The New Nation - Internet Edition

TRANSPARENCY International Bangladsesh (TIB) last week released the findings of a study at a seminar about what people all over the country are keenly expecting from the upcoming election to form the next parliament. A large number of people were questioned for the purpose and from the response it emerged that the respondents overwhelmingly are in favour of clean and efficient candidates. While competence is expected, people are stressing very much their clean background in all respects, their education to be able to understand nationally important issues as lawmakers and the minimum of ability to deal with them.

Nobody can blame the people for their thinking. Again and again they gave proof of their political maturity and wisdom but to no effect most of the time. The incumbents in power took over with the resolve that they would work very dedicatedly to implement only what vital things are in people's minds. But nearly two years down the road, they seem to be far from realising their objectives. A number of people with corruption backgrounds may not be allowed to participate in election. But it seems that others with such backgrounds might be able to do so for various reasons.

Thus, the government needs to concentrate its energies on bringing everybody around-specially the political parties-to nominate better candidates for the national elections at their own initiatives. The tendency on the part of the political parties will remain to go on in their old ways. But the government needs to maintain the pressure and persuasion till the last minute like it did in the matter of registration of political parties, to get their cooperation in nominating candidates in line with the expectations of the people. Needless to say, the elections will be meaningless if good and able persons are not elected.