The New Nation - Internet Edition

Dr. M. S. Haq

The initial thrust of very first behaviors reportedly associated with the government led by PM Hasina has generated, among other things, hopes and expectations of various types and dimensions among Bangladeshis and others, to whom it may concern - relative to time, space and other variables, though. The structural and the non-structural faces of newly formed cabinet and the reported attempts towards coping with national priorities from day one by the new government are among factors apparently responsible for forming the critical mass of very first impressions given to Bangladeshis and others by the government. It is fine. Congratulations!

In the midst of above developments, it is apparent, though, the fringe spaces of those impressions are - as at today, 8th day of January 2009 - not immune to concerns emanating from factors such as and as appropriate - presented below in a question form: One, whether or not the country will be able to harness - in the full interest of all concerned and in the best interest of all concerned - maximum potentials of a significantly large ruling party vis-à-vis a small opposition party in the parliament during the tenure of present government?

Two, to what extent and how the consequences of for example, ongoing inter-political party strife will affect the realization of election manifestos between now and the foreseeable future? Who will be the beneficiaries? What will be the size of suffering population? How long Bangladesh will allow the culture of political revenge-taking to continue and at what costs?

What will be the role of unproductive and isolation-centered political behaviors, as well as practices of the past in the country's upcoming system of governance?

Three, how best and quickest Bangladesh will be able to cope with uncertainties associated say, the future of Bangladesh in the next 5 years?

Four, how best and quickest the government will be able to cope with the country's average deficit in areas say, fairness, justice, truth, trust, confidence, competence, entrepreneurial skills, transparency and accountability?

How best and quickest the country's political mindsets and practices will - in practical terms - be able to rise on the occasion in favor of say, justice for all in Bangladesh and the world at large? One of the AL ministers - while talking recently to the electronic media people - declared inter alia a thorough investigation into corruption that had made Bangladesh the lead corrupt country for three times during the last BNP-Jamaat government will be held in future. But he apparently fell short in mentioning to the media people about the holding of a thorough investigation into corruption that had made Bangladesh the lead corrupt country for the first time during the tail end of AL government, prior to the BNP-Jamaat government. Further, he was not apparently very clear while mentioning to the media people about the holding of a thorough investigation of corruption during the caretaker governments in the immediate past and during the just departed army-supported government.

In light of above and other contemporary concerns, a few of the expectations have been presented below and they are inter alia relative to time, space and other variables, as appropriate.

1. It is expected the outcome of effort towards meeting priorities - such as the price control - will not result in inter alia: (i) diverting attentions and resources of Bangladesh from other areas of need. I am referring here to those areas of need, whose fulfillment could (help) sustain for example, the reduced price at a level mutually beneficial to all concerned under all possible circumstances and on a continuous basis; (ii) failures associated with providing the maximum price relief to at least those who are in dire need of that; (iii) providing a temporary price relief to people at the cost of say, future losses, anticipated or not, having multi-disciplinary ramifications against the backdrop of developments such as global recession and BOP limitations; and (iv) creating barriers for the market to attain a 'tolerable equilibrium' with the help of say, political will and people's support. It is also expected the outcome of subsidy management will be instrumental in inter alia eliminating hunger - at least two full meals for all hungry Bangladeshis in a sustainable manner, reducing poverty in a significant fashion, empowering the poor with functional education and promoting productivity in relevant sectors of economy - including the informal sector of economy.

The bottom line is: things like, piece meal solutions to problems or solving problems without considering for example, the matrices of cause, effect and causality pertaining to those problems over any given period of time or solving problems with tunnel visions or solving problems without a proper use of inter-disciplinary mechanics (used in an engineering sense) or offering ownership starved solutions to problems would not - either alone or in combination with others, as applicable - be instrumental in inter alia strengthening the base of development upon which to promote the future of Bangladesh at a continually higher rate, both within and beyond the term of present government.

