No Nonsense
Politics of fresh perspectives
I was extremely amused when I saw Channel-i's recent interviews of high officials, political luminaries, and prominent businessmen, asking them what they dreamt about the future of Bangladesh.
Regulatory Commission Chairman Akbar Ali Khan, IGP Nur Muhammad and others shared their honest wish lists -- but all appeared to be divorced from reality and past experiences.
However, I gave the PSC chairman, my former Dhaka University classmate, Saadat Hussain, a perfect score of 10 for his response. He said: "I stopped dreaming a long time ago. I'm a realist now -- trying to live with the realities as they emerge."
What really peeved me though, were the dreams depicted by Mannan Bhuiyan (BNP), Ameer Hossain Amu (AL), and other politicians. It would have been interesting if Channel- i could record former Prime Ministers Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia's dreams for Bangladesh.
People were bluffed decade after decade with the illusion of "Sonar Bangla" -- one that seemed to be only for a few political families and their cronies in public service and business. These politicians have had all the opportunities to realise some of the same dreams they recently conjured up again in their Channel-i interviews.
During my short trip (February 22-March 6) to Bangladesh, I saw faces grim with desperation because of the price hikes. Although this is a global phenomenon, the stressed masses are not convinced about it. Politicians are also sowing confusion among the distressed consumers by censuring the CTG and even threatening to stage protest rallies, as if the government isn't unleashing its magic wand to bring down prices.
While in Bangladesh, I was frantically looking for an opportunity to chat with some honest politicians in local and national politics, notwithstanding the comments of friends that finding "honest politicians" would be a near impossible hunt. But finding honest politicians wasn't as difficult as one would have thought, if one was looking for politicians who were never elected to the Parliament or held high political office.
I met two politicians -- Nurul Islam, president of Gonotrantre Party (who never held any political office) and Zafar Imam (minister in Ziaur Rahman's and HM Ershad's government). I met them separately, without sharing what I learnt from the other.
Among the myriad issues, the ones that took center stage in our discourses were corruption, exit strategy of the caretaker government, formation of a national government, and national political reconciliation convention.
To both politicians, the corruption and sleaze that were unearthed by the task force came as a shock. They also consider the ongoing crusade against corruption as inconceivable, given the performance of the previous anti-corruption bureau, and opined that the mission must continue unhindered regardless of which political party comes to power. However, they want the process to be absolutely fair and transparent for unstinted public confidence and support.
I asked them if they would join the Moulovi Bazar and Chittagong type anti-corruption procession led by ACC Chairman Hasan Mashhud Chowdhury, and if such a public awareness campaign would be supported by other politicians. They thought that the initiative, although symbolic, would be productive if organised with carefully selected politicians from all parties. This would generate public confidence that politicians, when they come to power, would dare not weaken the ACC's movement against corruption.
I met a few friends who are concerned about the exit strategy of the CTG, national election, and power transfer. They believe that a national government consisting of all major parties should be constituted to complete the reform process undertaken by the CTG, which would pave the way for a smooth transition to an elected government.
Both Zafar Imam and Nurul Islam expressed the popular view that a national government was unconstitutional, and even if it was accepted by all politicians it could not be an alternative to a democratic government. They, however, recognise that such a government with well defined agendas may have an appeal for a limited time.
The idea of a national government has been floating for a while now, and the major political parties are averse to it for obvious reasons -- power and status. But what other options do they have -- street violence, hartals and lockouts? Only their cronies -- not the toiling masses -- would support the acrimonious politics of the pre-1/11 era.
Politicians have been pressing for a dialogue with the CTG for some time now. Their demand for release of the former premiers from captivity, lifting of the state of emergency and early election is being voiced with monotonous regularity. They meet foreign visitors and diplomats, who also voice the demand of the politicians in press briefings and seminars.
Both Nurul Islam and Zafar Imam responded positively when I apprised them of the indignity of foreign diplomats meddling in the internal affairs of a sovereign nation. I had thought that this kind of diplomacy had ended with the recalling of US ambassador Patricia Butenis last year. Apparently, it has raised its annoying head again.
I pleaded with them to convince their leaders to disassociate themselves from such efforts by foreign diplomats to engage in our domestic politics. Only senators, congressmen and parliamentarians from foreign countries may make courtesy calls on our politicians, if at all -- but not career diplomats.
What the country has been crying for is agreement among the political parties about consensus-based institutional reforms for good governance, and an oath of adherence to those reforms.
In a 2004 article entitled, "Political reconciliation through a struggle for recognition?" in Social and Legal Studies, Andrew Schaap of the University of Melbourne, Australia wrote:
"In societies divided by a history of political violence, political reconciliation depends on transforming a relation of enmity into one of civic friendship. In such a context, the discourse of recognition provides a ready frame in terms of which reconciliation might be conceived."
Before meeting the CTG for a dialogue, political parties should organise a national political reconciliation convention to thrash out all intra-party and inter party frictions that culminated in the 1/11 state of emergency, and show the people that "we are ready for democracy and good governance."
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