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We Expect More
The ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has set a good example for all political organisations. including those which will be in power in future, with its decision that no minister can campaign in any of the by-election constituencies where polling takes place on Sept 11. after Sept 7. Together with this decision we have the announcement of the resignation of the BNP nomi nee for the DhanmondI-Mohammadpur seat. Barrister Zamiruddln Sircar, as the State Minister for Land. In resigning from his ministerial position. Mr Sircar has Impressed upon all concerned that he would be lighting the by-election under his own steam and that of the party, without using any of the facilities which once went with his official position.
The thinking behind the two moves is com-mendable These are the first ones made In this country by a political party in power to reduce the use of its official position during an electoral contest. However, one would have liked the ruling party to go further in the same direction, perhaps by barring ministers from campaigning in the by-elections Dy an earlier date, if not with immediate effect. Here, one difficulty was perhaps posed by the fact that BNP chairperson. Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia. and the secretary general, the LGRD Minister Barrister Salam Talukdar are expected to campaign for the candidates of their party, notwithstanding their official positions. In this context, it might have seemed reasonable to the BNP leadership to extend the deadline for participation by ministers tn the campaign until Sept 7, instead of making the decision effective immediately.
Having taken a right move at the right time, the ruling party should now consider next steps in the process which, we hope, will meet with the approval of other parties, especially the opposition Awami League. The process is simply one of separating the party from the state, with their respective activities kept as far apart as possible. Here, a firm rule prohibiting a minister from collecting financial contribution or any other favour for the party would be as important as the decision by the Prime Minister to desist from holding party meetings or welcoming new BNP recruits at ner official secretariat. Indeed, the same rules should apply to the Leader of the Opposition who. it seems, uses her official residence for party activities. True, a complete separation of the two sets of activities is hardly possible. But it is important to take measures which reduce the mutual dependence between the two. the state and the ruling party.
If the process is taken several stages forward, we should reach the ideal situation in which the organisational chief of the ruling party and the head of the parliamentary group, the latter appointed as the Prime Minister, are two different persons, which is not the case here today or unlikely to be the case in the near future. Tne separation of the two posts exists in a number of democracies in the West and. at one time, it was practised in this country, during the rule of Sheikh Mujlbur Rahman. Keeping the two positions apart and. for that matter, giving the secretary general of the party a full-time Joo in the organisation. without any position in the government. would go a long way In setting up the right type of barriers between the ruling party and the state This would also give the party chief more time to concentrate on organisational matters, leaving the Prime Minister relatively free to devote her time and energy to her official responsibilities. Through this process, the organisation of the ruling party may well start playing a role which goes by default In many countries. Its watchdog role, with the authority to monitor and evaluate the activities of the government and provide the Prime Minister with a dependable channel of communication with the rank and file In her party — and indeed with the people at large.