Wahiduddin points at good intentions

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Eminent economist and adviser of two previous caretaker governments Wahiduddin Mahmud yesterday said election commissioners cannot be appointed merely by abiding constitutional provisions or presidential powers, as judgement of ‘good intentions and dignity’ is also required for it.

“The appropriateness of appointing election commissioners is not merely a matter of abiding by constitutional provisions or the prerogative of the president,” Mahmud said at the launching ceremony for the “State of Governance Report 2006″ released by Brac University’s Centre for Governance Studies (CGS).

“What matters is the appropriateness of the appointment in relation to the dignity and stature of the position,” said Mahmud, adding, “This is where you do not simply go by the book, but apply judgement and good intentions.”

“There needs to be a code of conduct or a norm of behaviour to judge the type and quality of personality of a potential candidate for appointment,” he said.

In this regard, he referred to other important public service posts like judges, Chairman of the University Grants Commission and the head of the Public Service Commission.

Calling for a code of conduct for politicians, he said, “If politicians are ignorant of good norms of behaviour, how can they appear as the leaders of the country?”

Mahmud, adviser to the interim governments in 1996 and 2001, expressed dissatisfaction over a state of politics where “We have been reduced to judge whether government institutions and processes abide by the constitution.”

Commenting on possible improvements to the present state of governance, he said, “The current formalised accountability procedures are weak, so there needs to be more tangible indicators that could help us formalise accountability.”

To that end, Mahmud proposed more “Non-institutionalised informal accountability measures,” in accordance with proposals made by the CGS study.

ASM Shahjahan, another adviser to the 2001 caretaker government, said the right to information law needs to be addressed by the present caretaker government to allow the media and civil society to improve government’s accountability.

M Hafizuddin Khan, also a caretaker government adviser in 2001, lamented the past government’s ‘insensitivity’ to civil society research findings and proposals.

“The State of Governance Report 2006: Knowledge, Perceptions and Reality,” released by CGS, found that public institutions have been forcibly or illicitly made partisan — from the recruitment to the retirement stage.

The report also found that there is a dearth of widespread demand for reform to governance systems within Bangladesh while the demand comes largely from the donor community.

The study also found that sections of the civil society have acquired a ‘partisan tilt’.

However, rising interest and greater public participation in politics-related matters is a positive sign, the study said.

Jamilur Reza Chowdhury, vice-chancellor of Brac University, Manzoor Hassan, Director of CGS and Naomi Hossain, a research fellow, also spoke on the occasion.

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