Cartoon, caretaker and credibility

As we understand, the cartoon has been drawn on the basis of a recent news item that surprised all of us. Allegedly, 200 BNP-Jamaat cadres have so far been appointed as Upazila Polls Officers by the government. It is expected that these officers will be used in the upcoming general election, 2006. The promotions and appointments in bureaucracy on the basis of political affiliations in recent times have already earned wraths from critics. The increase in the age limit of the Chief Justice, allegedly, to place partisan person as neutral head of caretaker government, added further flesh to the argument of election engineering.

It might appear that the arrangement is for a one sided election game in 2006. May be like the one in Magura or as farcial as the February general election in 1996. The arrangements remind me of a story that I heard in my boyhood. An uncle was talking to his nephew:" We must win the match, otherwise our image will be lost for ever". "But how can you, my uncle? Your team is too weak to win. I think they will have to swallow five goals in five seconds!" opined the nephew. "Wait and see. Look, the referee of the match being played is my maternal uncle, the linesmen are my in-laws and their goal keeper lives on my doles every day. How can we lose the battle?" asked the uncle.

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In Bangladesh, the caretaker government concept was created keeping in mind the election engineering episodes of ruing parties. In one sense, it is the failure of the politicians to keep themselves pure and, therefore, the concept is an aspersion to them. However, the concept relatively worked well under Justice Shahabuddin Ahmed and Justice Habibur Rahman. Barring few criticisms here and there, both of them earned credibility in the eyes of the public. But suddenly it lost its credibility as a neutral government during the last general election. There are many empirical evidences in support of the hypothesis but allow me to cite a few. A Pro-Awami League VC of National University was replaced by a Pro-BNP VC during the last caretaker government. There were many appointments (e.g. bank chairmen or directors) who had been wearing BNP-cap during their long life. In Feni, for example, one terrorist Joynal was hunted for and forced to flee but another terrorist Joynal, allegedly, bagged the blessings of the then government. Besides, Awami League candidates and activists were harassed by law enforcing agencies even on the day of the poll. Last but not the least, during the last caretaker government, minorities were deprived of their due rights due to reigning terrorism. In fact, all of these allegations were unheard of during the first and the second caretaker governments.

It is, therefore, expected that a major reform package pertaining to polls should be immediately on board for a free and fair election in the country. With the arrangements in evidence, sorry to say, we see no hope of a free and fair election in 2006. Needless to mention, perhaps, that we have also the bitter experience of witnessing CEC standing helpless on the heels of partisan attitudes of the government.

Unless there is overhauling in the whole system of election process, not much can be expected. We are afraid that under the present scenario, another Magura or February election might visit us very soon. Whether that type of election would be acceptable or able to keep winner in power is altogether a different and distant issue. The pertinent question is : should we not learn from our neighbour India as to how powerful an Election Commission can be, as to how to make elections credible and as to how to make the democratic system work smoothly? The sooner we learn the lessons and realise the realities on the ground, the better it is for the nation as a whole.

Let me finish the arguments with the story I told earlier. This time the nephew whispered to the uncle: "You have won the game but where is the Cup, uncle?". "Oh dear, it has been hijacked by those who made us win!" lamented the uncle. If election is managed and thus power is pocketed, the fruits are hijacked by those who help win the election!

A free and fair election is a win-win game. This is how the system works in many countries of the world. The experiences of India, Sri Lanka and some other countries clearly point to that. However, the political instability looming large on the backdrop of the upcoming general election -- feared to be not fair or free -- might cost the nation heavily. Let people, not palace politics, decide who should be in power. And people can judge the best when Election Commission is fully independent, a caretaker government is free of problems. It is high time that all political parties sit together to thrash out a common concern with regard to caretaker government. It is also high time that the Election Commission should be totally autonomous in finance, recruitment and deployment of forces for law enforcement. Whether defence should be in the hands of the President or head of the caretaker government should also be sorted out soon. Without basic reforms, the upcoming general election would turn out to be meaningless -- an outcome that we hardly wait to watch.

Professor Abdul Bayes is a Professor of Economics at Jahangirnagar University