One can study the political climate in Bangladesh until one is blue in the face and not arrive at an answer as to what kind of democracy we practice.
In 20 years of democracy the nation has been brought closer and closer to its knees. Given the current trend and that no respite seems imminent one wonders what kind of a nation we will celebrate in 2021 when Bangladesh turns 50.
Corruption has been ingrained into the very fabric of the nation's psyche – so much so that even the youth engaged in good jobs in the private sector providing good pay are indulging in corrupt practices. It's like no matter how much they make, making some more 'under the table' can only make life more fulfilling.
When I and my contemporaries were in our twenties – which was about that many years ago – I believe we all put in an honest days work. We were not paid as much as we would have wanted probably but there was honesty and dignity in what we did and how we did it.
Boys and girls of the same age in 2012 can't seem to be paid enough to warrant keeping their noses clean or feel loyalty to the company they represent. I don't really blame these young people as the whole country seems swamped by people who benefit by practicing outside a moral code.
The mantra to living in this country has become 'morality is for the weak.' Suddenly in Bangladesh it would seem that in light of what's going on around them, there are fewer and fewer people opting for right way to the top – whether it is cutting in line wherever there is a queue, running a red light, taking a right turn from the left most lane, being faithful to consort or company, getting a driver's license, voter ID or passport, or ahead in the game – everyone is looking for the short cut and the quick fix.
This behaviour is becoming contagious and infecting the way we live in this country or run it – everyone is seeking the path to undue rewards.
Sadly someone has to eventually pay; or something has to eventually give. Honest citizens, however rarefied they seem in the milieu, are paying for it the most. These honest citizens can't cut in and are so left behind. Far from earning the respect that would normally be bestowed upon them had they lived in a blooming country, these people are be ridiculed for their 'cheap moral code,' in what is a slow-rotting one.
As I see it, Bangladesh is a dying country and everywhere one looks is moral decay and stupefying decadence; what's more the top politicians are leading from the front and their cronies are trying to bring in the rear.
One has only to look at the news to understand that things are going to be much worse. A minister who allegedly resigned on accusation of corruption against him was reinstated without portfolio the next day, and even when the same allegations have surfaced again he now flatout denies it... yet no heads have rolled. A substantial amount of money has been given out by a single national bank in what are guaranteed bad loans made in full knowledge that the borrowers have no intention of returning the money... yet no heads have rolled. A major infrastructure project could be scrapped because the main donor has detected corruption in the government and its advisers... yet no heads have rolled. A minority community has been attacked and rather than getting to the bottom of it the incident has been milked for cheap political mudslinging... yet no heads have rolled.
And despite all these public cases, the Prime Minister of the country negates ANY corruption in ANY sector of her government, and that too in a world forum... which explains why no heads have rolled.
We have a leader of the government who suffers the ostrich syndrome and does not see or condone as fact any allegations against her or her government as anything beyond an opposition ploy and thus easily dismissible as a conspiracy to malign her government's achievements.
Twenty years vacillating between the frying pan and the fire, the voters should be more aware that nothing good can or will come out of the present stalemate of Awami League of Sheikh Hasina or Bangladesh Nationalist Party of Khaleda Zia – two circumstantial second (third?) grade politicians whose time in the limelight should now (rather than later) be up for the sake of national survival.
Question of the hour is how much longer can the country sustain this battering or do we all succumb to unbridled and unashamed greed to get sucked into what is eventually a one-way street to our nation's destruction albeit paved with the proverbial gold for the select few.
Perhaps things will change and there will be a major shift in how this country has been run. One can only hope in the absence of complete despair. Given the current leadership at the helm of the two major parties and the quality of the leadership around them, there appears little silver lining around the ominous clouds. Couple that with the moral degradation and ill-guided resourcefulness of the up and coming generation, the only hope worth pining for is a sea change.
Looking back at the fragile history of this nation of ours where hope has run supreme but has usually found itself crushed against the hard rock of reality, it is increasing difficult to continue to believe in a brighter future.
I am beginning to wonder whether we are actually kidding ourselves to believe that the glass is half-full when we should resign to the fact that it has actually always been half-empty.
