Reform in politics a must: speakers

A political reform is necessary as the country’s present political practices fell victim to criminalisation and are failing to establish democracy and good governance, said speakers at a roundtable in Rajshahi yesterday.

They suggested formulating laws with guidance of the constitution to appoint a neutral Election Commission and reforming the electoral system, as the recent election has failed to achieve people’s confidence.

The speakers were addressing a discussion on “Political reform in Bangladesh and citizens’ perspective” at a city restaurant, organised by civil society platform Shushashoner Jonno Nagorik (Shujan). Ahmed Shafiuddin, president of its Rajshahi chapter, chaired the event.

Nearly a hundred discussants including politicians, professionals, development workers, social activists and journalists took part in the roundtable.

Reading out the keynote paper, Shujan’s central coordinator Dilip Kumar Sarker presented an 18-point proposal for political reform.

He said they would collect people’s opinions from all divisions and sit with political leaders to fix a set of proposals with an aim to bring about a change in politics and build a country with ideologies of the Liberation War.

Local Awami League leader Asaduzzaman Asad alleged that “true” politicians are facing problems as businessmen have taken control of politics with “influence of their money”. He suggested a change in mindset of central leaders of all political parties in this regard.

BNP leader Shafiqul Haque Milon claimed that most people have lost their faith in the electoral process as the last general election was held amid administrative interference.

Jatiya Party leaders said politicians should stop calling their late chairman a dictator as the country’s political situation has deteriorated further after he stepped down in 1990.

Leaders of Workers Party and Ganosamhati Andolan also spoke at the roundtable.