The storm and the ostrich
One of the many interesting disclosures about Bangladesh politics by the whistleblower of secret American diplomatic cables, Wikileaks, in a recent release claimed that a few months after the incumbent Awami League-led grand alliance had taken office, the Commerce Minister Faruk Khan offered a piece of good advice to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. It was that unless the government did some good work, the opposition may be voted into office in the next election, and in that case they (that is, leaders of incumbent government) might have to end up in jail.
The official circles, the opposition and members of the intelligentsia may openly take the Wikileaks revelations about Bangladesh politics with a grain of salt. But in confidence they may have a different view. Only the commerce minister knows whether what has been reported by the Wikileaks about him is true or not. Whatever the case, let us assume that he really uttered those wise words before the prime minister. In that case, it was certainly a flash of great wisdom and farsightedness on his part and, given his characteristic style of speaking we know of from his recent comments, that was indeed enlightening. And such a realisation at an early stage of the government, and more significantly, just after a massive victory in the polls! If truth be told, that kind of realisation is something very rare among our politicians. The prime minister must have listened with great interest to his valuable advice.
It is this amazing aspect of the statement, as attributed to the commerce minister by the Wikileaks that has left many wondering. But what happened afterwards?
Now the common people to their utter dismay see that in the face of runaway price hike of essential commodities, he is uttering words that have drawn a lot of public opprobrium. If the Wikileaks is correct, is it the same commerce minister, one wonders?
It may well be that the minister and his cabinet colleagues think otherwise. And from their complacent attitude, it appears that they are not worried in the least about their performance. If that was not the case, how could the communications minister remain so unperturbed after a series of road tragedies among which one claimed the lives of two media celebrities? And look at another of his cabinet colleagues, who believes the driving of a motorised vehicle is a domain that has nothing to do with training and education. The man in the street is simply flabbergasted. God help the hapless travellers.
A conclusion that can be drawn from our ministers' attitude is that they are all sacrosanct and cannot do any wrong. And now that the prime minister has herself given them the benefit of doubt, they would be in no hurry to be upset by any public criticism about their performance. For now, the burden of proof would rest on the complaining people, not on the government leaders!
Our culture, work culture, to be specific, has an element of immunity to it. And that is true of those who have money and power. They can do anything and get away with it. And if the power emanates from politics, then there is none to challenge it. The wall of impunity is also the stronger there.
There is never an instance of a minister or any government functionary taking the responsibility for any lapse under his watch, much less of stepping down from office.
We claim that it is a democracy and it is the sacred duty of the people to cast their votes for electing their representatives in parliament. But as soon as they complete this ritual after every five years, their responsibility ends there. The members of parliament, the luckier ones among them being those who may find favour with the Leader of the House are poised to get the top job of a minister, the ultimate prize.
That is all about our democracy. Here the common voters' job is to empower the politicians with their votes and then go to retirement. And in the process, power is transferred from the people to their representatives, so much so that the people become powerless. They cannot anymore hold their representatives, the members of parliament (MP), to account. They are to watch helplessly as their representatives, far from being sympathetic to their sufferings would rather like to ride roughshod over them. Hence this culture of impunity and it is so endemic among our politicians in power.
The people have become a universal sink. Whatever you say in their name goes. There is none to verify.
The words of wisdom ascribed to the Commerce minister by the Wikileaks are now history. But history is also not always dead.
If someday it so happens that history decides to speak up at the most inopportune time and our politicians are caught unawares!
With our politicians' faces dug deep in the sand like an ostrich, they cannot see the storm gathering on the horizon. But does that make any difference to the storm?
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