Right to vote is the only way out of economic crisis
City Desk :
Speakers at the webinar titled ‘suppression, movement and economy: Bangladesh’s way-out’.
As the ongoing economic crisis is linked to the political instability, the way out of this is to establish people’s rights to vote, reports BSS.
The crisis will further intensify in case of a controversial election like the last two national elections.
Speakers at a webinar titled ‘suppression, movement and economy: Bangladesh’s way-out’ made these remarks. The Forum for Bangladesh Studies organised it.
Ali Riaz, a distinguished professor of the Department of Politics and Government at the Illinois State University made the concluding remarks.
He said, “This economic crisis didn’t emerge all of sudden. This situation is the obvious outcome of the system established through the general elections in 2014 and 2018. There is no accountability. The ruling party has taken it for granted that they will continue to rule through suppression. And people are paying for this.”
“There is a way-out of this economic crisis. Let everyone cast their votes. Let the people of Bangladesh decide what will be the way-out for Bangladesh. An inclusive economy is impossible without an inclusive election. You cannot separate the economic crisis from politics. Establishing the right to vote is the way-out of this crisis,” Ali Riaz added.
Policy Research Institute executive director Ahsan H Mansur said, “I don’t want any election like 2014 and 2018. The time of the incumbent government is nearing the end. They should think of reaching a consensus. Both the government and the opposition must compromise.
Let the election be fair to reinstate the democratic practices.”
Saying that the government is liable for the current economic crisis, he said, “The economy of the country is in dire straits. The country hasn’t gone through such a long crisis in the last 30 years. The government is not being able to pay the dues of the power, fertiliser and aviation sectors.”
“Such a situation didn’t appear overnight. Initiatives were not taken based on market assessments. There is a lack of knowledge and proper leadership in the financial sector. It needs an efficient and active minister.
The government’s policy decision was wrong. The decisions were taken on political groundsdue to political reasons,” the economist noted.
Ahsan H Mansur feels that the government will somehow manage the economy until the election.
He said, “The crisis of forex reserves won’t be over easily. The ruling party won’t be able to expel those involved in misdeeds even if they come to power by holding elections somehow as they need those people to win the election”.
