The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

Dropping a broad hint about the formation of Constitution Reform Commission to strike a balance of power, Army Chief General Moeen U Ahmed has said the absence of the two top leaders-Begum Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina-would not create any leadership vacuum in the BNP and the Awami League-the two major political parties of the country.

“If you pump out water from a stream for the time being, new water would come and feel up the vacuum again,” he said when asked if the BNP and AL would suffer from a leadership crisis due to the absence of the two detained former prime ministers. “No political party waits for a particular person,” he said.

Putting forward an idea of evolving sustainable form of Government suitable for Bangladesh with a balance of power, General Moeen said the politicians would have to sit on the driving seat to lead the nation to its desired destination.

He said this in an exclusive interview with Zillur Rahman in a talk show 'Tritio Matra’ on the private television Channel-i. The full text of the interview was telecast early hours last night.

General Moeen, who led the January 11 (2007) military intervention that rescued the country and its people from an obvious civil war, termed the transfer of power to an elected government after holding a free, fair and credible election, arresting of price hike of essentials and bringing about reforms, the three major challenges before the present Caretaker Government.

He also dropped a broad hint that the National Security Council (NSC) would be formed to enable the Armed Forces to help the civilian Government effectively. There are National Security Councils (NSC) in India and Pakistan, he added.

Referring to the Caretaker Government, the Amry said, “The train that derailed is now back on track” and now “an efficient driver is required and politicians should sit on the driving seat to lead the nation to development, prosperity and a sustainable democracy”.

On the Army's role in this regard, he said, “We are working as the gantry crane in service of the Government to take the train to its destination.”

General Moeen said, “The Army did not want to get involved with the 1/11 (changeover).”

“But not even animals have to die like people died on October 28, 2006,” he said referring to the killing of political activists in street-battles between the two rival political camps-the BNP-led four party alliance and the AL-led 14-party alliance in the capital in broad daylight.

The country must not be pushed into the path of destruction, he asserted.

Mentioning the role of the political parties on January 11, 2007, General Moeen said, “It's the failure of the political parties. They have a lot to answer for.”

On the success of the present Caretaker Government, he said, “The identification of corruption as the foremost malaise and keeping it under control is the government's success.”

On the failure of the Caretaker Government, he said, “I would not call it a failure. Prices increased due to floods, cyclone and higher prices in the international market.”

Emphasising the need for food security, he said, “We have to increase production. We have to bring in hybrid seeds.”

Putting forward his idea about a sustainable democracy, the Army Chief said, “We have seen Parliamentary, Presidential and Military forms of governments. Such a system has to be evolved so that misuse of power does not take place in running the statecraft.”

He urged the authorities concerned to study the idea he espouses for justifying his thoughts on the changes.

“Time has come to think about it as well as review the Constitution for effective functioning of Government to fulfill aspirations of the people and materialise the dream of independence,” he said.

Referring to practice of Westminster type of democracy in Bangladesh, he posed a question how it could be effective where other prerequisites are not followed but “all power lies in the hands of the Prime Minister” in the Parliamentary form of Government.

In this regard, he mentioned some pictures he himself saw in the United Kingdom during its general elections, saying, “In Westminster type of democracy in Britain votes are not sold nor agents of the candidates remain in polling centre”.

“In Britain, there is no pasting of contesting candidates’ poster and their poll-campaigning centres excepting a few posters pasted on a specific place,” he said.

“But the ground reality in our country is quite different,” General Moeen said, adding, “In Parliamentary democracy, all powers lie in the hands of the Prime Minister. This needs a change. That’s why we need a system where balance of power is ensured and none can misuse, abuse the power.”

In the past, he observed that the changes brought to the Constitution were based on personal interest of the previous regimes and expressed the hope that the next elected Government would look into it for sustainable democracy.

Asked what would be the fate of Moeen’s ideas if similar-natured Parliament reappeared after next election, he said, “This Government has only one year on hand and it can’t address everything at the same time.”

He said all should cooperate with the Government in reaching the goal so that it does not deviate from its original goal of holding a free, fair and credible election to transfer power to an elected Government.

He said the formation of Constitution Reform Commission was necessary to strike a balance of power and remove the scope for misuse of power.

“People have started thinking about reviewing and reforming the Constitution. India has reviewed eight times its constitution. Time has come to review our Constitution,” General Moeen said.

About the National Security Council, he whose force is backing the present Caretaker Government in doing sweeping reforms, said the Armed Forces are very much part and parcel of the Government.

Whether the Government was monitoring corruption of those within the government itself, the General said, “I am sure the government is alert about it. It will not allow that to happen.”

On the recent resignations of five advisers, General Moeen said the Advisers resigned for their “personal reasons”.

“The government wanted to bring dynamism in its actions” he added.

Asked why institutional changes had not occurred despite changes of personnel within different institutions he retorted: “How do you get reforms if you don't have a right person in the right place?”

“First you have to place efficient persons. Then they will bring about institutional reforms,” General Moeen said, citing the Election Commission as an example.