Reforms dialogue goes nowhere

The government has approached the question of reforms in a typical bureaucratic manner. This was their deliberate choice. It was done with clear knowledge that the best way to kill reforms proposals would be to set up a committee, whose terms of composition and agenda would remain vague. They knew full well, that considerable time would be spent in thrashing out the procedural aspects, leaving little time for actual discussion on substantive issues and implementation of agreed decisions.

Progress in reform talks has been like the proverbial snail climbing a greased pole. Carrots were dangled and expectations rose -- to be eventually dashed through spanners.

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Nearly two and half months have elapsed since Sheikh Hasina placed her demands for reforms in the Jatiya Sangsad. Many friends had advised the Awami League that this was the best course of action. It had also been pointed out that this was the democratic norm. Well, that was done. So many weeks later, the two sides have yet to agree on the procedural format. The whole process continues to become more complex by the day. The clock continues to tick away and we now have less than six months left before this administration completes its tenure and hands over power to the next caretaker government.

What we have today is a standoff where representatives of the Administration are persisting in double-speak. On the one hand we have the secretary general of the BNP urging the Opposition to continue their efforts towards dialogue. On the other, we have the Prime Minister, the leader of the secretary general's party stating that no reform is really required either in the electoral system or in the present format of the caretaker government. We have a situation where we are experiencing Kabuki theatre, where in a shadow play, one hand is offering a course of action which is being denied by the other hand.

Ordinary citizens like us do understand that our government agreed to such a dialogue on the repeated suggestions of our foreign friends. It now appears that this course of action was agreed to by the government for two reasons -- to keep the donor countries happy, and also, if possible, to keep Opposition demonstrators away from the streets.

What is clearly absent is political will. Otherwise, senior government political functionaries would not continue to remind journalists that the government has a few months left of their tenure and that the Opposition will be unable to dislodge them by force from their current responsibility. Their spirit is one of confrontation, not dialogue or understanding. There is no hint of compromise.

The government will do well to understand that their clever politics through exchange of letters will not enhance their standing and support within the broad electorate. You can after all, fool some of the people some of the time, but definitely, not all the time.

The situation as it stands today is far from satisfactory. Common people went a resolution of the persisting political crisis. They have their hands full with the sharp rise in the cost of living. Pervasive corruption and terrorism have tainted our national image. It is one thing to be on the Time magazine cover and claim that terrorism has been dealt with satisfactorily. It is another, when we read that the Australian government is sufficiently concerned about terrorism in Bangladesh, to propose the opening of a Federal police office in Bangladesh. Appointing expensive lobbyists will also not ameliorate the sufferings of the common man. Absence of utilities -- electricity, gas and clean water -- has made daily existence tiresome for millions in the urban areas. In some villages, deficiency of fertilizers and electricity has led to bloodshed and turmoil.

One can only comment that while Rome continues to burn, Nero is still playing with his fiddle.

We have seen how pre-meditated efforts have been undertaken to influence possible course of future events. In this context, it needs to be remembered, that bending the matrix and creating an uneven pitch will fail in the long run. Any election without the participation of the main parties belonging to the Opposition will hardly count, or be treated as kosher.

Currently, things appear to have come to a boil, where the Awami League and other members of the 14-Party Alliance have suggested that they are unwilling to sit in a dialogue with representatives of parties who were associated in anti-liberation activities in 1971. This for them is a matter of principle. They are willing to sit with them as elected representatives in the Jatiyo Sangsad, but not sit in a dialogue, in the context of the reforms proposals. This is so, because the Opposition is now convinced that these Islamic parties have been deeply involved in encouraging not only extremism, terrorism and militancy but also in working against the pillars of the state that are codified in the Constitution. They also believe that these forces have subverted secularism within the country.

Let the BNP consider taking the same course of action as has been done by the Awami League. Let the discussion and the dialogue be between the Awami League and the BNP. These principal political parties could brief others in the respective camps later. This will facilitate progress.

It is time the government treats the whole issue of dialogue with some seriousness. No thought appears to have been given as yet to substantive issues and to the drafting of an agenda. These are basic first steps.

There are many significant questions that have remained unanswered. Some of these, like the preparation of the electoral rolls, have already become the subject of litigation in higher courts. These have to be resolved expeditiously.

The Election Commission comes foremost in this regard. The manner in which this institution is functioning reflects irresponsibility. It is already mired in a credibility gap -- thanks to the Chief Election Commissioner. Instead of strengthening its independence, the past few months have seen the government deliberately embroiling it in all forms of unnecessary controversy.

The situation is sensitive. We must understand that uncertainty in politics will only ensure instability that can never be explained away by lobbyists. It will also affect our trade and impact on our competitive advantage. It will also certainly reduce potential foreign direct investment that has become so crucial for improving our existing infrastructure.

Reforms are required in order for us to move forward. Let reason, for a change, rule over emotion and partisanship -- guided by an inordinate quest to stay in power for the sake of power, and not the welfare of the people.

Muhammad Zamir is a former Secretary and Ambassador who can be reached at mzamir@dhaka.net