Dr. B and civil society

Neither of these parties is showing the understanding that Dr. B is becoming a phenomenon because of their abject failures.

One view reflected in the report suggests that a civil society cannot be an alternative to a political party, no matter how well intentioned its objectives are. The civil society that Dr. B has so well articulated, if it ultimately becomes a reality, I doubt will consist of the same self-seeking people. Politicians talk big and fall terribly short of delivery. Didn't the politicians talk to us the same way, as Dr. B is talking now, while seeking our votes in the last elections?

In my view, Dr. B's move, unless the mainstream political parties react to it positively, will create new problems rather than solving the existing ones . Civil societies do not rule -- they create awareness for the political system to act upon them. At the moment, Dr. B seems to be kite-flying, for he is talking of a civil society but with his eyes on a political party, a third one outside the mainstream, to propel him again to political glory.

If it is just a civil society that he is creating, then he would be welcome by those who are concerned about Bangladesh. If it is a political party, then we have apprehensions about the future of a third force, however attractive it may appear to some. It cannot emerge successfully in a parliamentary system where the necessity of a political party having firm roots in society (that is time consuming to achieve) is of the essence. Dr. B would only weaken the existing parties without providing any alternative and make our politics slide further into the abyss.

But his voice should be a wake-up call to the ruling alliance.

Instead of dismissing him, the BNP should take lessons. There is now consensus that the BNP is doing a terrible job and the observations made by the doctor on some areas are, in public perception, correct. If the BNP heeds him, it will be benefited; if it doesn't, it cannot escape paying a political price that could be as high as losing power.

Dr. B's articulation, first time ever, of additional and illegal power sources is no doubt the most interesting and important observation in the speech that he made. The public perception is that the bad governance that the BNP is being blamed for is emanating from this additional power source. Right or wrong, the BNP should deal with this immediately if it expects people to vote it back to power again.

Finally, an humble suggestion to Dr. B: Please build bridges to the mainstream parties and convince them of their failures.