While it is certainly right to applaud comments made by our prime minister with regards to nixing the idea of incorporating blasphemy laws into our countries legal system, we should also be aware of less palatable comments made in the same interview regarding the formation of a caretaker government.
Hasina made very clear that she would not be re-instituting the caretaker system in the run-up to the polls. While we understand her position, it is very hard to agree with. We do not question the legality of scrapping the constitutional requirement of having a caretaker government run the elections; the prime minister had the votes required to get the amendment passed. Instead, we question the wisdom of this move from a political point of view.
Public opinion seems to be against her in this, regardless of whether or not fair elections can be held without the caretaker government in place. As the public is clearly against the move, it should have been based on a public referendum as opposed to a vote in parliament. Our lawmakers, including our prime minister, do not seem attuned to the concerns of the public. They can remedy the situation by using this as an opportunity, not just to gain popular favour, but to also bring the opposition back into the fold. By re-instituting, or at least talking about re-instituting the caretaker government system, Hasina could, without a doubt, raise the profile of her political party in the public’s eyes. Additionally, this could provide the leverage she needs to stop the spate of hartals that has been plaguing the nation. It would be an all-out political triumph.
What remains to be seen is if such a course of action will even cross the minds of those in power.
