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Khaleda's 100 days in office
Prime Minister Khaleda Zia caps 100 days in office today (Thursday) appearing firmly in control of the state of affairs, leading the country’s fledgling democratic government, reports UNB.
Can she lead this nation through the turbulent political course and economic morass?
This was the big questton posed by many when 100 days ago she was appointed Prime Minister by Acting President Shahabuddin Ahmed who did so because of her party's majority in Parliament.
Once an ordinary housewife. Begum Zia was thrust into politics after the tragic assassination of her husband late President Zlaur Rahman in the brutal putsch of 1981.
But more precisely, the mantle of leadership of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), the organisation crafted by her husband, fell on her after the 1982 overthrow of the party’s elected government under 'ate President Justice Sattar.
Her uncompromising stance against the Ershad regime, which she consistently opposed as an illegal and autocratic regime, put her at the centre stage of the people s struggle for democracy.
Analysts say that it was her relentless opposition to the ousted Ershad regime for all its more than eight and a half years that eventually propelled her to power through the February 27 polls.
But the transition in which she emerged In her new role in leading the government proved crucial against the backdrop of the Gulf War, weeks of political unrest that toppled Ershad and the devastating cyclone that struck only weeks after she took over.
The 100 days have borne out that tfre BNP government has not only weathered those adversaries but also Implemented some of the party’s pre-election pledges.
To list the achievements of the 100 days, as observers agree, the post-cyclone situation was handled fairly efficiently — much to the satisfaction of the donors and the international community as well as the people.
Then merely six-week old. the government, despite its lack of much experience In disaster management, enlisted the support and sympathy of the international community and handled the post-calamity situation successfully.
The vexing Jail revolt was also contained successfully and a crackdown was launched on corruption and smuggling.
Recently the Prime
Minister informed parliament that smuggling has fallen in the past three months resulting in the increase of the value of Taka against foreign currency.
Within three weeks of her assuming the office of Prime Minister. Begum Zia fulfilled some of her election commitments: waiving tax on holdings up to 25 bighas of agricultural land, raising the age limit for entering government service from 27 years to 30. and exempting agricultural loans up to Taka 5.000 and interest thereon.
The donors' confidence in the new democratic government was reflected in the outcome of the last month s Aid Bangladesh Consortium meeting in Paris which pledged 2.3 billion US dollars in development assistance for the country.
The figure is more than what the donors pledged last year (1.8 billion US dollars) and has been the highest so far committed by the Consortium which also credited the new administration with good economic management despite the criUcal situation created by the Gulf War and the devastating cyclone.
On the diplomatic plane. Begum Zia undertook missions to Saudi Arabia. Kuwait and UAE as well as to China which have been viewed as significant strides in consolidating the country's external relations.
During her visit to Saudi Arabia. King Fahd extended allout support to the new democratic government under her leadership. Riyadh pledged 106 million US doL-lars for the reconstruction and rehabilitation of the country's cyclone-battered coastal areas.
In Kuwait. Begum Zia
reached an understanding on re-employment of the nearly 65,000 Bangladeshi workers who had been displaced from that country due to the Gulf War. Kuwait is also expected to take additional workforce from Bangladesh to help reconstruct the war-ravaged country.
Her three-day foray to China was also seen as significant in that it gave her an opportunity to establish rapport with the Chinese leadership-who have been a great friend of Bangladesh since late President Zia established diplomatic relations with Beijing.
The China visit yielded a pledge of Taka 40 crore to Bangladesh as commodity and project aid. Besides. China offered to supply 200 powertillers and assured all possible assistance for the socio-economic development of Bangladesh.
But. apart from all these achievements, the most significant development Is expected to come on the political plane where the ruling BNP has of late made its stand clear on the country's form of government, hitherto a major issue of controversy.
A decision on the form of government, according to observers, should also pave the way for smooth transfer of power. A constitutional amendment bill seeking switchover to parliamentary system is 'on the anvil and likely to be placed in parliament in the next few days.
BNP's decision to switch over to parliamentary form of government, fulfilling Begum Zia's pledge to reflect the aspiration of the people, should resolve, once and for all. a crucial issue that has floundered all through the country's 20-year history.