Ruling alliance report card

Whatever the foreign media say about our growth or development, we should try to understand ourselves the actual situation on the basis of government statements in regard to following areas of human development during 2001-2006:

Primary education: The government claims that the present rate of literacy is 63%. International donor agencies have not yet accepted it. Despite increase in coverage (5.5 million) stipend for primary education, the impact is not yet clearly known. How far the increase in recruitment of female teachers has really benefited the educated female in general remains unclear because of politicisation in recruitment. Recruitment remained controversial and quality of recruits questionable.

Secondary and higher education: No doubt there has been an increase in budgetary allocation for the ministry of education from an average of 15% to 19%, construction of 580 schools, 619 colleges, and 1,582 madrasas during the last five years. Despite this increased allocation and infrastructural development, there is no indication for improvement in the quality of the education. It is little puzzling that no proper attention has been given to modernise the madrasa education.

Health services: Despite addition of 6,525 beds, providing 288 ambulances and 285 X-ray machines it is not understandable as to how much the health service for common people has been improved. Health, nutrition, and population sector program has been implemented. Benefit to be accrued has not yet been evaluated. As such no comments can be made at this stage. However it appears that progress in the health sector has not been satisfactory.

Labour welfare: A total of 266,338 labourers received free medical care, 201,000 received family planning consultancy and services and 902,668 got various entertainment services. 10,000 child labourers were inducted to non-formal education and skill development training. These achievements may not be considered as spectacular. However, they are worth mentioning because government could not be very generous in allocating resources to the ministry of labour;

Social welfare: Decision like increase in coverage (from 415,000 to 1.6 million) and amount of befit for each recipient (from Tk 100 to Tk 200) for the old people is commendable. Increase in amount of allowance to widow and abandoned women is also praiseworthy. Similarly, introduction of allowance to distressed freedom fighters may be regarded as a show of respect to President Zia. Increasing the number of completely disabled persons receiving living support assistance by 60,000 is praiseworthy.

Empowerment of women and children: No mentionable achievements. Progress may be considered as poor.

Elimination of poverty and creation of employment: As real impact due to increase in resource allocation is not known it may be premature to offer any comments at this stage. How far expansion of administration was justifiable is a moot question. In fact, ignoring the necessity for downsizing or rightsizing the administration may be regarded as a failure.

Some achievements may be noted in overseas employment such as revalidation of work permits of 13,000 expatriate workers in Malaysia for 5 years, raising of employment quota from 5,500 to 8,800 in South Korea.

Whatever claim for success may be made by the alliance government its performance cannot be accepted as satisfactory though specter of success may be traced in some cases. True, it is a bit difficult to work under an alliance government as compared to a government under a single party because of the need for accommodating diverse opinions. Furthermore, a jumbo-size cabinet may be acceptable politically but it becomes unmanageable at times. The present government has proved the point. Lack of coordination and groupings among members of the cabinet were serious problems.

With more than two-thirds majority in the parliament this government should have started well if judicious choice of ministers could have been made. On the contrary, the ministries of home affairs, energy, and commerce could not function properly mainly due to wrong placement of ministers.

The role of the opposition is not acceptable. With only 58 seats in the parliament it is not clearly understood as to why they should opt for movements to force out the government holding more than two-thirds majority. Instead of street marchings or hartal they should have attended the parliament sessions despite non-cooperative attitude of the parties in power.

Even the suggestion for dissociation of BNP with JI is not very mature -- because if the members of the JI can be full citizens of Bangladesh why they should not be permitted to sit with AL in discussing national problems. Moreover, JI is a partner of alliance government. Such attitude of AL creates political restlessness.

The following factors may be identified for failure of the alliance government:

• Inefficient bureaucracy.
• Cabinet consists of mainly ine perienced and inefficient politicians.
• Lack of coordination in the cabinet.
• Concentration of too much of power in the PMO.
• Lack of cooperation from the opposition parties.

The alliance government has failed to achieve balance between development and extending benefits to the common people. Thus their overall performance may not be considered as satisfactory.

ABMS Zahur is a former Joint Secretary.