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Politics and the lure of lucre

Muhammad Nurul Huda
THE high profile criminal cases of corruption lodged against a number of our political heavyweights perhaps demonstrate that the minds of many public leaders have impoverished on account of single-minded pursuit of money. It appears that such relentless pursuit has also desiccated their heart. The malaise seems to be not only persistent but also prone to aggravation.
The question is, can mentally and ethically deficient people as above hold our trust that has to be reposed in public office? Alternatively, should people with an unbridled lust for material accomplishments be allowed to occupy and disgrace high offices? Ln the fitness of things, such thoughts should engage the minds of all rightthanking people.
It is perhaps time to stop ruling out wise changes by politics as that would amount to a grave indictment of the functioning of the democratic process. The seizure of all levers of power by politicians and conniving bureaucrats in the recent past has been very frustrating to technocrats and professional managers.
The question that should be asked in a scenario as above is. what proportion of time of the members of parliament is spent on law mak-ing? Some are of the opinion that in the 300 seats of parliament we, in fact, elect 300 executives. In saying so, one is not oblivious of the reality
that in a parliamentary form of government the elected prime minister is the chief executive, and ministers as colleagues are also executives, as is the practice in the system.
What, however, should engage our attention is whether the legislator is evincing more interest in matters developmental whose actual execution is an executive function, to the detriment of law-making, and whether such a scenario is giving rise to dissatisfaction at the local level? It is also pertinent to know whether such dissatisfaction has harmful effect on the political process, leading ultimately to dishonest and unethical practices.
Many are of the view that one big obstacle to the flowering of local leadership lies in the excessive interference by higher level leaders or representatives in local socioeconomic activities. The progress made in strengthening local government does not generate adequate optimism despite our having excellent recommendations in this regard. Consequently, local leaders are tempted to resort to illegal practices, having failed to achieve that desired recognition. Such frustrated leaders often become touts to maintain their leadership in a desperate situation where their continued existence comes under threat. In the ultimate analysis, the ordinary people fall victim to this polluted process for obvious reasons.
There is no doubt that greater involvement and empowerment of local leaders in the decision making process of developmental matters will help achieve satisfaction of such leaders. This would also contribute in the nurturing of local leadership and creation of a positive political culture, thereby gradually lessening the harmful effects of profit maximisation by politicians. People at the local level will at least get some relief, to start with, and it would not be too much to expect that local leaders will start becoming conscientious and responsible. However, reaching such a stage will not be easy because decentralisation of authority will not suddenly gather pace. One has to look at the opposing views about the type of local government at the upazila level.
It is now generally accepted that the election-oriented political culture provides incentive to explicit illegal practices. During elections, a large amount of unaccounted money comes into circulation, and it has not been possible to effectively halt that. A large chunk of such money is spent for the musclemen or thugs for whom election time is booming business at almost no investment. Such thugs are required for malevolent activities like intimidation of voters, particularly the vulnerable ones, deactivating polling agents, creating tension near election centre to discourage voters from turning out, directly or
indirectly keeping the polling booth under control, etc. There is never a dearth of miscreants for committing such mischief because requisition or demands is there and, as such, supply remains steady on account of ready cash and quick payment.
Observers of the political scene are of the view that the personal and professional credentials of the politician is central to the subject under discussion. In this regard, the layman, in view of his experience, may wonder whether politics is a profession or a vocation or simply a social service. One considered view is that although some political parties may have full-time cadre of workers who are on the party's payroll, in a democratic society, politics cannot be a full-time occupation.
It is felt that, while in power, holders of office shall be adequately compensated by the state, although the compensation may not prove to be satisfying for a capable professional. But then that is the price one has to pay for being in public service. The important issue here is that after one ceases to hold power one goes back to the parent profession or occupation. In other words, it is expected that politicians are in definite profession or occupation and have means to support themselves.
How close is our political scene to the proposition described above may be the subject matter of serious
discussion. Do we witness people in the political scene whose true sources of income cannot be ascertained? One has to bear in mind that parasitic leadership can neither inspire nor help in the creation of healthy political culture. These issues should be discussed seriously by the political parties themselves because barring honourable exception, politicians with accountable income can command respect.
One must add here that simultaneously there must be adequate check to ensure that affluent politicians do not become promoter or protector of vested interests. In order to maintain societal balance, it has to be ensured that coterie interests do not dictate the party. One recommendation would be to enlist people of different profession or occupation for the party and to attract educated and honest people to the political mainstream.
