Daily Times

The aim of politics is public service, in a larger sense national service. And the leaders and activists of political parties will move ahead with this goal in mind, this is expected. Reviewing the biographies of elite politicians, the history of indulgence without sacrifice is rare.

The undisputed leader of Bengali, including Maulana Bhasani, the voice of the oppressed, and politicians from the remote areas of rural Bengal, who are remembered with respect by people, do not have a history of luxury in their lives, so why are the so-called politicians who claim to be their followers so intoxicated with luxury? When the lives of politicians are glorified by sacrifice, why is there so much fuss about wealth and power in today’s era?

Even though the severity of Covid-19 has been controlled by the virtue of science, before its economic damage is overcome, the whole world is facing a new disaster in the Ukraine crisis today. Meeting the basic human needs in the cost of living has become a big challenge today. In a country like Canada, the unsustainable rise in commodity prices is making civilian life unbearable.

Three-dollar milk is six dollars, eighteen-dollar soybean oil is forty dollars, and two-dollar vegetable is five dollars. Gas, electricity, diesel, and octane prices have increased by almost a hundred per cent. The cost of cars, houses, and food has increased by 40 to 100 per cent. There is no positive change in income generation even though expenditure increases at a geometric rate.

Due to the Russia-Ukraine situation, the entire world economy is in crisis today. There is no sign of an immediate solution to this crisis over time. East Asia is facing a new crisis with the Taiwan situation. From daily basic consumer goods to luxury life, its extremely negative impact is evident under the pressure of price inflation. Especially in import-dependent economies, it is difficult to predict which direction this crisis will take the situation. While many developed countries are disorientated under the pressure of this global crisis, in developing countries like Bangladesh, politics has started to leapfrog over this crisis.

Examples of consensus on national and international issues are rare in the political culture of Bangladesh.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has called for spending cuts. He suggested cuts in all types of projects except the most essential ones. Temporarily banned all regular foreign visits by government officials except for unavoidable reasons. The government has instructed the people to be economical in the use of gas and electricity. These instructions are the manifestation of a far-sighted political leadership as a preparation to face a future crisis. Advance plans are also being made with international donors. These steps taken by the government and the visionary call of the Prime Minister are welcome or some people seem to rise to steal political benefits by capitalizing on them without presenting an alternative way to deal with the crisis. On the other hand, panic is spreading in the town after the announcement of a sudden increase in the price of diesel and octane.

It is true – under the pressure of price increases, public life is facing an extreme crisis in many developed countries of the world including Canada. But the people of those countries are dealing with the crisis by following the steps announced by the government without blaming the government for the situation. And if this crisis is global, why is the situation in Bangladesh different? Sheikh Hasina’s government has shown success in dealing with global disasters like Covid-19 by dealing with many non-political policies. The people have supported the government to overcome the situation. It has been proved that no amount of propaganda and propaganda can prevent success if the people want it. Will Sheikh Hasina’s government be able to succeed in dealing with the future crisis in the context of the Ukraine situation and the inflationary pressure caused by the East-West tensions?

In the pre-90 period, if the eight-party, seven-party coalition could not organize the people through the struggle in the field, was it possible to send away the military dictatorship? If the people were not with us, would it have been possible to demand elections under a caretaker government, ending the one-party rule formed through the so-called February 15 elections? The military-backed government had to leave in 2008 as public opinion was in favour of Hasina and Khaleda. In any national and international issue, in the political culture of our country, power becomes the main controller rather than patriotism, where is the way to disagree? Although this crisis is a global one, the signs that the goal is to change the power by any means by removing Sheikh Hasina’s government are as clear as daylight. But the biggest challenge is, will the government get the people together to deal with the situation in the coming days? Is Bangabandhu’s Awami League ready to deal with apolitical politics?

While there is no question about the rationale behind the increase in the price of diesel, and octane, the lack of planning by the government and the Awami League to prepare the people is as clear as daylight. It is not unusual for the government to present sufficient oil and gas reserves data in major countries to give courage to the people. The per capita income of the people of the country has increased, the standard of living has changed, and according to the foreign exchange reserve statistics, the economic situation is mature enough compared to many countries, yet there are many questions about the beneficiaries of the growth! The cost of production is higher than the crops produced, when the farming class is tired of struggling with various natural disasters at this time, there is no doubt that the increase in the price of diesel, and octane will increase the discontent in rural Bengal, along with this, a situation like pouring ghee into the fire may also be created in the propaganda of the anti-incumbency.

Fertilizer prices are increasing, the power price hike will further squeeze the hungry people in load shedding. The information about subsidy of Tk 59 per kg urea and TSP 86 is not in the minds of people. Despite the stories of self-sufficiency in fertilizer production.

Fertilizer prices are increasing, and the increase in electricity prices will further affect the people of Akal in load shedding. Information about subsidy of Tk 59 per kg urea and TSP 86 is not in people’s minds. Even if the story of self-sufficiency in fertilizer production is heard, where is the opportunity for the ruling party to avoid the responsibility of conveying the subsidy information to the public? Is the Awami League successful in conveying the information to the public that the increase in the price of gas, electricity, diesel, and octane kerosene is the result of the international crisis? On the one hand, the declaration of price increase, on the other hand, the price of oil is falling in the international market, such contradictory statements by the officials of the ruling party can increase doubts, doubts and fears in the public mind. In such a situation, the opposition can take the opportunity of not preparing the people to face the emerging situation.

An opportunistic supporter of Awami politics has a long acquaintance with an industrialist from Bangladesh. He became angry at the criticism of the Awami League government of 1996 and 2008. Last week, he heard the reputation of the current government in his mouth! He said that the government is business-friendly! At the same time, he presented various facts of opportunism which are incompatible with the politics of Bangabandhu’s philosophy of farmers, workers and hardworking people. Bangabandhu was steadfast in his decisions with the love of the poor, peasant labourers, despite knowing that decisions such as setting land ownership at one hundred bighas and waiving land rent up to twenty-five bighas would anger the landlords and zamindars.

Once the price of something increases in the market of Bangladesh, the price of that product does not decrease later. The price of everything related to gas, electricity, and diesel has gone up by leaps and bounds. There is no relief in the mind of the nation even with the minister’s statement that “if the price of diesel and octane decreases in the international market, it will also decrease in the domestic market.” In the past few years, the price of crude oil in the international market has been lower than the cost of production, yet the price of refined jalan in the Bangladeshi market has not decreased. Even if the government can influence the price of diesel, and octane through strict monitoring in the future, is it possible to reduce the increased fare of transport? When the transport leaders paralyze the country on the pretext of the election, will the government have the ability and strength to hurt their interests? If the salaries and allowances of only a few lakh government employees increase, the prices of all the consumer goods including pulses, rice, salt, and oil will increase, and crores of people will spend their lives scratching their foreheads. It is hard to say where the actions of opportunistic politicians will lead the nation to inflame the masses, wary of such experiences.

The word ‘politics for welfare’ is gradually becoming numb in the social system of Bangladesh. When the party is in power, some opportunists get fat, and when they are out of power, they forget truth-false, haram-halal, desperate to regain power. How shameless politics is trying to mislead the nation by lying about the discovery of science even about the covid-19 vaccine. Examples of consensus on national and international issues are rare in the political culture of Bangladesh. In a country where politics revolves around power shifts rather than public interest, global crisis politics is not uncommon. If the declaration of zero tolerance to eradicate corruption is accelerated with all efforts, and the democratic process can be brought back to health, the results of apoliticization of the global crisis will one day be like ripe fruit.

The writer is a freelance columnist