10th JS goes into session

ENJOYING only the constitutional seal of legality, though lacking in credibility and the essential popular mandate to be formed, the 10th Jatiya Sangsad has gone into its maiden session. That notwithstanding, we are pinning our hopes on the new government to try to win the hearts and minds of the people through good governance and rejuvenation of the economy. It cannot also take its focus off the words of assurances from the Leader of the House and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina that steps would be taken to hold the next parliamentary polls through engaging the major political party BNP, now outside the current JS, through a dialogue.
Even as we look forward to the hoped-for positive developments of the future, the challenges that the current JS face and its potential to deliver under present circumstances will still merit some attention.
First, does the current JS with an opposition, which also will double as a partner of the government with its ministers in the cabinet, meet the basic conditions of a viable opposition, or a parliament for that matter. How will such an opposition play its primary role of critiquing the government to make it accountable to the public? Second, given its absolute majority in the House, will it at all be possible on the Treasury Bench's part to maintain the necessary checks and balances in its decision-making process? These are the potential shortcomings they will have to negotiate at every turn.
Despite its inconsistencies due to its birth through a flawed election,  the 10th JS can still be said to have met it its purpose, if it can only ensure some sort of “check” on the government and clear the course for holding a fresh parliamentary election that meets all the conditions of an inclusive and well-participated credible poll.