Editorial
Welcome transition to elected government
The challenges before it are many and enormous
AS Sheikh Hasina had promised, the cabinet that was inducted last evening is largely composed of new faces, with a few surprises. For the most part, it is an inexperienced team. It will therefore be a big challenge for the government to deliver the goods in full measure to the nation. Even so, we wish the government well and expect it to bring about the changes that the people of Bangladesh so keenly look forward to.
Yet the nation has particular reason to take pride in itself today. For the first time since 2001, a general election has taken place to the satisfaction of the people; and for the first time in two years, an elected democratic government is back in charge of the country. It will not be remiss on our part to suggest that we can give ourselves -- and by that we mean the caretaker government, the Election Commission, the armed forces, the police, indeed the entire nation -- a pat on the back for an achievement that truly reflects our traditional belief in constitutional government. We trust that the journey we have set out on will further strengthen our democracy and help institutionalise political pluralism in Bangladesh.
Even as we feel optimistic about the future, we remain aware of the myriad challenges the new government is faced with. It surely makes sense to suppose that the government itself is conscious of those challenges and will take the necessary steps to meet them with wisdom, sagacity and foresight. These challenges can broadly be categorised into three areas, namely, national, regional and international. The priorities at the national level are prices of essential goods, employment generation and improvement of the energy situation. At the same time, the new government will need to formulate well thought-out responses to the risks emanating from the recent global economic downturn. Equally important will be the need to tackle firmly the menace of religious extremism.
The new government will be expected to pursue a clear, purposeful foreign policy. Of particular importance will be a firm handling, in the national interest, of such issues as our maritime boundaries and checking and eliminating cross border insurgency. Bangladesh can play a constructive role through promoting further the SAARC spirit, especially in light of lingering tensions between India and Pakistan. On such issues as the Middle East, a strong response on Bangladesh's part to all aggressive acts, such as those being committed by Israel in Gaza, will signify an assertive foreign policy. We note that the incoming Obama administration in Washington symbolises for many a wind of change in the United States. In similar manner, the people of Bangladesh expect positive change from their new government.
By far the biggest challenge for the government will be to unify the nation through bipartisan, forward-looking leadership. The enormity of the victory the Awami League and the grand alliance have achieved are at once a call for humility and purposeful leadership. The government ought to remember that despite their low seat numbers in the Jatiyo Sangsad, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party and the Jamaat-e-Islami together garnered 36 per cent of the vote at the December 29 elections. It is this large chunk of voters the government will have to reach out to if it is to adhere to its promise of inclusive government. The opposition must be engaged through being given the space a normal democratic situation demands.
Let the new government speak for all citizens of this land.
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