Even after 53 years of independence, political parties in the country, have not been able to come out from stigmas of the absence of democracy within parties, lack of transparency of financial statements of party's income and expenditure, nomination trading, illegal money flow during election and dynasticism, which have had an adverse impact on the good governance of the state and fair political system in the country.
In the wake of the July-August uprising State Reformation has became the most urgent and expected issue for all the people of the country. Political analysts believe without reformation of political party state reforms will be meaningless.
Election Commission (EC) has no plan to formulate any guidelines to bring reformation within the political parties. They are looking forward to implement proposals of the Election Commission Reform Committee.
Experts said to transform the state into a democratic state, inner party democracy andreforms are essentially needed within the political parties. Without reforms within the political parties, no other reforms will be permanent or sustainable, the observe.
Reform Commissions have presented some reform proposals of the political parties but reform within a political party is not possible without the bonafide of the political parties, experts added.
Dr Iftekharuzzaman, Executive Director of Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) told the Daily Observer, "If there is no democracy in political parties, it is unrealistic to expect democracy in the country. That is why the reports of various reform commissions have recently stressed political party reforms, but it is not possible to change the political environment of the country with them."
"The political parties themselves must carry out fundamental reforms. There will be no benefit from reforms imposed from outside. They have to think whether they will do politics in the interest of the people or in their personal interests," he said.
Iftekharuzzaman observed, "Our political parties never talk about disclose their political and election financing. As a result of this financing and the use of muscle power, factionalism, occupation and social unrest are increasing in the country."
He said, "Nomination trading is one of the means of illegal money flow in politics. But, information about nomination trading by political parties is not disseminated. As a result, unhealthy competition has started in politics."
"Above all, to solve these problems, political parties must honour the spirit of 1971 Liberation War to all movements till 2024," Iftekharuzzaman assarted.
Since 2008 the income and expenditure accounts of political parties have to be submitted to the Election Commission (EC). The accounts have to be audited by an audit firm.
In 2024, 20 registered political parties submitted their income and expenditure accounts for 2022 to the Commission.
The Election Commission has 10 income categories and 12 expenditure categories for political parties.
The income category includes members' subscriptions, donations from individuals and organizations, house rent, bank interest, interest on term deposits, sale of publications, etc.
And the expenditure category includes salaries and allowances of employees, accommodation, administrative expenses, campaigns, public meetings, publications, utilities, travel, etc.
According to the report given by the Election Commission in 2023, the BNP's income was Tk 11,080,151 and its expenditure was Tk 36,523,970. Expenditure of Tk 25443819 has been made from last year's surplus.
Awami League's income was Tk 271,445,000 and its expenditure was Tk 98,736,000.
The Jatiya Party earned Tk 32279831, and was spent Tk 11,318,525 in 2023.
However, the Election Commission did not disclose the amount of donations made by the organisations or individuals.
However, in 2016, the High Court, following a writ petition, ruled that the account-wise income and expenditure accounts of political parties provided to the Election Commission are public documents. Even then, the Commission is not publishing those statements.
Mezbah-Ul-Azam Sowdagar, Chairman of Department of Political Science of Jagannath University told this correspondent, "If we cannot stop illegal money flow in the politics and election process it will be impossible to establish democreay in the country."
Differences are noticed about reforms within the political parties, some political leaders stressed to bring changes in political parties constitutions to bring democracy within the political parties and also to get out of the dynastic political culture.
Some political leaders said reforms within the political parties is an ongoing process. Political parties can reform their party by changing leadership within the party.
At a programme at Jatiya Press Club on January 31, noted economist and public intellectual Anu Muhammad said, "There should be a retirement age for political leaders. A leader should not hold the position permanently. Democracy should exist at every level, and the party's main leaders should not decide on the future leadership."
"A national political party must represent all religions, nations and genders. At least one-third of the representation in a political party should be women," he said.
While asking about reforms process within the BNP, party's Standing Committee Member Dr Khandakar Mosharraf Hossain said, "Every year we evaluate activities of our leaders and activists from Standing Committee to grassroots level. According to the evaluation report every year we reshuffle our posts of our party's committees."
"Reforms within the political party are an ongoing process," Mosharraf said while commenting on the change of dynastic rule in parties.
In 2008 the then caretaker government made it mandatory for political parties to register with the Election Commission, subject to certain conditions, through an ordinance.
The conditions were drastically relaxed by the Representation of the Peoples Order (Amendment) Act, passed on 2009, in the first session of the Ninth National Parliament by Awami League government.
The amendment states that EC cannot cancel registration of any political party if it cannot comply practicing democracy within the party.
This has turned the EC into a powerless paper tiger and has severely hampered the reform efforts of political parties.
Regarding this Nagorik Oikya Convener Mahmudur Rahman Manna said, "We have to believe that, our country can be changed. For this, we need a good government and a ruler. And the government and the ruler will be good only when the political parties are good."
"That is why first of all, political party reform is needed. And the parties have to do this themselves," he said.
Kazi Abul Khayer, Secretary General, Bangladesh Muslim League said, "We need to get out of dynastic political culture. For this, the minus two formula was discussed during One Eleven."
"However, it is not possible to change the political party through a formula. For this, it is necessary to create responsibility for the leaders of the political parties," Abul Khayer observed.
