Editor's Pick

Editorial

BNP's mid-term election ruse

It must look at its own role as the opposition
31 October 2010, 18:00 PM
EDITORIAL
The opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party is talking of mid-term elections in the country. As a political party and especially if it is convinced that the ruling party has failed to meet the expectations of the people, the onus is on it to substantiate such a claim and try to carry the people with them. The bigger and more potent reality, though, is the question of what the BNP itself has done in these nearly two years since the last election to inform people that it has played its due role as a parliamentary opposition. There might be reasons to think that the Awami League-led government has not performed well in some sectors, indeed may have actually failed to demonstrate the competence expected of it in certain areas. That is no indication, however, that the BNP is the alternative the nation can fall back on, at least at this stage judging from its performance in the opposition. We have persistently asked the BNP through these columns to return to the Jatiyo Sangsad and play its due and constitutionally ordained role as the opposition. That it saw nothing wrong in boycotting parliament within months of the election for reasons that have had precious little to do with the national interest and that, despite nationwide demands for it to return to the House, it has chosen to stay away from it has not quite bolstered popular confidence in the party. The nation, in these circumstances, has the right to ask the BNP to explain how it has served the country since early 2009. Clearly, it has given short shrift to popular expectations of it as a responsible party by its deliberate policy of ignoring parliament. That the party has demonstrated little sense of responsibility toward its own constituents and to the country has been made very clear by its eagerness to claim all parliamentary privileges without at the same time fulfilling its task as a parliamentary party. It is especially for the BNP to convince the nation that it can rise above petulance and work as an opposition by coming out of the syndrome of trying to push an elected government from office. Obviously, like any other political party, the BNP would like to return to power. But what has it fundamentally done as the opposition to make people think it can be voted back to office? Its boycott of the JS has prevented it from discussing such vital national issues as the budget, law and order, prices of essential commodities, religious extremism and foreign policy. It is appalling when a party has no position on core issues that it has deliberated on the floor of the House and put across to the people with due diligence. The priorities for the BNP are simply cut out for it. It must go back to the JS. In the more than three years which remain for the present parliament, it must engage the government in a constructive debate on the issues. By staying away from parliament, by focusing on matters of a personalised nature rather than providing an alternative vision of policies and programmes, the BNP has undermined itself and may have made our return to full, throbbing democracy that much harder. The issue today is not mid-term elections. It is one of strengthening parliament and ensuring good governance. Can the BNP contribute to the process?

Google News LinkFor all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel.

Click to comment
FIFA live scorecard banner
FIFA logo
Group D
90+7'
United States
United States
2 - 0
Live
Australia
Australia

Related News