In the late 1960s, I was posted in Islamabad. In early 1971 I got stuck up in Dhaka (on an official tour). When I went back after a couple of months. I was hurriedly transferred back to Dhaka (to my parent central department), as I was carrying a sample of the Bangladeshi flag (which was officially recognised after the 1971 war of liberation).

Mixing with the then West Pakistanis all over the province for four years, (my VW clocked over 50,000 miles), I got the impression that there was a huge communication and cultural gap between the two wings of Pakistan, and the partition on religious lines was somewhat artificial (there is one Lord for all, anywhere in the globe, and human nature is not much different--in fact we are 99.9 percent the same, as quoted by Clinton in his book).

Now look how we have tried to reassemble the jigsaw puzzle known as Bangladesh game during the three decades. I need not build up the asset and liability list, as our vicious pastime is to indulge in unnecessary debates about non-issues. Our gift of the gab is magnificently misused. Why we cannot produce real national leaders (different from political leaders) during the Bangladeshi period? The cultural hatchery is contaminated! Why the politicians feign to stand apart from the rest of the society, at least in their private lives and avocations? Divided loyalty is our bane.

The post revolution 1970s were turbulent, and we are still paying the price and the compound interest. The nation has been turned into a loan-defaulter, and nobody is taking responsibility for the liabilities, while credit-mongering has scaled up in the black market. When dedication in public activities is suspect, there is no end to troubles and problems. Cynically speaking, we have learnt to live with problems and issues.

In the 1980s, the political leaders went to sleep. Somnambulism? They woke up in 1990, but the sleepwalking symptoms continue. There is an indirect side effect: the drug addiction of the young generation, which will tell when this age group come to rule the country. The future is bleak, without moral shields.

The leaders are suffering from loss of direction, or loss of vision? One is dependent on the other. The political horizon is very limited. No height for foresight and judgement. The standing is sedentary. We are grovelling in the dust. Political sanitation problem. Hanging politics, like hanging latrines! [Sorry for the offensive simile, but it came to mind so easily!]

Forget about the end of the road, and have a closer look at the start of the journey. Flirting in the midstream with infantile pursuits and flirting with destiny. When the time comes, the leader appears. We are very patient while waiting, waiting, and waiting. We are enjoying a holiday for 33 years! Which group should report first for duty? The bosses.