Bangladesh News

THE Representation of People’s Order 1972 has been amended and made into a law. We had earlier commented on this, bringing out its positive aspects and suggesting exactly where it could still be perfected.

It has evidently come too late vis-à-vis the timing in the roadmap for registration of political parties by June this year in accord with an amended RPO, which should have come earlier. The political parties have not clearly specified what objections they have to the RPO, except to say it has come too late which, needless to say, we sympathise with. Thus the lead time for adapting to the changes has been curtailed. This is a concern that cannot be trifled with or made short shrift of. The EC and the parties should make the most of the time at their disposal.

Yet it devolves on the parties now, after having expressed reservations about the law, that they make a clear statement to the public and to the EC as well about their reservations in concrete terms.

Civil society, the media and the political parties have had protracted discussions on what should be the contents of the amended RPO. By and large, we believe, the RPO as it stands reflects those concerns. Where it does not, it would be for the political parties to specify in concrete terms. Let us not forget that what is associated with the process is the public aspiration toward a better political system.

With only a few months left before the projected general elections take place (they will come close on the heels of the planned upazila polls), it is important that the ground realities be taken cognisance of and the EC and the political parties be attuned to them.

The Election Commission is hopefully seized of the issues involved. The Awami League appears ready to sit with the government yet one more time. For its part, the Election Commission has suggested that it is willing to talk to both factions of the BNP.

Such an approach surely sets the tone for the much-awaited rounds of dialogue between the EC and the parties. The public expectation will be that the political parties will concretise their objections and the EC will adopt a flexible attitude to the same.