Outsourcing free and fair election

Iajuddin's reform initiatives have a similar nuance. With one positive move on some issue he makes a negative shift that neutralizes or recompenses the positive. He hemmed and hawed with every reform initiative while the clock kept ticking toward the 90 days election dead line -- only to benefit his benefactor.

By scheming to install Iajuddin as the chief "referee" of the CTG, the BNP-Jamaat alliance (BJA) thought that they had won the trophy, without realizing that more games and sets were yet to be played. In hind-sight, yielding to the installation of Iajuddin as the CA was by far the biggest gaffe the opposition has made. His loyalty and servitude to Khaleda Zia parallels that of Governor Monem Khan's during the autocratic rule of the military dictator Ayub Khan.

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Paradoxically, each bygone day makes it increasingly ostensible that:

• What is good for a Free and Fair Election (FAFE) is ominous for BJA.
• The more conducive the environment becomes for a FAFE, the bleaker the prospects for recapturing the PMO by BJA.
• The longer the elections are delayed the more depoliticisation takes effect, rendering BJA's election machinations weaker and weaker.
• The more the opposition parties press Iajuddin for reforms, the more ineffective he becomes and the more he exposes himself as a BNP hack.

Delivering a keynote speech at a seminar titled "Democracy and Bangladesh" on December 17, US ambassador Patricia Butenis observed: "The essence of a caretaker government is impartiality. The credibility of the caretaker government depends on its acting in a visibly neutral and effective manner." She didn't hesitate to make the indictment that Iajuddin did not always work neutrally.

The recent frenzied activities of the diplomats and foreign election observers have become exasperating to many citizens. People are cagily inquiring: Why are these aliens butting in so much in our domestic affairs? Are all these hectic discourses and dialogues yielding anything?

The diplomats are taking an interest in our elections for various reasons. Ambassador Butenis articulated just about everything when she said: "It's no secret that the United States government takes a great interest in your upcoming election. And the reason is simple. Just about every issue that we care about that involves Bangladesh hinges on a successful election."

The upcoming election, and the government that will ensue, is not absolutely an internal affair of a country in an open economy global setting. There are many inextricable knots, dots and nested loops:

• Many of these foreign countries have a large population of Bangladeshi-born citizens whose family and friends still live there. When Ms. Butenis meets the leaders of the major parties she represents those of us living in the US (the same applies to other diplomats), regardless of our political affiliations.
• Politicians must not forget that the expatriates who remit nearly $4 billion annually must have some voice in some form. Additionally, we visit the country and spend millions more. Only a government installed by a free and fair election (FAFE) will enjoy our trust.
• The US embassy represents the US government and its citizens. The diplomats must make certain that our tax dollars, in loans and aid, produce the desired outcomes;
• Foreign firms invested billions (FDI) in Bangladesh. It is natural that their governments would want a business friendly and mutually beneficial democratic environment.
• Being a country of over 140 million people, Bangladesh offers its friends and development partners a growing market for their capital and consumer goods. A politically stable country with increasing gains in national income would ensure the realization of that market.

Only 54% of the respondents of a survey of 2,252 people (conducted from December 2004 to January 2005) claimed that the 2001 election was a FAFE. Certainly there was a strong perception of vote rigging, and the vote riggers misruled the country leading us to our current predicament. The siren song of power and perquisites was so mesmerizing that this time the BJA wanted it all through the deep politicization of every government department they could get their hands in.

BJA's insistence that delaying the elections beyond 90 days would contravene the constitution is utterly fraudulent. Are they not the same people who made the CTG dysfunctional by transgressing the provisions of Article 58C of the constitution? Add to this Iajuddin's blasé attitude with electoral reforms which squandered nearly 45 days.

The US and the EU had already forewarned nearly 10 months ago about the legitimacy issue, implying that if the election was illegitimate, the government that would follow would also be illegitimate, and would not get international recognition.

If the election is held with all the parties' consent but turned out to be anything but a FAFE, then the ensuing government must be declared illegitimate.

The World Bank, IMF, ADB and all other international agencies must withdraw all aid and loan packages until the illegitimate government is incapacitated. Foreign visas for vote-rigging politicians should be suspended until by-elections in questionable constituencies are consummated.

The whole world is watching the election impasse in Bangladesh. My friend Asif asked me: "Why don't you write a provocative piece for 'outsourcing' various aspects of governance so badly needed in Bangladesh?" His comments are not meant to be suggestive of anything but frustration; I thought the idea of proposing for outsourcing FAFE would be interesting, if not particularly pragmatic.

Outsourcing refers to the delegation of non-core operations from internal production to an external entity specializing in the management of that operation. In the context of FAFE, the external entities will do the production and service by bringing their expertise to the recipient country. There are many Bangladeshi-born US and Canadian citizens who have no vested interest in politics, but would be willing to serve their country of birth if called upon to do so.

We seek foreign expertise in building big bridges, highways, underground mass transit systems, modernizing our railways, building sea ports, power plants, solving the murder of the ex-finance minister, and fighting terrorism -- because they have the expertise. Aren't all these "mind your own business" internal affairs of our country too?

As noted above, foreign diplomats and election observers are swarming to the capital and calling on the CTG advisers, EC officials, and politicians. If nothing else, they are giving an impression that they are fully engaged in resolving the intricate issues. This is synonymous to outsourcing "resolutions" of our election related foibles to diplomats and foreign representatives free of charge.

One thing for sure, the country is benefiting from tourist revenues. In fact, the EC should ask for as many thousand election watchers as the foreign countries would be willing to provide. Why not even call for an international bid for outsourcing the conduct of a free and fair election for a billion dollars (to be paid by the bidders) for the experience of a life-time?

Dr Abdullah A Dewan is Professor of Economics at Eastern Michigan University.