The New Nation - Internet Edition

US Assistant Secretary of State Richard A Boucher has said in Dhaka yesterday that the US would not accept any deviation from the path to parliamentary polls here by this year-end. He also observed that "good elections" are not possible with a state of emergency and ban on political activities still in force. On a similar note, outgoing British High Commissioner Anwar Choudhury said the other day that the UK government hopes the general election in Bangladesh would be held without a state of emergency in force. He said if a complete withdrawal is not possible, emergency should be lifted to the maximum extent as soon as possible.

What the representatives of the two key development partners of Bangladesh have expressed is nothing that the observers here in Bangladesh did not expect.

What we need from our foreign friends is cooperation not just for holding the next elections but also for democratisation of the political parties as a vital democratic institution. They must not forget the fact that in Bangladesh democracy faced crisis for reckless undemocratic conduct of major political parties and their leaders.

Richard A Boucher and Anwar Chowdhury know Bangladesh more than many others and the backdrop against which emergency was declared on 11 January, 2007 in the country when the political leadership had failed to protect the democratic process most callously. The new Caretaker government thus undertook series of institutional reforms with a view to ensuring that democracy was restored on a much firmer institutional foundation.

The separation of the judiciary from the executive branch of the government, reform of the Election Commission, the Public Service Commission and the Anti-Corruption Commission are but some of the measures that would have far reaching impacts in sustaining democracy in the country.

But the political parties and their leaders for whom all these reform initiatives are meant have done very little to reform their party organisations with a view to making democracy last. Unhealthy party politics was responsible for the collapse of the system 16 months ago. The parties now only want the release of their leaders and show the least interest in democratising their party machines. The people did expect that the two representatives of the world's old democracies would shed light also on this vital aspect.

Democracy in the country is still faced with crisis as the major parties have not reformed themselves that they were allowed to pursue on their own volition. The army, which backed the present Caretaker government, was scrupulous enough not to take over power.

We also do not want the elections to be delayed. But the political parties which are supposed to take over the administration of the country after elections should come forward on their own and let the people know how they have reformed themselves so that the people may feel reassured that the politics of plunder, violence and chaos will not be repeated.