| Editorial No Nonsense Loyalty to leader versus country Abdullah A. Dewan
MY friends often ask me if my column has created any impression among the top policy makers of the government, as if it is customary to receive feedback from them. How would I know if they even read my column? I always told them: "No -- not yet." But last week, I could say: "Yes -- I did."
On October 3, I received the following e-mail from a person whom I silently admire:
"Dear Dr. Dewan: Though I did not have the opportunity of knowing you personally, I'm an admirer of you and your columns in The Daily Star. I sincerely appreciate your kind feelings about the "---" and myself. My only request to you is that you should keep telling us how to do our job better. Also keep the "---" in your prayers so that we do not stray from our path of serving the nation. With warm regards."
My immediate reply was as follows: "Time now is 2:30am. I stopped writing my next week's article once I saw your e-mail and the generous comments that came with it. I will pray for your success and, to be honest with you, I will not complain if God takes away 5 years of my life and adds to yours only if He keeps you in good health for the good of the country. I am in a far away land -- but never away from home."
Kawser Jamal, an IT expert in Arkansas and long time friend, instantly reacted by praying to God to allow him to give up 5 years of his own life to make up for my sacrifice, possibly because I don't have many years left to give. My wife told me that God, instead of taking 5 years from of either of you, will add more years of life to all three of you.
I am truly blessed that my friends assiduously promote my column. For example, Moshen Farruk, a first rate scientist in New Jersey, and Kawser Jamal, always distribute my articles to their contacts and initiate discourses as we mine for fresh ideas. The addition of a new admirer from the government back home would only make me a better writer -- and possibly take me back to where I belong.
Our country is always in our thoughts. Unfortunately, a few Bangladeshi expatriates in the US and UK see the current government as army rule in disguise. They don't see the creation of an independent judiciary, ACC, PSC, EC and reforms in the police, among others, as signs of progress, which were unachievable under previous governments.
They compare General Moeen U Ahmed with autocrat General HM Ershad. Are all generals created equal?
When we see Moeen speak on issues in seminars and public forums we see a "think tank;" when we see Moeen distribute relief materials to flood victims, we see a man with "charitable disposition;" when we see Moeen in army uniform, we see a smart soldier and a "true patriot." Moeen's antagonists may now take pause after he announced that he had no interest for the presidency.
Our people back home are always in our prayers. When we heard the story that a woman in rags standing in waist-high flood water was bitten by a snake (and died) -- one that was desperately swimming for something to ride on, mistakenly glided onto the woman's body before biting her to death -- we see only the faces of those politicians who pilfered foreign aid instead of spending it for flood prevention.
When we heard the story of a little boy who, crawling in the mud on the flooded backyard of his house, mistakenly touched a snake (folded in concentric circles and resting), got bitten and died, we cursed the ministers, MPs, and public servants who built many houses in cities, summer resorts and bungalows in rural areas or on illegally seized forest land and beaches by siphoning off funds approved for dredging canals and rivers.
And we were dismayed when we learned that 102 former MPs (AL), on October 10, jointly demanded Sheikh Hasina's release before allowing the legal process to impartially review the charges against her.
Former speaker Abdul Hamid said the other day that the government has many jurisdictions on which to release Hasina if it so wishes; and that would make 150 million people happy. Hamid claimed that the entire nation was surprised and shocked at the arrest of Hasina on false and fabricated charges filed by a few conspirators.
What a ridiculous statement! If Hasina's release would make 150 million people happy, as Hamid said, then where would BNP cronies find people to celebrate Khaleda's release?
Mr. Hamid -- time to wake up. The people were surprised and shocked at Hasina's arrest, not because they thought the cases against her were fabricated -- they're surprised because they thought Hasina was untouchable -- and shocked because the charges appear compelling on prima facie reports. That may be the reason Zillur Rahman, Abdul Hamid and others don't want court proceedings of the cases in which Hasina was implicated. The same is true of Khaleda and her cronies.
No one should ever pledge his loyalty and allegiance to a leader instead of the country. Absolute allegiance to a leader leads to cronyism, corruption, murder, homicide, extortion and, ironically, frequently hastens the demise of the leader upon whom these loyalties are placed. Today's BNP and AL politicians stand as testimony to these outcomes for loving their leaders -- not the country.
They say they love their country but, in the Bangladesh context, conducting politics and loving the country appear mutually exclusive. Politics is a form of business in our political realm because politicians invest millions to get elected. Businessmen also invest millions and love their profession, obviously because it brings them money -- politicians have proven that they're no different.
Corrupt politicians, public servants, and businessmen are afraid of the ACC. My friends and I are also afraid. We are afraid that, if the ACC is made dysfunctional by the old politicians, they will rule the country in the old ways.
We are afraid of the politicians who raise their hands, praying to God for their leaders' release from prison. We are afraid that God, in a moment of mercy, will listen to them. And it is that fear which keeps us busy, praying to the same God for maximum incarcerations for their crimes. We have to wait to see whose prayers are answered.
Dr. Abdullah A. Dewan is Professor of Economics at Eastern Michigan University. |
