The Candidates who take part in different examination for getting their willing job, they are frequently asked by the examiner in their written examination or their viva voce and that is about "The Parliamentary Democracy of Bangladesh". For this why, I want to describe about this topic in detail.
The Parliamentary Democracy of Bangladesh
An ideal government in Thomas Jefferson's view is not meant to strengthen the power of many but the power of everyone within the limits of his competence. An ideal government can exist in parliamentary democracy in which everyone can exercise power within the limits of his competence. So parliamentary democracy has been the fondest dream of the people of Bangladesh since 1971. Although we have passed four decades, we have a relatively low exposure to the practice of parliamentary democracy.
Parliamentary democracy has been practised in Bangladesh since her birth. Moreover, after few years of practicing Parliamentary democracy since its liberation in 1971. Bangladesh went through serious political instability with the staging of coups and counter coups. In the process, by the courtesy of military dictators, the form of government was changed to presidential system. Again in the early nineties as the democratic political forces got themselves united and succeeded in their fight against the longest serving dictator, H M Ershad, holding of free and fair election under a neutral caretaker government paved the way for amending the constitution to revert to the parliamentary form of government in 1991.
But unfortunately the last several years of parliamentary democracy fell for short of living up to the public expectation since February 1991. Four parliaments 5th, 7th, 8th and 9th were elected through popular voting under non partisan caretaker government system and another short-lived parliament, the 6th one, was elected amidst boycott by all mainstream political parties and very low voters turnout.
Public did not expect much from the 6th parliament which functioned for less than two weeks. But the people of the country had great expectations from the 5th, 7th, 8th and 9th parliaments which have been elected through fair polls under caretaker government.
Political intolerance, confrontational politics, winner takes all attitude halted our advancement to the path of a sustained democratic culture. Repeated walkouts, abstentions and permanent house boycotts by the opposition in all these four parliaments made the parliamentary affairs all the more dull and non-effective. Treasury bench led one-sided discussions in half empty parliaments did not bear no significance for the constituents.
It is unfortunate that chiefs of major political parties are not on talking terms. Having seen the democratic practices in other democratic countries, one feels ashamed of what has been happening in Bangladesh. The unfortunate part of Bangladesh politics is that the chiefs of two major political parties do not talk to each other. It goes against the fundamental principle of democracy.
The role of the speaker is crucial in the House of parliamentary democracy, as the expert say, the most essential quality of the speaker in his strict impartiality. He has to protect the rights of all sectors of the House. As an umpire, he has to see that rules of the House are observed by all.
In making the parliament effective in line of the expectations of the people the role of the House Leader is vital. In Parliamentary democracy, the Leader of the House is entitled to act as the safeguard for the ruling and opposition lawmakers through he/she is elected from the ruling party.
The role of the leader of the opposition party in parliamentary democracy is responsible. The leader of the opposition in the House is considered the chief of the shadow government . If his/her party is in power, the strategy to run the state will be reflected his party activities in and whips, the opposition leader will also give the guidelines to accomplish the parliament's business with efficiency. He/she will build the bridge of understanding between the ruling party and the opposition through frequent meeting with the House Leader.
Unfortunately, there is no harmony between the House Leader and the opposition leader. They accuse each other of destroying the parliamentary democracy.
The role of parliaments members in parliamentary democracy is very important. Parliaments members are responsible for promulgating and changing laws and politics. So parliaments members are familiar with the existing laws and politics. They must be sensitive and well-informed of the needs and demands of the people.
If the parliament is the nucleus of a democratic state, then the committee system within the parliament is the heart of the nucleus. The committee system is the effective way of ensuring the executive according accountability to the legislature. There are fifty one parliamentary committees in our parliament. Among them thirty nine are parliamentary standing committees.
Sick politics has been talking a heavy toll of the country's spirit of parliamentary democracy which the nation had achieved with great sacrificed. If the parliamentary democracy becomes dysfunctional, the entire country suffers. Instead of moving forward, we will regress. We should know that democracy is the rule of majority but the minority party's right must be protected fully. To consolidate parliamentary democracy, the majority has to work with the minority in the parliament. This alone ensures effectiveness of the democratic process.
