It's still time for keeping fingers crossed

Five years later, we continue to reap the whirlwind because the alliance failed to deliver while the embryo of terror has grown into a monster and the corruption is an epidemic now. In addition, an unprecedented price hike of the essentials -- perhaps the worst in our history, constantly gnaws at the country's poor.

During the last five years of the alliance's rule, the nation was literally taken for a ride in the name of fighting terror and corruption. But its inability, if not unwillingness, to eradicate these evils, is exposed now more than ever before. These are the staples of its politics although it still pretends to promote a terror and corruption-free society -- and, of course, its pet "unnayan" agenda for public consumption.

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BNP and Jamaat, the main components of the alliance, want the best of both worlds by ravaging whatever little is left of this country, and have been able to catalyse a hedonistic nouveau riche from among their ranks. The alliance does not give a damn about the rest of the population who are needed at best for the number games during the election.

The alliance cannot pretend not to understand the public mood and the people's alienation. In the meantime, it itself has, however developed, a vested interest in clinging on to power. The BNP chairperson makes no bones about it and almost demands to be elected to power if only for the continuity of the "developmental surge" initiated by her party. But the alliance's enthusiasm conceals the true picture -- that of having no wind in its sail.

Over the years it therefore blueprinted a strategy of getting over the electoral hurdles with the least pain. To perpetuate the alliance's corporate skullduggery, the strategy was in place right after the election in 2001. Since which time, in a systematic way the opposition was -- through vengeance, repression and political eliminations shrouded with unresolved mysteries -- cut down to size while its wings were adequately clipped. The alliance went whole hog to politicise the administration and national institutions to bring them in its thrall. Thousands of party cadres were inducted into law enforcing agencies, primarily to combat the opposition activities.

What has however been the most obvious part of the alliance's election engineering strategy has been its arbitrary appointment of a biased Election Commission which through all of its activities and pronouncements so far only produced controversies.

Resorting to extraordinary means to have a head of the caretaker government of its choice is another blautant breach of trust on the part of the alliance. The rot continues to deepen and it is feared that the last vestiges of democracy will be wiped out by the time the election, if any, is held.

No self-respecting nation can allow this blatantly immoral power game to continue. Hence, the protests, electoral reform proposals, and numerous other political activisms. The establishment, in the beginning, tried to dismiss them all as the opposition's attempts to create chaos in the country that was claimed to be in the throes of a "developmental surge," initiated by the alliance government which conjures up an image of their indispensability if that surge has to continue. In an inevitable riposte, the spontaneous movements grew up across the country to thwart the alliance's game plan. A deadly clash looked imminent.

It was at this juncture -- thanks to the good offices of our business community and civil society -- both sides agreed late last month to have a dialogue on electoral reform proposals amid unnecessary brouhaha and bloated optimism. So far so good. But the million-dollar question remains still unanswered: "What if ..."

There is no quick fix of a solution to the problem; neither can there be a miracle untying the Gordian knot. What is, after all, the issue at hand? It is to have a free and fair general election. If we can address this single issue without any lateral deviation, a solution may be within reach.

We have to do whatever is required to have such an election. It is not a question of both sides making some concessions and striking a deal through hard bargain. It is more a question of attaining the goal -- a free and fair election -- without resorting to sophistry and play of words. If it involves giving it everything either side can give, what is the harm?

Everything considered, the time has not yet come for a hurrah on the part of onlookers. It's still the time for keeping our fingers crossed.

Brig ( retd) Hafiz is former DG of BIISS.