IQRA Editorials

Date: 11-12-2015
Editorial of The Daily Star

Women ignored by two major parties
So much for women's political participation!

It is one of the greatest ironies (বিড়ম্বনা) that the two major parties of the country, both of which are headed by women, should be so apathetic (সমবেদনাহীন, আগ্রহহীন) when it comes to including women in local government. This is evident (প্রতীয়মান, সহজবোধ্য) from the measly (নগণ্য, অল্প পরিমানের) number of mayoral (মেয়র সংক্রান্ত) nominations given out by the two parties. Out of the 234 mayoral posts the ruling Awami League nominated only 7 women while the BNP only one woman for the upcoming December 30 municipality_polls (পৌরসভা নির্বাচন). As for all the other parties, not a single one had nominated a female candidate.

Such blatant (স্থুল, ভয়ানক) gender discrimination is jarring (বেখাপ্পা, কর্কশ, বিরুদ্ধ) in_the_wake_of (কারনে) tall talks by the two major parties, especially, regarding women's empowerment (ক্ষমতায়ন). The excuse that women candidates were not chosen because they do not enjoy the same level of popularity as the nominated male candidates is not acceptable. It is the responsibility of each political party to groom (দেখাশোনা করা) and evaluate (মূল্যায়ন) women leaders at the grassroots (তৃণমূল) level so that they can actively be part of the local government elections. The most important benchmark (উচ্চতার সূচক) of women's empowerment is their increased political participation. By excluding women from contesting the polls, these parties have shown their prejudice (পর্যাপ্ত জ্ঞান অর্জনের আগেই মতামত, পূর্বসংস্কার) against women in the political arena (ক্ষেত্র).

And added to that the EC's issuing of stereotyped (গৎবাঁধা, বাঁধাধরা) electoral symbols for women candidates, such as gas stove, doll and frock, reinforce (জোরালো করা) the chauvinistic (অন্ধ স্বদেশপ্রেম ভিত্তিক) political environment that women with political aspirations (উচ্চাকাঙ্ক্ষা) have to contend_with (চেষ্টা বা প্রতিদ্বন্দ্বিতা করা). It is a shame that the major parties have echoed (পুনরাবৃত্তি করা) such sexism (লিঙ্গ বৈষম্য) in the way they have chosen to ignore women in the local government elections.

Date: 14-10-2015
Editorial of The Daily Star - 02

Local_body_elections (স্থানীয় সরকার নির্বাচন) a party affair
But accord (স্বেচ্ছায় প্রদান) it more authority (ক্ষমতা) also

The cabinet has approved the proposal to hold local body elections on a partisan_basis (দলীয় ভিত্তিতে). We understand the merit (উৎকর্ষ, বাহবা পাওয়ার যোগ্যতা) of the change. But there is a plus side and a minus side to partisan polls at local_level (স্থানীয় পর্যায়). When we look at the positive, it recognises (স্বীকৃতি দেয়) the reality of what has been happening on the ground. So far, candidates_endorsed (অনুমোদিত প্রার্থী) by parties, if not directly nominated, have been contesting the polls. And one of the downsides, and there are a few, will be that the political_rivalry (রাজনৈতিক প্রতিযোগিতা) witnessed during national elections will willy-nilly (যত্রতত্র নিয়ন্ত্রনহীনভাবে) be replicated (পুনরাবৃত্তি হওয়া) at the grassroots_level (তৃনমূল পর্যায়), and we might see the same animosity (শত্রুতা, বিদ্বেষ) here like that displayed in national elections.

At present, there is a facade (মুখোশ) of non-party elections which is all too evident from some of the recently held municipal_polls (পৌর নির্বাচন) where certain candidates drew upon the senior heavyweights to campaign on their behalf. In other countries too, local elections are held on partisan basis, as in, for_instance (উদাহরণস্বরূপ), India. However, here we should not overlook (উপেক্ষা করা) the fact that Indian elections are not as violent as we have witnessed in our country. In Bangladesh, national elections becomes a battle of egos (আত্মমর্যাদা) and winning becomes the be-all_and_end-all (চূড়ান্ত লক্ষ্য) of the contest. Such a mentality might now percolate (প্রবাহিত হওয়া, চোয়ানো) to the grassroots elections with bad_consequences (অশুভ পরিনতি).

Be that as it may, our serious concern stems_from (উদ্ভূত হওয়া) the possibility of corruption, money and muscle-power (পেশীশক্তি) pervading (ব্যাপকভাবে ছড়ানো) the local ballot, which was not quite the case before. Furthermore, there will be a rat_race (ইঁদুর দৌড়) to get party nominations. Last_but_not_the_least (সর্বশেষ কিন্তু গুরুত্বপূর্ণ বিষয়), whatever may be the form of election, partisan or non-partisan, it boils_down (সারমর্মিত করে) to the need for an efficacious (লক্ষ্য পূরণে সক্ষম) local government system. Unless local government is given more authority like levying (আদায় করা) local taxes, development planning, and financial autonomy (স্বাধীনতা), and made free from the influence of the local members of parliament, the development of the country may be severely impaired (বাধাগ্রস্থ হওয়া).

Date: 13-10-2015
Editorial of The Daily Star - 01

Trials of militants (জঙ্গি)
Why are police witnesses not_turning_up (পাওয়া যাচ্ছে না)?

At a time when our government has reiterated (পুনরাবৃত্তি করা) its commitment (প্রতিশ্রুতি) to curb_militancy (জঙ্গিবাদের লাগাম টানা) in the country we are dumbfounded (বিহ্বল) by a news report by a leading Bangla daily that the trial_process (বিচার প্রক্রিয়া) of 156 cases involving militants are on_hold (থেমে আছে). The reason for this is even more mystifying (বিভ্রান্তিকর): over 300 police personnel including plaintiffs (বাদী), investigating officers and police witnesses of the cases, have just not turned up in the court even after arrest warrants had been issued against them.

Such defiance (অবজ্ঞা) of the law by those who have been appointed to protect it is unfathomable (দুর্বোধ্য). The report cites (উল্লেখ করা) the example of four arrested Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) members being produced (হাজির করা) in the court 67 times but the plaintiffs (বাদী), a sub inspector of the police station and an investigating officer never came for giving their depositions (সাক্ষ্য) in court thus retarding (প্রতিহত) the trial process.

The reluctance (অনীহা) of the home ministry to give the required approval of charge sheets of 138 militancy cases is also baffling (ব্যাহত করা) as this, too, has set back the trial processes.
It is encouraging (আশাব্যাঞ্জক) that our law enforcing agencies have been able to arrest militants before they could carry out any terror attacks. But just arresting them without a quick trial process nullifies (নিষ্ফল করে দেয়া) such efforts. If the government is as serious about combating (যুদ্ধ) terrorism as it says it is, it should make sure that the home ministry approves the charge sheets of the militancy cases and that the members of the law enforcing agencies, who are the plaintiffs and witnesses in such cases, appear in court.