Bangladeshis and their friends

The message from the new world order is clear: The show is over, and Bangladesh has a new, legitimate, long-term government. India’s repeated congratulations notwithstanding, the international community, awoken from its holiday period slumber, is not convinced.

Bangladeshis need someone to care and think about them right now, especially since their leaders from all the political parties quite clearly neither have the intent nor are so inclined.

It is heartening that the people have friends in spite of this, friends beyond the borders of the country. The country’s demand, however, has to be to further its own case, not to allow foreign agendas to take precedence.

The last few times Bangladeshis worked for and towards democracy with foreign assistance or acquiescence, they gave birth to worse evils than the ones they were fighting. In the spirit of lessons being impossible for citizens of this land, this paradise that never was and probably never will be, to comprehend or learn, that grave error will also be repeated in all likelihood.

The international friends will not complain as it does not interfere with their desires. On the other hand, should their words be taken at face value and they are seen to really care about the plight of the Bangladeshis this once, this can be guarded against and the needs of the populace and the nation can become the sole concern.

The UK parliament discussed the current situation in Bangladesh by debating it in the House of Commons on January 16. This is the latest in a spate of such instances of the international community taking an interest in the country.

The US Senate passed a simple resolution on the January 7, the EU followed suit by adopting one on January 16. While certainly an encouraging sign, it is hoped that this is the beginning of a spotlight being shone on an unstable nation desperately in need of attention and assistance, not a case of giving it 15 minutes of fame out of pity.

Bangladesh’s future is wholly reliant on getting its political house in order. Get it right, and a bright future awaits a country full of potential and possibilities, freed from the only thing that is holding it back.

Get it wrong – and this should not be said lightly – and the path ahead is that of a failed state left to rot. The former is undoubtedly preferable, and it now falls upon Bangladeshis and their international friends to work together towards this, working in harmony for the sake of Bangladesh.

This has been the will of the people, and, it has to be believed, the best intentions of the international community. The leaders have, regrettably, betrayed and failed them repeatedly, because they are determined not to share in this common objective.

The crucial question that the citizens need to ask of the foreign powers is whether the noises they are making is any different to the ones they have made in the past. Those resulted in either failed attempts to bring ill-thought plans to fruition, or were rendered completely ineffective.

That the current system is in need of an overhaul cannot be disputed, because in theory, it is supposed to serve the people and exist for them, but does quite the opposite in practice.

Solutions are not going to come by easily, and resistance will come from the quarters – small, but disproportionately powerful – who have benefited greatly from the rampant dysfunction. The starting point needs to be a desire to work for the long-term, followed by a commitment to this cause.

There are no quick fixes for Bangladesh. The failures of the past can be attributed to this fact not being recognised.

Bangladesh, therefore, presents a unique opportunity to two notoriously apathetic groups. The international community has been given yet another chance to act pre-emptively and offer a cure before the cancer metastasises rather than attempt ineffective treatments akin to patching it up with plasters once it has.

Early signs are positive, but it needs to remain vigilant, be attentive towards Bangladesh, and back strong words up with decisive actions that serve Bangladeshis.

The people have been afforded the rare chance to shape their country instead of being consigned to being of no consequence by the intolerable brand of politics Bangladesh has practised.

They have taken tentative steps, but largely remain reluctant. Both need to take this opportunity, for it will not present itself again without a worse crisis. Whether either will remains to be seen.