Professor Rehman Sobhan on governance and democracy, while addressing a workshop on ‘Rethinking Democratisation: Consensus Building for Results,’ jointly organised by Policy Research Institute (PRI) and the International Political Science Association (IPSA) on Saturday, 7 March 2015.
More news reports on the event
Published in Dhaka Tribune
Making democracy more functional
Tribune Report
Political commentators, former bureaucrats and thinkers have called for a lasting solution to the recurring problem that Bangladesh faces before and after every national election.
The observations came evidently with the current political context in mind. A bitter two-month political standoff between BNP-led anti-government campaigners and the Awami League-led government has hemorrhaged commerce and manufacturing.
While some recommended reforming the constitution and modifying the electoral system, others stressed strengthening constitutional bodies that are instrumental to a well-functioning democratic polity.
Although speakers at the workshop on “Rethinking Democratisation” agreed that a dialogue would not possible since both parties were at loggerheads and made derogatory remarks about the other, they said the ball was in the politicians’ court.
Former caretaker government adviser Akbar Ali Khan said the time had come to think of addressing the weaknesses of the constitution to get out of the political crisis in the long run.
He suggested the introduction of a bicameral parliament where the upper house would be elected on the basis of proportional representation meaning that the seats would be distributed to parties according to the proportion of votes.
The advantage of a bicameral system with proportional representation would make it difficult to rig elections said Khan. “Because manipulating the result would mean playing with hundreds of thousands of votes. Under the present system one need only rig votes at a few centres to win.”
He said no election would be fair because the Election Commission has to conduct the polls with assistance from public officials. “And they are deeply politicised.”
Referendums could be introduced for important public issues, which might reduce the culture of hartal but that also has its problems. “That can be curbed by formulating laws on when referendums are needed and when not.”
Former Chief Election Commissioner ATM Shamsul Huda said the country had been experiencing a recurring crisis since 1991 obviously referring to political campaigns rejecting the upcoming elections before and alleging that the elections were rigged once they are over.
“This is not a permanent solution. The common people of the country want a lasting solution so that there is no political violence before every election.”
Everybody talks about fair elections, he said, adding that nobody spoke about institutional strengthening to make them effective. He said democratisation is the first priority for an election. “But this is absent.”
The constitutional bodies engaged in protecting democracy, such as the Public Service Commission, Anti-Corruption Commission and Comptroller and Auditor General have to be strengthened, he said.
Centre for Policy Dialogue Chairman Rehman Sobhan said: “We have learnt that every incumbent government basically wants to perpetuate itself and looks to create a system to ensure that,” he said.
He said society has to continue to spell out what it thinks — the notions of how a government should function and how democracy should function.
Former Bangladesh Bank Governor Muhammad Farashuddin said sudden changes in everything might be difficult to implement. “That’s why we have to look for a solution within the existing system.”
He suggested making the constitutional bodies stronger so that they could function effectively and impartially.
Sushashoner Jonno Nagorik Secretary Badiul Alam Majumder said: “Political parties want to get to power at any cost. This culture should be broken for the welfare of the people.”
PSI Chairman Zillur Rahman Khan said, “The ball is now in the court of the political leaders.”
He said a viable socio-economic alternative to the current situation could emerge internally when the political community as well as civil society empower themselves with moral leadership at every level, making a commitment to contain corruption and alleviate poverty.
Published in The Daily Star
Peace recipe
Political analysts suggest ways to strengthen democracy, end violence
Staff Correspondent
Political analysts yesterday recommended constitutional amendments, including changes to the electoral systems, balancing power between the president and prime minister, to strengthen democracy and end the recurrent violence around election time.
They also recommended introducing bicameral legislature — where there are two assemblies — for better check and balance, referendum on important national issues, and strengthening the constitutional institutions.
Stating that political parties were becoming weak, which was a matter of concern for democracy, the experts said periodic violence around elections, including the present hartal and blockade, were ruining the country’s potentials.
The observations came at a discussion titled “Rethinking Democratisation: Consensus Building for Results” organised by the Policy Research Institute and International Political Science Association at the PRI conference hall in the capital.
“Now, absolute power remains in the centre … political parties have been de-democratised for the power of money,” said eminent economist Prof Rehman Sobhan while addressing the discussion as chief guest.
Money is the prime factor in nominating election candidates, even at local government levels, he said. The members of parliament have a direct control over the locally elected peoples’ representatives, something that made the democratic system truly weak, he said.
Terming the over two-month-long hartals and blockade a mere “low-grade” violence, Prof Sobhan, first member of Bangladesh’s Planning Commission, said the parties calling for hartals were failing to mobilise people.
“The support for hartal is actually zero. This hartal is totally immoral and counter productive,” said Sobhan, adding that it meant the political parties were getting weak.
Its consequences were very dangerous as in the past the political parties fell into non-democratic process, he warned.
In his keynote paper, Prof Emeritus Zillur Rahman Khan of the University of Wisconsin, USA, proposed proportional representation in parliament where allocation of parliamentary seats would reflect the percentage of votes earned by contesting political parties in the general election.
He suggested that the parliament have two houses, with one checking any excesses of the other. Considering the size of Bangladesh’s population, he suggested increasing the parliamentary seats to 500 in the lower house and 100 in his proposed upper house.
Zillur Rahman, also chairman, RC 37, International Political Science Association, floated the idea of holding the next general elections under an elected interim government composed of elected leaders from two largest parties with their top leaders serving as co-chairs.
