The New Nation - Internet Edition

As the nation eagerly awaits elections scheduled for 29 December with the political parties preparing for same amid tremendous enthusiasm among the people, crucial questions emerge as to whether they are bracing for a change for the better.

The most worrying aspect is that the party leaders do not admit to have committed mistakes that led to collapse of the democratic system. Those who do not recognise mistakes cannot also correct mistakes. So, the situation is hopeless for the change people want for the good of the country. The hope lies in how tough the Election Commission will be in scrutinising the candidates for the election.

The signs and symptoms remain confusing, as the major parties are yet to be in a broad understanding to make holding of the elections a success. Worse even is the airing of views that would make people feel like nothing had happened for which the political leaders should mend their ways.

By seeing the present trend none would get a smell of efforts that are needed to be made to take care of the lapses or shortcomings for which the country had to be under emergency and a campaign had to be launched against corruption.

Leaders of the major political parties are blaming each other for the change of January 11 when emergency was clamped as the political parties failed to function mutually accommodating each other. Their utterances and dealings however hardly give any impression that something did go fundamentally wrong very much due to their own mistakes. Things could have been worse because of their failure to keep the political process running smoothly.

Leaders of both the Bangladesh Awami League and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party are even now making such statements that make the whole exercise for holding elections still not looking like a smooth sailing. As if on any pretext either party may withdraw from the race. But the people are eager for having an elected government after about two years.

Although the political parties are operating under new registration obtained from the Election Commission - and this led to major changes in the constitutions of some of the parties - one hardly notices changes in the modes of their operation. Nomination of candidates made by the political parties clearly showed their disliking for candidates who did speak for reforms during the intervening period.

And supporters of rival nomination seekers have even fought each other with big bamboo poles very much in the premises of party offices. If this be the level of tolerance among workers and supporters of the same party then what would be the situation if intolerance leads to fights between rival parties?

Accusing fingers are shown at the caretaker administration for their inability to fulfil various demands. The impression thus created puts the caretakers on the defensive. Fact remains that they are in power not on their own volition but because of a void created by the political leaders.

After the imposition of emergency political leaders who spoke of reforms to steer clear of such failures have not only been refused nomination for parliamentary elections but also reportedly been subjected to various kinds of harassment. Can our leaders pose as not being responsible for what did happen between October 28, 2006 and January 11, 2007? Certainly they cannot. The people suffered under emergency that ensued for no fault of theirs.

Wise people consider diagnosis of a problem half of its solution. Political leaders should impress upon the people that they realise their lapses and this would reassure the people that such lapses would not recur. Otherwise only elections may not lead to the creation of a healthy political culture and democracy that the people do cherish so much.