Editorial
Six months of caretaker government
Some bright spots, but the real test is timely elections
The caretaker administration headed by Dr. Fakhruddin Ahmed completes six months in office today. The time is therefore right to make an assessment of how it has performed during this period. Where the Bangladesh case takes on a particularity is in the critical nature of the issues the Fakhruddin government has had to deal with per se since it took charge in January.The purposeful strides made towards recasting such vital state institutions as the Anti-Corruption Commission, the Election Commission and the Public Service Commission have certainly earned the appreciation of the nation. Efforts have also been made to re-energise the University Grants Commission. In general, the caretaker government has succeeded in convincing people that an impartial, non-partisan administration is at work. Nevertheless, where governance is concerned, apart from taking the opinion of the Law Commission vis-à-vis a possible expansion of the council of advisers, no tangible step has been taken in this respect. To be sure, there have been quite a few stumbles, as in the move to prevent a political leader from returning home and evicting hawkers from public places without thoughts being given to their rehabilitation. But those blunders were quickly sought to be corrected through a stepping back, somewhat to the relief of the country. By far the biggest positive impact of the last six months has been felt in the anti-corruption drive. But the same cannot truly be said of the economy, which continues to cause headaches not only to the administration but also to citizens. On the one hand, the price situation in the market continues to worry the poor and middle classes despite a package of measures taken. On the other, a tough stance through a streamlining of businesses has generated a pronounced degree of apprehension among the trading community. The law adviser has himself acknowledged the worrying state of investment in the country. The Election Commission has in these months made little headway, save for a pilot project in Sreepur, in getting down to the job of preparing a credible voter list. Indeed, it is an area that ought to have been the foremost priority for the EC and the government as a whole. Political party reforms as well as electoral reforms could not be taken forward by the EC owing to a suspension of indoor political activities. The suspended animation in which the EC finds itself is a sign that the objectives the nation looked forward to being attained now appears to have stalled. In the coming days, the government should therefore focus on a lifting of the ban on indoor politics, a preparation of a voter list and, overall, a roadmap outlining the steps to be taken toward holding elections by the end of the year 2008 as promised.
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