Political travesty continues in Bangladesh

I had intended not to discuss politics in this blog... particularly the politics of confrontation that is so prevalent in my native Bangladesh. But it pains me to see the country spiral its way back again into political confrontation that has more to do with who's in power and and who gets the privilege than actual democracy or nation building.

The latest issue is the abolishment of the caretaker form of government. For the uninitiated (and there should be plenty worldwide because the caretaker government is a Bangladeshi homemade solution fed on general distrust by the opposing party for the government in power, whoever that may be on the given moment) the last three general elections in Bangladesh had been observed under the caretaker government, or an interim government, that takes over for three months in order to run government functions and organise a 'fair & free' election.

This arrangement has worked because previously the opposing party was convinced that the party standing down from government would rig the elections to win office back (whether they did or not). I think that the party would eventually rig the election because they would be blamed for it anyway!

Of course the concerns were not entirely unfounded either; even with the provision for a caretaker government, the party in power would retire a 'partisan' chief justice (often early) or delay the retirement of certain chief justices (suspected of partisan sentiments for the opposing party) because the chief of the caretaker government would be the immediate retired chief justice.

Now the provision to hold elections under a caretaker government system has been rescinded and the constitution amended to reflect the change. The amendment was passed 291 to one in favour of the amendment – with the chief opposition party boycotting the parliament to mark their protest.

Normally boycotting the parliament would be considered a strong opposition protest were in not for the fact that the opposition (to whichever government is in power at the time) always boycotts the parliament... only to make a brief appearance (inevitably followed by a walk-out) a day or two before the last day of absence (in this case 90 days) to protect their seat and ensure it not being declared vacant.

Bangladesh is possibly the only country in the world where the parliamentary system of government suffers chronic ineffectivity because parliament is consistently boycotted by the opposing party. Ostensibly opposition is fought on the streets (and the detriment of the masses and business interests) but never dealt with in parliament.

Retracting the caretaker government system will only result in increased anarchy as the current opposition will embrace it as a legitimate reason to shut the country down through violence and strikes... all in the name of protecting the people from the 'dictatorial' influences of the government. No matter that the current opposition party at one point, while in power, condemned the caretaker government system as archaic and unnecessary too (to say nothing of their once strong stand against political violence and strikes by opposition forces when they were in power).

The people of Bangladesh have very short memories but are also hostage to the respective political travesty of the government party and the opposition party. Time has been ripe for our own 'Arab Spring' and taking the country back from the hooligans and the inept.

Unfortunately that's always been easier to say.