Is there anybody really out there?
In 20 years of democracy the nation has been brought closer and closer to its knees. Given the current trend and that no respite seems imminent one wonders what kind of a nation we will celebrate in 2021 when Bangladesh turns 50.
Corruption has been ingrained into the very fabric of the nation's psyche – so much so that even the youth engaged in good jobs in the private sector providing good pay are indulging in corrupt practices. It's like no matter how much they make, making some more 'under the table' can only make life more fulfilling.When I and my contemporaries were in our twenties – which was about that many years ago – I believe we all put in an honest days work. We were not paid as much as we would have wanted probably but there was honesty and dignity in what we did and how we did it.
Boys and girls of the same age in 2012 can't seem to be paid enough to warrant keeping their noses clean or feel loyalty to the company they represent. I don't really blame these young people as the whole country seems swamped by people who benefit by practicing outside a moral code.
The mantra to living in this country has become 'morality is for the weak.' Suddenly in Bangladesh it would seem that in light of what's going on around them, there are fewer and fewer people opting for right way to the top – whether it is cutting in line wherever there is a queue, running a red light, taking a right turn from the left most lane, being faithful to consort or company, getting a driver's license, voter ID or passport, or ahead in the game – everyone is looking for the short cut and the quick fix.
This behaviour is becoming contagious and infecting the way we live in this country or run it – everyone is seeking the path to undue rewards.Sadly someone has to eventually pay; or something has to eventually give. Honest citizens, however rarefied they seem in the milieu, are paying for it the most. These honest citizens can't cut in and are so left behind. Far from earning the respect that would normally be bestowed upon them had they lived in a blooming country, these people are be ridiculed for their 'cheap moral code,' in what is a slow-rotting one.
As I see it, Bangladesh is a dying country and everywhere one looks is moral decay and stupefying decadence; what's more the top politicians are leading from the front and their cronies are trying to bring in the rear.
One has only to look at the news to understand that things are going to be much worse. A minister who allegedly resigned on accusation of corruption against him was reinstated without portfolio the next day, and even when the same allegations have surfaced again he now flatout denies it... yet no heads have rolled. A substantial amount of money has been given out by a single national bank in what are guaranteed bad loans made in full knowledge that the borrowers have no intention of returning the money... yet no heads have rolled. A major infrastructure project could be scrapped because the main donor has detected corruption in the government and its advisers... yet no heads have rolled. A minority community has been attacked and rather than getting to the bottom of it the incident has been milked for cheap political mudslinging... yet no heads have rolled.And despite all these public cases, the Prime Minister of the country negates ANY corruption in ANY sector of her government, and that too in a world forum... which explains why no heads have rolled.
We have a leader of the government who suffers the ostrich syndrome and does not see or condone as fact any allegations against her or her government as anything beyond an opposition ploy and thus easily dismissible as a conspiracy to malign her government's achievements.
Twenty years vacillating between the frying pan and the fire, the voters should be more aware that nothing good can or will come out of the present stalemate of Awami League of Sheikh Hasina or Bangladesh Nationalist Party of Khaleda Zia – two circumstantial second (third?) grade politicians whose time in the limelight should now (rather than later) be up for the sake of national survival.
Question of the hour is how much longer can the country sustain this battering or do we all succumb to unbridled and unashamed greed to get sucked into what is eventually a one-way street to our nation's destruction albeit paved with the proverbial gold for the select few.Perhaps things will change and there will be a major shift in how this country has been run. One can only hope in the absence of complete despair. Given the current leadership at the helm of the two major parties and the quality of the leadership around them, there appears little silver lining around the ominous clouds. Couple that with the moral degradation and ill-guided resourcefulness of the up and coming generation, the only hope worth pining for is a sea change.
Looking back at the fragile history of this nation of ours where hope has run supreme but has usually found itself crushed against the hard rock of reality, it is increasing difficult to continue to believe in a brighter future.
I am beginning to wonder whether we are actually kidding ourselves to believe that the glass is half-full when we should resign to the fact that it has actually always been half-empty.
Is there anybody really out there?
No comments:
Post a Comment