By The Numbers
We need change too
THE US goes for change, with the election of Barack Obama as its 44th president. The son of a black father from Kenya and white mother from Kansas, Obama started his political career at the bottom of the tier as a community organiser in Chicago. He is now destined to sit in the Oval Office as America's first black president. It all happened because the US people were hungry for change and Obama promised it.
With Obama's victory, a dream has been realised in the US and for democracy worldwide. Obama was visionary enough to assess that eight years of Bush's administration had made the US the enemy of the rest of the world because of its ill-conceived war in Iraq, which has been costing the Americans $10 billions a month and whose impact was to bring a meltdown of the US economy in a manner not seen since the Great Depression.
Tears of joy rolled down the checks of millions across the world, irrespective of caste, creed and colour, after Obama's historic landslide victory. It has set people thinking everywhere that they could have an Obama in their country too.
The resounding victory of Barack Obama leaves no doubt that the US people have indeed voted for change -- the most cherished change to spread wealth around. Obama's consistent message of change was appealing when almost nine out of 10 Americans believed that their country was on the wrong track.
Electioneering has been kicked-off across Bangladesh for the December 18 polls, as the political parties have formally started their campaign after the Emergency Power Rules (EPR) were relaxed. But the demand of the major political parties for allowing the convicts and the corrupt to run in the polls is surely a disturbing development.
Awami League has recently reiterated its demand for total lifting of the state of emergency to allow party leaders convicted by trial courts under the EPR to contest polls if higher courts accept their appeals against conviction. BNP has also demanded permission for their leaders convicted by a trial court to contest in polls while his or her appeal against the verdict is pending in higher courts.
The Constitution in Article 66(2) (d) states: "A person shall be disqualified for election as, or for being, a member of Parliament who has been, on conviction for a criminal offence involving moral turpitude, sentenced to imprisonment for a term of not less than two years, unless a period of five years has elapsed since his release." The EPR also clearly states that anybody convicted under its rules would not be allowed to contest in any polls.
The special courts set up at the MP hostel in Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban complex to try corruption and extortion cases filed against detained bigwigs have so far convicted 112 persons, including a large number of politicians. Most of the convicted politicians belong to the two major political parties, BNP and Awami League.
The US ambassador to Bangladesh, James F. Moriarty, has suggested that the political parties themselves can decide on the issue by enforcing provisions in their constitution that will ensure that an ill-reputed person cannot hold an important post in the party.
The way things are going for the upcoming parliamentary polls is quite enough for one to realise that the persons of dubious and questionable credentials cannot be barred from contesting in the polls unless the political parties agree to nominate clean candidates. Politicians heavily tainted with corruption charges cannot promise a better future for the country under their leadership.
The chief adviser and the army chief have urged the people to apply their wisdom and judgment in electing competent and honest candidates in the upcoming polls. But the people are quite disappointed as the old faces, most of them of dubious reputation, are showing up with their belied pledges.
Very few people will disagree that we essentially need upright leadership for getting out of the morass we are now in. A qualitative change in the leadership, a demand very close to everybody's heart, will remain a far cry if we miss the opportunity to cleanse politics.
It is sheer bad luck for the nation that elections have hardly helped in changing the people's lot or reflected people's will, except for once in 1970, when people mandated Awami League to seek redress against oppression by the Pakistani rulers. The much-anticipated parliamentary polls may not also fulfill the aspirations of the people unless we can bring a meaningful change in the prevailing political culture.
We need changes in the system of governance too, bringing major reforms in the rural socio-economic sector, including land management, in order to empower the rural people. Change in rules and laws are also needed to establish the rights of the landless people on the fallow lands, and the rights of fishermen on the water bodies, for lifting them out of their poverty trap.
Political rivalry and confrontation between major political parties, followed by hartals and blockade, is a feature of our political culture that needs to be changed too.
None of the major political parties had accepted defeat in the last three parliamentary polls held freely and fairly under caretaker governments. Instead, they alleged vote rigging and tried to destabilise the country by boycotting parliament and imposing hartals and blockades. Political leaders in the country must learn how to accept the opponent's victory from McCain.
The change that Obama promised throughout his election campaign impressed the young voters, who usually bother little about exercising their voting rights. Obama's campaign had been fuelled by the young Americans who volunteered their time to get him elected. Because of the young Americans, the voter turnout has been the highest in the last one century.
With the ninth parliamentary polls around the corner, many young voters are buckling up to exercise their voting right. The young voters, who have enough energy and enthusiasm, can bring a dramatic change by voting out the corrupt and the criminals from the country's political scenario. We need change for a refreshing start for democracy with dedicated leadership.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel.
Comments