THE apparent indifference of the interim government to engage or coordinate with political parties to address the pressing issues that the country faces and the reforms that the country needs is concerning on a couple of counts. The distance between the government and the political parties also suggests a distance between the government and the people, as political parties are connected with and represent the people. If not addressed properly and soon, the dissociation might frustrate the government鈥檚 reform initiatives too. The political parties have since the inauguration of the interim government on August 8, after the fall of the authoritarian Awami League regime on August 5 amid student-mass uprising, extended their support for the interim government and have been keen to cooperate in addressing the immediate issues and the reform programmes. But the interim government has so far taken no initiative, barring two meetings, to engage the political parties. It is understandable that the political parties, which hoped that the interim government would coordinate with them either formally or informally, have expressed their frustrations over the situation. Fearing a possible failure of the government, leaders of a number of political parties have duly pointed out that the interim government has been struggling to expedite the administrative activities and maintaining law and order, increasing frustration among people, and that cooperation with political parties could help the government greatly.聽
The interim government should not forget that the country now stands at a crossroads 鈥� the police force is still in disarray, the law and order substantially damaged, and the divides between groups on ideological and religious grounds are widening dangerously. Incidents of mob violence and the absence of adequate response from the law enforcement agencies only point to a deteriorating situation and the government does not have fully functional administration, bureaucracy and law enforcement agencies at its disposal. It appears an uphill struggle for the government to adequately address these issues. The government, moreover, has a long list of reform goals, which are likely to face obstacles from inside and outside the government. The bureaucracy and law enforcement agencies, for example, are known for their inclination towards maintaining the status quo and are likely not to support any major overhaul once the government and its different commissions, which are yet to determine their terms of reference and finalise human resources, come up with reform proposals. In such a situation, full participation of the political parties, with the weight of people鈥檚 consent that they carry, can help the government overcome the obstacles, prioritise issues and bring about the required reforms to political culture, state institutions and the economy.
The government should, therefore, ensure strong coordination with the political parties. It should also devise ways on how to engage the political parties in addressing the immediate issues, such as maintaining law and order. The government should also realise that in order to bring reforms, it requires not only the full support but also active participation of the political parties.