Monju's name appeared on an unofficial list of 50 corruption suspects published in different newspapers following the crackdown on corrupt political bigwigs after declaration of the state of emergency on January 11. He, however, withdrew his announcement a few days later and finally managed to leave the country to escape arrest.

There has been a rapid change in the political spectrum after launch of the crackdown on the corrupt political bigwigs. Veteran BNP leader and former finance minister M. Saifur Rahman told media that he will no more contest elections and is thinking to retire from politics.

Not so long ago, when Sheikh Hasina was the prime minister, she announced her intention to retire from politics at the age of 57 years. Hasina, who will be 60 this September, in the end refrained from retiring in the wake of election debacle in 2001 and repression of the AL leaders and activists following the election..

Mr. Wali Khan, the then president of the National Awami Party in Pakistan, also proposed that there should be a retirement age for politicians. Having said this, he promptly called it a day and went home to rest, leaving Ajmal Khattak in charge of the party. But no one from any other political party in Pakistan chose to follow his footsteps.

Atal Behari Vajpayee, the former prime minister of India, retired from politics in 2005, at the age of 81 years. He announced his decision to retire in a party congregation held at Mumbai. Vajpayee, who brought the BJP to limelight and power, relinquished the party's top position in favour of L.K. Advani in the event of his failure in the election of 2004.

L.K.Advani, the BJP president also stepped down in the same congregation at Mumbai at the age of 77 in favour of a 54 year-old party leader, Rajnath Singh.

CPM leader of legend Jyoti Basu, who ruled the state of West Bengal for almost two decades without any resistance, also stepped down in favour of relatively less known Buddhadeb Bhattacharya. Jyoti Basu at the age of 93 is still a member of the CPM politbureau.

Fifty-seven is the age of retirement for government employees in Bangladesh. Age 67 is deemed as a mandatory retirement for the High Court and Supreme Court judges while it is 65 for the public university teachers. But there is no age bar for the politicians.

The heavyweight champion Mohammad Ali, West Indies captain Brian Lara, and Australian cricket superstars Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath retired with colourful feathers intact in their caps. These sorts of illustrious persons go for voluntary retirement irrespective of their age, once they have inkling that they no more can deliver.

But the politicians in our country do not think for retirement even when their vivacity ostensibly on the wane. Rather they choose to be stubborn on the plea that they would have nothing left to do if they were to eschew politics.

We have no mechanism to ascertain whether or not our politicians are suffering from any mental problems like dementia that may jeopardise decision making capability of the public officer holders. The Election Commission (EC) in the country did a lot of things to reform politics. I think, it would not be unfair if the EC go to formulate some rules to earmark the elderly politicians to send them to retirement.

The illustrious American writer and humorist Mark Twain said, "The first half of life consists of the capacity of enjoy without the chance and last half consists of the chance with out the capacity." It is very much applicable for our politicians, who remain anxious on the fate of their court cases than on their political careers, in the latter part of life.

Sheikh Hasina will have to quit the post of AL president, as she has made a dramatic proposal to allow young leaders to lead the party. According to the proposal, no leader above the age of 60 will be allowed to remain a member of the AL presidium or central working committee. All leaders above 60 will be accommodated in the advisory council. Hasina, who will be 60 this September, gave the proposal through her special aide on June 19.

Sheikh Hasina's astounding proposal has come at a time when some senior party leaders are preparing a set of reform proposals to curtail the party chief's absolute power and not to allow any leader to simultaneously hold the posts of party president and prime minister. If Hasina's proposal is implemented, only two presidium members can continue in their posts as all other members have already crossed 60.

Top pro-reform leaders of AL are likely to place their 25-point proposal for reform to the central working committee, opposing Hasina's contention that no one above 60 will be allowed to remain in the party's central working committee and termed it as a new tactic of Hasina. Sheikh Hasina, who has been holding the top post of the party since 1981, is now passing the most crucial time of her political life.

BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia is also facing similar situation from the senior party leaders, who have agreed to ask her to step down from the party chief's position. The pro-reform leaders are also trying to lobby the councilors who can bring changes in the party constitution.

The two top political leaders of the country, Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina seem to be destined for a possible political catastrophe. Popularity of both the leaders has drastically eroded due to their alleged involvement in billions of taka scams. Both the leaders are increasingly losing political ground to continue as the party chief. Everybody feels that Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina should sacrifice their present through retiring from politics for brighter future for us all, that they themselves failed to deliver when they had the chance.

ANM Nurul Haque is a columnist of The Daily Star.