Begins a new democratic culture

MANY news reports, editorials, and articles about the general election were published in Bangladesh in last two years. There was confusion whether the military would take over or a general election would be held! It was very challenging for the Chief Adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed, the Election Commissioner (EC), and the Army Chief General Moeen U Ahmed to prove that the interim government would hold the general election as promised.
Finally, on December 29, 2008, a fair, neutral, and peaceful general election set to rest all doubts. The hard work of the caretaker government, reformed election regulations by the EC, the military's active support, and cooperation of the political parties finally paid off.
The Awami League-led Grand Alliance won 263 seats, the BNP-led four-party alliance won only 31 seats, and independents won 4 seats. The entire population wanted a change as never before, and there was a mass upsurge in favour of the change promised by Awami League and Grand Alliance leader Sheikh Hasina. Her election slogan "Charter for Change- Vision 2021" attracted young voters.
BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia claimed that it was an unfair election and rejected the result. If the election had been fair, BNP would have won, as Khaleda Zia said. She was disappointed with the role of the law enforcers and the administration during the election.
Sheikh Hasina has formed her cabinet with fresh, honest, educated, experienced politicians, and technocrats to blood a new generation of untainted leaders, and she must be credited for her willingness to select such new faces. She honoured honesty and educated candidates, and rejected corrupt or controversial MPs and/or any family members. It is most notable that three women took the very important positions of prime minister, foreign minister, and home minister in the new government.
A change in the democratic political culture is that BNP members attended the oath-taking ceremony of the new cabinet. Indeed, BNP lawmakers-elect decided to take oath and join the first session of the parliament. Party sources said the BNP lawmakers-elect might attend first day's proceedings of the ninth parliament. "We shall join the first session of the parliament for the sake of democracy, the country's interest, and to continue the democratic process," Salahuddin Quader Chowdhury, a senior party leader and an MP-elect, told reporters after a two-hour meeting of the BNP's parliamentary party.
"We hope that our Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will continue to express the same kind of tolerance that she did in her post-election media conference," he said. In addition, the BNP leader said: "We are pledging that we will do whatever is necessary to keep the government accountable to the parliament." It seems that the BNP might bring a positive political culture, and try to keep pressure on the new government to fulfill the commitments made before the election.
All these issues, and monitoring the inexperienced ministers in the cabinet could be a big challenge for Sheikh Hasina. But if the new cabinet members are aware of their responsibilities and know their mandates, of course, they can make a big difference. Indeed, the government and the opposition party must change their political behaviour and attitude in order to create an effective parliament and democratic society in the nation.
The voters believe that they have selected the persons who can think well, talk well, and do good things to bring a positive change in the nation . They believe that the new government will be able to create an effective democratic environment through its activities and actions.

Nirmal Gomes is a freelance journalist, International Scholar in The Catholic University of America, and Educational Administration and Policy Specialist. Email: [email protected] or [email protected]