An unusual Eid message - specifically targeted to CTG members
This message should be used as a way to self-critique. This is not about politics, but much greater than that.
The way the CTG has asserted itself to right a lot of wrongs in the society needs a lot of courage. It does need a lot of wisdom, too when someone consciously decides to redraw the line of responsibility of self. So, it is not unexpected that the members of this government would be inclined to invoke the self-righteousness to justify its activities. They have the right to think that even if we might have done some wrong inadvertently, our intention is good. "So, everybody - even those who are opposed to us from the beginning and there are few such people in Bangladesh - who thinks we are incompetent should shut up. They should shut-up and they do not have any right to question us". The attitude described within the quotation marks is somewhat justified. But that should not show in the public persona of the members of the CTG. It should not show - not only because its morally wrong - but also, it is technically and tactically wrong. Let us elaborate the underlying thoughts.
Say, for example, you are continuing a lot of injustices within the system. If you have the courage to impose upon honesty and morality on a nation - which basically you are trying do - and people of Bangladesh are supporting it. This support illustrate a major characteristics of public persona of the general population of Bangladesh. It can be a very valuable criteria if can be used judiciously. A society changes in many different ways. The approach you are trying is the most unstable yet quickest way. The quickest part is very good - but how about unstable part? It can not be good. What if people want the "quickest" part - but want to avoid the "most unstable" part? Is there a way to do that?
There are ways. And it does not seem like you have done enough soul searching. You have make that soul searching and make gestures of serious nature that people believes in what you believe in. What do you believe in? You think that an election can not be all about democracy - but an election should be reflect the goodwill of people. Essentially, you have invoked the broadest definition of democracy - albeit the most correct definition of democracy - and you have asserted that it has to be done NOW. More importantly, you have binded yourself with a time-frame which should be a nightmare for anybody who really understands the complicacy of a social system. May be you could do that because you do not have political background. Thats good. Sometimes the most amateur is what the society needs to fix the problems that the professionals could not do. This is good because you are goal-directed, not problem restricted. Most politicians and experts are driven by or restricted by problems. But you are being goal driven. Thats how it can be achieved and we hope, it will be achieved this time.
So, how do you reduce the instability that is inherent with the approach that have been selected? You need to have people with - all the way. People have to believe what you believe - all the way. People have to do what you tell them to do - all the way. Basically you have to become a politician - to some extant. Much stronger a politician than we ever had. You all should read some latest literature on transformational leadership - how to be one. Its not hard. Its about communication - you have to communicate yourself to the people.
But most our population is illiterate, they lack the proper background and history to be educated within a such short time. How would you do that?
Again, let us explain the scenario with an analogy. When people can not read, but you need to convey a message, what you do? You have to use picture, graphics. Right? A picture can tell a story of 1000 words - in a quickest and most effective way.
You have to do the same thing for political communication. Is it possible?
Yes, it is possible. It is not possible for us who are outside the government. But it is possible for those of you who are in the government. You make the policies. You have to make policy gestures that acts as a graphical communication tool for your political message - of course that political message is apolitical in the context of party politics.
Sounds mysterious? We know for many of our readers it may sound mysterious. But for you guys, it should ring a bell. Still, let us use some example that seems to be good place to make this policy gestures.
1. Here is an example that you have missed. Still we want to explain this to illustrate the point. Just like all the previous corrupt governments, you had adjusted the government office time for Ramadan. This is a tradition that we as a nation have got used to (also, many other countries do that and none are right). This practice has not religious standing. Yet, you are saying that since it is Ramadan time, govt. employees can take more money for doing less amount job. Essentially, you have increased the pay-rate of the government employees for the Ramadan period, if one calculates hourly payment. Isn't it? Are we suggesting you should not have done that? Idealistically, yes, you could have considered that. But that could backfire with your main project. So, its good that you have continued that. But you missed a big opportunity to make a gesture - you should have recognized that and seize the opportunity. When declaring the new timetable, you should have tell the nation you are doing it for human reasons. But you can extend this facility to only government employees. More importantly, you should have recognized and empathized with the fact that you could not do something similar for those who need this kind of break most - the laborers - the rickshaw puller - the day workers - and many more similar professions. You empathize with them and ask the people of the country to empathize with them, too. And you end your speech with a little note to the well to do portion of the society that they should not consider paying 20% more to the rickshaw pullers during the month of Ramadan, as a goodwill gesture. Many would respond to your call, many others would not. But with that gesture, you make all the manual laborers yours!