It is widely believed that in conducting and managing the affairs of major political party, and particularly during election campaigning, unbelievably large funds that includes black money are spent. Such spending is leading us to a perilous course. There was a time when the wealthy would remain behind the scenes and quietly take his reward later, but in the altered scenario a good number of questionably wealthy are entering the centre stage of mainstream politics, consequent to the unholy nexus
between black money and power. Tliis has to be arrested; otherwise the political leadership will be bereft of merit and morality.
We may follow the example of western democracies in creating election fund of the political party. This will, at the least, bring some clarity about the sources of the fund. It is not very difficult to keep the election expenditure with reasonable limits if we can ensure stem enforcement of electoral laws, backed by judicial firmness, executive determination, and ingenuity. The lure of black money during election times is understandably massive, but if politicians, particularly the legislators, do not want their political foundations to be tainted by illegal or criminal deals then political process must have financial discipline and sanity. This would be a painful experience, but is considered essentia] to sanitise politics.
Concerned Bangladeshi citizens will sincerely hope and pray that indeed politics truly becomes difficult so that increasing number of brats and the non-entities do not occupy the centre-stage of our political horizon. Such concerned citizens and the well-meaning folks of our country earnestly desire that politics become the art of wise and patriotic people and is effectively salvaged from the clutches of the insensitive.
There is no denying that in spite of our adopting a lofty constitution, we do not have the ability to keep it. Equally true is the fact that while we are the proud inheritors of a rich and vibrant culture we do not have the wisdom to cherish it The compounding tragedy is that our resilient people have to suffer and endure in patience without the perception of their innate potentials.
The arrogance and irresponsibility of the executive organ and the politicians can be tamed and chastened by an upright judiciary wherein we must have people who
have the courage never to submit or yield. They should have the capability to effectively pronounce on all spheres of pubic life. On a more specific reference, our judiciary must firmly ensure the observance of our electoral laws so that the doubtful elements both financially and criminal records wise-find it difficult to venture into public life.
In order to make politics difficult for the bad hats, can we demand that no political party should be recognised by the Election Commission unless the party is willing to maintain audited accounts of all its receipts and expenditure? This demand can be accommodated by the addition of a section to the existing law on representation.
How about prescribing some minimum educational qualifications for those who seek election to parliament? One can not fail to be struck by the grim irony of our situation where the one job for which one needs no training or qualification whatsoever is the job of legislating and governing a sizable democracy. To steer the lives and destinies of more than 150 million people our politicians are not required having any education or equipment at all. It is clearly anomalous that we insist on high qualifications for those who administer or help in administering the law, but none for those who make it except that they are elected. Surely, the law-giver requires intellectual equipment, the capacity to take a balanced view of things and to act independently.
We need to have a merit-based administrative system to ensure pragmatic and balanced behaviour of the politicians. There is a belief that for politicians it would be easier to control officers with average merit rather than meritorious officers. Pliable officers with a low morale cannot put a brake on the unbridled ambitions of the arrogant half-wits masquerading as politi-
cians. The services need to be protected from the high handed actions of the political executives and their pernicious political links have to sap.
We need to ask ourselves if the apathy of the citizens - particularly the elite who have almost opted out of the democratic process -- is responsible for the corruption, incompetence and inefficiency that we sec all around. We have to admit that as a nation we have paid substantially by our follies in leaving the governance of this country largely to the professional politicians, for many of whom politics is merely bread and butter, a means of livelihood, or worse, a means of personal enrichment
Every democratic society needs to have an aristocracy of talent, knowledge, and character. It is this aristocracy which must take to public life, however discriminatory and unpleasant it may sound, if democracy is to have a solid foundation in Bangladesh. We have to go all out to accord the highest recognition to ability, knowledge, and integrity.
Our constitution was framed on the basis that our citizens, including the best, would be willing to take a continuous and meaningful part in public life. So if the thoughtful and the committed fail the country at this juncture, the next alternative would be to invite extraconstitutional authoritarianism of the worst type.
The time has come when citizens must wrest the leadership from the less committed professional politicians and insist upon persons of knowledge, vision, and character to be chosen as candidates for parliamentary and local body election. Such persons can usher in a government which will be strong without being authoritarian and humane without being weak.
Muhammad Nurul Huda is a columnist of The Daily Star.