The New Nation - Internet Edition

Dr. M. S. Haq

The army-supported government has decided to provide PM Khaleda and PM Hasina special security for three months starting from the day after the announcement of poll schedules by concerned authorities. The decision indicates - prima-facie and among other things - an effort by the army-supported government towards creating an initial condition for facilitating the participation of PM Hasina and PM Khaleda in upcoming election activities and activities that will presumably take place immediately following the election. But it is not clear at this point in time: on what election capacity or capacities PM Hasina and PM Khaleda will enjoy or will be able to enjoy or otherwise the security facilities afforded to them vide the above decision - if implemented as announced.

In other words, it cannot be said now with certain certainties: whether or not they will be able to participate in election activities both as election candidates and as respective party leaders? or whether they will be allowed to participate in those activities only as party leaders? or whether or not they will accept one or more than one of the above situations under say, circumstances and compulsions that might arise in pertinent areas in the coming days?

If outcomes of decisions of courts and other concerned organizations go in favor of their election candidacy and the election takes place as scheduled or behind the schedule, the meaningful use of security facilities could be supposedly high.

Further, if their candidacies fail for any reason and the election takes place as scheduled or behind the schedule with the blessings of PM Khaleda and PM Hasina, the meaningful use of security facilities could be supposedly high.

But if BNP and AL - either alone or in combination - fail to participate in the election for reasons within or beyond (or both) their control or the election is overtaken by emergencies created deliberately or otherwise by those responsible (to be) for that, the meaningful use of security facilities might or might not be as high as mentioned above.

Interesting though, in any of above events, it is likely the army-supported government will get credits - either direct or indirect, whether in part or in full - from Bangladeshis and others for demonstrating before them its apparent good intentions when it comes to for example, facilitating participation of the PMs in the election in a secure manner. But beyond the good intention, several things come into mind. For example:

1. Whether or not SSF facilities will be used as a lollipop for achieving something bigger than what is now apparent to the public, political parties and others in areas of election and the transfer of power - good or bad or otherwise for the country and the people at least for a certain period of time? One of the concerns here is: political parties, leaders, and concerned others in Bangladesh were found - in the past - to be vulnerable at times to lollipops of different nature and types that had lead them to sweet dreams of a full duration, among other things.

2. Whether or not the country's power and authority associated with governance and judiciary will be exercised in a fair, just, lawful and timely manner in pursuit of affording opportunities to all registered voters of Bangladesh to cast their votes according to their own free will and choices at the right time (time means cost though, per se) and place - in a meaningful and satisfactory fashion? Whether or not justice will be done in a timely manner when it comes to say, determination of election candidacies of PM Hasina and PM Khaleda at concerned levels of Bangladesh?

3. Whether or not factors such as and as appropriate - (a) time buying tactics in one form or another by all concerned, (b) election campaigns heavily constrained by existing or evolving or both time-process mechanics, (c) time lagging associated with relevant judicial decisions, and (d) a sudden change, whether deliberate or not, of hearts and minds of concerned and influential stakeholders of the election - would inter alia be instrumental in holding quality election (used in a wider sense) in the country as scheduled or delaying the election or reprogramming the election after a period of time or sealing the prospect of election for an indefinite period or otherwise? and

4. How best and quickest the army supported government, political parties, friends of Bangladesh (including inter alia the US), neighbors of Bangladesh (including inter alia India) and concerned others (including inter alia EU and WB) could assist people of Bangladesh in the effort towards inter alia a peaceful and meaningful transfer of the state's power - on the first day of new year (01 January 2009) at the latest - to the country's genuine and deserving people's representatives, to the satisfaction of all concerned?

In light of above, it now appears Bangladesh would be required to implement, among other things, several structural and non-structural measures aiming at enabling the people to start a people elected government in the country on or before 01 January 2009. In that respect, things, like: overconfidence; overdependence; naive realism; scheming; plotting; hypocrisy; deceiving; riotous, as well as disorderly behavior; promotion of self-interest over say, national interest; abuse, under use, over use and misuse of power and authority; corruption; and unfair election practices; that could affect, in a negative manner, the people's hope and expectation associated with a government - by the people, of the people and for the people - in the nearest future could, in effect, push the country to for example bankruptcies in terms of people's welfare, governance, economy, trade, investment and reputation in for example an upcoming period of global recession - unless something better is waiting for Bangladeshis in again the nearest future.

People-party (I mean, political parties, etc.) synergies are, at this point in time and inter alia, vital for fighting out challenges associated with a timely and successful transfer of power to a truly people represented government. No one should forget - history repeats itself - this time the repetition could occur with a fuller force and a higher tensile strength (used in an engineering sense) than that in the past. Let us not create - a make it or break it (used in a negative sense) - situation for Bangladesh, Bangladeshis (including inter alia the poor) and others to face that, both at present and in future.