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Talking Polls and Beyond

'We crave for a healthy parliament and good governance'
***Former adviser to the caretaker government Rokia Afzal Rahman was bom in Calcutta in 1941. She studied at the St Joseph’s Convent and St Joseph's College in Karachi, Pakistan. She obtained her Masters in English from Karachi University, and Post Graduate Diploma in Banking from the Institute of Bankers of Pakistan. She also studied at Tufts University in Boston, USA. She started her career in a commercial bank in 1962 and became the first woman bank manager of the country in 1964. She later became a Sponsor Director in Midas Financing Limited and Director in Reliance Insurance Ltd. She served as a Director in the Central Bank of Bangladesh. Rokia Afzal is the founder president of first Women Entrepreneurs Association in the country (1994). She is the Chairperson of Presidency University Foundation and Chair of Bangladesh Board of Advisers, Asian University for Women. She received many awards including Leading Women Entrepreneurs of the World in Monte Carlo in 1999; Businessperson of the Year-2003 by American Chamber: Priyadarshani award, India, and Deshbondhu award for Women's Empowerment. She is the Chairperson of Mediaworld Limited and director-shareholder in Mediastar. Shamim Ashraf and Wasim Bin Habib took the interview. ***
What is your evaluation of the existing political situation?
The existing environment is not normal. We hope the political parties should say what they would do for the development of the country and the country people if they come to power. People, at this moment, want to know what the political parties would do, but the parties are not saying any thing about their future plans although they are raising their demands. They should come forward and say how they would deal with the development issues and economic crises going on worldwide- what they would do for the fanners, women and everyone and what would be their strategy for financial stability. But they are not doing so.
Why are they doing that?
Politicians may have some uncertainty over the polls but we don't have any uncertainty about it. We are sure that the elections will be held and the caretaker government convincingly told us that they will hold the election. The government has taken well preparations as a voter list has been prepared and the timetable for the polls has been rescheduled as per the demands of the political parties.
A major party is yet to announce clearly that it would participate. Do you think there is any uncertainty’ over election due to the stance of the major parses?
It is unfortunate if any party’ says like that when we have only a month to go for polls. I think we need the political parties to cooperate to overcome the crises in the country. We have been going through a political crisis for quite a long time and only the parties can solve the crisis. I am quite hopeful that the election will be held.
My personal feeling is that a country runs well when it has good governance, a good business community with the activ-
ities of the non-government organisations. But in our case the business community and private sector have been struggling for the development of the country amid political instability. Every sector is moving ahead except politics and everything will be fine if we have mature politics. All the political parties whether they are in government or in opposition they have to be mature.
How much qualitative change can we see in the coming years?
1 think the party whichever comes to power should not behave with 'winner takes all' attitude. They should not think that whatever they dictate will be right since they have won in the election. It will be the government's duty to attract opposition to come to the parliament and we will call the government successful when the opposition parties participate in the parliament. It will be the repetition of the past if the opposition does not come to the parliament to debate the national issues. This time we want that the government should bring the opposition to the parliament and make it healthy.
Do you support the proposal of electing deputy speaker from the opposition in the parliament?
It would be better for all of us if the deputy speaker is appointed from the opposition. I think that political parties should bring the young people now because the old politicians have the experience and the young people have new ideas. The young people are exposed to have lot of information and thus the names of the young people should come instead of the questionable ones. There should be a bottom up system at all levels. We expect all the political parties would forget the party politics and think of the people and the country as we have gone through a lot of problems. We became politically bankrupt due to the political
crises.
How do you see nomination of women candidates for the upcoming parliamentary elections?
The names of women should come more for nomination. I think women do well when they get the chance to do and we see women did well in different professions including the micro-credit. So I think we need more women to come as they did good jobs in different sectors.
We have long been demanding direct election for women where male and female candidates can participate in the polls directly. It has often been told that it is tough for a woman to contest in the polls from a huge constituency. But the respective parties will support the woman in the campaign and finance.