Akbar Ali Khan, former adviser to a caretaker government, said elections under the present arrangements were unlikely to be fair, with election officials getting involved in corruption.
He supported Prof Zillur’s idea of proportional representation in parliament and a bicameral legislature.
“The political parties are very divisive and exchange rebukes. If the parliament is representational, there will be exchanges between them,” Akbar Ali Khan said.
He also suggested enhancing the power of the president, and referendum on nationally important issues.
“President’s power in our country is less than that of a section officer. A section officer can write a note against a government policy and his or her higher officials can correct it. But, there is no provision in the constitution for the president to have a different opinion,” he said.
Former chief election commissioner ATM Shamsul Huda said under the present system, a political party might have brute majority in parliament by having marginally higher votes, which was quite unacceptable.
Such anomalies could be avoided by proportional representation system, Huda said, stressing on reforms to the Election Commission, Public Service Commission, Anti-Corruption Commission, the judiciary, police and bureaucracy to institutionalise democratic values.
BNP Chairperson’s Adviser Enam Ahmed Chowdhury said a dialogue between the government and the opposition political parties was a necessity to find solutions to the present political problem.
“Repression on the opposition cannot bring any solution,” he said.
Economist M Syeduzzaman suggested stronger local government system and establishing Ombudsman to hold accountable the bureaucracy and the police.
Bangladesh Bank’s former governor Farashuddin observed that the reforms could not be made overnight and that fixing the existing system first would be wise. Gradual and needful reforms could be made, he said.
Political scientist Prof Rounaq Jahan said there are many good laws in Bangladesh but those are not being implemented.
Before considering the issues of referendum and sharing of power between the president and the prime minister, it was important to investigate the factors behind the culture of impunity, she said.
She also said she was worried over the political future of Bangladesh, especially since the present generation thinks this situation to be normal.
Political science professor Ataur Rahman of Dhaka University noted that Bangladesh would become a conflicted society if the major political parties kept on locking horns the way they were doing.
PRI Executive Director Ahsan H Mansur, Shujan Secretary Badiul Alam Majumder, former commerce secretary Sohel Chowdhury, daily Ittefaq acting editor Tasmima Hossain also spoke at the discussion moderated by Brac University Pro Emeritus Manzoor Ahmed.
A Bangla book “The Third World Charismat: Shiekh Mujib and Struggle for Freedom” by Prof Zillur was also unveiled after the programme.
Published in The Financial Express
Bi-cameral system seen as viable option to improve governance
Civil society members for strengthening institutions
FE Report
Leading civil society members and intellectuals Saturday pleaded for the introduction of bi-cameral system with proportional representation with a view to maintaining institutional checks and balance on power.
While discussing a number of important national issues including the ongoing political crisis at a workshop in Dhaka, they also called for bringing changes in the political programmes, restoration of discipline in political parties and empowerment of public institutions to ensure good governance.
A private think-tank Policy Research Institute (PRI) and the International Political Science Association (IPSA) jointly organised the workshop on ‘Rethinking Democratisation: Consensus Building for Results’.
Political scientist and Wisconsin University professor Dr Zillur R. Khan presented the key- note paper on the subject. He said despite recent dysfunctional politics and violence, the country still has tremendous potential to flourish.
To overcome the crisis, he urged the ruling party to give space to the opposition, crush violent religious extremists and rethink democratisation demand.
He also suggested putting issues of national interest, including hartal, to referendum and introducing the office of Ombudsman.
Eminent economist Rehman Sobhan, who presided over the session, however, said ‘hartal’ has become almost non-instrumental and lost its legitimacy.
Hartal, once called by Mahatma Gandhi, Rehman Sobhan said, was observed overwhelmingly. Even the government functionaries responded positively. Nowadays, hartal is being observed only because of the fear factor notwithstanding the fact that the business goes as usual these days, he said.
“Those who call hartal become weak and depressed,” Dr. Sobhan added.
Dwelling on the issue, former caretaker government adviser Akbar Ali Khan said the situation has come to such a point that it is not possible to have a meaningful dialogue between the two leading parties.
He, however, said introduction of proportional representation in parliament might help initiate the dialogue.
Describing the prevailing political situation, most of the speakers expressed their doubt about the fate of next general election.
According to them, holding of an election is not enough; it has to be perceived as free and fair one, should be participated by all and the relevant government institutions have to be strengthened accordingly.
They also stressed the need for strengthening government institutions like parliament, judicial system, Election Commission, Anti Corruption Commission, administration and bringing accountability and transparency in all institutions.
Presided over by PRI Executive Director Dr Ahsan H. Mansur, the workshop was addressed among others by political scientist Dr Rounaq Jahan. former Chief Election Commissioner ATM Shamsul Huda, BNP Chairperson’s adviser Enam Ahmed Chowdhury and Sujan Secretary Dr Badiul Alam Majumdar.
Rehman Sobhan later unveiled the cover of the book ‘Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujiber Shommohoni Netritto O Shadhinatar Sangram’, the Bengali version of ‘The Third World Charisma: Sheikh Mujib and the Struggle for Freedom’ written by Dr Zillur Rahman Khan.
In his book, Dr Zillur Rahman depicted the charismatic character of the founder of the nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman citing various examples from the great leader’s life, which he said would inspire the new generation.
Journalist Ajoy Dasgupta and a number of participants at the workshop took part in the discussion citing numerous events surrounding the rise and fall of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman as a charismatic leader of the Third World.