Governing in crisis proves the mettle of leadership

Satisfactory handling is the sign of a good leader. Photo: Gettyimages

Ominous crises of mythic proportions have taken hold over the country, breaking down hopes and aspirations of the people. Foremost among them is the simmering political crisis. The administration, leaders of political parties and their operators do not act on the basis of rational discussion and orderly action. The rule of reason or a consensus seems to be an illusion. They continue to be the guiding spirit in newspapers, public speeches of the leaders and seminars.
Both the treasury and the mainstream opposition party MPs took an oath that they would jointly work for the welfare of the country regardless of their political differences, but this has been honoured more in breach than in compliance. People and government are swept away by events that are uncontrollable and push the government to the brink of a disaster
Floods in the north of the country along with river erosion and cyclones Sidr and Aila in the south resulted in deaths, heavy crop losses and total destruction of dwellings. Post- calamity recovery in these regions has not proceeded in the way it demanded.
On the other hand, the force of events and pressure from powerful blocks has led the government to shift policies too frequently. Reports published in leading dailies on "World Trade: Mobility of Chittagong Port" indicated that the container handling capacity of the Chittagong port has come down to an all-time low because of dilly-dallying and interference in selecting berth operators.
BGMEA President Salam Murshedi told the conference that garment exporters had to spend Tk.2,000 crore extra as freight charges. This does not augur well for the country, because this extra expenditure will have spill-over effect on the economic health of the industry, especially in the payment of wages to the RMG workers.
People running the state seem to be sailing a boat that they think won't capsize. They look quite calm in the face of dark clouds hovering on the horizon. Some of them say that they inherited corruption, tender business and politicisation from the past government, and they hasten to add that nothing drastic can be done to rid the country of this malaise, forgetting the fact that this government came to power promising big changes in the affairs of the state.
Admittedly, there are crises, which are deepening day by day because of our indifference and callousness. For instance, traffic congestion could be reduced appreciably by introducing some fast trains between Narayanganj and Tongi, with stoppages at important crossings in the city. But this aspect was never attended to although traffic-handling authorities have been making unending experiments with buses and other transports plying on the road.
Callousness, incompetence and apathy of the concerned department or ministry have only added to people's suffering. A bridge over the Padma and smooth ferry service at Mawa and Paturia, connecting Dhaka with 23 southern districts, are vital for the growth of business and the livelihood of a large number of people.
A report in The Daily Star on October 3 said that 600 vehicles remained stranded at Mawa for about a week as 6 out of 12 ferries were out of order. Apart from the acute suffering of the people travelling by road, food items and perishable goods will get spoiled if they reach Dhaka after such delays on the road.
There can be no second thought about improving railway service to attain faster economic growth, expand business activities and eradicate poverty. Years of neglect and lack of investment have taken toll on the railway.
Dr. A.M.M. Safiullah, immediate past vice-chancellor of Buet and a civil engineer of repute, said: "All previous governments mainly focused on the development of road networks and did not invest in railway when it was necessary. But railway is the most efficient mass transport system, and taking Bangladesh's geographical layout and high density of population into consideration, it is specially ideal for us. The main advantage of railway is that it can carry a huge number of passengers and big amount of goods, ten times more than a bus, other than the fact that it cuts down energy demands, pollution and operational cost. Moreover it is hazard-free when viewed in the context of deaths due to road accidents."
The revealing report made public by the Buet Accident Research Institute (ARI) said that every year 12,000 deaths are caused by road crashes.
However, the communication minister's disclosure that the present government has taken up massive programmes at a cost of Tk.6,000 crore for the development of the railway sector, which includes purchase of locomotives and passenger coaches, is highly encouraging. From the cattle cart to other modes of transports, the way people transport themselves is an indicator of a country's progress.
The crisis in the electricity front has hit everybody -- rich and poor, industrial entrepreneurs and farmers in the field -- alike. There is a reluctance to invest in new projects because of power shortage. But investment is the lifeblood that keeps an economy moving, and it has remained ominously static during the past several years.
Despite the government's call to foreign investors, the investment climate rather looks bleak. Foreign investors once drawn to the country's cheap labour prospects are perhaps having second thoughts. Few investors will risk being put in a politically heated biosphere. The impact of this gradual but critical slowdown is being felt at the most personal level. It is beginning to cost people their jobs -- job loss is now close to 20 million -- every single one of them devastating many more lives.
At the moment, the ruling party and the opposition are caught in a political feud of unusual dimension. The opposition allegedly wants to create a crisis and dissension in the country on the issues of war crimes trial, annulment of the 5th amendment to the Constitution, and restoration of the 1972 Constitution by the apex court. They tend to forget the cardinal issue that triggered the boody warfare between the Pakistani rulers and freedom loving Bangalees.
Leadership in such a paramount crisis is a super-human quality that must be called into play. There is no second thought or a shadow of doubt about the fact that almost all crises are consequences of the blunders we had committed earlier. There is a necessity for grasping the future implications of present events and forestalling any catastrophe.
Historical records are galore with instances where great leaders imbued with statesmanship and pragmatism played very crucial roles and saved their countries from ignominy in the face of challenges. Looking back to America, we can see that Abraham Lincoln, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and Truman owe their reputation to their leadership during crises.
Hopes for early reconciliation of the festering problems and feuds seem to be dying. But people's expectation runs high, urging the leaders in the ruling party to face the responsibilities and unify the country in the face of miltant activities and the sinister conspiracies of the anti-liberation forces.
That needs leaders imbued with pragmatism, statesmanship and vision. If the rot does not stop immediately, the ghouls and ghosts of the country's troubled past will have won the day. So the leadership must act, and act now and in the right direction.

Md. Asadullah Khan is a former teacher of physics and Controller of Examinations, BUET. E-mail : [email protected]