Welcome 2020: Rule of law has to be established in the new year

The new year has a special significance. As the second decade of this century comes to an end and we welcome a new decade, we need to set our sights on the global challenges.

On the 17th of March, we will enter Mujib Year, the birth centenary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. The entire year will be buzzing with different activities as we wait for the next year, which will mark the golden jubilee of our independence.

The world is going through restlessness and uncertainty. Although the world recorded advancement in terms of democracy, equality and human rights at the end of the last century, things have gone worse in the first two decades of this new century. Despite holding free and fair elections, democracy has fallen flat in the West as lack of humane qualities in the leaders cost the world.

Unfortunately, all over the world extreme nationalism is seeing a rise. Brexit, immigration laws in the development countries and digital acts that are fundamentally against the basic human rights only indicate that rightists are getting momentum but we peace can only be achieved by a liberal nationalism, of which Bangladesh is the best example.

However, everywhere we see quite the opposite. Populists are trying to portray religion as the driving force, which in reality will only send the world backwards. In the new year the world leaders have to come together to establish equality and justice and make the world free of discrimination. The United Nations need to look into the immigration laws, which in many cases are not free from racism.

In 2019, we failed to regain the trust of the public in elections while the strained relations between the political parties also did not improve/ The law enforcement failed to act neutral while the constitutional bodies did not see much in terms of strengthening its capacity. The murders of Feni madrasa girl Nusrat and BUET student Abrar tell us we need cleanliness drives everywhere.

However, there has been significant advancement as far as overall development is concerned, especially regarding the mega projects. Bangladesh has kept her position as a rising economic power and potential option for foreign investment. The diplomatic policy also deserves plaudits, although repatriation of the Rohingyas did not see light. Gambia took Myanmar to the International Criminal Court, which is a diplomatic success for Bangladesh. The citizenship amendment act of India, however, strained relations between the neighbours. And Delhi has to shoulder the blame.

Parliamentary democracy and accountability seem things from the past. Apart from remittance, all the economic indicators are on the down. Skyrocketing onion price caused headache close to the end of the year while price hike of rice and essentials also tortured the people.

We hope the new year brings good to Bangladesh. We want freedom of speech in the truest sense. There is no alternative to establishing the rule of law if we want to make Bangabandhu's dreams of a Golden Bangla a reality.