Democracy: The chink in its armour
THE era of romantic democracy -- of egalitarianism, equality, welfare and social justice is long over. We yearned for it for ages without ever tasting it. Even after our freedom -- the struggle for which had, indeed, been built up on our quest for democracy -- it has persistently eluded us.
The AL's absolutism, Zia's political opportunism and Ershad's decade of predatory rule deflated it to the extent the democracy started to lose its traditional appeal. The post 1990 democratic politics wasn't particularly reassuring either. It was tragedy of a historical proportion for a generation, which desired democracy so passionately and sacrificed so much to achieve it.
Ostensibly, the country, after one and half decades of military and quasi-military rules, a series of democratic governments that failed to deliver, as well as chastisement by a quixotic caretaker dispensation, has been brought back to its democratic frame once again with an elected government in power. There are the parliament, cabinet, political parties and other trappings of a democracy.
In a formal sense, Bangladesh is among the world's few parliamentary democracies that meets all of its criteria. Yet, our democracy still suffers from a plethora of imperfections and inadequacies. The rulers take decisions on national issues with the exclusion of the opposition.
Welfare is a far cry, and at the best meant for the party loyalists of the ruling party. The majority of the ministers of the "poor-friendly" AL are millionaires. It is sleazy all the way under a creamy layer, and the majesty of the democracy is reduced to means for securing mundane individual interests.
And social justice and rule of law? Yes, but each ruling party has its own definition of justice and interpretation of law and legal policies, which were implemented and enforced in ways that suited the purpose of the establishment. Even with the change of government the parliament has ceased to be a meaningful forum for public debate, due mainly to the egoistic disposition of both the contending parties. A "back to the future" approach of the ruling regime, which lacks both experience and vision, has only turned the people's psychological clock back. The AL itself has goose stepped backward.
Doubts abound whether the country can be a democracy only with its symbols, which may be good enough for the donor agencies and countries to consider aid grants for their clients. The AL has bungled everywhere -- from Pilkhana to providing the bare minimum of its promised changes.
Notwithstanding a high profile Saudi visit by the prime minister and a Malaysia visit by our foreign minister, there is as yet no headway with regards to our migrant workers. As regards water and power, the AL government couldn't do a thing except blame the previous governments and employ the military to guard water points and powerhouses. Except rice price, which, in any case, would have decreased after new crops, the prices of all other things are making the lives of low and fixed income group miserable.
It's an irony that after a traumatic transition to democracy the same politicians who drew blanks on most fronts are back again to "embellish" our democratic architecture. Even with much ballyhooed reforms the prevailing system has once again brought the same people to the scene -- tax evaders, loan defaulters, smugglers, criminals and robber barons, most of whom were included in the list of the accused the interim government prepared.
When these elements were foisted upon the hapless electorate, the public failed to make an informed political decision. Using every expedient way, these people made their way to the centre of power to have the taste of power and the largesse that accompanies it. Surely there are chinks in our democratic architecture.
Indeed, we have reached a sad pass when the guns of armed cadres patronised by some politicians speak louder than the language of democracy. One of the most troublesome aspects of our democracy has been the absence of moral authority. Today's self serving politicians lack the moral courage to exercise their moral authority.
Yet, we cannot afford to lose hope. We can put our hopes in our public, who can be banked upon to protect the armour of our democracy. There is an inherent political beast within the simplest soul who keeps tab on what's happening in the power centre of the nation and is always ready with the best response.
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