A Cup of Hope
By
Masud Rana (NRB)
Seattle, WA, United States
I visited Bangladesh twice in just over a year, since the historic
Jan. 11.
Twice I returned to the States unwillingly and with unwavering
expectations to return
to Bangladesh for the next earliest trip. I am going back this
summer -- again.
I wanted to share my joy of going back to Bangladesh with you, hoping
you'd feel the same way for our newly rejuvenated Desh under a clear,
blue sky full of hope and joy, which existed under the chokehold of
greed and corruption for a long, long time.
So, here it is.
I saw glints of hope, carefree laughter, and fearlessness among the
very common people of Bangladesh. They are simply a rickshawalla, a
dokandar, chotta betti, part-time maid, or a driver.
They all have a common opinion about the new caretaker Government
(CTG) -- that there are no more strikes, no more rahajani, churi-
batpari. Or at least not the way it used to be not too long ago.
They know that how the country has been robbed of its resources and
potentials through the network of corruption and exploitation of
previous governments. They know that it had to stop. They know that
this desh needed a change. They know that desher manush, people of
Bangladesh, had nowhere to go to. They know that a new sarkar,
government, needed to come.
And came the new government under the visionary leadership of Dr.
Fakruddin Ahmed.
My first impression of Bangladesh during my both visits as soon as I
landed at ZIA International was that to instinctively feel welcome
and safe and cherished by the sweet air of change in Bangladesh.
I can never duplicate that feeling, that moment of joy and melody.
It's a good thing. It ought to be.
Since independence, we have experienced governments awash with greed,
corruption, and absolute power. Since independence, we have
squandered opportunities to build a very, very prosperous nation with
all of our resources. Since independence, we have grown to have
pigeonholed our own political views. Since independence, we have
been forced to live under the choking pressure of extortion, bribery,
and corruption. Since independence, we knew nothing but to survive.
Now is the time to prosper. We have nothing to look back, nowhere to
turn to but to move forward, and look ahead. And do it together.
And without boro, boro kotha and backbiting, the achilles heel of our
very nature.
Since Dr. Ahmed took control of a very volatile nation at a very
critical juncture, the people of the country have experienced some
noticeable changes. These changes are the precursors to a monumental
recovery and prosperity we have waiting for a very long time. No
government has given us this strong a hope for prosperity and
recovery without the fear of greed and corruption. This hope is as
sweet as an ek peyala cha at the Romanar Botomul, or by the Dhanmondi
Lake, or at a street corner cha-er dhokan.
We should savor this taste. But we must also act and we can't afford
to sit back too long before the aroma of the sweet savory cha is lost
in oblivion.
Let's all stand behind Dr. Ahmed and help him pull the nation
through. Since Jan. 11, when this government led us into a new
course, I have heard, however unfortunately, among our constituents
and NRBs the doubts and fears about the intentions, end goals, and
achievability of the initiatives this CTG has taken so far.
This is not productive but sad and reflective of our own mentality.
As brilliant and talented as Dr. Ahmed is, his intentions are
absolutely grand. Whether they are feasible in the long run, we have
to see and work through it. Yes, not all initiatives could be
feasible and achievable immediately but they have potential and
values. If our native sons/daughters of previous governments could
literally build multi-billion dollar business empires abroad with
people's money then it is time we should build infrastructure and
institutions for our own and on our own with the leadership of Dr.
Ahmed.
Let's embrace him instead of pushing him away. He and his team of
leaders are only human and can do so much. Let's give them a
chance. Aladdin's magic lamp cannot even fix the problems of
Bangladesh this CTG has inherited for just over a year. Let this
government assess the wounds first.
We gave chances to our previous native sons and daughters. And we
have seen what happened there. We have seen how private empires had
risen up with enormous power, exploitation, greed, and corruption.
The people of Bangladesh gained little. The country gained little.
But those private empires gained so much and grown so higher that
they had to topple to the ground.
Now is the time to build again. We clear the ground, build new and
stronger foundations and build again. Not to topple but to stand
apart.
A movie I have seen in the US recently about redemption, courage, and
hope. There was a tag line, which I don't remember exactly but the
meaning of it is there is always a way to be good again.
Now is the time for us to be good again.
[Disclaimer: ALOCHONA Management is not liable for information contained in this message. The author takes full responsibility.]
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