Editorial
BNP's reform agenda
Internal democratisation has no alternative
THE BNP's reform plan, at least the first phase of it, has been executed as the party announced formation of the convening committees for its district (organisational) units. It will pave the way for the participation of the grassroots workers and leaders in the party's overall reorganisation scheme.
We welcome the move that will initiate the process of internal democratisation of one of the two major political parties. It should also ensure collective thinking, while broadening the base of decision-making, which has so far been highly centralised with the powers vested in the party's chairperson alone. The real benefits of internal democratisation can be reaped through developing a system that will enable the upcoming, committed and dedicated leaders to rise to prominence within the party hierarchy, while discarding the failed and the disgraced who have outlived their utility.
BNP chief Begum Khaleda Zia has to bear in mind that the defeat suffered in the December 29 general elections could be attributed as much to the corrupt party men as to lack of internal democratisation which made it impossible for the party to face the situation as a compact outfit. The distance between the top leadership and workers at the grassroots was far too visible.
The stalemate arising out of the same committees at all levels retaining their positions, year after year, with no election and no chance for the upcoming leaders to have their turn, had to be broken. And what is particularly important here is to view the last election results as part of the cyclic ups and downs that any political party has to undergo in the highly volatile world of politics. The results were not really a debacle for the BNP; rather they were an object lesson for it.
A party has to face such political crisis by reinvigorating itself through new ideas, new plans and new faces of integrity and commitment. This is the standard practice all over the democratic world. But we notice that some of the leaders, having questionable credentials, have retained their positions in the committees. It may be rather difficult for the party to start anew while retaining the elements responsible to a great extent for the obloquy brought upon the party. The party has to concentrate on finding out the areas where things went wrong, instead of crying foul and holding certain "conspirators" responsible for their election defeat.
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