'No one can realistically imagine contesting an election unless they actually own a Pajero': Rehman Sobhan 

Renowned Bangladeshi economist Professor Rehman Sobhan has said only a particular class of individuals will occupy legislative positions unless the nature of electoral contests is democratised so that people from all social backgrounds and with limited resources can participate and have a genuine chance of winning.

"Today, no one can realistically imagine contesting an election unless they actually own a Pajero. The prevailing expectation is that once elected, officials are likely to be granted a duty-free Pajero as part of the privileges associated with electoral office. This reflects a broader transformation in the social background of the electoral process," he said while speaking at the concluding session of the annual conference of the Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS), held at the Parjatan Bhaban in the capital's Agargaon

These legislators are then likely to carry out lawmaking and exercise accountability primarily within the framework of their own interests, he added.

Rehman Sobhan noted that while various reforms have been proposed and some may be enacted, their ultimate implementation depends on the parliament and the government accountable to it. 

At the concluding session of the annual conference of the Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS), held at the Parjatan Bhaban in the capital’s Agargaon on 8 Dec/Jahir Rayhan

The preferences and priorities of parliament members will largely determine the agenda, sincerity, and effectiveness of these reforms, he added.

He expressed hope that at least some of these reforms will be successfully carried out.

However, he warned that unless the quality of parliamentarians changes, and unless representatives come from diverse social backgrounds covering all constituencies, there is a strong risk of an elite-dominated democratic system, something that has historically contributed to many of Bangladesh's challenges.

Rehman Sobhan further observed that even in the world's most mature democracy, the United States, the democratic system now faces serious challenges. 

"The independence of the judiciary and democratic culture are increasingly concentrated in the hands of a single individual, and the political party has effectively become subservient to that dominant leader, even after 200 years of democratic practice."

Rehman Sobhan added that no democracy can be considered completely safe today. 

Across Europe, populist leaders with quasi-fascist tendencies are being elected to office, and societies must contend with the consequences of such developments, he mentioned. 

He concluded that the history of democracy should not be viewed with unqualified confidence. "What can be achieved now will depend on the lessons learned from Bangladesh's 52 years of quasi-democracy."

52 years of lessons key to Bangladesh's democracy and development

Rehman Sobhan warned that strengthening democracy and ensuring sustainable development in Bangladesh remains a real challenge. 

Citing weak institutions, elite-dominated parliament, and unequal electoral opportunities, he said the country's future depends on learning from 52 years of quasi-democracy.

Professor Rehman Sobhan explained that for a long period, the belief in strong states guiding development was favoured by institutions like the World Bank and the IMF. 

He pointed out that it was not until the 1990s that the World Bank began linking governance with democracy, largely prompted by the financial crises that affected East Asian economies like Korea, Singapore, Indonesia, and Thailand. 

"This led to a new discourse suggesting that democracy was necessary for good development, and subsequent research sought to establish correlations between democratic states and successful development outcomes," he added.

Professor Rehman Sobhan further reflected that for much of Bangladesh's 52-year history, democratic institutions have been weak. 

He went on to say, "Parliament has often been dysfunctional, with opposition unable to hold the government accountable for policies, governance failures, or corruption. Even the national budget was rarely debated publicly in Parliament, with discussions instead taking place in forums like the CPD post-budget dialogues."

In his closing statement, Professor Rehman Sobhan stated that the history of democracy should not be viewed with unqualified confidence. 

Parliament of the 'elite'

Professor Rehman Sobhan said, the default (bad loan) crisis, began in Bangladesh during the regime of former president Ziaur Rahman and has been continuing there all these years. It has never been properly discussed in Parliament and no substantive debate has actually taken place.

"So you will get only some idea of the practical problem which existed in reconciling democracy and development in Bangladesh's context," he added.

Rehman Sobhan said, "Now let me just conclude this by saying that when we talk about democracy and development, we are not talking about our lived experience because we have not really been exposed to a functioning democracy where the development agenda can be properly dissected and debated and we can discuss what type of development we want, how is it being managed, what specific major structural changes should be brought about."

Rehman Sobhan said, none of these have ever been discussed over a period of almost 50 years. And unless these issues can be put on the table, you are not really going to address any problems.

He said, "One of the practical problems we have been facing is that whatever elected parliament you had, even the elected parliaments which go back to the pre 2007 period, all have witnessed progressive elite capture of the Parliament by people with the resources and money to in fact actually get themselves elected.

"And this essentially meant that you have got a parliament of the elite, by the elite, for the elite, really making policy."

He said, "So unless we can democratise our political process, and also we can democratise our economic process, you are not really going to be exposed to any very significant changes in the system."