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Download PDF Chief Adviser (CA) Fakhruddin Ahmed has assured the United Nations of holding a free, fair and meaningful election in Bangladesh by the end of next year.
“We’ve pledged to put Bangladesh on a higher trajectory of good governance, rule of law and development,” he told the plenary meeting of the 62nd UN General Assembly here Thursday afternoon.
Fakhruddin said the Election Commission (EC) has announced a timeline for holding the next parliamentary election by the end of 2008.
“Our administration is committed to ensuring that this timeframe is achieved,” he said, adding: “We are determined to hold a free, fair and meaningful elections within the timeframe.”
‘(But) if we are to deliver a free, fair and meaningful election, we must first free our politics from the clutches of corruption and violence.”
In his 15-minute speech that began at 5:00pm (local time), the chief adviser depicted a pen picture of the bad state of democracy, political violence and rampant corruption in the past.
“The fabric of our democracy had been torn apart by years of catastrophic corruption,” said Fakhruddin, a former governor of Bangladesh Bank.
He said widespread frustration and political violence disrupted normal life and shattered all public confidence in the possibility of credible elections (on January 22).
“Moreover,” he said, “There was little hope that a tainted election could have ended the cycle of violence. A state of emergency was, therefore, declared on January 11 in an effort to end the ongoing chaos and to usher in a new beginning.”
In his speech, the chief adviser touched upon ineffective democracy, corruption, current political party reform, reconstituted Anti-Corruption Commission, National Human Rights Commission and commitment to fight religious fundamentalism on domestic plane.
On international issues, he pleaded for duty-free access of LDCs products, free labour movement, UN peacekeeping, combating climate change and an effective UN.
However, he devoted most of his time on Bangladesh’s political scenario and the role of his caretaker government.
“Recent events in Bangladesh have evoked considerable interest worldwide, as we struggle to fulfil the promise of democracy for our people,” the chief adviser told the UN General Assembly.
He said Bangladesh has learned through harsh experience that “an election cannot simply be a once-off casting of votes, but must be part of a dynamic and a continuing process whereby people freely choose their leaders.”
“…Democracy is not an event, it is an ongoing process. It is not just about casting votes and changing governments; it is about social justice, accountability and empowerment of the people.”
The chief adviser said while Bangladesh held three elections in past two decades, “our democracy has been brutally undermined by ruinous corruption.”
He said the “winner-takes-all” electoral system where the spoils of electoral victory were so great and the stakes of winning so high that the political process became hopelessly polarised, leading to a paralysis in even ordinary governance.
As the benefits of winning elections increased, so did the costs of securing victory, creating a truly vicious cycle in which corruption was the lynchpin, he said.
“If our democratic spirit is to emerge unscathed from this downward spiral and if we are to deliver a free, fair and meaningful election, we must first free our politics from the clutches of corruption and violence.”
In Bangladesh, he said, the very institutions, which form the foundations of democracy, have been eroded by ongoing corruption.
Fakhruddin said re-building these institutions and restoring public confidence through meaningful reforms is a Herculean task, but “one in which we cannot and will not fail.”
About the reconstituted Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), he said the ACC has been given sweeping powers not only to apprehend those who have been corrupt but also to work as a deterrent.
On Bangladesh’s accession to the UN Convention against Corruption, he said this will not only contribute to the reduction of corruption in Bangladesh, “but will also help us recover the ill-gotten gains of corruption stored abroad.”
“Those who engage in corruption must confront the reality that there is no safe haven. The world is united in the struggle against corruption, and today Bangladesh pledges itself as an active partner in that endeavour.”
On judicial independence, he said the caretaker government initiated the necessary steps to fully separate the executive and judicial branches of the government.
About political party reforms, the chief adviser noted that accountability and true democratic character of political parties remain critically important for democracy to function.
He claimed that political parties themselves initiated various reforms “in response to demands of the people.” The revamped parties will “interact with the revitalised institutions of the government to move our nation forward,” he added.
On human rights issue, he said in Bangladesh the fight against corruption and the strengthening of the rule of law go hand in hand with the protection of human rights.
He said the caretaker government has taken a decision to establish a national human rights commission to ensure that existing laws and public institutions reflect international standards and norms of human rights.
On extremism, the chief adviser said Bangladesh remains resolute in its relentless campaign against international extremism and terrorism.
The government, he said, has taken stern measures against militant groups and their patrons. “In particular, we categorically reject the claims of those who cloak themselves in the rhetoric of Islam to justify terrorism.”
Fakhruddin said the problems facing Bangladesh today are not unique as after all, in the developing world, “democracy does not necessarily ensure good governance.”
He said many countries face similar problems of political violence, mis-governance and corruption. This is particularly true for post-conflict and transition societies, where the politics of mistrust is pervasive.
Bangladesh represents an effective model of civil-military cooperation in crisis prevention, he said. “Our experience in crisis management could be relevant for many crisis-torn, nascent democracies.”
On UN peacekeeping mission, the chief adviser said Bangladesh will continue to play a leadership role in multi-dimensional peacekeeping efforts, and is ready to provide “comprehensive deployment packages” in future peace operations.
He said as one of the largest troop contributing countries (TCCs), Bangladesh strongly feel that the TCCs should have an equitable representation and play a greater role in deployment and other strategic decisions.
About the issue of UN reforms, the chief adviser said it is the collective responsibility to make the UN more relevant to the present day world. He said reform exercise should focus on the requirements of achieving the MDGs.
On adverse impact of climate change, he said Bangladesh is particularly vulnerable to global warming given that “as much as 30 percent of our land will be submerged if the Bay of Bengal rises by just one metre.”
He called for enhanced international cooperation to meet the challenges of global warming and its consequence.
On international trade, he said Bangladesh, along with many other LDCs, is facing significant tariff and non-tariff barriers in accessing developed markets. “Global trade regimes must provide unimpeded access to all products of LDCs, to ensure that the fruits of progress are shared by all.”
The chief adviser also called for ensuring free movement of labour, saying that temporary labour migration provides a livelihood option and a route out of poverty. “If we are to reduce poverty by half by 2015, we must strengthen our efforts to ensure the free movement of labour.”
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