Bhutan's transition to democracy two years away

The King is apparently planning to have a constitutional monarchy with an elected parliament after his son takes over from him in 2008. He had devolved power to a council of ministers seven years ago as part of political reform, and has been proceeding step by step to steer his country along the path to democracy. Though there are still people in Bhutan who think that the country is not yet ready for transition to democracy, the King obviously believes otherwise; and as an enlightened person, he has unfolded his plans for democratisation in keeping with his liberalism and proper understanding of the dynamics in the present-day world.

The news has great significance for the region as a whole. Bhutan's neighbours have every reason to feel happy with the prospect that one more country in South Asia will be a democracy.

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At a time when many countries in the world are struggling to attain political stability, the Bhutanese are addressing the issue in their own peaceful way with the man at the top taking the initiative to carry forward the country's democratic agenda.

Bhutan has always had good relations with Bangladesh. And we hope these will grow from strength to strength with the passage of time as a full-fledged democracy and a country with liberalised polity work in tandem within the framework of Saarc.

God speed to the Bhutanese people.