Editorial
Offices for MPs by year-end
Lawmakers must fulfill public expectations
THE speaker of the Jatiya Sangsad has informed the country that all members of Parliament will be given individual offices before the year is out. It certainly makes sense. The fact that MPs need such space to do their work has been acknowledged especially since 1991 when democracy was restored in Bangladesh. There is hardly anyone who will disagree with the idea that lawmakers, like their counterparts in the US and at Westminster, must be provided with all the facilities that will enable them to perform their public responsibilities to the satisfaction of their constituents. One wonders, though, as to why such a long-felt need of our parliamentarians has not so long been addressed.
The question now is, with public expectations about the performance of the MPs always rather high, what returns can the people expect from them once they come by their new perks? Such questions come up given the unenviable record the lawmakers set for themselves in the recent past. Their telephone bills have gone unpaid; they have had tax-free cars procured for themselves. In their own collective interest, they have given themselves pay hikes and have come together in asserting their authority over local bodies. The general impression is that MPs have by and large gone for an enhancement and entrenchment of their powers and privileges without in turn fulfilling the people's expectations of them. Now, of course, such behaviour does not quite tally with the job they are expected to do once they are sworn in as lawmakers on a mandate for change.
At the other end, it has regularly been observed that the level of debate in Parliament is hugely frustrating owing to its indifferent quality. All too often, MPs have made statements that are either concerned with local issues or are paeans to their party leaders. Local issues are important, yes. Even so, lawmakers are expected to offer forward-looking visions to the country through their well-considered and wisdom-driven comments in Parliament on matters that affect the country as a whole. Sadly for us, that has not happened. Debate has been poor and MPs have instead generally engaged themselves in heaping praise, unwarranted or not, on their party chiefs. Such attitudes must change before the nation can convince itself that its lawmakers are serious about the work they must do under the constitution. They can make themselves relevant by mastering such issues of public concern as industrial and social development policies, foreign affairs, the economy, law and order, et al. A good grasp of subjects on their part is necessary, since MPs are expected to be ready with their questions and comments on them.
We will end on a simple note. Let the MPs have all the facilities and complements they need, but let them also remember that in return for all the perks and privileges they enjoy the electorate expects them to deliver. One last point: let the MPs take care that their offices do not dwindle into being party offices. Those offices and their occupants are expected to uphold the interests of the republic.
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