No elected government during the last decade and a half before the coming into power of the present one in Bangladesh could show even a semblance of honesty and character in preserving the character of vital state institutions. All of them had tampered with them in their bids to leave behind vestiges of their control even at the end of their tenures. But people’s memories regrettably are found too short. They complain these days about the politicizing of the judiciary, the administration and government services without thinking who started this process and sort of made the same a lasting feature of governance. Undoubtedly, their ill practices only created the compulsions or inducement on their successors to follow in the same path on the plea of otherwise risking political annihilation.
Thus, people are expected to look back and correctly identify irresponsibilities. It would be foolish if they are carried away by unfounded thoughts that these are relatively new developments and have no links to the past. They should realize that the roots of the present in such cases lie buried in the past. So, if reformations are sought then the same should be carried out with a proper perspective. Voters should start demonstrating their consciousness that they want the main political parties to commit themselves irrevocably to completely depoliticize governance systems from their first day on going to power.
Our people must not forget that under the past elected BNP led governments, pervasive cases of interfering with the normal functioning of state institutions were noted. From the top levels of the bureaucracy to the lower levels, party loyalists were promoted to important positions. Even in the recruitment of civil servants, those who were certified underhand as party supporters, were actually recruited. Thus, predominance of BNP supporting civil servants at all levels, was assured even after the BNP’s giving up of power to contest the elections. The rank and file of the police were similarly structured to favour the BNP.
The politicising of the Election Commission (EC) was too well known. From its controversial Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and the equally suspect deputies, all of them were transparently revealed to be brazen party supporters who were most stubbornly carrying out the dictates of their appointers.
The judiciary was similarly politicised. Judges were also allegedly appointed with political motivation by the second Awami League led government. But such appointments and arbitrariness in the selection of individuals became rampant from the time of take over by the second BNP led government of Begum Khaleda Zia. People with poor or nondescript background as advocates were suddenly and spectacularly made judges of the highest court of the land in that period. One of them who is still to clears charges of using a forged certificate of the LLB exam, gave the eyebrow raising judgment in a case against former President Ershad, completing the hearing and giving of verdict all on one day that seemed to demonstrate so clearly that the haste was due to the prodding of his political masters. The real significance of such miscarriage of justice was that the same led to a dismal erosion in the freedom and quality of the judiciary, the last resort in matters of getting justice by individuals as well as collectively by the people in their best interests.
If these misdeeds were not done, then the nation today would be running well on the high road of normalcy and well-being in all respects. Successors governments would not find either the excuse or the temptation to follow in the same path for maintaining their grip on power. Thus, there would be hardly political conflicts of such a serious nature that we witness now over such issues affecting so grievously the economic and social life.
There would be no uncertainty and Bangladesh would be only preparing itself to play the role of an emerging economic powerhouse with a sound and functional system of true democratic governance. Thus, civil society must raise its voice to impress on all political players that they must start from a clean slate and refrain from doing similar crimes of manipulating and harming vital state institutions that would only allow a similar crisis to form in the future to the great detriment of the country.
