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Policy makers, top politicians,
development partners, civil
society members and business
leaders yesterday unanimously felt
that Bangladesh is unable to tap
its economic potentials due to
confrontational politics.
They also wanted
reforms in the election process as
well as in the Election Commission
to address overspending in
elections.
Speaking at a
dialogue styled 'Civil Society's
Perspectives on the Bangladesh
Development Forum 2004' organised
by the Centre for Policy Dialogue
(CPD) at the CIRDAP auditorium as
chief guest, Finance Minister M
Saifur Rahman said confrontational
politics is badly affecting
economic development needed for
poverty alleviation.
Unless such
practice is put to an end, the
country would fail to accelerate
reforms, he added.
Saifur felt that
political parties must have a
consensus on economic reforms.
Otherwise, it would be difficult
to carry forward the reform
initiatives.
Christine Wallich,
World Bank country director in
Dhaka, said election is a costly
process in Bangladesh as at least
Tk 20 million is spent on each
seat.
She urged the major
political parties to continue
discussions and debates on
political differences.
Saber Hossain
Chowdhury, political secretary of
Awami League President Sheikh
Hasina, said while the NGOs should
not be involved in politics, the
government should also not
patronise any such institution.
"The government
can't have a double standard. We
have to differentiate between the
NGOs and the NGO workers, who have
a constitutional right to be
involved in politics," he added.
Hasanul Huq Inu,
president of the Jatiya
Samajtantrik Dal, said parliament
may become dysfunctional with
politics turning more
confrontational in the next two
years.
Amir Khosru Mahmud
Chowdhury, former commerce
minister and a ruling party MP,
urged the NGOs not to tarnish
their image by getting involved in
politics.
About donor funds,
he said sometimes millions of
dollars are spent on preparing
reports, which in many cases are
not implemented.
In his keynote
presentation, Dr Debapriya
Bhattacharya, executive director
of the CPD, said macro-economic
situation is now robust. But a
weak foreign aid utilisation
capacity, leading to low
implementation of annual
development programme is a major
concern.
The citizens feel
disempowered to observe that the
government, instead of being
responsive to its citizens'
concerns, is more responsive to
similar demands from the donors.
Kutubuddin Ahmed,
president of the Metropolitan
Chamber of Commerce and Industry,
said politicians should behave in
a way so that the economy is not
hurt. "Confrontational politics is
not desirable. What we need is a
peaceful atmosphere. It is not
desirable that we become the
champion in corruption for
consecutive years."
M Syeduzzaman,
former finance minister, said the
practice to make parliament
dysfunctional for years has to be
stopped.
Ataus Samad, an
eminent journalist, said citizen's
security is a major concern now.
Professor Rehman
Sobhan, CPD chairman, chaired the
dialogue.
