the better in governance after the election. The country would be in a position to make a fresh and hopeful start in the critical area of governance and also in the other areas.
A very outstanding achievement of this government is the on going anti-corruption drive. Bangladesh with the odious distinction as the most corrupt country in the world, five times in succession, certainly fully deserved such a drive long ago. But the same was prevented as the perpetrators of the worst corruption were in power and they would understandably not take actions against themselves. But the declaration of emergency and the resolve of the caretakers to start a crusade against corruption, created the ideal conditions to take up the gauntlet against corruption with impressive results . Former ministers, MPs, business tycoons and other potentates considered as untouchables by any law and order or security agencies in the past, have been caught in large number by this government and sent to jail. Actions are likely to be taken against many more for corruption. The anti-corruption drive must have made common people in the country very happy. The same will likely have a deterrent effect for a long time to come on those with potential corrupt instincts . The caretakers have also successfully satisfied people through their performance on this score that none is above the law and the long arm of the law will eventually catch up with everyone regardless of the person's station in life, position held and fame.
However, not all the things that have been done in the name of the caretakers, were greeted enthusiastically . Specially, these issues relate to the management of the economy. For example, actions taken at the outset by this government against some large scale importers , got out of control and created a scare in varying degrees among the importers in general. Inquires about ill gotten wealth led to a similar fright in banks and other financial institutions. Thus, the circulation of money has been under a squeeze for some months and the same caused unhelpful repercussions on life and living of some sections of people. Even smuggling, notwithstanding its high undesirability from the perspective of the normal or healthy functioning of the economy, nonetheless creates jobs and income for some people. The cumulative effects of hard actions of the government against various wheelers-dealers have produced a stagnant situation in respect of money exchange, income and earnings of a considerable number of people and hardships for them. But in the longer run, the legitimate and approved mode of functioning of the economy, will more than compensate for such stagnancy which is experienced now.
However, the prudence of cracking down too hard on vendors, hawkers and slum dwellers for orderliness and evacuation from unauthorized occupation, threatened the livelihood of many people at the fringes of existence. The clamour for more lenient treatment of such people of modest means, have led to some relaxation of the tough measures against them as well as for their rehabilitation. But more should be done because the people who were affected were common people and they deserve more considerate handling.
The caretakers are also at a disadvantage in matters of price control. Price control is demanded and aspired by the greatest number of people in the country. From fiscal measures involving duty cuts on imported consumption products and attempt to create parallel supplies of essential goods through the security forces, the government has been testing different methods to normalize and stabilize prices. But these activities have been hardly enough . Therefore, it is duly expected to get down to the real problem which is syndication activities. Research activities by certain thin-tank bodies have established that a handful of persons are now importing more than 50 per cent of essential consumer products. The monopoly grip of these few importers must be progressively reduced and to this end numerous small scale importers-- who in the past used to import essential commodities -- should be enabled and encouraged to stage a comeback. The import licenses of these people were gradually purchased by the few big operators who later formed the syndicates. If these small importers are facilitated to engage fully in import operations, then the powers of the syndicates over the markets will very likely slacken and prices may start falling in that case.
Government should be also very wary about inflation management. As it is, it has declared a budget this year leaving scope for the formation of an unusually large budget deficit and increased governmental borrowing. The spending on non productive expenditures have been also projected at record level in the budget for 2007-8. Taking of preparation for elections and stepped up need for meeting administrative expenditures, have created the justification for bigger expenditures on non productive areas. But deficit financing, greater spending on the non productive heads and deficit financing, all tend to create more money supply and, thus, more inflation. Therefore, government's success in its macro economic policies will essentially involve reining in inflation and to do this ways and means must be found out and applied to restrict money supply.