As per reliable media reports, the government has decided to hire a British firm to enhance airport security responding to the UK government’s ban on direct cargo flights between Dhaka and London citing serious security lapses at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport.
In response to the UK Premier David Cameron’s letter, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina admitted the security lapse at the airport and decided to hire a suggested British firm from the UK recommended G4S, Redline and Control Risks, Restrata Pilgrims Group and Adam Smith International and Westminster Aviation Security Services Ltd.
Definitely, lapse of security at the airport is very alarming but our question is why we have to hire a UK firm to provide security? It is a disgraceful admission by the government that it has no competence to ensure security at the main international airport.
The government is degrading the whole nation in the sense that we lack competent people for managing an international airport of our own country. Then the question is how can we boast ourselves about our ability to run an independent country or are we not? Surely,our people have no reason to accept that we are as a nation so unqualified.
We have highly qualified men and women who can compete most favourably with qualified men and women of well developed countries. Our crisis lies in organised corruption of incompetent persons around the government which is out of touch of the people.
Civil Aviation Minister Rashed Khan Menon said short-term measures would be put in place by March 31 in the light of the UK government’s proposal for the ‘sustainable improvement’ of the airport security. The issue of speedily hiring the security firm was discussed by a steering committee. It is stated that initially, a foreign security firm would be appointed for six months to train security personnel and supervise their service at the airport.
Our fear is inviting foreign experts without appropriate changes at the top of the administration may lead to clashes and creation of obstacles within the system. It is an easy choice for a government unaccountable and detached from the people by appointing experts from Britain will please the British government and lift the ban.
The government must learn to put its own house in order. We need to create a country where people will not suffer fear from telling the truth. We also must have a government accountable to the people.
We have some long prevailing problems and some are becoming more chaotic like banking sector, economy, traffic problems, partially dysfunctional Chittagong and Mongla sea ports, unhealthy healthcare system, indisciplined educational sector, messy power sector, a nearly collapsed internal banking sector due to doctored documents and corrupt bank officials. It is for the government to tell us which sector is run properly.
Corruption in banking sector has exposed the extensive political culture of impunity that has grown in our country over the years.
Now our foreign reserve worth US$ 101 million has been stolen easily for the criminal laxity of the Finance Minister who is too old to be active for any serious responsibility. We came to know from Philippine sources that so much of our foreign exchange got transferred. The Philippine government should be praised for quick action to chase the money.
Many say that there was an attempt to hush up and the Finance Minister said brazenly a month later that he was not told by the state bank governor such a big heist had taken place. The Governor of Bangladesh Bank did not miss his trip to India keeping the whole thing secret. Such irresponsible men are placed in highly responsible positions. Political loyalty counted everything in such appointments.
Now the governor has lost job but the Finance Minister will be there as before to continue the mismanagement of the country’s economy.
Next the government will need foreign expert firms to run our banking system. We must have foreign firms to regulate the traffic system of the capital city. It is relevant to ask the government how many more foreign expert firms will be necessary to manage the affairs of the state including pervading corruption in every area of the government.
The government cannot remain honest and efficient unless it is a people’s government and not a government of the vested interests. By destroying the election process the government has created a vicious circle not good for its own or the good of the people. It is time for the government to realise its own shortsightedness.
