As the interim government continues its heroic work towards a new Bangladesh, we must commit to what is non-compromising. Some political parties want elections without completing the necessary reforms so that they can go back to business as usual. These politicians have not learned their lessons and acknowledged the purpose of the revolution. However, everybody must recognise what so many people sacrificed their lives for to oust fascist Sheikh Hasina. Therefore, here are some areas where there should be no compromise if the hecatomb is to be commemorated.

First, necessary governance reforms in the democratic institutions, laws, and the constitution, before a national election, must be completed. All the commissions and task groups formed by the Chief Adviser are working hard to deliver their reports as per the agreed timeline. A national election must be done when the country is ready for a free and fair election, and democratic institutions can stand the test of time to carry forward people’s wishes.

Second, the prices of essentials must come down. The government is taking action, but it takes time to undo the corrupt practices of the past. We must be a country where decent food, education, healthcare and housing will be affordable for all, especially the poor. The government must be bolder and innovative to disrupt the intermediaries and syndicates. The entire intermediary and syndicate systems must be dismantled to make way for efficient supply chain systems.

Third, law and order must be established. Those police who do not want to abide by the rule of law must be replaced immediately with new recruits. We can have short training for new recruits so that they can be deployed immediately in the streets and continue their training on an ongoing basis. Desperate times require bold actions. We can do online training. We can bring in training resources from overseas. Make the judiciary independent. An independent secretariat is the right move but let the constitution be clear about the independence of the judiciary and transparency of the judicial processes.

Fourth, the government must do more to protect a women-friendly environment so that no females feel threatened and harassed. Females have equal rights and standing under Islam, and they must have the freedom to choose their career, education, economic opportunities, equal rights to property, and how to live their lives.

Fifth, the government should compel political parties, if they do not do it willingly, to bring about tangible reforms. Anyone with past corruption and criminal records must never be allowed to be in leadership positions or to get a nomination. We must rise above political party affiliations to clean our political parties. Besides, dynastic politics should have ended with the revolution and should never be allowed to return.

Sixth, the economy must receive more incentives to encourage investments from national and international investors. We must create the right environment in every aspect of the economy to create millions of new jobs. Agriculture, tourism, garments, information technology, and other areas should receive incentives to thrive. Bangladesh embassies must play a proactive role in securing trade deals from every country. Our embassies have not been used for our economic development and that is a waste of resources. We must also strengthen our financial institutions and systems so that we bring stability and confidence to our financial institutions.

Seventh, the health and education sectors must have clear strategic direction and long-term plans for improvements. No need for complicated plans which are never achievable. No need for the UN or global financing organisations to mandate elaborate plans that are expensive and difficult to implement. Our people have ideas, and we can also seek proven solutions overseas. Accountability must be ensured.  Our doctors, nurses, teachers and others must receive the recognition and support to excel in their respective jobs.

Eight, we need to develop our private sector so that it can play an important role in education, health, tourism, manufacturing, IT and other areas. We can learn from the developed world and emerging economies like India, Brazil, Singapore, South Korea and China.

Ninth, corruption and nepotism must not raise their heads again. The punishment for these crimes must be swift and visible. Corruption in government departments or agencies as well as in the private sector must be treated as serious crimes. Establish a whistleblower system with the right protection so that citizens can report these crimes easily and without any personal repercussions.

Tenth, reform election systems so that we can have free and fair elections. The Election Commission (EC) must be independent. The appointment of Election Commissioners should be done in a way so that neither the Parliament nor any prime minister can control the selection and appointment process. We should consider past experiences as a source of learning and follow new ways to strengthen the EC. Innovations in voting systems that are proven to be effective can be tried. For example, online voting using an NID card can be possible with the right protection of laws.

There are many priorities for a national government, but I mentioned a few that are critical to our new Bangladesh and should not be compromised in any way. Everybody should support the interim government in completing these tasks.

______________________________

The writer is an international development expert based in Maryland, USA and can be reached at [email protected]