The politics of killing politics

The following article was written several years ago (circa 2000) and was published in the Daily Star magazine. Note that the political climate documented is when Sheikh Hasina Wajed, Bill Clinton and Atal Vajpayee were at the head of their respective countries as PM, President and PM respectively. While the sentiments expressed at the time was urgent, I find it astonishing that the climate has little changed and I hold on to the sentiments with the same kind of ferocity- in the mood of the call of the day it is ripe time to TAKE BACK BANGLADESH!

Although not a regular name on the pages of this magazine, I have proved very regular with my penmanship irregularity. Personally I prefer to write lighter pieces where my sense of humour (what little I possess) comes forth rather than rabid frothy rage articles of how things are faring politically. In fact, so disgusted am I with what my fingers in collaboration my brain have spun out of late, I have condemned those venom afflicted write-ups to the infernal “unfinished” folder on my desktop! Sadly this exercise in self-restraint has only plunged my ever-so-gentle persona into a raging, bitter, haggard and heavy mind-set. It appears that I have destined to become the dreaded over-achiever pessimist when it comes to the future of this great (decaying) land of ours.

I must admit that I am astounded with the staggering amount of ‘loath’ that I have coursing through my finger-tips as I watch in trance-like motion the words flying – trying to desperately keep up with my uncontrolled nocturnal emissive thoughts. It’s not that I hate this country, but that I hate what this country is becoming. The wrong people are at the helm – these wrong people are making the wrong decisions for the wrong reasons. The newspapers scream of wrongful deaths in the half-dozens, one political party accuses the other of pro-Pakistan sentiments, while the other accuses the first for pro-India. I ask you which of them are pro-Bangladesh!

In my previous write-ups I have made no statements that in retrospection may read as ambiguous – clearly I have no fond feelings (personal, political or respectful) for either the two ego-tripping lady birds of kin worship. Without any doubt their agenda will serve little but their own needs and the needs of those who have chosen to selfishly stand by them in positions of power. The nation’s wealth is being siphoned out slowly, the hundi business is in business to expatriate dollars – these are rarely yours or mine. Think about it.

The elections are due next year. If we had an alternative leader, I would be campaigning to vote the two ladies ‘out’ not ‘in’. Problem is, if not them then who do you vote for. Unfortunately no decent man (or woman) is in the race to power possession. I say vote for new leadership within the party. We need educated leaders not leaders whose claim to education is questionable. These women demonstrated their right to be the biggest gender-degrading statement ever, they have single handedly (each in her own right) taken the women’s liberation movement in this country back many hard-earned steps!

Politics has taken a ludicrous turn, corruption has been “controlled” to now be available at the grassroots level. Every shred of human decency has been abandoned for a piece of the gravy train. Restaurants are serving dog meat in lieu of lamb, burnt engine oil is used to give certain edible oils that zing, puffed rice is fried in urea for whiteness, horse feed is imported and sold in the open market for human consumption… the list goes on. Given the kind of people we have become, Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina are the right kind of leaders. But for the morally righteous, which I would like to believe comprises of the majority in this country, the BNP and the AL need new heads.

As each party accuses the other of corruption and unhanded deals, the words of the Christian Lord Jesus rings loosely “let the person who has not sinned cast the first stone.” The BNP is not more corrupt as the Awami League. Bad vibes emit from the two parties, nothing good can come to the country under the auspices of the ladies that never were. Even when we see we see nothing and look to religion to console our state, disastrously the lesson we chose to follow is not “mind thy brother” but “turn the other cheek”. As a people we are being walked all over like a cheap carpet laid over a busy intersection – walked over any which way.

From the beginning this essay was destined to be caustic and spitting of miasma (look it up), but then this essay can be more than that. It can be a practical example of what is theoretically possible in politics – it can turn around about face. You see, things are not as bad as they seem. Yes the political situation is rather bad at the moment, but national development is like a two-dimensional plane where there is only an up and a down. Like the laws of physics, what goes up must come down and hence the reversal is also true. The country may appear to be rock bottom, but things can only look up. Just as Mother Nature abhors a vacuum, politics abhors bad political culture. Like Frankenstein’s monster bad political culture, if allowed to gestate quietly, will eventually destroy its own maker.

The leadership and the respective cronies are busy making the hay as the sun shines, but if history of person-kind is anything to go by the weatherman promises incessant rain. Just as our Prime Minister invites her own demise by pushing for extradition rights from the United States, our former prime minister invites her own political end by refusing to see beyond her nose. The ladies surround themselves with advisers as garnish – their sole obsession it seems is with the chair and keeping their respective bottoms as close to it as they possibly can. Bangladesh is a country like no other in the world, not only is it surrounded by a single region-domineering country but its economy is essentially powered by the begging bowl. Nothing will get done (or has been done since independence) that is independent from either the interests of our neighbour or the credit line. There are so many strings attached that its can be safely said that ironically it is those strings that are holding this nation up!

Clinton says “bravo Bangladesh for democracy” only as long as the gas is concerned. Vajpayee calls for transit only as long the industries of his nation are served a 120-million man market on the ride back. Politically this country is a dead entity, no amount of foreign affairs planning can be done at this point to counter the actions of the what will be. Whether we like it or not, the gas is not ours to do as we please. As the nation goes deeper into debt it will be “suggested” that the only way out would be a “lucrative” gas export deal.

The future of this country is beyond what Begum Zia or Sheikh Hasina can deliver. If the leaders wish to demonstrate an inkling of the patriotism they claim in their hearts, they should retire and call it a day. The money is in their bank; now if only our votes would come in…