Ih Sharif :
Barrister Mainul Hosein, an Adviser of a former election-time non-party neutral caretaker government, has opined that solution to the on-going political unrest lies with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. At a memorial meeting at the national press club auditorium on February 28 (Saturday) Barrister Mainul Hosein gave this opinion.
On the occasion of the 84th birth day of the late ABM Musa, a memorial meeting was held at the national press club at noon.
“I had a long time relationship with journalist ABM Musa. He and I were Awami League’s MP. We two passed time entangled with newspapers and journalism. So, both of us have thought about the good or bad of the state and the people. We have thought about the happiness and sorrows of the people. We have expressed our thoughts through our writings and similarly we have exposed those to the television viewers. I’ll not claim that we always thought alike. But at the time of crisis he did not like to keep silent. For this reason, despite being sick he had written and talked. He did not like keeping silent. He is not among us today. But still we can, in this memorial meeting, recall his warnings.” Mainul Hosein said while reading out his written speech.
Before the present crisis turned so grave he warned everybody. He spoke of political solution. “The language of weapon cannot be the language of politics” he emphasised this also.
As we cannot check the greed of becoming the party workers we lose the independent character of our profession as journalists or lawyers and thus often we fail to play the role of journalists or lawyers to protect rule of law and democracy. Independent newspapers are called the fourth estate of democratic system because of the independent role of the journalists.
The role of the civil society is very important in politics of democracy.
For playing this role independent role of journalists and lawyers is indispensable. For this they will have to check their greed for becoming the party workers. Maintaining independent identity we will have to do our duty. “It does not suit a journalist or a lawyer to be the loyal worker of any party. It is contrary to their status.” Barrister Mainul Hosein said.
The source of today’s crisis is election, whereas the ruling party is behaving like fighting terrorism with police force. Our education and idea is not working. The words of opportunists are getting importance. “Discussing with everybody there will be another election. That is why January 5’s election was held according to her decision. An incomplete election! Why do we feel shy to make the Prime Minister recall that commitment? Why do we have to be afraid?
There will have to be an election. For failure of telling this easy and plain truth both the ruling and opposition are today engaged in the politics of killing, forced disappearance and destruction. Common people are dying and suffering. Expressing concern is one type of cheating.” Mainul said.
Solution lies in the hands of the Prime Minister. He committed to hold a new election. It is the Prime Minister who will have to fulfil the commitment.
A negligible citizen like me can say that if an election is held there will be no scope for carrying on terrorism on the part of anyone.
It is not difficult to understand where journalism is. For introducing one party rule, there was the need to tame journalists.
“I think it is necessary for all professionals including journalists and lawyers to play an independent role because the country belongs to all of us. We all have made sacrifices and played roles to make this country free. We cannot be so cheats that the country will remain independent, but people will not have any democratic right.” Barrister Mainul concluded in his written speech.
Personally I do agree to what Barrister Mainul Hosein has said in his written speech in the memorial meeting.
It will not be irrelevant to mention here that whenever there has been an election overseen by the ruling party, the opposition has never been able return to power because it has invariably been rigged by the ruling party. On the other hand, following introduction of election-time non-party caretaker government system there has been no instance that any party has succeeded in returning to power twice consecutively.
In fact, when ‘politicians’ in Bangladesh will turn selfless politicians and serve the state and the people there will be no need to have any election-time non-party neutral caretaker government system. But no one knows if such a time will ever appear in Bangladesh.
(The writer is Editor of the Finance World and can be reached at [email protected])
