National interest first

They need but do not get. Photo: Amdadul Huq / Drik News

ALTHOUGH good solutions are more important than good speeches, the address delivered by Chief Adviser (CA) Dr. Fakhruddin Ahmed put an end to the long-drawn debates and speculations over the dates for the parliamentary and upazila parishad ballots.
There are plenty of reasons for everyone, including the political parties and businessmen, to feel happy about the announcement of the dates for the stalled elections. According to the CA's announcement, the general elections will be held on December 18 and the elections to local village and town councils will be held in two phases -- on December 24 and 28, which, according to major political parties, can distract the full attention of the Election Commission (EC) and the government from the parliamentary elections.
The CA did not clarify the issue of the withdrawal of the emergency, nor did the EC clarify its commitment with regard to registration of political parties and redrawing of constituencies.
The people expect the political parties, the government, and the democratic institutes to offer a positive agenda and get things done for the country.
The fact of change is more important than the feeling of change. Since the imposition of emergency on January 11, 2007, the government of Fakhruddin Ahmed had undertaken a number of schemes for political and electoral reforms and detained over 200 leading politicians on graft charges, but there was suspense clouded with suspicion and uncertainty regarding the journey toward democracy.
Mentioning the previous anarchic situation, Fakhruddin hoped that with the support of the people and sincere cooperation from the political parties Bangladesh could establish real democracy.
To reach a consensus on basic national issues, shunning all negative and destructive politics, everyone will have to work with unity and amity to establish a congenial and stable atmosphere so that the nation can come out from the vicious grip of terrorists and corrupt elements.
He expressed his optimism that the next elected government would strengthen the institutional reform process that has been initiated by his government.
If we put the country's interest first, the CA's address to the nation has some merit. If we continue to operate as political operatives, rather than as dutiful citizens of the country, we will continue to wage the same old battles against the same old enemies with the same outcome. We are fighting on the battlefield of their choosing, in which they possess all the advantages.
National interest cannot be achieved by settling old scores, extracting vengeance for past wrongs, and demonising those with whom we disagree. History operates its own court of justice, and vengeance is the enemy of progress.
National interest is not an ideology, and not the possession of a single cabal of self-appointed imperialists. It is not achieved by substituting consensus for principle. It is not bipartisanship for its own sake, or in pursuit of bad policy.
The national interest of Bangladesh is the product of its glorious national history. Equal rights for all, sustainable democracy, economic opportunity, respect for the constitutional guarantees (including habeas corpus), regulation of market excess, natural heritage and environment, fairness, justice, and balanced government are all in the national interest.
On the other hand, concentrated wealth, fear of terrorism, theocracy, empire building, corruption in government and politics, arrogant and ignorant executives, and violation of civil liberties always put the country in many difficulties.
Today, people are living in a planet without borders/ boundaries because any change of one element has an impact on other elements in the world. Good foreign policy can help to protect a country's national interest, national security, ideological goals and economic goals.
The foreign policy of Bangladesh is tied closely to the realities of its economic condition. Since independence in 1971, the country has required a great deal of foreign assistance in the effort to keep its people fed and to build, for the first time, a modern society.
Despite its poverty and small military capability, Bangladesh has not hesitated to defend its sovereignty and to take strong stands on many international issues.
In the geopolitical sphere, Bangladesh has prestige and influence in the world. It is the fourth largest Muslim democratic country in the world. It is rich in historical heritage, cultural traditions and natural beauty.
Apart from various active roles in the UN organisations, Bangladesh is playing a vital role in regional organisations like Saarc, Asean and OIC. In UN peacekeeping operations, Bangladesh is still the top troop contributing country in the world.
The CA will address the 63rd UNGA on September 26. In addition, he will attend high-level meetings of the Commonwealth heads of government, on millennium development goals, on Africa's development needs and on malaria.
He will have interviews with Time magazine and BBC, as well as interaction with local media. His last address to the UNGA, on September 27, 2007, covered the climate change issue and Bangladesh's participation in different UN organisations.
In his 15-minute address, he had neither mentioned anything about the legacy of democracy in the country nor even a word about the glorious democratic struggles of the people in the pre-independence and post-independence days or about the victory of people's struggles against the military dictatorships and quasi-military rules in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s.
But his recent address to the nation brought new inspiration in the march of attaining total development of the country's progress and prosperity. And people expect that he and the future leaders of Bangladesh will put more positives agendas in front of them, rather than doing anything that goes against national expectations or interests.

Ripan Kumar Biswas is a freelance writer based in New York. He can reached at: [email protected].