Decentralisation is the remedy

The logic is on the doorsteps of the ordinary. In a capitalist economy every individual is encouraged to earn more and have it to his pleasure with progressive taxation system for social justice. Primary focus of the market economy is always on the consumer. In politics it is on the people; which is missing in Bangladesh.

Market rule applies for the management of the resources within the boundaries of a state for maximising benefits to the people. If it is true for an individual it is truer for a region or community. If a region or a community has the potential to develop faster it should be encouraged to unleash the potential. Like all children are not equally gifted, not all regions can be developed equally. The constitution, like parental care, should offer opportunity to every individual and region to exploit the abilities. If Dhaka is asked to be equal with Maherpur it will be catastrophic. Similarly if the entire country is skimmed for the capital, the rest of the country will become its grazing land. That's what is happening today. Dhaka is enjoying the milk and honey at the cost of blood and sweat of the rest of the regions. Sovereignty once transferred from British Crown to Islamabad, then to Dhaka in a bloody war, changing the name only of the people from subject to citizen. Dhaka has usurped their right by a constitutional coup de grace.

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Bangladesh tried all sorts of governments, many times under near revolt conditions. But the illusive freedom or initiative never came in the hands of the ordinary. As decision making was all along in Dhaka, initiative of the people was parried by bureaucratic and political wilderness with carnivores in every turning. People could never question the wisdom. Net result, Dhaka is gnawing with latest luxury cars and endless train of rickshaws. White money is so much marginalised today that only source that I can safely recommend is the rickshaw puller's wage that has no capacity to cross beyond footpath vendors. Rest of the things are run by visibly invisible money. Such is the plight of democracy and market economy under unitary government and unicameral legislation that we are yoking. People do not really matter. Two halfhearted attempts were made earlier to empower people with local initiative. One was by Bangabandhu himself, appointing political governors to the districts. He decided to decentralise the governance through one party rule with all parties accommodated in it. Rest of the story is the national tragedy. President Zia traveled a lot to the countryside. But his intention was not clear on decentralisation as he never spoke a thing. Those are turbulent days of military indiscipline. Ershad had enough time, got elected Upazila Parishads, but was busy in extra-curriculum activities to have district council elections in quick succession. The rudimentary effort was doomed along with him.

People had enough of dictatorship; presidential and parliamentary democracies like neon signs of Dhaka or all cure medicine vendors at ferry-ghats. The core issue is decentralisation of power to the people and their regional centres which have not been touched. If Sylhet decides for cane furniture and tea, Rajshahi surely will go for silk and juicy mangoes. Like every brother and sister has his or her character within the parental care, energy of every region can be unleashed if it is allowed to manage its development perspective within the bondage of sovereign Bangladesh. I am little shy of calling the regions as provinces. If faster economic emancipation is possible through political decentralisation why not do it? Yes decentralisation is the remedy for the political ills of Bangladesh. The rest is browbeating.

To avoid whittling down the initiative the regional finance must not be on the mercy of the centre, but on revenue sharing right; residue being duly managed under the stern eyes of the judiciary. The regions with revenue rights and elected local governments can unleash energy of the people everywhere. If Dhaka-centric politicians are asked to take the initiative, one is kidding. Nor Ayub Khan or Ershad is any solution. Only grassroots and divisions can demand their collective rights through constitutional means. The way the French and Dutch said 'non' to over-centralisation of Europe the call must come from the grassroots for the decentralization in Bangladesh. The people must assert their right to speak the last word in our politics.

The writer is available at bgjahangir@yahoo.com