Democracy in Bangladesh
Introduction : We have passed about forty years since independence but our achievements in the spheres of democracy and development are not noteworthy. Even the country today is riddled with numerous problems threatening the very development of democracy. Our society with an underdeveloped political culture and poverty ridden illiterate and incompetent masses is lacking in democratic political organizations, institutions and practices. However, the prospects for a politically developed and economically prosperous nation are marked by people’s eagerness to democracy and progress, nations march toward a two-party system and politician’s realization that there is no way but election to capture power.
Democracy in Bangladesh : Since her emergence in 1971, Bangladesh is continuously struggling to make herself a democratically developed nation. But several political ups and downs like introduction of one-party-system by Shiekh Mujibur Rahman, Military rule by Zia and Ershad and irresponsible competition of political parties to capture power have placed the democratic journey of the country at stake. However, the nation has restarted her journey to democracy with over through of Ershad in 1990 but the path is not moisturized still now.
What is to be done :
1. Our politicians should realize that they have a responsibility to build up the nation and they should pay due respect to people’s will and expectations.
2. Both the government and opposition should work under democratic norms and values instead of confrontation and egoism.
3. Attempts should be made to make our parliament as the center of all political activities. Thus, both govt. and opposition should have due respect to parliamentary norms, values and procedure. In this regard, the speaker must be neutral in playing his role in the parliament.
4. Consensus among political parties is a must to fight against corruption and terrorism. Otherwise, all the achievement would be null and void.
5. Our politicians should be positive in playing their role in the polity. They must realize that politics is not a zero-sum game rather it is a cooperative business for the greater will being of the nation.
6. Our political parties and politicians must work in cooperation with each other instead of opposition for the sake of opposition.
7. There should have consensus among political parties about national key issues. For this, our politicians must give up their egoism and realize that national interest is more than that of personal, group or party interest.
In fine, effort should be continued of make our people politically aware and habituated to democratic norms, values and practices. As a result, the media, civil society and socio-political organizations and institutions must play the pioneering role.
We, all have to echo our voice against corruption otherwise, our main motto will be in vain.