VOL NO REGD NO DA 1589

Thursday, February 16, 2006

HEADLINE

POLITICS & POLICIES

METRO & COUNTRY

MISCELLANY

EDITORIAL

LETTER TO EDITOR

COMPANY & FINANCE

BUSINESS & FINANCE

TRADE/ECONOMY

LEISURE & ENTERTAINMENT

MARKET & COMMODITIES

SPORTS

WORLD

 

FE Specials

FE Education

Urban Property

Monthly Roundup

Saturday Feature

Asia/South Asia

 

Feature

13th SAARC SUMMIT DHAKA-2005

National Day of Australia

57th Republic Day of India

US TRADE SHOW

 

 

 

Archive

Site Search

 

HOME

EDITORIAL
 
AL back to JS: good omen, yet ...
Syed Ishtiaque Reza
2/16/2006
 

          The nation saw a good first step on February 12, when the principal opposition Awami League returned to the parliament after a 14-month long boycott. All treasury bench members welcomed the opposition members in the House. Everything went well on the first day.
Leader of the Opposition Sheikh Hasina in her long 55 minute-speech made a detailed proposal in pursuance of the opposition demand for reforming the caretaker government system and the electoral process.
Leader of the House Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia was not in the House as she left for Pakistan on that day. In her absence, LGRD Minister and BNP Secretary General Abdul Mannan Bhuyian said the government was ready to discuss any constructive proposal.
In their initial reactions some of the foreign diplomats termed the latest development as the change of heart from both sides. May be they could realise that the parliament is the best place to talk serious politics. People still want to believe that Awami League has returned to the House not just to protect membership.
Already the 31-point proposals that came from Sheikh Hasina is being widely discussed. The statement of Mannan Bhuyian indicated that they would consider only those things which appear constructive to them. The debate over which one of the proposals is constructive and which is not would be unending. Yet it would still be worth seeing. It will also be interesting to watch if the ruling party and the opposition meet across the table either in the parliament or outside.
In fact return of the opposition opened the way for bringing back the good sense among all. What the people expect is a free and fair election and all concerned need to work in that direction.
In the past there were all those unsavoury moments when the lawmakers belonging to the Awami League walked out of the House protesting, what they alleged, the refusal of the treasury bench to hear them or because they thought the deliberations were leading to nowhere. The boycott of Parliament by the opposition as well as the provocation from the ruling party members can only put all other areas of national activity in jeopardy.
Now it is time for all to put in their best efforts to keep things normal. The indication given from both sides is also encouraging. The members of the ruling coalition listened attentively to the Leader of the Opposition without resorting to loud protests which had been the past practice. What is now matters most is that the Sangsad should give a closer look into the proposals that the Awami League chief placed before the House with the clear goal of ensuring continuity in the political process.
In fact the ball is in the ruling coalition's court. Without their support nothing would move in the House. The proposals that the Leader of the Opposition has made in relation to reforms of the caretaker system of government, the Election Commission and electoral laws are matters which now the government will need to seriously mull over. One would not expect that the parties in power would accept everything that has come from the opposition. But one would expect that both the BNP-led coalition and the Awami League-led alliance would reach a deal to make the next elections credible and acceptable to all.
It is now up to the Speaker of the parliament how he would move a motion on this point. Already getting full support from the BNP, the Speaker has extended the current session of the Sangsad. Now the Speaker can allow its members to go for some brainstorming sessions on the issues. It is also highly expected that both Begum Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina would take part in the debate without resorting to mudslinging which has been a common practice in Bangladesh politics.
In the past the opposition alleged that the Speaker himself and the treasury bench members willfully created situations so that the opposition cannot operate. As an allegation it is popular. But the question is whether or not the opposition members themselves contributed to the making of an unpalatable situation in the House.
Reform of the election commission and election laws are critical for holding credible elections. This has also been the position of much of the media and civil society. So the impasse on this issue should not persist long. With a view to finding a solution to the knotty issues, some of the seasoned MPs from both sides should form an informal group and meet in closed door sessions. However, they need blessings from the top of both the parties.
Neither the ruling BNP nor the opposition AL should lose sight of the fact that if they fail to find a solution to their differences, the nation might plunge into a real crisis.

 

 
  More Headline
Economic relations with Pakistan
AL back to JS: good omen, yet ...
Family companies attack IFRS
Vietnam moves to help spur business investment abroad
Countries follow UK in merging regulators
 

Print this page | Mail this page | Save this page | Make this page my home page

About us  |  Contact us  |  Editor's panel  |  Career opportunity | Web Mail

 

 

 

 

Copy right @ financialexpress.com