You know, it's amusing to read all these self-righteous and somewhat sanctimonious advises for the PM, but I hardly read about any useful policy advises these days. I miss the old days of Alochona! Since, no one is starting a policy discussion, and just engaging in petty moral virtues, here are few advises for the PM.
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"It's the Economy, Stupid" - We have double digit inflation and unemployment, almost asinine monetary policies, and no visionary trade policies. The economic policies of the last 15 years has been such that every govt. only looked ahead at the re-election, and not the rejuvenation of the economy for the long haul. In the short-run everything looked peachy, but as Keynes once said, "in the long run, everyone is dead". Here are some "common sense" ways to deal with the economic fiasco that we are in
a) Audit the national budget and immediately eliminate wasteful programs and departments. Create a national budget, as well as, divisional budgets in collaboration with the opposition MPs, so that their districts and divisions are also represented. This will give the new admin an idea as to where and how the money is being generated and spent.
b) Pass laws to create a stock exchange for each division, so that local businesses can go public. We already have Dhaka and Chittagong stock exchanges, but other divisions need to do that as well. These smaller stock exchanges can trade newer financial tools, such as government bonds, municipal bonds, small-cap companies, etc., who don't necessarily have the market power to go national.
c) If I am not mistaken, we have a fixed exchange rate in BD. Floating exchange rate needs to be the official name of the game, and that will re-valuate the currency and its abysmal performance.
d) Since our system is lacking serious "cash flow", so to speak, one idea is to generate enough cash through a social security system. A Social Security system that guarantees retirement payment, regardless of the market condition, is a tremendous and powerful way to encourage savings and generate funds. But collecting social security also requires personal income tax and corporate tax collection, which the govt. has been reluctant to collect.
We have been living on borrowed money and to feed our hunger, the central bank has stupidly flooded the market with newly printed taka (hence the inflation!). Printing new money must stop immediately. There are plenty of ways to establish a new tax code and enforcement mechanism. Tax revenue, plus voluntary social security deduction would ensure that such funds are used in proper ways. Of course, we are notoriously distrustful of our government. So, in a self-policing move, a law needs to be passed that would ensure that any fraud of the social security fund would constitute "treason" and "adverse to public benefit", punishable by life imprisonment and other penalties. Feel free to make examples out of a few politicians. I am sure you would find a few of those greedy bastards in both parties. I digress...
e) Destruction of public property, whether by your cadres or the opposition, is a felony in all civilized nations. It is a shame that even today, we stay silent about riotous mob, pillaging through public and private properties and setting them on fire to prove their points. Make it a national priority that anyone caught with destruction of public or private property would receive severe punishment. See how it works out. You just might be able to save a few hundred million dollars a year.
f) I think, this the most important move that any administration could make to turn around the economy - CONSOLIDATE PARA-MILITARY FORCES. We have way too many para-military forces on our payroll, but not enough police officers to keep civic order. I personally think that the ineffective police department needs to be re-organized under the leadership of the BDR, which has a long track record of protecting our borders and keeping civic order whenever necessary. This would immensely grow the capacity of our police, and BDR would be ordered to take on the role of the police as well. Petty crime is still a problem in BD, and the police has proven to be ineffective to deal with this.
I don't believe that RAB was an effective force. It is a bunch of trigger happy, licensed goons, fashioned after the "moral police", who feel that they are above the law. We need a disciplined, combat ready, civic police who can keep order and protect the civilians. Not wild wild west style commandos with a license to kill.
I can go on with the ideas for the PM...but I am hungry and must sign off...Let's begin the discussion here. Looking forward to hear more ideas from other readers. Let's have a constructive discourse...
Thanks,
Cyrus
From: Mohammad Hossain <MHossain@YorkTech.com>
To: alochona@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Friday, January 23, 2009 11:15:26 AM
Subject: RE: [ALOCHONA] What is your advice to Sheikh Hasina ?
I have a few advice for Hasina:
1. Please stop killing, maiming and up-rooting your political opponents and adversaries; the tide of time will turn before you know it.
2. You are a public servant, the public is not your servant, and you have been elected to serve the public; not your friends, cronies and relatives.
3. Forgiveness is a greater virtue than revenge
4. Don't mix business and pleasure – this can get you in a lot of trouble fast
5. Keep your election promises as much as the available resources permit
6. You are not so important that you have to win every argument. Agree to
disagree.
The last one is the most important advice.
That's all folks!
Nurul Hossain
USA
From: alochona@yahoogroup s.com [mailto:alochona@ yahoogroups. com] On Behalf Of Md.Hasibul Hassan
Sent: Thursday, January 22, 2009 2:49 PM
To: zoglul@hotmail. co..uk; mbimunshi@gmail. com; rehman.mohammad@ gmail.com; mahmudurart@ yahoo.com; farhadmazhar@ hotmail.com; premlaliguras@ hotmail.com; dhakamails@yahoogro ups.com; khabor@yahoogroups. com; alochona@yahoogroup s.com; bdresearchers@ yahoogroups. com; bangla-vision@ yahoogroups. com; mouchakaydheel@ yahoo.com; odhora@yahoogroups. com; ayeshakabir@ yahoo.com; sayantha15@yahoo. com; shahin72@gmail. com; minarrashid@ yahoo.com; history_islam@ yahoogroups. com; jangoonetilleke@ aol.com; editorazad@gmail. com; jason@prio.no
Subject: [ALOCHONA] What is your advice to Sheikh Hasina ?
What is your advice to Sheikh Hasina ?
Your points will be placed to sheikh hasina . |