After four years of its existence in power -- October 1 was the day when the ruling alliance got to power -- one needs to evaluate the performances of the government pitted mainly against those two promises. Of course, we are not oblivious of other promises like raising standard of living of the people, democratisation of the society and meeting the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) etc.

The fact that corruption during the last four years has not been reduced but raised to an unimaginable limit, is amply documented by the TIB reports. Securing first position -- and more so in successive years -- is always a point of pleasure. But when it amounts to corruption, it invokes severest pains to those who love Bangladesh. Despite the declaration during the election, the government miserably failed to contain corruption during its four years in power. Especially, the complaints against some of the cabinet ministers and powerful political players within the party in power and the inactions thereupon could hardly be accepted on the heels of heightened expectations.

The second most important consideration was terrorism. Terrorism had gripped the nation more than ever before. The law and order situation deteriorated so much that the government had to create extra agencies to fight it. Operations of different variety underwent, allegedly, at the cost of human rights and a considerable number of people have been killed in the name of cross-fire. Had they not been killed this way, so runs the argument, the mentors of the criminals could be unearthed. It appeared that for the last four years, the government became captive of the guns and the goons. During the last four years, what the government seemingly fought well is not terrorism but its political opponents. The law enforcing agencies were directed more towards punishing political activists that stood opposed rather than taming terrorists. Needless to mention perhaps, the gruesome grenade attack on an anti-terrorism rally led by Awami League and the subsequent killing of a number of leaders and workers pointed to the apparent failure of the law enforcing agencies. The killers of SAMS Kibria , MP and Ahsan Ullah Master, MP along with hundreds others are still to be hunted for and brought to book. One would suspect as it seems that sort state patronised serial killing took place in Bangladesh during the last four years.

Further, a new development in the world of terrorism in Bangladesh also invited awe and indignation, home and abroad. That is the emergence of fundamentalist forces. Initially, the government denied their existence and blamed the opposition parties especially Awami League for tarnishing the image of the country. But subsequently, especially with the bomb blasts on 17 August across the country, the government has been making modest attempts to hunt for the goons. The message seems to be clear that a partner of the alliance in power might have close links with the recent bomb blasts but for a fear of losing vote banks, the government apparently moves half heartedly. Thus, on account of containing corruption and terrorism in the country, the government seemingly failed to stand up to its election pledges. False hopes led to true hypes among the countrymen.

Coming to the question of raising living standard of the people, one is faced with a fundamental fallacy. The inflation rate perked the highest ever point during the last one decade. Hovering roughly around 8 per cent per year, the soaring prices of essentials have already reduced people's real income. The price of rice, to take an example, that stood at Tk 11 just five years back rose to Tk.22 at present. The prices of non-rice food quadrupled on some occasions. Given the limited income and the distribution of budget share among items, it is the poor who have been facing more the ill fate over the period under consideration. In the absence of a similar rise in income, people find it hard to maintain their earlier standard of living. Unemployment rose sharply in the wake of closing down of quite a number of enterprises and lack of opportunities of employment generation elsewhere.

Education has been totally politicised during the last four years. The developmental works on physical and human infrastructure, especially in universities, that were initiated during the last regime almost stalled. The Science and Technology Universities set up by the earlier government have not been treated well to face the upcoming challenges. All the public universities are faced with this or that scam and jam. Money and muscle appeared as important determinants of admission or employment in universities. Employment of political cadres in these institutions went to negate the very objectives of the institutions. The Education Policy of the earlier government -- adopted on the basis of discussions with stakeholders and made suitable for meeting the challenges of the 21 century -- was replaced by an Education Policy that mostly looked 40 years behind. By and large, if education is called the backbone of a nation then, suffice it to say, the nation's backbone has developed a serious injury during the last four years.

Bangladesh is one of the few developing countries which performed miserably in meeting the MDG goals. During the last government, poverty had been going down at 1.3 percentage point per year but now the rate is 0.23 percentage point per year. At the present rate of reduction, it would take almost forty years to eradicate poverty from the country. Empirical evidences tend to show that over the years, people have been severely deficient in micro nutrients. The necessary conditions of meeting MDG goals cease to exist. For example, appropriate resource allocation and good governance are key to the attainment of the goals enshrined in the MDG document. On both counts, the government could not leave any praiseworthy records.

Most importantly perhaps, the country's image abroad has been tarnished severely over the years. In the 1970s, we were known economically poor but rich in social and political programmes. The post independence government aimed at economic growth with a human face. By 2001, we have marginally grown richer in economic terms but poorer in terms of social and political status. The so-called market economy marginalised a large portion of the population. Inequality of income increased over the period under review. By and large, once known as a secular and democratic society, Bangladesh growingly earned the wrath of an emerging country of fundamentalists. Some even tend to call it a failed state.

The four years of the current rulers, perhaps, taken us far back. But we need to march forward to regain our lost image. May be, many miles to go before we sleep. But we want to sleep in peace and in harmony. We expect from a government just that.

Abdul Bayes is a Professor of Economics at Jahangirnagar University.