Absence of Khaleda, Hasina won't harm democracy

Absence of Awami League (AL) President Sheikh Hasina and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia in politics will not harm the country's democracy, speakers at the BBC Bangladesh Sanglap said yesterday.
The speakers also warned about serious consequences of any move to exclude Hasina and Khaleda Zia from politics forcefully.
They said if Hasina and Khaleda are found guilty in corruption cases, they must be brought to justice. But people will not allow any illegal path to banish them from politics.
"Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was the most popular leader of Bangladesh. But did AL stop its politics after the death of Mujibur Rahman? So no one is indispensable for democracy, as it is the people who run the democracy. But the trial of the two leaders will have to be done in a transparent way as per the existing laws," said ASM Hannan Shah, adviser to the BNP chairperson, at the dialogue held at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre.
Gono Forum President Dr Kamal Hossain, AL Organising Secretary Mahmudur Rahman Manna and Professor Mahbub Ullah of Dhaka University were the panelists.
Mahmudur Rahman Manna said democracy will remain alive without any particular person or group. "But why we will exclude Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia from politics forcefully?"
Dr Kamal Hossain said democracy will of course remain unharmed without Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia. "Country's 14 crore people are owners of the democracy and power. Why we will have to wait for Hasina and Khaleda. Is there no qualified person in Bangladesh without them?"
Replying to a question on joint movement by AL and BNP, Hannan Shah said the country's political parties should start inter-party dialogue immediately to find out ways to get rid of the present "political crisis".
"In the past, we defeated autocrat Ershad through joint movement. So if needed we can launch a joint movement to save the country's democracy," Hannan Shah said.
Mahmudur Rahman Manna said right now, there is no possibility from AL side to launch a joint movement with BNP on any issue.
Responding another question from the moderator, whether AL and BNP want to start a joint movement to free Hasina and Khaleda in the name of democracy, Hannan Shah said, "Why we will go for movement for release of Hasina and Khaleda as now they are undergoing trial. But we can move jointly for democracy."
Manna said AL has no desire to go for a movement for freeing Khaleda Zia. "We can work for Sheikh Hasina's release as she is our leader."
Replying to audiences whether the caretaker government would be able to hold a free and fair election by 2008 as per the commitment of the chief adviser and the roadmap of the Election Commission, the speakers hoped that the caretaker government will be able to keep its words as people want an elected government in power.
Dr Kamal Hossain said accident may take place in the way of holding the election within the timeframe. "But we are hopeful about the government's success. Now we will have to work unitedly so that no accident can foil the roadmap."
"We have accepted the roadmap and the timeframe for holding the election. Now it's the government's duty to keep its words," Hannan Shah said.
Discussion also took place on the recent demonstrations following the printing of a cartoon in the daily Prothom Alo's weekly supplement "Aalpin".
Replying to a question from the audience that why a group of people are still agitating for closure of daily Prothom Alo even after its editor apologised, Mahmudur Rahman Manna said, "People who don't want to see Bangladesh as a progressive country are doing these."
Prof Mahbub Ullah said a vested quarter is active to brand Bangladesh as a fanatic country in the world.