Teaching Old Politicians New Tricks? It isn't Easy

The western adage - "You can't teach an old dog new tricks" is very appropriate and applicable to Bangladesh's old politicians. According to this old word of wisdom, one cannot teach old person anything new. Old habits, according another phrase, don't die easily. Bangladesh's politicians have been indoctrinated for the last quarter century to believe that hartal is a political weapon that should be used as frequently as possible to keep your adversary on his or her toes.

Whether one realizes or not, most politicians in Bangladesh do not subscribe to the principles of democracy. In true democracy, the citizens will elect through adult suffrage a body of legislators who would consider it their onus to make new laws, amend old laws, and debate in the parliament various bills. They will also elect a leader to be the chief executive of the nation. In parliamentary system, that chief is known as Prime Minister (PM). The PM would put together a team of ministers to run the administration. For ease in administration, the PM normally appoints ministers from his or her party. The essence of democracy is - rule by the majority. If one particular party cannot obtain a majority, then it can form coalition with like-minded legislators from another party. Once an administration is formed, then it is allowed to run the government for a fixed period. At the end of the term, a new election will be held to elect a new set of legislators. This cycle of election-governance-termination and a new election can run endlessly provided the citizens are happy with democracy. How difficult could it be to understand this fundamental concept?

Perhaps in Bangladesh the politicians have a vague idea how democracy functions. For example, if one party loses a fair election then they would quickly assert that they would not join the legislative body. They fail to understand that their constituencies have elected them to represent them (constituents) in the parliament. The next thing, they would say that the present administration is acting more like a dictator and turning the country into a police state. The other salient feature of the opposition party would be to disagree with the ruling party. So, it is quite immaterial whether the ruling party is trying to pass a good piece of legislation or has a good intention of starting a new programme in the country, the opposition would always oppose it vociferously ever and anon. Then, one day out of the blue you are going to hear the bombshell. The opposition would announce their "oust the government" movement. A relentless wave of hartal (strike) will then follow. Obviously, some loss of life is expected in the showdown. The opposition would then capitalize on the senseless violence. More waves of hartals would follow. The end-result will be absolute lawlessness and mayhem in the society that will be coupled with economic malaise and slowdown. Consequently, the common people will suffer for the folly of the few.

The big question before us at this time when we have entered a new millennium is - how could we teach our old politicians new tricks? One of the new tricks the civil society would love to teach them is - how to abstain from calling those absurd hartals?

Hartal kills the economic development of a nation. One would be hard pressed to find a country in this world that loved to stage hartal or similar activities. Common people in this day and age have already learned that strike, hartal, and other similar activities are real nuisance for any given society. The question is how long will it take for Bangalee politicians to learn this truth. Calling hartal is similar to stunt the growth of a nation. Only an enemy of a state could do such evil deeds. Therefore, it goes without saying that hartal-loving politicians of Bangladesh are anything but friends of the Bangalee nation. Let us then paint a dismal prospect for those politicians of Bangladesh. First, it was Sheikh Hasina's party during early 1990s. And now the table has turned. Begum Khaleda Zia has learned her lessons rather well. She is out there to break all the records. Give her some more time, and she will do it.

While the opposition parties are gleefully announcing their action plan - how to unseat a democratically elected government - the civil society is stiff scared thinking the prospect of the violence in the main street. The politicians have once again proved that they are the ultimate terrorists in the nation. When one of them was hit hard in the head a few months ago, the entire newspaper establishment in Bangladesh went agog with the news. The newspaper tried to make the MP a real hero. The newspapers reporters should have asked one question - why did this MP was doing in the road? His constituencies elected him not to be on the road. He should have been in the parliament enacting rules. The opposition MPs have some work cut out for them. Look at all the MPs in Great Britain! Look once more at the Member of Congress and Senators from the Republican Party who are faithfully attending all the legislative sessions in the U.S. Congress. They are doing this although the Executive Branch is now under the Democratic Party. When will the MPs belonging to Bangladesh's opposition parties will learn that opposition MPs must play their role for the good governance of their country. In Bangladesh, it seems as if winning the executive branch is the most coveted prize of all. We aren't that naïve. We know the reason very well. The prize is not sans monetary gain. In the West, political games are being played differently. And that is the whole truth.

The big unanswered question before us is - will it be possible to teach our old politicians new tricks? If the answer is affirmative then there is a hope for our destitute and impoverished nation. If, however, the answer is negative then, what could the civil society do? Most certainly, the newspapers and other media pages could be filled with articles vilifying the politicians who favour hartals. A national campaign in that direction could very possibly put the nails on the coffin. The bigger question, however, is - will the intelligentsia go for this?

The writer, a senior research scientist in America, writes from New Orleans