Truants rule the roost
ACCORDING to a Transparency International, Bangladesh (TIB) report, there has been a wastage of about Tk.5 crore 42 lac in the 39-day first session of the much-touted ninth Parliament. The wastage is attributed to truancy in our Parliament, resulting in the lack of quorum. The wastage occurs as the speaker has to keep the sitting adjourned till the quorum can be achieved. In the meantime, the running of the parliamentary establishment costs on an average Tk.35,000 per minute. It is learnt that their are five such sessions in a year, i.e.25 sessions during the tenure of a government. At the present rate, that will result in the loss of over Tk.100 crore. Isn't it deplorable on the part of those whose conduct and callous attitude make the loss inevitable!
As expected, the speaker refuted the TIB finding in a quick riposte. This is the usual response from the people in politics. Even when Bangladesh earned the dubious distinction of being the world's most corrupt country for the first time during the last regime of Awami League, its reaction was dismissive. To wriggle out of the ignominy it questioned the bonafide of TI's rating for Bangladesh. The Germany-based research outfit stuck to its guns, as has the TIB about its findings -- notwithstanding even the prime minister's displeasure.
However, the basis of the TIB finding, i.e. lack of quorum, is more or less a worldwide phenomenon. Many members of the British House of Commons do not show up everyday. But they are absentees, not truants. There are also those who do make an appearance but spend a lot more time chatting with colleagues and friends in the lobbies and cafeterias than they do on the floor of the house. They are obviously truants. It is the same way in most other legislatures, including the US.
But truancy is indeed pervasive in our political culture. It is more common among the members of our Jatiyo Sangshad than it is among legislatures in most other democracies. It must be rare, if it has ever been the case in recent times, that the speaker of the House of Commons has adjourned a sitting for lack of quorum. The speaker of our Sangsad, by contrast, adjourns a meeting almost every other day for lack of quorum, although he does not concede to this fact.
In our parliament, it is not the case of abstention but of truancy on the part of the members. Most of them do come and sign in to be eligible for pay and allowances. They step into the House for a quick appearance and then depart to do the errands in the town or elsewhere. They have little interest in the issues that some of their colleagues may be debating on the floor of the House. On those rare occasions when they do speak they are unprepared and irrelevant, thus proving themselves to be enfants terrible.
Political observers believe that politics, including parliamentary politics, is still in disarray because the nation's institutions are wanting in maturity and efficacy. Perhaps the only exceptions are the military and the bureaucracy. They are relatively stable and somewhat organised, although their efficacy also can be debated and is open to scrutiny.
Our military has by now come of age but, after independence, has never fought a full scale war, which is the only way by which its efficacy can be tested. It has, however, taken part in its share of skirmishes in auxiliary roles like peace keeping, if not in war. Our bureaucracy is notorious for its corruption and incompetence. It has greater expertise in finding reasons why something cannot be done than in doing it.
But the worst lot is definitely our politicians. Even after a seismic upheaval for them they learnt no lesson. It's not only the wastage in the name of parliamentary exercise, there is also much to be desired as to its quality. So far, it has been a one-sided exercise where the treasury bench members parrot their indoctrinated eulogy for the country's first family. They are so obnoxious that one has to hear and see them to believe. The organisations and individuals compete with each other in devising ways of showering praise on them. As a result, the priorities of political reforms are ignored.
Because of the ineptness of the parliament, which is subservient to the executive, the latter has overtaken the administration and more often than not calls the shots. Perhaps foreseeing this failure of parliament Harold Laski famously said: "... government has become an executive dictatorship tempered by fear of parliamentary revolt."
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