Questions arise in the minds of conscious people about whether reform would bring about the desired qualitative change in politics, which has been dominated and occupied by people who were there by virtue of muscle and ill-gotten money, taking the nation to the verge of ruination. Still, the much talked about reform proposals emanating from the brains and minds of the politicians tend to keep them within the grip of corrupt individuals.

The first and foremost point regarding the reform proposals should be, who will come to politics. Can anyone having money and muscle become a politician? Should individuals having much influence and evil power to subdue the forces against their party come to politics? Integrity, tolerance and patience of an individual should not be the considering points?

All parties should decide who will have access to politics. Whoever has money can be accommodated in the house of politics should not be the motto of political parties. Individuals rejected from one party on disciplinary ground or for corruption must not be harboured or welcomed in another party. Clear-cut guidelines should be declared before the nation as to who will have access to politics.

The sources of funds must be identified and clearly indicated before the nation by each and every party. The group of people, which talks about transparency and democracy must not depend on extorted money. It kills the very vitality and spirit of the party. Such a party can never give any real service to the nation.

When a political party doesn't have a transparent source of financing, the politicians definitely wait to plunder national wealth. They are ready to tell a series of lies and commit any kind of crime, as their prime objective is gaining state power and grabbing the right to distribute national wealth according to their sweet will.

This kind of distribution always fattens their pockets, and the party's. It's a serious crime. Politics must not be a money earning game. It should be dedicated to the country and countrymen.

Even though academic qualification is not so important in democracy, it has serious implications on politics and the performance of the candidates. The extraordinary virtues of politicians may over-shadow the academic qualifications, but leaders of that stature are hardly visible in our present political scene.

So, academic background must be given weightage in this reformation move. Usually good, academic career-oriented people will be able to show better performance in respect of anything. Most of the student leaders who become national leaders hardly touch the books.

They think that the tools of politics are having the gift of the gab, telling unlimited lies, gaining muscle power to pose as a threat to the other parties, posing themselves as terrors in the campus, taking food and other essentials free of cost from the canteens and neighbouring shops, and doing unsocial deeds. These student leaders bury the books. Whatever we say, these leaders have nothing to give to the nation, except hoodwinking the people and selling the national wealth.

Students should be prepared to serve the country in the real sense of the term, and to respond to any critical moment of the nation, just like the freedom movement, and the movements against autocrats. They must not be allowed to play with arms and money, and say good-bye to study and books. The leaders who developed themselves through this kind of culture will adore this tradition. From now onwards this culture must be wiped out form Bangladeshi politics.

Reform must attract the real talented, honest and patriotic individuals towards the party, instead of the hardened criminals who spread threat and terrorism to show the supremacy and evil power of the party. There should be a competition to see how many criminals and dishonest people can be expelled from the parties.

One's position in the party should be determined on the basis of talent and real performance in the political field. Buying of position and nomination must be foreign to all the parties forever, if they genuinely want to tilt towards the welfare of the state and republic.

Most of the people of our country don't have access to affluent way of living. Those who represent the poor people as politicians have a huge amount of wealth, and most of this wealth has been earned through illegal ways.

Political parties should have established some legal income generating sources such as hospitals, industries, poultry farms, fisheries, banks, transport business etc. Running these institutions smoothly and efficiently might prove their skills and ability to run small institutions, which would help them run the state.

Through hospitals they could give genuine and necessary help to the poor people. They could manage many job opportunities for the people. They could establish educational institutions to give education to the poor people free and quality education, showing their honesty and nobility.

Side by side, they could have transparent and sound financial sources to run the party. The political parties of poor countries must not follow the steps of the wealthy countries. The parties of poor countries must have their own income, and they must own some welfare organizations and service sectors so that they can prove how to give service to the nation and the poor people.

These thoughts never came to their minds. They just wait to grab state power once again and distribute the poor country's wealth among their party men. This could never be the way of dealing with poor country's economy. This could never be the way of leading political parties.

Md. Masum Billah works as a specialist in the Pace Program at Brac.