TRANSPARENCY International Bangladesh (TIB) has done a commendable research on the role of Armed Forces during the last Care Taker Government (CTG). It is the first time in Bangladesh that such an objective study has been made. Indeed the armed forces should be happy and welcome this report as the same kind of research should have been done by them right after the end of the tenure of the last CTG.

It is the normal practice in the armed forces to carry out debriefing of every military operations/exercise after its termination to draw lessons from the operation and correct the mistakes in order to enhance the operational capability of the armed forces in future operations. If the armed forces would have taken such initiative, it would have cost them time, huge amount money and resources to get a real feedback on their performances. From that point of view they have got this report free of cost but cost them heavily as far as image is concerned.

This report also gives us an idea that one of the areas of civil military relations and cooperation could be seeking assistance from various research organisations about the armed forces performances in aid to civil power to get the actual feedback from the society.

Though the report has its limitations yet it has provided some insights as to how some of our comrades in arms behave when trusted with the responsibility of undertaking sensitive assignments at national level. The armed forces should now seek necessary documents from TIB and closely work with TIB so that it can rebuild the lost images of the military by taking appropriate actions.

There is an old proverb, "All bamboos in the grove do not grow to the same size and strength." The members of our armed forces are not alien creatures. They are drawn from the society. And in a country like Bangladesh, where there is rampant corruption, degradation of moral and ethical values, expecting a 100% pure organisation is a far cry. What is important is whether the organisation takes appropriate preventive and corrective measures or not. I believe our armed forces do take strong disciplinary action against breach of discipline and do not spin stories of black cats. That is the difference between the military and other organisations.

If the role of the armed forces during the last CTG and drive against corruption have faltered so much than the burden has to be shouldered by their leaders who provided the guidelines and leadership during that period. To our knowledge no action has been taken against the former leadership to make them accountable. It certainly gives a different indication to the nation.

The democratic accountability of the military does not lie with the armed forces alone. The civil society must also be active so that political leadership behaves responsibly in order to deter recurrence of 1/11 and that the armed forces are not drawn in to a political conflict unnecessarily.

The years of inequity in the armed forces must be addressed. Sending officers on premature retirement and promoting and rewarding backbenchers and non professionals to higher appointments on the basis of perceived "political allegiance" should be accounted for. Such undesired promotions and rewards will very likely break the structure of the armed forces like that of the girder of the bridge that collapsed in Chittagong.

If military leadership could help political parties perpetuate power probably General Ershad would remain the eternal President of Bangladesh. We must realise that true power lies with the people who elect their representatives every five years.

The Armed Forces should be allowed to be commanded by their respective chiefs of services, who should prepare their respective organisation to meet the defence needs as per the policy laid down by the government. And they must be allowed to manage their own affairs instead of being dictated from the top.

The writer is a retired Brigadier.