Perspectives
The mother of all elections?
THE nation has been, with bated breath, awaiting what seems will be the mother of all elections. At least that's the impression we derive from the people concerned with election 2008. The ideas that have been hawked so far in this connection aim not only at ensuring the most credible election of the country but also one that would redefine Bangladesh polity and change its political ethos through a series of electoral reforms. The caretaker government undertook measures that will drive sleazy, corrupt and criminalised politicians out of the arena to allow space for those who have been handicapped by the primacy and influence of black money and muscle power in the electoral process.
We have also been fed ideas that even technologically the next election will mark a tectonic shift from what it used to be earlier -- with the introduction of voter ID cards, transparent ballot boxes, and so on. There were ceremonies galore projecting these ideas and the technology adopted. In the process, the caretaker government, already well past its constitutionally mandated life-span, had to unavoidably dig its heels deeper to allow the changes and reforms to take place. But assorted groups of politicians, members of the civil society and experts in various disciplines, particularly the economists, insist on an early election to hand over power to elected representatives of the people to avert a looming catastrophe -- especially in the economic sector. The major political parties demanded election by June next.
As the authority did not budge and went ahead with its functioning, it was presumed that in a worst-case scenario the election would be held next December -- the limit of the electoral time-frame given by the authority. Both the Election Commission and the caretaker government occasionally spoke of conducting the election before the year 2008 was out -- without, of course, specifying any date. However, a reality check reveals that the work-load for the concerned agencies is disproportionately heavier than they can carry. During the next nine months that are left it is feared that the Election Commission may not be ready, given the long list of unfinished tasks. In retrospect, while the authority remained enamoured with projecting its ideas, the implementation does not seem to have proceeded in tandem.
It is learnt that 40 percent of ID cards have still not been prepared. Although it is over a year that the reorganised EC has been in place, voter list preparation earnestly started only from November last. It is also learnt that the enormity of errors incorporated in the list prepared so far will require a big chunk of time for corrections. Moreover, the EC's dialogue with the political parties is still incomplete, with the BNP remaining out of its ambit due to legal glitches. Also, the electoral laws and code of conduct are yet to be prepared. The re-delineation of constituencies has been talked about, but not done. Even after the declaration of the election schedule, a lot of time will be required for political stakeholders to get ready.
As a result, the election, that is aptly looked upon as "a mother of all elections," remains uncertain as regards its timing, amid many similar imponderables. Doubts thicken with reports of "national government," "government of consensus" or a "national security council" gaining momentum.
The government often talks about the provision of level playing ground for a fair election. But where are the players? Thus far, everything appears barren. Neither the government nor the political parties have reformed to bring about the desired changes. With the BNP down in the dumps as matter of comeuppance, and the AL shaken up with myriad corruption cases against its top leaders, there's really no platform for the potential political players to come from. As regards a credible alternative, there are, at best, amorphous ideas and philosophy. Coined by a discredited Arab leader on the eve of the first gulf war, "the mother of all battles" did not go favourably for its author. In our case, we are at the moment toying only with the idea of an election -- let alone the question of the mother of all elections.
Unfortunately, there is hiatus between what we desire and what can be done. We shall consider it an achievement only if an election of a sort is held. That alone, it is hoped, will be the harbinger of change -- and hopefully positive change. The nation desperately needs to be reassured of its destiny.
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