2. It is expected the formulation of strategies - on for example: (i) a progressively incremental and low cost use of sea water for domestic, agricultural, industrial and other purposes; (ii) a full, meaningful and quick domestication (I would like to call it in that way) of for example, solar energy as the reliable and affordable power source for domestic, commercial, industrial and other purposes; (iii) cultivation of energy conservation culture through say, good energy saving practices and popularization of the use of energy saving equipment and appliances; (iv) a productive and environment friendly use of spaces over say, the land and the sea for shelters, food production, storage and other possible purposes; (v) promotion of inter-disciplinary education, research, development and engineering for say, achieving a sustainable and continually expanding job markets for Bangladeshis in an ever competitive universe; (vi) promotion of problem solving culture based on for example, inter-disciplinary and ICT (intensification of the ongoing effort towards digital Bangladesh, etc.) approaches - at policy, program, implementation, control and other levels; (vii) promotion of biomedical engineering and technology plus genomics through for example, future health policies of Bangladesh; (viii) promotion of population and purchasing power parities; and (ix) promotion of moral high grounds for the development of self and societies; will (help) enable Bangladesh to intensifying, within next three to four years, its effort towards solidifying, in a competitive and result-oriented fashion, the country's position in an progressively reintegrating world. One of the underlying assumptions here is: Bangladesh is, in an average sense, a late comer to - what I would call - the preparatory school of global reintegration. In that respect, it is expected the change of government in future will not become a barrier to the reintegration effort in the best interest of Bangladesh and for that matter the world at large.

3. It is expected the recent appointment of two of PM Hasina's lawyers respectively as the country's law minister and the country's home minister and their contributions to, as applicable, the judiciary and the criminal justice system will be instrumental in inter alia facilitating the protection, preservation and promotion of independence of judiciary in real terms and at an accelerated rate of progression - enabling the judiciary to deliver the right justice at the right time and cost to all concerned including inter alia the paupers, PM Hasina, PM Khaleda and the DGFI, without any fear or favor, without violating human rights, without constraining Principles of Natural Justice, without violating constitutional rights of any person in pertinent areas, without creating any bad precedence deliberately or for wrongful purposes and in corruption free, as well as confidence laden environments. It will not be out of place to mention here: a continuity of corruption associated with for example, the misuse and the abuse of state power - whether or not resulting in direct or indirect financial transactions or financial benefits or both at individual, group and other levels - could derail, in a significant way, the process for change for better in Bangladesh through the foreseeable future.

4. It is expected an increasingly frequent and productive use of mindsets, methods, measures and machines (used in a wider sense) associated with the domain of recycle and with the domain of elimination of wastage at various levels of Bangladesh will - under a solid constitutional regime - be instrumental in inter alia generating additional internal resources, maximizing production economy and promoting elements of sustainability, all in pursuits of drawing the maximum per capita benefit for Bangladeshis - from say, change for better initiatives - on a continuous basis.

5. It is expected the future foreign policy of Bangladesh will be - in a sense - a balanced, result-oriented, objectively matured, dynamic, sensitive, proactive, reactive, operationally effective, innovative, all weathered (at all times), futuristic and user-friendly product of needs and expectations of Bangladeshis in areas for example, peace, stability, rights (including inter alia human rights), trade, investment, economic emancipation, environment, defense (including inter alia development and marketing of anti-WMD weapons), security (including inter alia anti-terrorism), better governance (including inter alia a better and accountable management of external assistance), interdependence and globalization. It is also expected both program and project approaches, as well as techniques having comparative, competitive and other advantages for Bangladesh will, among other things and as required, be used to manage the foreign policy and foreign policy renewals between now and the future. It will not be out of place to mention here: one of the contemporary foreign relations challenges for Bangladesh is: how best and quickest the effort towards friendship with all (including inter alia say, Israel) could be transformed into timely, useable and result-generative opportunities for progress and prosperity of Bangladesh and for the universe at large?

6. It is expected the government will explore further and exploit further - in an aggressive and productive fashion - existing and evolving opportunities associated with the country's construction industries and for that matter the real estate developers - both private and public at home (for example, UDDL, Concord, Asset) and in abroad - in pursuits of for example, creating mass employment opportunities for Bangladeshis, increasing the supply of Bangladeshi construction workers in export markets, creating additional national assets and enlarging choices of say, the core poor in areas of sustainable livelihoods, to mention a few.

7. It is expected Bangladesh will soon embark on an image (I mean, the country's image) promotion mission throughout the world - in an effective, efficient, truthful and result provoking manner - aiming at for example, attracting and sustaining anti-poverty opportunities for Bangladeshi poor.

The last word: let us - including inter alia the media (print, electronic, others) - work towards advancing, in a sustainable manner, the future of Bangladesh and for that matter the future of universe through the present day apparent reality of change, transformation and relativism, among other things.

It now appears - based on my current knowledge and information - the bio-data of foreign minister Dr. Dipu Moni - that was appeared recently on the 'number one' English daily of Bangladesh - did not contain a hundred percent correct information. I believe the bio-data of political appointees (such as members of cabinet, members of constitutional bodies) should, from now onwards, be shared - in a timely manner and through a standardized format - with people of Bangladesh and others by say, the government and concerned others.