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THE CHALLENGES OF THE NINETIES-II

Needed Unity around National Consensus on Basic Goals

by Dr. Kamal Hossain
****As conscious citizens, we can mobilise support among professional and other people's organisations and concerned citizens in efforts aimed at developing consensus-lhe common object would be to contribute to the process of consensus building on national goals.****
THE Task Forces’ set up under the caretaker government, which had drawn upon the professional skills and experience of some 250 of the best and the brightest among the experts of Bangladesh in different fields, had spell out some of the goals that could be consensus goafs for the decade. These goals Include: a minimum 5.5 per cent rate of growth; a minimum annual growth rale of around 4 per cent for agriculture. 8 per cent for Industry, and 6 per cent for the services sector and an increase In exports at an average rale of 8 per cent a year. Consensus goals presented by the Task Force on poverty recommended Poverty Alleviation Programmes for the decade of the nineties, which would Include: (i) Universal Primary School Facilities, (il) Universal Secondary School Facilities, (lii) Primary Health Care Facilities, (iv) Income support for destitute female-headed households, (v) Housing programme for homeless destitutes and (vl) Employment guarantee schemes for the most vulnerable bottom 10 per cent. The total cost of these programmes Is estimated to be Tk. 1807 crore for the period 1990-1995 and Tk. 2372 crore for the period 1995 2000.
It was expected that a democratic Government which had emerged through a united movement would bring about a basic change in the slate of governance Involving and inspiring the people and would be able to take bold initiatives in reviving the economy, restoring the rule of law and bringing about significant improvement tn the field of education. This remains the people’s priorities. It is a matter of concern that the Government instead of seeking to Involve everyone in a consensus approach to build democracy and to deliver the fruits of democracy to the people Is acting In a partisan manner. Major policy issues and legislation are not being fully debated in Parliament and in public. Major policy decisions are being taken abruptly or not being taken at all. Legislation by Ordinance is taking place in cases where there is no justification for such abrupt legislation by-passing Parliament. The result Is continuing economic stagnation, deterioration in the law and order situation and deepening crisis in educational Institutions. Questions are being raised about the neutrality of the lawenforcing agencies. We must take serious note of these matters and press together for adoption of corrective measures immediately.
The challenges of 'the nineties, therefore, call for urgent adoption of the needed corrective measures and for agreement on clearly-defined national goals and priorllk-s to be pursued during the decade. We cannot remain adrift as a nation. The direction In which we are to move must be set. A Chinese proverb says. "A journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step". The first step has to be taken In the right direction, if ihe Journey Is to take us to the desired destination. Parliament itself and oilier ‘public fora should accord tlw highest priority to the task of achieving a consensus on national goals and prior Hies for the nineties This permits of no delay.
Specific Annual Targets
Once the direction Is set. specific annual targets will have to be fixed. When doing so people must be taken into confidence Only through their involvement in the process of establishing the priorities and targets, will they become committed lo the realisation of those goals and targets The uphill climb from despair and dependence to dignity .and self-reliance will require a spirit of sacrifice and sense of dedication, such as the entire nation demonstrated in 1971 and once again during the united movement In 1990 Only by reviving this spirit, will we be able to rise above narrow personal and group Interests and to commit ourselves to national goals. The revival of this spirit will help In the creation of a new work ethic and a new sense of social responsibility. We could then expect the much-needed increase In productivity, and tn the rale of domestic savings, as well as mobilization of domestic resources. This would also contribute towards elimination of waste and misuse and mis-al-locatlon of resources. Maximum utilization of capacity and of our resources and avoiding cost and time overruns tn project Implementation would be among some of the results we could expect from a revived sense of national purpose.
How can we revive the spirit of national unity and solidarity and a sense of national purpose? I believe we can use the same methods which have succeeded in llr past namely to create broad based unity around a national consensus on certain basic goals. There could be an earnest appeal lo political leaders, to the Government and the opposition, to sit together to take slock of the national situation and to agree on national priorities. A* conscious citizens, we can mobilise support among professional and other people s organizations and concerned citizens tn efforts aimed at developing consensus. The Reports of the Task Forces and other documents prepared by professional experts could provide useful materials for the purpose. The common object would be to contribute to tlie process of consensus-building on national goals.
