by F R Chowdhury
In my retired life I do get some free time that enables me to write on some of the national issues that I feel very important and relevant. However, for last two weeks I have been busy with some of my professional work. It is after a long time that I have been given an assignment to go to Philippines to assist them in implementing the Seafarers’ Training and Certification Convention for which I have been undertaking some preparation.
However, I could not keep my eyes away from national events. Only recently I wrote an article about our foreign ministry that has been damaged beyond repair by unprofessional party thugs. Actually it has been damaged by our politicians. This is the reason I have decided to write something about the politicians.
Diplomats are known to use diplomatic language. The language normally does not hurt anyone. The diplomats try to remain positive in their words. They never rule out any possibility. Diplomats want to make or win friends but do not to lose friendship or make enemies.
Similarly the politicians are supposed to be responsible and dignified people. They are expected to think twice before they speak. They normally do not speak about any matter that is sub-judice, in other words under judicial process. Even on other matters they are careful in use of their language in case they are proved wrong later. Cabinet members normally avoid talking about or passing remarks on matters that are not within the purview of their own ministry. They will, with a smile on their face, say to ask the relevant minister. In general political matters normally the prime minister, party secretary general and whip are likely to speak. They are expected to highlight party’s political programs and achievements but avoid talking about other parties except when there is clear ground to criticise other parties’ programs as non-productive or counter-productive. Personal references are carefully avoided.
All major political parties should have spokesperson for important ministries nominated by the party leader. This will be something like the shadow cabinet in the United Kingdom. It will be the duty of the spokesperson to conduct full scale research of the relevant ministry as to how it could be better organised, administered and developed. These ideas and concepts could be made public through the parliament or press conferences. This sort of constructive criticism helps achieve better results for the nation. It should also be the duty of such spokesperson to point out wrong decisions or actions of the Government. Let a spokesperson speak in the field of his/ her expertise. The nation will be benefited.
At this moment I remember two words often used by our Finance Minister – bogus and rubbish. Most of our politicians talk bogus and rubbish. Each of them wants to speak on every possible subject to show that s/he knows everything. In the process they prove themselves stupid. I am sorry to start with the Prime Minister. It was about a year back the prime minister said about the then leader of the opposition “She drinks all night and then sleeps up to mid-day next day. She does not say any prayers”. Certainly it was not decent on the part of the prime minister to utter those words. Then there were the most unwanted references to Pakistan. The Prime Minster, Mr. Mahmud and Sk. Selim were calling for sending Mrs. Khaleda Zia to Pakistan. At one stage Sk. Selim even asked for all diplomats based in Dhaka to be sent to Pakistan.
Once the election was over, the BAL (Bangladesh Awami League) leaders started talking about how BNP (Bangladesh Nationalist Party) lost their chance. It is a supposed to be a matter of concern for BNP whether their strategy was right or not. So far BAL is concerned, they should be happy that they availed the opportunity for an easy win. Instead the statements like – “Golapi is now on the train”, “they got into the train for Pakistan” etc. etc. were shameful and disgraceful.
Latest utterances have crossed all previous limits. The prime minister has said that Khaleda Zia should perform “Touba”. Then she said that Khaleda Zia had licked what she spat out. I could not think of such things even in dreams. Not even Idi Amin or Robert Mugabe ever said such things about their opponents. Allah must have been very displeased with us to give us a Leader such as our prime minister. As a nation we must reform ourselves and get to the path of Allah and Rasool. Then only we can expect change.
I remember having read a very nice article by Mr. Abdul Maqsud about decency and courtesy. I would appeal to our politician to learn from there and be more civilized. It is important to be educated. We have to know how diplomats and politicians behave in the civilized world. Democracy is never safe in the hands of stupid that talk bogus and rubbish. Please maintain decency, courtesy, protocol and decorum. Let us create decent political climate. Let us help make Bangladesh a truly civilized and democratic country.
London, 24-Feb-14 <[email protected]>
Our current Prime Minister has basically set the tone for everything that is ugly and indecent in political language a long time ago and with every passing day, she is getting worse.
A useful comparison between our two lady leaders may this – while one is a housewife who talks like a politician, the other is a politician who talks like a housemaid!
Agreed with ADK. I guess he meant typical Bangladeshi housemaid, not a French housemaid.
I don’t know how our nation would achieve a true democratic and civilized society and how long it may take for general citizen to understand the true democracy and to kick out dynastic politics and corrupt politicians who talk bogus and rubbish. I feel hopeless about the present situation. You seem very right sir to say that “Allah must have been very displeased to give such a leader as our Prime Minister”. Though I am not a fan of BNP or Khaleda Zia (based on her last rule) but Sheikh Hasina has crossed all rules of decency…
She has removed the care-taker GOV system from the Constitution…The same system which gave her the election victory and power. It seems to me that she is trying to eliminate the opposition parties slowly and established one rule….like her father tried long time ago…
It is sad that we have a working government without any honest & educated person. People at the top levels are too busy filling up their own bank accounts & too busy blaming opposition for anything & everything. We should have a law where it will see a new leader every 4 years & same person should only occupy supreme power for a duration of 4 years. That way we can reduce our sufferings. Prime minister has ruined the last bit of good name that her father left behind. Nothing last for ever so it is just a matter of time before she faces her own demons.
I thank the author, Mr. F. R. chowdhury, and the responders for addressing the issue. They all have one thing in common, frustration. As a nation, we must shun frustration and stand up to the task of hootting her off the national stage to save the country by constant rebuke and other means. The entire rulling clique has similar mentality and talks the same way. Their standard, as has been remarked by ADK, is no better than ‘housemaid’ or ‘houseboy’ (with due respect to the professional maid or the boy). Our country definitely deserves better leadership than this!
The head of the government. talks like a slum dweller and the other lady talks like an illiterate and possessive matron. The thugs and the morons who sit in Jatyio Shangshad are worst kind of human specimen. How can you expect any better? It is frustrating, but, I am sure better days are just around the corner!
Bangladesh is getting what it deserves. When one leaves the way prescribed by the creator, Allah (swt), and persues all the wrong ways prescribed by human beings with very little knowledge, Allah (swt), the all powerful and all supreme, imposes such worthless leadership on a nation. This is all according to His declared promise in the holy Qur’an.The way out is very obvious.