The date 5 August 2024 will not only remain an important chapter in the history of Bangladesh, but in the chapter of the world. Even the Arab Spring didn't roar as loud as the young students of Dhaka University. The movement spread throughout the entire country and among the common people, due to the arrogance of Sheikh Hasina's fascist government.
Nearly 800 lives were lost in this movement. About the same number of people lost their eyesight or were crippled. There really is no accurate account of how many people shed their blood on the streets during this movement. The fascist government of Sheikh Hasina fell at the cost of so much bloodshed. Hasina, along with a member of her family, fled from Bangladesh and took shelter in the neighbouring country, leaving behind her party supporters and her brutal henchmen.
Down the annals of history, Sheikh Hasina will remain as an example a terrifying autocrat. Her name can be linked with that of Hitler or Mussolini
With the fall of Hasina, the people of Bangladesh achieved a "second independence". And the interim government headed by the world renowned Nobel laureate Dr Muhammad Yunus was installed at the helm. There are many difficult challenges before this government. Prominent among these challenges are reforming the dilapidated institutions and transforming Bangladesh into a modern state, and reviving the collapsed economy.
The aspirations all around, particularly among the youth, is for "state reforms". It was for this that they shed their fresh, young blood. The young generation, the citizens of the country, look to this government with the hope that it will be the pioneer of state repairs.
No one needs to delve into history to realise the need for state repairs or reforms. It is rare in the modern states of the present-day world to have a 15-and-a-half year misrule like that of Sheikh Hasina's autocratic government. Down the annals of history, Sheikh Hasina will remain as an example a terrifying autocrat. Her name can be linked with that of Hitler or Mussolini.
It is for this reason that an extremely important component of state repairs is to block the way for any such fascist government from rising up again. After the bloody revolution of 5 August, any conscious citizen of the country will surely give their support for change in the governance structure. In this context I present my personal views in brief about changes in the state structure, preventing any government in future from becoming a monstrous power and to ensure that the Bangladesh state becomes democratic and people's republic in a true sense. Certain salient aspects of state reforms have been highlighted here.
Decentralisation
Population-wise, Bangladesh is the eighth largest country in the world with a population of around 175 million. The country may be small in area, but with such a huge population if the government wants to reach the people, it can divide the country up into at least five provinces and create a federal structure. There can be two provinces each, on the east and the west, and greater Dhaka will be another province. Metropolitan Dhaka will be ruled by the centre. The centre will have control on matters like defence, foreign affairs, border and maritime security, communications and foreign assistance and cooperation. While the other sectors will also be supervised by the centre, the provinces will be in the management of these.
Bicameral parliament
Many political parties and thinkers in Bangladesh have for long been calling for a bicameral parliament. This system is essential for running a modern state and for a healthy trend in political. In the subcontinent and among SAARC countries, other than the Maldives all the remaining countries have bicameral parliaments.
Election management
As a federal state structure is a major aspect of reforms in Bangladesh, election management must also be brought under reforms. The election laws and the system of voting must be changed. Alongside 'first past the post' or the Westminster system, I feel that having proportional representation of 50 per cent in the provincial and national parliament will prevent the national parliament from becoming a centre of one-party rule. But I am in favour of half the seats having proportional representation, not all. This system exists in Nepal.
Laws for political parties
Bangladesh needs a political party act in order to ensure that the political parties can practice politics in a more transparent and democratic manner. The parties must be registered with the state, keeping intact the prevailing system for separate registration required to participate in the polls.
In 1978 an ordinance called the Political Party Act had been drawn up, but not enacted. In the subcontinent, it is only Bangladesh where there is no link between the state and the political parties.
Police commission and administration
If Bangladesh is to be made into a federal state, the police administration has to be decentralised too. At the centre there will be a special police force or a central reserve force. A central police commission must be created to supervise and give directives to the overall police force. There is need for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). An initiative to this end had been taken up by the 2007-08 caretaker government.
Justice appointment board
For many years there have been discussions about having a board for the appointment of justices. In the past the judiciary had been influenced by the government. The system of appointment of the judges had been flawed. The judiciary must definitely be made independent.
I have briefly presented above some of my personal ideas concerning reforms. This list is not the last list. Many new matters may be added to the list. But it is extremely important to have somewhat of a balance of power between the president and the prime minister.
I have put forward here a few angles regarding state reforms for the opinion of the people. Reforms in state structure are essential to ensure that the future rulers of the country do not become autocrats or election autocrats. I hope that this proposal will have the support of politicians on integrity and of the civil society. My appeal to the present interim government would be to give due consideration to the recommendations for reforms and to take up the task of reforms accordingly. Unless this opportunity is put to proper use, it will not be possible to block the way for a monstrous government to rise up in the future.
* Dr M Sakhawat Hossain is the interim government's advisor for the ministry of textiles and jute, and the ministry of shipping. He is a former election commissioner and can be contacted at [email protected]