1'would also suggest a number of concrete and specific Initiatives which Government, political parties in opposition, professional and other people s organizations and conscious citizens, could lake to bring about a concerted national drive to cure ourselves of the sicknesses which have been handed down to us from the previous corrupt authoritarian order.
I would urge that through discussions, the Government and ilic political parties In opposition, could agree on certain national survival goals and pnorilk-s and undertake to cooperate in implementing those goals Each of the parties will be under a duty to use all Its powers to persuade Its supporting organizations viz., workers' organizations, peasant's organizations, youth and student organizations, lo strive their utmost to achieve these goals.
To reinforce the efforts of the political parties, professional and other people's organizations and conscious citizens could, after discussions in depth In their own forum, adopt a Charter of national Solidarity and Cooperation pledging to work together lo achieve the agreed national goals. The Charter would remind everyone of his/her specific responsibihties and tasks and of the need to cooperate in carrying out the common tasks. The role of the press will be important as it must disseminate and motivate every one to work unitedly to achieve national goals and targets
Concrete Measures
To strengthen democratic institutions, and to cure them of the diseases inherited from the past the following concrete measures are suggested:
(1) To make Parliament more effective, parliamentary committees cold lake up issues requiring urgent attention and hold a number of sittings, open to the public and press, so that people may be aware of the progress being made In identifying critical problems and the consensus which was being developed with regard to their urgent solutions. Some of these sessions could be similar to public hearings, held by the US Senate, where testimony can be received from concerned Individuals and organizations and from eminent experts. Our Constitution by Article 76 has made a special provision enabling such testimony to be taken. A special Parliamentary Committee for Human Rights, using its investigative powers effectively, could play a valuable part In promoting respect for human rights.
(it) The constitutional office of Ombudsman, as envisaged by Article 77 of the Constitution should Immediately be established. Parliament should entrust the Ombudsman with the responsibilities and powers to Invest! -Bite any action taken by any Intstry. public officer or statutory public authority, as well as any grievances of public servants or Involving educational Institutions, and to dispose of them in a fair and impartial manner. This constitutional institution could help to defuse and resolve disagreements between Government and opposition or other aggrieved parties and could also ensure transparency and openness Tills could enhance public confidence in the administration and also help to build confidence between the Government and the opposition.
(Ill) immediate steps need to be taken fully to re-establish the rule of law as follows: (a) Separation of judiciary from the executive should be ' promptly implemented: (b) In order to remind the law-enforcing agencies of the basic change that has come about through restoration of democracy. Parliament may by unanimous resolution, record that in a democracy the nation expects the law-enforcing agencies to act and enforce the law with neutrality. No officer or personnel of any law-enforcing agency is expected U> carry out any unlawful order or to show any partiality in favour of any person on the basts of his political or other affiliations. Any deviation from these fundamental norms would constitute a grave offence punishable by law. (c) With a view to the electronic media, radio and television, functioning as national Instruments to inform and motivate the people and not as partisan media, the pledge to the nation made in the declaration of 19 November. 1990. thut radio and television should be entrusted to an autonomous agency, should be implemented without delay, (ci) With regard to the present state of the universities and educational Institutions, given the grave concern that is felt by all sections, including students, parents, teachers and citizens at large and society in general. Parliament may consider adopting a unanimous resolution. declaring that the nation will not tolerate the destruction of Its educational Institutions by Induction of arms and armed 'mastans'. The resolution could urge all teachers, students and citizens unitedly to ensure that peace and a congenial environment Is maintained in all educational institutions. Concerned citizens could help to promote a congenial environment in all educational institutions through mobilizing public opinion, appealing to students and teachers, and by strengthening the national consensus In this matter. A bolder Initiative could be kept In view If the crisis continue* to remain unresolved: concerned citizens — tn thousands — could form a human wall of peace ■round the camptfs of the University of Dhaka and maintain ft until the campus is cleansed of arms and those who wield them. We could thus ■how, as we did during the movement last year, that ordinary citizens need not remain helpless bystanders to the de •truetton of their vital institutions. (Concluded)