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Talking Polls and Beyond

’The best of times has become the worst of times’
Former adviser to the caretaker government in 2001, Hafizuddin Khan was born in Sirajganj in 1939. He obtained BA(hons) and MA degree in political science from Dhaka University in 1960 and 1961 respectively. He was additional secretary in the Prime Minister's Office and secretary of ministry of disaster management and relief, and posts and telecommunications, before retiring as the comptroller and auditor general in 1999. Among other senior posts, he has been a director of several banks and is currently chairman of Bangladesh NGO Foundation, a trustee and treasurer of Transparency International Bangladesh, and vice-chairman of Shujan.Shamim Ashraf took the interview.
How much has been done since 1/11?
Judiciary separation, reforming the EC and PSC, voter list with photographs. But in doing these, the CTG has broadened the canvas, leaving many things incomplete and some things back-fired. These decreased the government's popularity and could not bring the expected change in politics and change politicians' mindset. I am frustrated at the overall outcome.
Would you explain what back-fired?
Some steps were very wrong. For example, cases were filed against the politicians without much thought. There's no doubt that the politicians and bureaucrats are involved in corruption. But without collecting necessary evidence first, the government arrested them, which appeared not as a fight against corruption but against individuals.
It also tried to divide political parties by creating reformist and non-reformist groups and by trying to minus top leaders. These badly harmed the image of the government The government and the EC didn't amend the RPO and electoral rules timely, and nqw have to relax the conditions to convince the political parties to join the election.
It's a major failure. Expected political reforms couldn't be brought about for this reason. It started with evicting hawkers from the street, demolishing small illegal structures, etc. There could be solace if the CTG went after big encroachers like those who captured public lands in Bhawal Forest.
What would the proper approach have been?
It could be better for all had the government kept its functions limited to taking steps for democratic progress like amending the RPO and electoral conduct rules in a timely fashion. These should have been done much earlier when the government was in a dominating position. We've never seen true democracy and what we have is elected dictatorship. We sought to be rid of it and wanted to see better demQcracy and honest people to. lead us. Without working to this end. the CTG took a lot of tasks in hand, digressing from key objective and losing sense of direction. There are many problems in our country and it is not possible to solve them all. The best of times has become the worst of times.
Would you explain it?
If the political parties now behave properly, nominate leaders and candidates on the basis of grassroots leaders maintaining the RPO provisions, and stop nomination business, and if the voters exercise their voting rights conscientiously, it would be best of times for all.
Did you see voters practicing their rights properly in the local elections?
No. It's because they didn't have alternative candidates and got very short time to judge the candidates, and there was confusion whether the election would be held at all. The political parties were opposing the election for quite a time. The EC even failed to properly scrutinise the candidates' information and has admitted that many ineligible candidates contested the elections.
Why did the EC fail?
They didn't have enough time and lacked experience. Many laws were also new. That's why we civil society members met the EC and asked them to prepare the schedule in a way that people can have clear idea about the candidates.
Did the EC put too many conditions for registration? We wanted putting the minimum conditions of ensuring democracy and transparency inside the parties. They are now relaxing those, but only after getting pressure.
Is the EC going to make public candidates' eightpointdisclosure?
The EC has promised the civil society of disclosing the information in a way that people get necessary time to see those.
What if any candidate submits false information?
We've asked the EC to introduce provisions for "no vote" and also for counter-affidavit so that anyone can challenge a candidate if he suppresses any information or submits false information.
What will be the way for EC information dissemination? Five copies of the information will be displayed on the board of Election Commission office in each constituency and people will be able to photocopy those. We've demanded making public the information also in newspapers before withdrawal of nomination papers. Shujan displayed candidate information for people during the last municipality election and will do it again this time.
What's the mechanism to inform a poor and illiterate person who can't read or photocopy those?
Citizens groups have to play a role in such cases and we're contacting local non-party NGOs for this.
What will happen if we can't make it the best of times? If we can't bring any qualitative change to our political and democratic culture, we'll have to go back to square one and see again violence and intolerance among political parties, arrogance by the winners, and election result boycott by the losers.
What have the people got in two years since 1 /11 ?
Though the CTG is an unelected government, people accepted its sticking to power for two years as a law of necessity, being frustrated at the activities of the political parties. People also agreed to undergo emergency with a hope to see change in political culture and politicians' behaviour. But we see no sign. Though changes have been brought to the RPO and candidates conduct rules, there is question whether the EC would be effective during the parliamentary elections because it failed to show effectiveness during the local polls.
How do you see EC's compromise with RPO procedures?
It is one of the major failures of the EC and the govern- ment, which are now doing everything to bring the parties to election. The way they are now compromising, accepting the parties’ conditions, and withdrawing cases go against the people's expectation and the cause for lengthening the CTG tenure to two years. An unelected government's getting such immense support from people was a record — but it is now gone.
Do you see any uncertainty before election?
BNP's demand for allowing the convicted leaders and going back to 1972 RPO, and Khaleda Zia's demand for , re^gn^poi) of tii^l^tjpiLcvwrnissione^U? creating confusion and uncertainty.
Do you think the culture of violence would surface again?
We are already witnessing the signs if we recall the violence at the news ofTarique Rahman's slipping on the floor.
Why is the government on the back-foot?
It is due to political inexperience and lack of concept about how to deal with the situation. The people who are now in the government never attempted to address their inefficiency or talked with those who have it, and rather had close-door operation. They also didn't show any sensitivity to the suggestions that came from different discussions, seminars, talkshows, and dialogues.
How do you see government's attitude towards political parties in the first year?
The government distanced itself from the parties and did not want to sit with them at the beginning, officially or unofficially. Now, the advisers are rushing to their house, trying to woo them to election and sitting in secret meetings. The subject and results of the secret meetings are not even disclosed to the people. The steps it has taken regarding politics are nontransparent and have created doubt among people about the motive of the government. The government didn't talk with the people, civil society members and professionals, and didn't even move to know about their mistakes.
How do you see the attempt of Minus-2 formula?
It was ridiculous and cannot be supported at all. Besides, there is no law that can bar any citizen from entering the country as the government did with Sheikh Hasina.
How do you evaluate the anti-corruption drive?
Without collecting evidence, some were arrested, some shown arrested for minor reasons like keeping alcohol at home. There were many mistakes. They might identify some exemplary cases and pursue those to the end after collecting evidence.
Do you think the ACC will be able to work independently after emergency is withdrawn?
If the next elected government interferes with the ACC, it will be very harmful for the country, the anti-corruption drive will be dealt a strong blow.
What lesson does 1/11 teach politicians?
Some politicians are now saying they won't allow corruption. The government has succeeded to break die myth of impunity and shake those who thought they were beyond law. If the parties now cooperate with the government in holding the election, the situation will be much better.
How do you see BNP's demand of allowing all its convicted leaders to contest in the elections?
It's ridiculous, it means undoing all the reform exercises over two years. It'll be very harmful for the country and no action can be taken against corruption and Bangladesh will turn into a failed state.
Do you think withdrawing emergency will let such convicts contest in the election?
Those convicted under emergency rules will not be eligible for election even pending appeal against the verdict. So they are demanding withdrawal. I don't think withdrawing emergency totally would be appropriate. How can the alleged corrupts be kept from elections? The parties should discard such people since they are harming party image, and the people at the same time should be sensitised not to elect them even if they contest in the elections.
How do you see political parties' opposition to abolish front organisations?
The EC should have been firm on the issue. There will be no qualitative change in politics unless it can be done. The front organisations turned educational institutions into battlefields and used to manipulate decisions at different offices.