Pride and prejudice of Citizens' Group

My knowledge level about most of the luminaries of the civil society of Bangladesh, who took a very precious initiative recently by forming a "Citizens' Group" is shallow and newspaper-deep. With this ignorance I would dare blissfully comment on this initiative.

I won't touch on "mid-term development vision" as I do not have any clue if the group has, now or in the pipeline, any short-term or long-term vision or so. Therefore let it remain as an intellectual jargon to me.

I feel more at ease to talk on the simplified and up front "clean candidate" campaign outlined by Dr. Yunus, sounds time appropriate, enticing like an instant coffee to a commoner like me. Then, to have a better vision on the campaign, may I ask one or two simple questions to Dr Yunus in particular and the Citizens' Group in general.

What is the real definition of "clean candidate"? Is it political cleanliness or financial cleanliness or both. For financial cleanliness there are clear and defined guidelines as law with EC.

Extending your moral and intellectual support to ongoing movement of opposition (you may do it being aligned or being complementary or even being parallel with opposition) for creating a credible EC and more so a credible caretaker government may resolve the issue of election with "clean candidates" only.

This simple solution may help you avert two perilous reactions. One, launching NGO style political party with infinite financial strength (and blessing of alien power base) but zero political expertise, eventually sucked into existing political fracas. Two, no political party can point finger at you for their election failure due to fielding "clean candidates."

You certainly understand that you have not yet mapped your action plan in the event a "dirty candidate" wins over a "clean candidate" flexing money muscles and using strings and strengths beyond visual.

If "clean candidate" implies "political cleanliness" then my foremost task will be to gauge the political honesty, integrity and bravery of the "Citizens' Group" who will be the ultimate judge to define and sort politically "clean candidates."

Hence may I know your unanimous view about genesis of Bangladesh. If you have one, please speak out loud in unison and let it be the stepping stone. This will connect the Bangalees with umbilical chord of the motherland; with history, with heritage and with culture.

If you can, you will instantly find recycled politicians like Moudud as redundant and non-existent. Millions of humble and clean citizens will rally around you to build a Bangladesh that is yet in our dreams.

The author writes from Toronto, Canada.