The people deserve better governance. Photo: A H Arif/ Drik News

PRIOR to the last national election to the Jatiya Sangshad (Parliament), major political parties made loads of promises of reform, probably in the belief that "promises are meant to be broken." The Election Commission (EC) made it mandatory for parties to make amendments in the party constitutions so that political parties could follow democratic practice, which was almost absent.

The parties castigate each other for threatening the country's democracy, which was brought about after years of movement against Gen. Ershad's brand of non-populist oligarchy, but do not practice democracy within the party for the fear that it could threaten the leadership's hold on absolute power.

Obliged by the EC's mandatory stipulations, the parties pledged that democratic practice would be restored as soon as possible. There have been a few feeble attempts to do so, but the exuberant party rank and file voluntarily bestowed upon their leaders the wisdom and judgment to take decisions on their own. We have been waiting in vain to see the sea changes promised by the parties. At this stage I remember Coleridge, who expressed his frustration at not seeing reform in British culture:

Day after day, day after day
We stuck, nor breath nor motion
As idle as a painted ship
Upon a painted ocean.



Our civil society, which boasts of wisdom and intellectual enlightenment, and our media bigwigs, who are known to be the conscious keepers of the society, fell way behind in discharging their role "to lead the way and to do the way," which would have made them worthy of the trust and faith reposed in them.

So the politics of our nation was taken captive by a band of oligarchs who rarely felt any obligation to think of or take measures for people's welfare. Death due to hunger, militancy and political differences became the order of the day. People wanted some miracle to happen, or a messiah to save them from the worsening insularity that prevailed in the society, because they did not want to witness bloodletting anymore.

When our country became a hotbed of crime and criminality that went with impurity because of the sliding grip of the government on the law and order situation, the president felt compelled to declare a state of emergency. The armed forces quickly promised to support the government in its effort to restore law and order. The government pledged to stamp out the sources of unfairness and injustice and to ensure good governance.

A demand for a comprehensive reform to remove the social ills that had overtaken our way of life echoed all-round. The demand for reform resulted from widespread recognition that the traditional use of state power and resources for partisan purposes had led to commission of excesses.

The major premise of democracy as we know is protection of life and liberty, which entails reform from time to time to suit the need of the hour keeping in view the attitude towards ethical values and socio-cultural evolution. All these seem to be descending into oblivion. At concrete historical level what should have broken the spell of despair and frustration of our people were narrowing the poverty line and giving the people freedom of choice.

The people's demands for freedom from servitude were subverted by the leaders, who made lofty promises but did little. The emerging political elites have imposed a sanction on anything that could release their hold by generating vast quantities of new money and an entirely new political culture, which values legacy regardless of its wisdom and concern for good of the people. They believe that "he who is not with me is against me."

Our intellectuals, whom we consider to be "priests of culture and progress," seem to be at a loss with regard to recommending any corrective move. And most of them are allegedly hitching their horses to the king's caravan. When the politicians flirt with the people and the civil society eulogises the singer (politicians in power), though expressing veiled dislike for the song, the society is sure to decay. This consequently results in anarchy.

Those that believe that it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the powerful -- legitimate or otherwise -- should rise and work for others to rise. They should do so to restore the wrecked political culture so that we do not feel politically destitute and homeless in our own homes. We must gather now to bury the myth of legacy so that only the deserving ones survive. It is time to ensure that the conscious mind does not go blank so that foreboding that the political elements will distort the ethical values of politics does not prevail.

Much brainstorming was conducted to find what to reform and the ways to reform. Reform proposals mooted during the rule of caretaker government, like formation of the Anti-Corruption Commission and creation of an independent judiciary, reformation of the Public Service Commission with more independence etc., were widely applauded, and the people waited eagerly to see those implemented.

Unfortunately, those that took charge to do so gave way in fear of possible turmoil. Some allege that they fell prey to enticement and cajoling by vested circles. Hopefully, their nemesis will follow their shadows till they understand that they should have been truly committed to their task.

All is not lost yet. We have an elected government that, hopefully, will at least implement the provisions of the Representation of the People's Order (RPO), which portrays the people's rights and desires. Those that are not in charge of governance should also join hands with the forces of goodness to formulate legal compulsions for one and all in line with the RPO.

We hope that the leadership that believes in the upliftment of human rights, which means the liberation of our people from the shackles of poverty, servitude and enslavement of conscience, will unseat those that have so far contrived to disrupt the compelling writs of social behaviour. The new version of political conduct must promise that its premise will be founded on justice and fairplay, which are the sine qua non of good governance.

The people's desire for peace and development will certainly waken our slumbering leadership to rescind the writs of ill that they followed to pursue self-aggrandisement. I sincerely hope that the people at large will rise to carry one simple message to the ones that ignored us for long to pursue self-gratification that "what does not show glory of man, do not do it."

Those that still fancy that their unreformed ways will prevail are chasing a chimera, and are at odds with the popular will. So let us chastise them and commit ourselves to reform whatever is untenable to make our living just and worthy, and let us pledge "yes we can."

Z.A. Khan is a former Director General of Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies.