Dialogue is the only viable option
The show off by the opposition on March 12 on contentious caretaker government has paralyzed the capital with rest of Bangladesh. The poor nation has lost tens of millions of work hours. Do not matter who win or loose people are the real sufferer. The capital itself gave ghost look more by the denial action by the government than opposition activities. The nation is earnest in the hope that the major players in politics will find peaceful resolution of the differences on political issues duly stamped by the parliament. Leaving in vague the possibility of two more national elections under caretaker government the Supreme Court has given a clear directive for negotiations among the political forces. The debate and decision making in the parliament is far below the expectation of the people. Introduction of unique caretaker government that took more than two years of Herculean struggle on the street in mid nineties shut down in couple of minutes in the parliament without bothering to consult the opposition political forces. The opposition parties are now pursuing the issue on the street, the last resort of democracy. The destructive street politics must be discouraged through a process of meaningful dialogue both inside and outside the parliament. Respect for Parliament is on the wane due its regular failure to be an effective forum of debate on national issues and public concerns. The absence of rigorous debate in the parliament is hurting the democratic political culture and maiming the politicians in the public eyes. How much respect can politicians have if political activities perceived as agents of dislocation and disorder in the public eyes? We are not yet breaking from the culture that opposition to the British Raj was anti-state activity. If we have to go by the colonial culture all political elements regularly rotated to opposition are in fact anti state elements. Pakistan destroyed by the atrocious colonial culture, we are not also making a clean break from the ruinous path. Opposition is the best watchdog institution of democracy, not merely a mathematical order in the parliament. Number game apart, the opposition must have an exhaustive critical analysis of all major decisions in the parliament. The musical chair of power continuously rotating in Bangladesh has not allowed any particular party or political alliance as the sole agent of patriotism. Every system has a government; only democracy has an opposition paid from the public exchequer. Due to double-digit inflation, shrinking foreign exchange reserve, high interest rate and power shortages the economy is in a fragile state. The high cost oil in the jittery market due to uncertainties in the Middle East is an additional headache to bear. With high unemployment rate and surging youth entering the labour market, if the economy does not respond to the higher needs of employment, law and order, and social stability may become victim of harms way. Human resources cannot wait for an opportune time. The working generation if not utilized on time will advance to retiring age without being able to contribute adequately for the economic gains. The borderline economy has no capacity to waste or delay the developmental activities. Any dislocation by political heat at this midpoint will be a serious setback for the strained economy. Western economy has barely bottomed up, but not turning to vigorous growth pattern anytime soon. Major projects like Padma Bridge based on international loan are on uncertain grid on one pretext or the other as the flow of foreign aid is drying. Our veteran bureaucrat finance minister knows it better than many of his cabinet colleagues for which he is not smiling much these days. Rolling back of street politics to a tolerable level is must for vitally needed economic growth to the minimum of 5% to maintain the social stability and progress. Many did not understand why Railway minister was angry when US Under Secretary Robert Blake in his recent visit to Dhaka urged the political leaders for a dialogue on the contentious issues. US Ambassador Dan W Mozena, few days ago while sharing the concern about the death a Saudi embassy official in the Gulshan area, also mentioned political differences should be peacefully resolved leading towards an acceptable election. Who does not know that Bangladesh do not run on the advice of the foreign friends that our railway minister has angrily rebuffed. We live in the community of nations in the global village. When we are frequently hit by natural disasters and manmade calamities our foreign friends come handy to help us, and we are fond of putting up our battered face to draw more humanitarian aid. Those are the times we do not protest US Marine Corps and their choppers flying all over Bangladesh. A push towards peaceful election to strengthen democracy will not be less humanitarian than meeting SOS call under distress. If we are failing to resolve political issues, the facilitation of the friendly countries may come handy to our rescue. With evermore-integrated global trade, advanced economics already registered Bangladesh as the cheapest labour force in the world. Once a bottomless basket, we have never been so close to a take off stage. The next decade will be crucial to make or break to the middle-income countries. Cheap labour is a huge asset but quickly can turn into unmanageable labiality if not utilized immediately. What we need is less of violence, and more of dialogue and accommodation in our democratic order to convince the world that we are ready to work for mutual benefit. The born again democrat and parliamentarian cannot afford to make too many mistakes in one life. Witnessing black smoke billowing from the locomotives and poor management in his ministry, best would be to leave diplomacy to the suave foreign minister and let him whip the horse hard on the dilapidated railway tracks of Bangladesh.
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