Editorial
AL warning to errant MPs and BCL elements
Action taken so far has had little effect
THE top echelon of the Awami League leadership has warned party lawmakers and activists of the Chhatra League that action will be taken against them if they indulge in corruption and other irregularities. Ruling party members of the Jatiya Sangsad have been served notice to the effect that if they stray from the right path, they should not expect the party's nominations at the next general election. They have been asked to stop distributing test relief and government relief-related wheat and instead deal with issues of immediate public concern. Such a position must now move on to the next step. It is not enough to say that errant MPs will not get party nominations in future. What the government must do is go after them right away if it believes they have been indulging in corruption. Surely the nation does not relish the thought of such corruption going on unchecked and unpunished till the next election!
Additionally, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has warned that a list of BCL activists engaged in unlawful activities is being prepared following which action will be taken. She has also alleged that elements of the Islami Chhatra Shibir have infiltrated the BCL and that she has proof of such infiltration. We believe she is ill-advised on this, aimed only to divert her attention from the reality on the ground. This is where the fundamental flaw resides inasmuch as a refusal to believe in something adverse is preventing action against it. For all its recent disclaimers about the unruly activities of BCL elements, it is obvious that the ruling party agrees on the issue of the damage its student front has already done to it. But our question is: is it enough to serve warning on these student followers? If the goal of the present government is the establishment of the rule of law in the country, it is only to be expected that it will come down with a firm hand on all those who violate the law, including and especially its own young adherents. Expulsions and legal action must follow. Nothing else matters.
The clear expectation of citizens today is that the rhetoric the government has dabbled in since it came into office in January last year will now give way to some concrete action. Mouthing platitudes without appropriate accompanying action has a corrosive effect on the credibility of the powers that be. We have heard for a long time that the government will not tolerate any violation of the law or social discipline from any quarter. The time has come for the ruling party to show that it can indeed act against the bad eggs in its own basket. Action must not only be promised but must also be seen to be taken. Anything less will not only leave citizens depressed and disturbed but will also be looked upon as a big swipe at the ideal of democratic governance.
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