General Moeen's "Food Security of Bangladesh" and the Harsh Reality By Tayeb Husain, Sweden What we say or do has nothing to do with the welfare of the population but for the benefit of a small group, very small indeed, crooked conspicuous consumers with abodes in Banani, Gulshan and DOHS. Many have paid peanut to get it and only by depriving poor people of their agricultural land. These people even do not know that their security is limited and very partially covered, and if not they, their kith and kin always remain at very high risk. ------------------------------ If I remember correctly, it was Lt. General Azam Khan, dictator Ayub Khan's Governor General of the then East Pakistan, clearly and loudly used to say often in public gatherings things like these: "East Pakistani people are the best people on Earth", "Dacca University is the best university in the world" and "S. M. Hall is the finest hall in Asia (and Dacca Hall, Fazlul Huq Hall etc. and so on keeping the venue in mind)". Why the otherwise likeable general talked such a foolish way still I often ponder. But one thing was sure; he certainly touched hearts of certain stupid people, never mind how much silly or vague his utterance could have been. While trying to talk about "Food Security of Bangladesh" what General Moeen U Ahmad, the military chief of Bangladesh army wrote about the country and of the people of Bangladesh, sadly, echoed that of Lt. Gen Azam Khan's words. Bangladesh needs food security, without food no country can survive and I fully agree with General Moeen on this point. But Bangladesh "is the abode of a brave nation", "They don't look for mercy nor do they care for any support", "Bangladesh shall rise with new dreams, new realities, new thinking and new rhythms, the whole world shall admire a new Bangladesh" etc. etc. and all those nonsense he could avoid saying and should have gone straight to the point and said what he wanted to say about the "Food security of Bangladesh", never mind that it is not his arena of direct involvement as the top military man in Bangladesh. Whatever the general said about Bangladeshi people, very sadly, the harsh fact remains that Bangladesh is a corrupt nation without any rule of law, the politicians are corrupt, the bureaucrats are corrupt, the military is equality corrupt and dishonest (I say it clearly and loudly and adding that even the general is no less dishonest and corrupt than Khaleda Zia or Sheik Hasina) and the country is ruled by thugs and thieves, and by admitting it, the general would have said or suggested what could be done on the question of food security under the present circumstances. Then again, what the general said about food security and how to solve the problem is drawing-room chitchat and does not make much sense. Cosmetic surgery does not make a rotten face look beautiful; it gets rotten further and ultimately decomposed. A sick body needs strong dose of correct medicine first to get rid of a fatal disease. A government need not and can not feed everybody as the general said. That is not state's duty either. Government's duty is to execute honestly framed rational rules and regulations, offer practical help vigorously and enthusiastically to the population it governs and get the objectives, whatever that may be, achieved through peoples' own efforts. Of course, government must come to feed the disabled, the sick and the old if they need food and to all starving people when there is a natural calamity or at a time of an unforeseen disaster. Over population in a country is not the cause but the result of poverty, poverty is the outcome of bad management, bad rules and regulations, corruption, thievery and mob rule if not full anarchy. Bangladesh's case is not an exception. A country can never prosper until corruption and bad management are replaced by rule of law, good and honest administration and justice and fair-play to all. So far food production and food security of Bangladesh are concerned government needs to take some very strong measures and of that number one of the strong measures is to make sure that land belongs to him who toils on it. The government should also create a congenial environment in the country where there would be no mastan, no extortionist, no chandabaz and no conspicuous consumers at the cost of the poor villagers. Bangladesh is a country of absentee agricultural land owners. If the general could have told us only this simple truth he would have said much about the most serious and the root cause of our food problem. Organizing the villages, investing heavily on agricultural sector, giving full administrative power to local bodies by abolishing district and uppazilla level 'good for nothing administrations', introducing proportional voting system (for all elections), making army responsible for flood control and solving many other related problems, Bangladesh's food security could be guaranteed. Food is MUST for survival and with guaranteed food other things follow. It is all interlinked and nothing is isolated and as such, doing a little good here without putting any heart on it and some there to whitewash gross pitfalls is nothing but wasting resources and time. Arresting corruption and establishing law and order in the country by the military failed and the corrupt and dishonest people will be coming to power again in December if and when there is an election. The reason is again simple. Those who wanted to cure ills are themselves fully wrapped in it and nobody dares to question their dishonesty and thievery. How they can help? Let us admit that we all are corrupt somehow or other and we seriously lack honesty of purpose. What we say or do has nothing to do with the welfare of the population but for the benefit of a small group, very small indeed, crooked conspicuous consumers with abodes in Banani, Gulshan and DOHS. Many have paid peanut to get it and only by depriving poor people of their agricultural land. These people even do not know that their security is limited and very partially covered, and if not they, their kith and kin always remain at very high risk. And without being honest and serious to ourselves, Bangladesh shall continue to be poor and a vulnerable country, live on charity of other people and "over population" phenomenon shall remain at all times as an excuse for begging alms from the rich countries. Thus, those of us who have big mouths and claim to be brave, please keep quiet and save your own skin. Silence is better than talking nonsense. |
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