How do you evaluate the reform measures undertaken by the CG?
In the beginning they were doing well in bringing in the reforms. People welcomed tire government when they started the anti-corruption drive and, in fact, we came to know about many big corruption cases at that time. But the government could not implement the process due to weak laws and we found compromising positions of the government in some cases. I think the government could have taken a strong stand. Many corrupt sus-p^t vyere arrested but l^erte' were freed and nciw they seem eligible for elections. I think they should have done a good homework before taking such steps. The intention of the government was good and it started off on the right footing but they could not implement many of the things they wanted to do. Something went against them like the worldwide food crisis and the natural disaster like floods and Sidr. The government could have been stronger in its position.
What are the achievements of the government?
The government has moved to address corruption and brought some reforms in the political parties like it said that the political parties not to take corrupt people, hooligans, black money holders and loan and bill defaulters into their folds. People and the political parties have become aware of it and the parties are now careful about nominating the questionable persons, as the people now want good politicians. But, I think the government could have taken stronger steps in different sectors including power sector. Things would have been better if the government, took tfeeLpp|iticians with it while carrying out reforms. The government is now seeking politicians' supports but it should have been sought the support earlier like in January.
What can be done to make the parliament effective?
We want all the parties to go to the parliament. I hope the next government and opposition should go to parliament and hold their debates there. The caretaker government should have made the political parties pledge that the parties would not do any hartal in future and
they should increase reserve seats for women.
Do you think the politicians have realised their failures which led to 1 /11 ?
Yes, of course. As a nation and country we went down to such a level that is unthinkable though we had a strong unity after we achieved our independence. We had to be embarrassed by the attitudes and activities of the political parties. They did not behave like human beings. The political parties should have asked their workers why the situation was so created, why they went so unruly. Instead of doing sathey started t^ ty^me each other fort)^, cause of the situation. The parties don't have the political conscience though they should have been so. They should have found out their own faults behind the reason of the changeover of 1 /11. Instead of doing so they blamed each other.
How do you see the reform activities?
Reform is always a positive word and it is basically done for improving things, but the political parties made it negative. In any healthy organisation people ask for reforms and look for self-criticism. The political parties also need to do self-
criticism. Governing a country is a big responsibility and the parties should think whether they have the management capacity and preparation to take the huge responsibility to govern a country which has financial constraints and so many poor people. So, naturally they have to bring reforms to prepare for the next elections and they have to tell the people about the reforms they have made. They have to tell the people that what they will do for improving gas, water and power situation as the countrymen want to hear from them.
Do you support the idea of debate among the top leaders of the political parties?
It would be very interesting if such debate can be arranged. Political leaders are seen very friendly in different occasions but when they attend any meeting tliey become unknown to each other. Why can't they break the ice? It is unfortunate. The confrontation that we have been witnessing for the last couple of decades will not be solved easily unless the parties bring young people in. There must be a debate on the television channels as the people have interest in it.
Should the political parties give nominations to those who are accused in graft cases?
The party who wants to win and make a long-term plan to run the country will try to avoid such questionable candidates.
Would you identify the caretaker government's major mistakes.
They have tried their best but they have failed to implement what they had told us two years ago. The political parties did not support them and may be they could have done better had the parties supported the government. Since they are not 'political' they could not handle it politically.
How do you see Article 70?
It should be abolished. The lawmakers should be vocal if they see that their party is turning into a dictator. The government becomes weak since provision exists.
How do you see Article 91 (E) of the RPO?
The election commission should have the discretionary power to cancel someone's candidature as defined in article 91 (E) of the RPO.
f Po you have anything more to suggest?
Politics is the most powerful platform form which a country can move up. Therefore, we need good people in politics so that the country can move towards a correct direction. The political parties have the duty to invite good people and there should be training within the parties for good governance. Both the next government and the opposition have to play a strong role and the people will also have to play a strong role, to have good governance.