After the drama

The governing regime's main fear is the possible formation of an Awami League-Jatiyo Party alliance. The arithmetic of votes and seats look pretty frightening on paper.

Realignment?
Of course, this could now go the other way. JP could be persuaded to join up with the BNP. The union of two military-born parties makes electoral sense. They can unite on a nationalist platform, or perhaps a thinly disguised anti-India platform. They can either ditch or keep the Islamic component of the alliance. The only reason to ditch the Jamaat would be to seek "the blessing" of some embassies. Sacrificing Jamaat would not be too difficult, as the Islamic forces have no other place to go to, electorally speaking. Whether in or out of any alliance, the small Islamic vote bank would have to support a BNP-Jatiyo combine.

Missing the real issues
All this speculation is fine for living room gossip and we can amuse ourselves with endless combinations and permutations. No doubt, there will be more drama ahead of us, though perhaps with a bit more dignity and poise.

This farce has to end. While this has played across the newspapers, millions in the capital have been going without water and electricity. The government has made no statement about the two crises and not shown us what they are doing about it.

While the leaders and sycophants are playing electoral politics, the people are being denied basic services. Food prices are going through the roof and will prove to be a major issue at the polls.

One has to question whether the leadership of the Big Two parties in Bangladesh have the finger on the pulse. I am not convinced. They are not doing anything that points to the contrary. The opposition apparently has no clue on how they are going to turn the economy around while the government is diverted by electoral machinations.

If one real issue is the day-to-day struggle of its people, the other big issue is the position of Bangladesh on the global scene. As Singapore Telecom shows, there are quite a few multinationals having a peek at the potential of this 150 million strong economy (even if many are only interested in 15 million with the necessary spending power). Foreign companies and their donor colleagues are more than little exasperated by the small-minded politics on display. They can spot an opportunity and cannot believe that the Big Two cannot get their act together. Their constant refrain is for the politicians to join parliament, and make a show of a functioning democracy. Plus provide the stability through ombudsmen, a separate judiciary, and enhanced property rights. Politicians would still be able to make money but without killing the golden goose.

This neat analysis has been played a thousand times through their sponsored seminars. The propaganda has worked since a few people seem to think this is all that is needed to reach 7 percent economic growth and be branded an economic tiger -- and, um, provide 2 million new jobs a year, every year, and cope with 80 million people jamming the cities in ten years' time! If it were only that simple.

Out with the old and in with the new?
Are we witnessing the last few years of Old Politics? If there is another election, will it be decisive? Or will it lead to weak coalitions, falling apart at the onset of the first crisis? Whatever the combination or alliance, they will not get the true mandate of the people and will not get the basics right, once in office. After all, the politics of money dictates that the criminals need a payback after the election.

Too many people are getting carried away with the election cycle and are likely to be mightily disappointed with any new administration. Surely we are not expecting the same ageing political leaders to suddenly change and provide mature leadership? Their track record suggest otherwise, even if they have memorised the words to the song "Good Governance."

All the current talk of a national consensus seems hollow given that no "Big Idea" is being offered and the proponents are all from the old school. We do need unity and we do need direction. But where will it come from?

Something has to give.

Farid Bakht is the founder of Futurebangla Network.