The New Nation - Internet Edition

Shamsuddin Ahmed

The caretaker government seems serious about holding election by December. One may deduce it is under international pressure as well as for a safe-exit from an overheated situation that some tends to describe 'near famine'. Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed has reassured of holding the election in accordance with roadmap. The Chief Election Commissioner Dr ATM Shamsul Huda is more specific by stating the country will see an elected government running the administration in next January. He has asked the political parties to start selecting honest and efficient candidates for contesting the polls. Army Chief General Moeen U Ahmed who is said to be instrumental in bringing about the 1/11 change also wants election as promised to the nation. Yet doubts loom large in the minds of many.

Arch political rivals BNP and Awami Legue are now united in demanding the release of all political leaders including Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina detained and prosecuted under corruption and extortion charges. Zillur Rahman of Awami League and Khandkar Delwar of BNP holding the aegis of their parties in the absence of the chiefs have publicly committed that they will not take part in election without their own party chief.

Facing trial on corruption charges they are unlikely to be released. In case the two major parties stick to their ground and refuse to take part, the election will not be credible. Thus they can frustrate the government move for holding the polls.

It is said AL and BNP chiefs who alternatively ruled the country and enjoyed all the power and perks for 15 years have now realized their mistakes. Their arrogance, intolerance and lust for power led to the situation that prompted imposition of emergency. Now they have come closer keeping aside rivalry and fight their common opponent to put a squeeze on the army backed caretaker government on plea of protecting democracy, freedom and human rights. Leaders of BNP front organizations have been openly demanding of the party leadership to give them agitating programme. Once emergency is relaxed for electioneering they may take on the common opponent (present government) by fuelling the situation to overheat. Can there be election under a confrontation situation?

The followers of Khaleda have refused to carry out reforms within BNP to make it democratic saying it is an internal mater.

Informed sources said reforms in the political parties would be made mandatory in the proposed election rules. Will the obdurate leadership of the two parties abide by the rules to take part in the election?

Awami League and its allies in the 14-party combine have in their first round of dialogue with the Election Commission strongly demanded ban on politics by religious parties. The obvious target was Jamaat-e-Islami. Added to this, sector commanders of the liberation war have now raised the demand of a commission for trial of war criminals. Again, the target is Jamaat.

Many smell a rat in the move after 37 years of the liberation war. In case the demand is conceded and Jamaat is banned and its leaders are brought to dock on charge of war crimes in deference to the wishes of AL, its allies and the sector commanders' forum, thousands of its workers are likely to go underground. That will be perilous for the nation and election impossible. It will be a folly to underestimate Jamaat.

The caretaker government of Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed is considered by many as too weak to withstand pressures exerted by countries trying to extract benefits. The government has reportedly agreed to extend Chittagong Port facility to India. After agreeing to Dhaka-Kolkata rail service India is seeking container service with the ultimate objective of extracting transit facility to its troubled eastern states. Even the Awami League government that was considered closer to New Delhi did not dare extending such facilities for fear of mass upsurge against the government.

In case the caretaker government gives further concession to India it may face a situation that might go beyond control and put the proposed election in jeopardy.

The apprehension of Maulana Matiur Rahman Nizami that RAW and Mosad are active in turning Bangladesh another Afghanistan may not be wholly untrue.

We are indeed banking on a bumper harvest of the boro crop in about eight weeks to overcome the food crisis. But boro harvest entirely depends on favourable weather. Its main foes are hailstorm and flash flood. Hailstorm for one hour or so before the harvest can raze the crop to the ground and flash flood from the hills across the border may wash away the crop in hours.

This happened many times in the main boro areas of greater Sylhet and Mymensingh districts. If, God for bid, the boro crop cannot be taken home safely the food crisis will deepen when conduct of polling may be difficult, as the entire administration will be put to face up a knee-jerking situation.

Few more words. True political leadership quality is endowed and cannot be gained by practice. Wisdom, vision, sagacity, maneuverability, integrity, sacrifice and tolerance are gifted qualities. The country needs leadership who combines these qualities to steer this impoverished nation to peace, progress and development. Do we see anyone among the lot aspiring to run the government?