2. The finance secretary was saying that govt. should not consider withdrawing the subsidy on energy sector. We agree - in the long term. But as far as govt. expenditure on subsidy is concerned, you should reduce its size, overall. But re-allocate some of it. Say, what is the most widely used energy source in Bangladesh? Oil? Gas? No way. If one considers the contribution on GDP, the most widely energy source for Bangladeshi economy is still RICE. So, why do you subsidize oil which directly benefits much less population compared to RICE? As a policy gesture, you should consider withdrawing a part of subsidy in petroleum and re-allocate those for the cheapest variety of RICE. Would you make a big change? Probably not. But if it is conveyed correctly, you will make big leap in winning people.
3. A farcical thing about Bangladesh government is it has done a lot of things to make it more religiously inclined state but have done a little in social sense. Are we suggesting to take those signboards (e.g. state-religion) down? No. They were done for a reason. You have to understand why would a person with a character of Ershad would care to put a sign-board of state-religion in the constitution? Because people are inherently religious in their own way and they were made to believe that its a good thing for the religion. Since people are illiterate, that could be done. Again, if given a chance ever (!), jamatis will do other kinds of damage to the standing of religion in our society. But these are just all culprits in different dresses. But for now, you can not touch those sign-boards. Given the time, it may back-fire and give fuel to the opponents and culprits. Still you can gain from the religious sentiment of the people - albeit in a correct format. Say for example, a farce in our country is that we give license to prostitutes. What is the logic behind this? Some would say it helps keep order in the society - keep sex offenders in check. Thats a bullshit argument. You can target this regulation. Make a count of how many license is there in issued and active state. Issue a study with some social science professor or some NGO to figure out how much money is needed to rehabilitate each of these women. If the total amount (in the national level) is a manageable figure, allocate the money from government coffer to rehabilitate them all. If the money is not manageable, then allocate a token amount to the fund and ask people and corporation to donate to that fund (make it tax free). Specify how much money is needed to rehabilitate one. Make sure that this is a one time fund - the project should not become a revolving door money wasting machine.
There are many more projects and policies that can be identified to benefit from. If you are looking for injustice in a country like ours, there are many. Identify them. Tell the people what you think about them. And make policy gestures that would start fixing them or fix them. Each of these small projects are like graphical communications tool. In this regard, we should commend you guys to adopt one of our earlier suggestions about housing loan for young couples. Its a good start. But make it more attractive and market it. We have not seen much of a stirr among those who are potential beneficiaries of this project. If we missed something, make the information available. Expose it to the nation. Benefit from it. If possible, a similar type project should be taken in the upozilla level - countrywide.
One note that came to mind - the CTG have one of the most successful brand professional within them, yet, why it is not doing enough to communicate it well? Any thoughts? We would ponder on this and would plan to write about it at a later date.
Wishing you all a great holidays. Eid Mubarak.
If you thought some of the ideas are worth of your reading time, please forward it to others. If you have an ear to the members of the CTG, policy makers and strategists, please forward it to them. If you have an ear to the journalists and news editors of the electronic media, discuss it with them. Hope they would look at the suggestions and give due diligence.
Thanks for your time,
Innovation Line
==================================================================================================
Note: This is a freelance column, published mainly in different internet based forums. This column is open for contribution by the members of new generation, sometimes referred to as Gen 71. If you identify yourself as someone from that age-group and want to contribute to this column, please feel free to contact. Thanks to the group moderator for publishing the article.
We have not seen the Liberation War, but we know if we can free the country from corruption first, we will eventually get to other dreams soon. Because of corruption, we could not even get into information highway for years, let alone other dreams!
This is the kind of article for which we started this column. Because of ongoing mess, a gift from our older generation, we often get diverted. Now that it seems some sanity is returning in Bangladesh, we would try to go back to our original plan.
===================================================================================================
__._,_.___
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
SB: Home of the Bangladeshi Teens & Youths
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
-> Official Website: http://www.ShadeshiBondhu.com
-> Group's short url: http://Group.ShadeshiBondhu.com
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
SB: Friends' Family
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Change settings via the Web (Yahoo! ID required)
Change settings via email: Switch delivery to Daily Digest | Switch to Fully Featured
Visit Your Group | Yahoo! Groups Terms of Use | Unsubscribe
__,_._,___
