Fair election and caretaker govt.

Development Board, recently wrote that "Bangladesh had three parliamentary elections under caretaker government in 1991, 1996 & 2001. Those elections are now a model to the whole world, and many people in other countries are demanding such type of elections." He went on to question the fairness of those elections, citing the corrupt, land grabbers, loan defaulters and other criminals taking part in the electoral process.

As one who has travelled through East Asia, Europe and the Americas, I can say that Bangladesh elections are not a model to the whole world, nor are people demanding such elections. We are the only country that feels its necessity.

Bangladesh has not yet reached a point in its "democracy" where we can trust each other to hold an election fairly. Instead, we mistrust each other so much that the government in power - which seems to not understand that in a parliamentary system you can hold elections BEFORE the end of the five years - must step down, an interim government must take over and hold elections, and then hand over the reins of government to the majority party. Bangladesh has not yet reached a point in its "democracy" whereby the ruling party can and will turn over the reins of government to another party as part of the democratic process.

It's hard to believe that people in other countries want such mistrust in their political system as to require a caretaker government. If and when we reach that level in our democracy that we no longer require a caretaker government, we can win and lose and transfer power peacefully and professionally. Only then we will be a model to the whole world.