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Khaleda as party president for life

An impolitic and undemocratic step
THE BNP standing committee's decision to make Khaleda Zia the party president for life is unprecedented in our political history. Hus is an unmitigated disaster for inner party democracy and a slap in the face of demands for reforms. This is in blatant contradiction to, and fundamentally out of sync, with the aspiration of the people. All democratic persons are outraged and must condemn this move in the strongest possible terms.
The decision is shocking because it has demonstrated a cynical disregard for public will. It is also unexpected, come as it does after long and persistent public demand for inner party reform. It is also a thumb in the nose of the lower level party workers who were looking for devolution of party powers so necessary' for tlie growth of second and third string leadership in the BNP
Bestowing the mantle of the party chief for life on Khaleda has reconfirmed tlie general perception about tlie BNP as a fiefdom of the Zia family, run in the most autocratic and dictatorial manner. There is perhaps one other example, that of the late Benazir Bhutto being made the life-long party president of PPP, which she bequeathed to her son, her husband becoming a regent party chief after her tragic death, waiting for the son to came of age. Is this what Khaleda Zia and the genuflecting members of tlie standing committee have in mind for the BNP?
Regrettably, tlie grassroots party members have been completely bypassed in the decision making process. For a party that has not had party council for more than a decade, and the first standing committee meeting held only two days ago after more than a year and a half, expecting democratic practice on its part is like a wild goose chase. But we had still hoped that widespread public demand will have some impact on BNP's leadership. The standing committee, evidently given to sycophancy, has done a great disservice, not only to the party' but to tlie country's polity also.
We fail to comprehend what got into the heads of the BNP leadership to make such a big political blunder, given that there was no challenge to Khaleda's leadership at all. If anything she may have emerged stronger than before. The move is not only self-defeating, we think that this has also made her lose the moral standing to ask others for elections to the other party posts.
But apart from anything else, this has dealt a severe blow to the attempt to bring in political reform. This, needless to say, holds a sad portent for our politics.
Horrendous traffic jams Some concrete steps longoverdue
IT is stating the obvious that Dhaka's traffic system is on the verge of collapse because of inept handling of vehicle flow by the authorises, especially during peak hours. On a daily basis, thousands of vehicles of every description are seen stranded on the roads thus creating a snare of horrendous proportion. The tailback jam not only causes valuable fuel to burn uselessly, it robs people of their precious man-hour, and often claims lives of seriously ill patients.
Volumes have been spoken on the subject at numerous seminars and millions have been spent on the ground for an improvement of traffic congestion in Dhaka. But, to be truthful, it all proved to be only blowing some hot air. Some good research work done in the last decade had identified basic flaws in the traffic system and recommendations have been given on how to smoothen the traffic flow. Among them we think the most pertinent ones are: phasing out of nearly 5 lac rickshaws from the streets, although only 87,000 of them are licensed with alternative employment arrangements made; taking all motorised 20-year old vehicles off the roads, ensuring proper parking of cars and freeing pavements and shoulders of streets of encroachments. But, in reality, drivers continue to park vehicles haphazardly on busy roads and passenger buses stop right in the middle of the roads.
Traffic laws are to be enforced without any favour but to our utter dismay we find that hardly drivers violating traffic laws are punished for their offences. Minibus drivers engage in overtaking on busy roads with their dilapidated vehicles as they can get away by greasing the palm of traffic police personnel. Such corrupt practices have contributed to the thriving of a culture of impunity in the sphere. Unless these young ruffians are disciplined and made to respect laws we wonder whether we shall ever see any tangible improvement.
With holy Eid approaching, we suggest that the ansars, community police and even Boy Scouts may be pressed into service in helping control the maddening scenario that haunt commuters every day in Dhaka. The BDR, who have been involved in the retail trade of consumer goods recently, may also help bring some cohesion and order on the road.