Yes, democracy has rather been turned into a passport to being awfully rich overnight. Even so, democracy is still treated as the best option available for a respectable living in the world community which is not less relevant to the Bangladesh case despite its real potentials are yet to be explored, let alone given effect.

Concurrently, election is the only viable mechanism for giving democracy sustainability. That very election is, however, in jeopardy in the country following vicissitudes of sorts. I will, perhaps, not go overboard if I claim that a level playing field is sine qua non for a successful election.

I reckon many would agree with me that a playing field, not to speak of a level playing field has been elusive throughout the already gone nearly 70-day period of the current caretaker government (CTG).

Many thus rightly imply that boycott of 9th general election to the parliament scheduled to be held on January 22, 2007 by major political parties -- other than BNP-led 4-party alliance which is believed to be the behind the scenes driving force of the current CTG -- was just inevitability.

There is no denying the fact that the Awami League (AL)-led alliance's movement for electoral and CTG reforms were rather inconsistent. Narrowing down of demand points from 31 to 11 and then only to removing a few persons seemed to lack definite purpose.

Notwithstanding that fact, it would be too harsh on it to say that it decided to pull out of the election process without cogent reasons. Many were rather surprised at its abrupt decision to take part in the elections despite no concrete effort barring a few piecemeal cosmetic changes was taken by the CTG to create an enabling atmosphere for the election.

Though AL's peculiar pact with Khelafat Majlish as well as seat sharing with militants earned it substantial infamy, its u-turn to join the election process revealed its penchant for election.

Meanwhile, the fallen dictator Ershad continues to become the plaything. Though the concerned officials referred to legal requirements for cancellation of his nomination papers, there is ample room to believe that the scenario must have been different had Ershad teamed up with 4-party alliance.

Admittedly, the law should be applied equally to all persons under all circumstances. Painfully, though, law is being increasingly manipulated these days for sheer political purposes, thereby constantly putting judiciary on the line.

Now that the AL-led grand alliance has opted out -- the election results are in BNP-alliance's bag. Though the skeptics reckon that the results would be the same -- under the current set-up of the whole administrative machinery adroitly founded by the outgoing BNP-alliance government and literally reinforced by the 4-party nominated chief adviser Iajuddin Ahmed's CTG that has never been able to be free itself from the phantom of 4-party alliance -- even if the grand alliance took part in it.

Thus it naturally follows, why the BNP-led alliance would hesitate to manipulate things when everything will be at stake on the Election Day and when it already has the wherewithal. And, the anticipation gathers renewed significance in view of the synchronized handling of the Ershad case by various tiers of the administration and judiciary.

Though there is a 90-day stipulation, there is the option to get it reconsidered -- preferably through a reference to Supreme Court -- given the haphazard condition of the all important voter roll, if not anything else.

Notably, legal experts -- including Justice Naimuddin Ahmed -- are pretty convinced that any election under the latest updated yet faulty voter list would be faced with serious questions in law courts. However, deferment of election could have been done had the current CTG sincerity and integrity to hold a fair rather than a timely election.

Admittedly, many very rightly opine that Bangladesh needs a fair election a lot more than a timely yet flawed election.

Moreover, AL-led alliance veered away from a rigid anti-Iajuddin movement time and again, lest it hampered the electoral process. Anyway, however, from the 4-party alliance's recent hue and cry for election, democracy and constitutional process, it seems it is the professed champion of democracy.

However, if it had real fondness for democracy, it would have let the CTG make a congenial election environment for all by freeing it from its stranglehold.

After all, democracy is not anything about one group's manipulation and another one's capitulation, rather it sustains in an ambiance where all are allowed to play on an even ground.

But did the current CTG -- brazenly monopolised by President-cum-CA Prof Iajuddin Ahmed and deftly dictated to by 4-party alliance -- really go for an even field? Now it remains to be seen whether the CTG will go for staging an (February 1996 type or worse) ungainly and untenable election.

Kazi SM Khasrul Alam Quddusi is Assistant Professor, Department of Public Administration, University of Chittagong.