Editorial
President's gamble
Will it heal the rift?
In a move that surprised most except for those who might have been privy to it, President Prof Iajuddin Ahmed has taken over as Chief Advisor to Caretaker Government in addition to his responsibilities as the President of the Republic. President taking the oath may have brought about a caretaker government, but the rift between the major political forces that had stalked the issue of who should be the caretaker government chief has not been healed. The political divide that caused the rift was reflected in the oath-taking ceremony which remained unattended by the mainstream opposition as a whole. Eminent citizens, business community and professional groups were thinly represented, if at all. The President is drawn into what has so far been a bone of contention between the ruling alliance and the opposition. However, the opposition in its reaction neither accepted nor rejected the President's takeover as caretaker government chief. They said they would observe his actions and react accordingly. We thank the opposition for its pragmatic reaction. This effectively defuses the immediate tension on the ground. People will no doubt feel relieved at this. The whole spirit of the constitutional provision for the caretaker government rests on the principle of a consensus-based choice of the chief advisor and other advisors to the caretaker government. This principle seems to have been ironically set aside. That the decision was not consensual, the manner in which it was arrived at smacked of lack of transparency in the process undertaken and the pursuit of a consensus was not given a full chance can hardly be over emphasised. True, a quick decision was needed to avert the growing uncertainty surrounding governance but in matters of crucial national decision-making, the process must not only be fair but must also be seen to have been fair. Otherwise, all sorts of complications could arise for want of a broad-based consultative outcome. Undoubtedly, there are questions in the public mind whether all the five options provided by the constitution for the choice of a caretaker government chief have been exhausted before the President took the decision he did. Definitely, the fifth option of an eminent citizen acceptable to all was not even seriously tried. The presidential decision came as a fait accompli and he inherits a fragmented nation. Depending on his appointment of advisors and the manner in which he acquits himself in the next few days and weeks will show whether people will have any faith in his ability to deliver his main task, namely, a free and fair election. The nation and the world are looking and he will be only as good as his actions, selection of advisors, speeches that follow his oath-taking ceremony.
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