Govt will have to face the people in one way or the other
Editorial Desk :
Let us start with the recent observation that came from the foreign ministry of Russian government that says how the election will be held in Bangladesh is written in the law so outside interference for insisting on free and fair election is uncalled for.
The question is whose law? In a democratic system, the highest law is the Constitution. All the political parties then in parliament unanimously added a new article in the Constitution, namely, Article 58B. So it is the Constitution, as the supreme law in the country, that made it compulsory to hold election under a non-party caretaker government.
The Constitution has ensured, as the fundamental principle of state policy, “effective participation by the people through their elected representatives in administration at all levels.”
The Constitution has emphasised that the election shall be direct for the people to vote. A rigged election is an audacious denial of people’s election itself. The participation of the government officials in robbing the election is not “effective participation” by the people in forming the government.
It was Awami League that argued against party government in power for free election. So the non-party caretaker government during election time was insisted upon by Awami League in opposition. But when in power the same Awami League demands election to be held with them in power. This is not fair and free election in a democracy. Such election robbing is needed for the safety of the corrupt ones and for the same corrupt government to continue for robbing more public wealth.
The free election is not party politics competing for power. Denying free election is denying the people of their sovereign right to choose their government.
It is evident that the government has no respect for the Constitution as the supreme law or any law and wants to deprive the people of their right to decide who will be their government.
Under the communist system the people of Russia have no right, and are only to obey the government. Life has no value. Our fear is that the system of secret killing and forced disappearance has been borrowed from communist countries like Russia.
Finding the communist system convenient to have a government of absolute power, Bangabandhu established BAKSAL one party rule. The people were deprived of all their rights and freedoms but the system ended in a great tragedy.
Our people wish Russia no but they have to be saved from modern day slavery in another name.
Our foreign policy is friendship to all and malice to none. So it is not expected from Russian government or any other for that matter to be inimical to our people.
Our supreme law, i.e., the Constitution guarantees human rights of our people including the right to elect the government in a free and fair election.
Because of public fury against the government for massive corruption and mindless abuse of power it will not be possible, in our view, for the government to hold the election their way with them in power. Nowhere under the parliamentary system of democracy election is held with the elected government in power or without dissolving the parliament.
The government is in a desperate situation in not knowing how to protect them against their own reckless corruption and that of others who had the backing of the government. The government itself is in disarray.
No outside support will be helpful to save those who have looted public money, rigged people’s election and killed many secretly. Even then the government has full freedom to take part in the election to be held.
Under democracy the leaders do not join politics to rob people’s vote and plunder public wealth. We hope friends of our people shall remain friends of our people.
In one way or the other, the government will have to face the people.
We feel the peaceful way is to face the people in a free and fair election. If the people decide in their favour so be it.
