Ruling party: Think things over

Photo: Dorling Kindersley

Good intentions and good will alone are not enough as truly effective management tools, whether at personal or at state level. What is needed is a comprehensive understanding of actual capacities/resources on hand; money, man and material. It appears that this administration has no dearth of resources of any kind and is capable of handling any and all issues that come in its way.
To a careful observer it is evident that this administration has not taken into consideration these vital aspects in either launching or executing a programme -- large or small. On the other hand, many projects or ventures do indicate lack of planning without due thought on the various pros and cons that would determine the failure or success of the programme.
Take for example two of the most recent moves of the administration aimed at easing the traffic jam in the city and at fixing and revising the CNG fares. With regard to the school bus idea, one wonders as to how the administration plans to ensure that the service is going to be used by school going children. On the very first day of the operation of the service, as reported by the media, buses were carrying large numbers of people who did not appear to be students by a long shot. It is our impression that in time to come this will become yet another addition to the existing public buses, creating additional problems in the already debilitating state of the traffic jam.
On the other hand, implementation of revised fares for CNG-operated three wheelers has already nosedived. Our question is, why is the government fielding monitoring teams now on a post facto basis after lot of hue and cry from the commuters? We have seen that such measures undertaken by concerned authorities on earlier occasions have failed for the same reason. Clearly, the concerned authorities have not taken lessons from the past mistakes.
For all practical purposes, one of the major causes of traffic jams is laxity in traffic control and traffic management by traffic police. We have witnessed innumerable moves taken by the administration, like hauling up of old and unfit vehicles, fake driving licenses so and so forth. They all ended in a fiasco. It was all sound and fury signifying nothing.
Embarking on projects and programmes without sufficient thought, due review and assessment of possible snags that may stand in the way of their implementation has been the hallmark of this administration. People are already heavily burdened by innumerable issues in their lives and living, there is no point in creating additional ones.
Our memory at this moment of time races back to two other decisions of the government -- the introduction of DST and its subsequent withdrawal. We also recall this business of closing down of the CNG filling stations for certain hours of the day and subsequent revisions. Essentially, these ventures did nothing but cause unprecedented miseries for the people. One really wonders as to what brilliant minds were behind such ideas to begin with.
It is our impression that most people are happy with small issues, the fruits of which are readily visible when implemented. The majority of our people do not posses the intellect or the vision to understand or appreciate the long-term benefits of large projects.
The majority of our population is patriotic, and they are happy with whatever little they have. Bangladeshis are a politically highly conscious nation. They need to know what is happening around them. The present regime, like the previous ones, continues to ignore the people of the rural areas where the majority of country's population lives.
Furthermore, the ruling party must not underestimate the intelligence of the people in general. One must realise that the people of today are far more conscious of their rights and privileges compared to those of the '50s, '60s or the '70s. There is a growing resentment against any form of highhandedness, either by the lawmakers or civil servants engaged in the administration at upazilla level and beyond.
The ruling party also has to worry about the continued terror acts and vandalism by its student wing, Chatra League. From the recently held municipal elections one is also likely to surmise that the reason for the ruling party doing badly is the poor interaction with the public of the locality by MPs and other party cadres. The leaders and the MPs more often than not engage themselves in unspecified anti-people activities too. Such actions reportedly have often been harsh and abrasive, incurring unnecessary displeasure of the public.
It is, therefore, our impression that the ruling party would do itself a favour by undertaking an in-depth survey in order to reassess its popularity amongst the people at large between the time it took the reins of power and now. Such a survey should be undertaken simultaneously, not only by the party's select body but also by a reliable independent body -- preferably by a reputed NGO engaged in human development and dealing with people's issues in the rural areas of the country.
It is our understanding that no matter how positive and rosy the scenario may appear to be, discontent is building up amongst the majority of the people. It is high time that the ruling party wakes up and engages itself in in-depth self-criticism aimed at improving its overall performance and arresting the downward swing of its image. People's silence in this country can often be deceiving. Bangladeshis often appear like dead volcanoes, not knowing when they will erupt.
Awami League, the ruling party, is the oldest political party in the country with a credible track record spread over a period of sixty years. However, the truth remains that its glorious history is fast becoming cloudy in the minds of the people. Our rulers must realise that public memory is short and can be deceiving.

Shamsher Chowdhury is a columnist of The Daily Star.