No rule of law

There is no rule of law in the country now, former chief election commissioner ATM Shamsul Huda said yesterday.
"All constitutional bodies, including the Election Commission and Public Service Commission, as well as the judiciary have been politicised, and incompetent people are getting important posts there," said Huda, who led the EC to hold a widely acceptable national election in December 2008.
He was speaking at a discussion on the findings of a study on political parties and democracy in Bangladesh at Brac Centre Inn.
Sweeping reforms were made in the electoral system while Huda was at the helm of the EC during the tenure of Fakhruddin Ahmed-led caretaker government.
The former CEC yesterday said the constitutional bodies have to be freed from politicisation, otherwise the country will go backwards.  
"This situation is giving rise to characters like Nur Hossain," said Huda, referring to ward councillor Nur Hossain, the prime suspect for seven murders in Narayanganj.
The study conducted by a team of Centre for Policy Dialogue portrayed a bleak picture of the country's major political parties. Eminent political scientist Prof Rounaq Jahan led the team.
The study shows how lack of transparency in fund collection and expenditure, and absence of democratic practices within major political parties have constrained consolidation of democracy in the country.
It also made a set of recommendations for bringing about reforms in political parties.
Huda said political parties wouldn't make any move on their own to bring reforms within themselves.  
"Pressure should be put on them constantly from outside [the parties] for bringing about reforms," said Huda, also a member of the Board of Trustees of Transparency International Bangladesh.  
People know very well whom they should vote for. They can cast ballots freely if an election is held in a free, fair and acceptable manner, said Huda.
"Polls must be held for the sake of democracy. Nothing will happen without election. But it must be free, fair and acceptable to all," he added.
Several participants, including CPD Chairman Prof Rehman Sobhan and Water Resources Minister Anisul Islam Mahmud, said the EC had done a good job under his leadership.
The EC scaled new heights and set standards under Huda's leadership. The Huda-led commission gave rise to people's expectations that had earlier been dashed by a controversial EC headed by Justice MA Aziz.
The commission is mired in controversy again under the present CEC, Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmed. It held the controversial January 5 national election, and failed to conduct the upazila elections in a free and fair manner.