Fernando Castle: Based on the Spanish experience in the late 1970s, it is necessary to create respect and trust and compromise between political parties. In Spain, we had the Moncloa Pact, where the parties came together to solve essential issues such as the economy, pensions, health and education. Democracy is about talking to each other and reaching a middle ground.
I am currently seeing a problem in Bangladesh where a government with a constitutional majority cannot implement its signed agenda, which not only deceives the voters but also hinders citizens’ faith in democracy. This is a ‘suicidal strategy’.
As I mentioned earlier, a stable democracy requires interpersonal tolerance and institutional tolerance. This means that even if you have the legal power to impose your will, you should still try to accommodate, compromise, and negotiate. There should always be room for alternatives where you freely and fairly win the will of the voters. Bangladesh now has a big opportunity; Please take it and do not waste time as has been happening since independence.