Going Deeper
The need for transformational leadership
THE refusal of some politicians, who held the reins of government and, consequently, the fate of the people of the country in their hands in the past to abide by the existing laws relating to depoliticisation of the local bodies from mainstream political parties and refusal by a political leader to enlist as a voter unless released from detention are examples of disregard by them of the rule of law.
]It can, however, be argued that laws are unconstitutional and, hence, need not be obeyed. But unless the highest rung of the judiciary declares the relevant laws to be unconstitutional these remain legally enforceable.
It is just as well that some of the recently elected mayors and councillors have decided to challenge in the court of law the validity of the Election Commission's rule that they have to sever ties with the political parties on whose ticket they fought the elections and got elected.
Some legal experts claim that enlistment as a voter by a certain date, as insisted upon by the Election Commission for eligibility to contest in elections, is unlawful because the existing laws on eligibility of a candidate for elections and those provided in the constitution do not support the position taken by the Election Commission.
One hopes that the person refusing to enlist as a voter, because that person is now in detention on corruption charges, knowing full well that unless enlisted as a voter that person would not be able to contest in the next general election, would also decide to challenge the constitutional validity of this regulation of the Election Commission in the appropriate court of law.
While none can disregard the urgent need for establishment of participatory democracy at the earliest possible time, as evidenced by the huge turnout of voters during the local bodies' elections, it also has to be ensured that the country does not slide back to the situation prevailing just before the 1/11 declaration of the state of emergency.
Bangladesh needs transformational leadership and not transactional leadership (the concepts are defined by Harvard Professor Joseph Nye in his book The power to lead and James Burns in his book Leadership). Transactional approach concentrates on the narrow path of giving to the people social goods in exchange of votes in the short term, while transformational leaders "engage with others in such a way that leaders and followers raise one another to higher levels of motivation and morality." Joseph Nye adds, "morally good and consequentially effective transformational leaders provide an inspiring vision of goals that overcome self interest and unites groups around common purposes."
Besides constitutional liberalism insists that regimes be predicated on the protection of individual liberty and the rule of law. It has, however, been pointed out that even in very mature liberal and constitutional regimes the rule of law can only be maintained in the face of onslaught by the powerful by the society's response through superior force in defence of law.
In countries like Bangladesh, lack of education and consequent lack of effective social coordination essential for deliberative democracy have produced in the past the absence of coherent majoritarianism that requires deliberations on all issues because the majority also remains accountable to the minority though it can outvote the minority.
In addition, open deliberation lends majority decisions greater legitimacy because such decisions are reached through the mechanism of getting most votes backed by best arguments.
Though Bangladesh never had the feudal system that some countries in South Asia had experienced as a colonial legacy and still have to grapple with its residual effects, yet one is surprised at the regularity of rule by an oligarchy of elites, coming from both the industrial and the agrarian and rural and urban sectors, that visited the country particularly on occasions when extra-constitutional forces imposed their presence on the polity of the nation.
But then again, the people welcomed the intervention of 1/11 because it was seen as an act of saving the country from inevitable confrontation between a corrupt government bent on remaining in power by hook or by crook and the other political parties backed by the majority of the population.
Since, like Alice in Wonderland, Bangladesh has to run all the time to remain at the same place, we have to get ourselves out of the morass that has enveloped us. The current price spiral is estimated to have pushed an additional thirty million people below the poverty line.
The report on climate change predicts Bangladesh to be one of the ten most adversely affected countries in the world, with a part of the country going under water and about thirty million people becoming "climate change refugees" seeking food and shelter within the country, already the most densely populated in the world, or in other countries where they would not be welcome.
Increasing fuel price internationally, leading to increased production cost of our agriculture and manufactured goods, coupled with adverse terms of trade for our exportable items in the international market and compounded by deportation of large number of Bangladeshis from the Middle East, a sector that accounts for a sizeable portion of our foreign exchange earnings, do not augur well for the country's economic growth in the short term.
The state of stagflation now afflicting the economy is bound to contribute to social disharmony embedded in asymmetric distribution of wealth among different segments of our society.
While the interim caretaker government (CTG) deserves credit for institutional reforms it has undertaken in curbing corruption (the step appears to be faltering) and to bring about transparency in the electoral process and in administration, one has to admit that transformational leadership can only be provided by the elected representatives who are intimately conversant with the needs and aspirations of the people and who can enthuse them to take the country forward.
The CTG may consider listening to the views expressed by the political parties on different issues and hold the parliamentary elections soonest possible to make way for transition to democracy sought both by the people of Bangladesh and the international community.
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