Absence of a responsible opposition makes the people most helpless. No hopeful opposition also means unchecked growth of authoritarianism. BNP appears not to have any worry about public interest. It seems to many that BNP leaders take politics as a hobby and not as a serious commitment to do good to the people. They cannot think of changing their ways or changing the failed leadership.
There are some in BNP who genuinely believe that Tarique Rahman has the ability to mobilise the young ones to emerge as a strong force of change. They are anxiously waiting for Tarique to return and there will be time soon for him to wage a come back.
But Awami League finds BNP under its present leadership as helpful one for its goal to remain in power and treats BNP so carelessly.
BNP must acquire convincing image as a changed party competent and credible for giving the people good governance ending the politics of revenge and corruption.
The task is harder to come to power than to remain in power, once in power. The government that does not believe in public accountability, has not much to bother what the people think of it or its failures.
Awami League is happy, if anything, to find BNP as a party of no consequences and punishing it in every way possible. Nothing that BNP says or demands is taken seriously. BNP offered to cooperate with the government for fighting terrorism. The government brushed aside their offer of help. Then BNP wanted to work jointly in forming the new Election Commission. BNP has been rebuffed again.
BNP has become a political platform of words and not deeds to follow. It has no plan to show how it will set things right. Its leaders are only anxious to have a free election in the knowledge that Awami League government is unpopular.
It does not even understand that the Election Commission is the government itself. No separate election is worth fighting for.
BNP is wishful for its negative popularity against the incumbent Awami League government if, for some miracle, fair election comes easily. But that is no positive image for BNP. They do not tell the people how it has changed to act differently if it again comes to power. Any change must mean fight against corruption without an end as it is now and build democratic good governance.
The BNP leadership is in a bubble of diminished hope that others will put pressure to hold free election and the people will have no option but to vote for BNP if Awami League government has to be abandoned. But what BNP does not try to understand is that the election politics is supported internationally only when responsible alternative is in sight.
What the BNP also cannot conceive is the changes that have taken place in the reality of politics. Both Awami League and BNP made the same mistake in the past thinking election is everything for coming to power automatically one after other, while destroying every pillar of democracy as their own political base. Now Awami League does not depend on the people as a political base.
Awami League government is not just a party government for party politics. It knows that it strength does not lie in popular support. Yet it knows its can survive. Its development politics is nothing but corruption sharing arrangement with many.
So whether election will be a means of change or not that depends on whether the change looks meaningful and real. New political thinking is important for a real political change towards democracy.
BNP has many honest and competent persons but the question is how much political willingness they possess to make them useful in effecting the change. The courage of conviction in politics is different from armed chair politics for enjoying life in power or using politics for money making business.
To borrow the language from US President Obama what we need for real change is a ‘yes we can’ leadership and a party.
BNP is not anxious to pass the test of its ability to bring about the democratic change needed for ensuring good governance and corruption free politics. This is a disaster for democratic politics.
