Eminent economist Dr Debapriya Bhattacharya on Saturday urged the civil society members to be more active and play their due role during the ongoing crisis of the country.
“There’s no scope for sitting idle for the civil society members. Something needs to be done,” he said while speaking at a views-exchange meeting organised by Sushashaner Jonno Nagorik (Sujan), a civil society platform, at a city hotel. Debapriya, a distinguished fellow of civil society think tank Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD), underscored the need for strengthening democracy through ensuring transparency and accountability in all sectors.
He said the country will further pass through crisis over the next six months.
Chaired by Sujan official Faruque Mahmud Chowdhury, the meeting was addressed, among others, by vice chancellor of International University Dr Sushanta Kumar and president of Sylhet district Ainjibi Samity Jamilul Haque.
“A panicky situation is prevailing in the country as people have a feeling that they may be victimised for expressing opinion freely. If such political erosion continues then only holding election can not resolve this erosion. The political leaders and the parties should realise this,” he said.
Apart from the election, there are other factors which are required to institutionalise the democracy and there is a need for strengthening the democratic institutions, he said.
“This country is not only for the politicians. We should come forward to build this country as this country belongs to all”, he said adding that democratic process should be groomed through ensuring transparency and accountability.
-With The Independent input
