Editorial Desk :
It is our fear that the government is not in the know of the whole truth about economic growth in the country. This happens where the bureaucrats are in charge of the government who cannot admit failure and they know how to manipulate figures on papers to hide the truth. The distortion of truth is the reality in those countries dominated by bureaucracy.
True information becomes the first casualty under all authoritarianisms. That is why pro-people good governance is possible only where the government has accountability to the people and there is fear in airing information.
By political stability what is meant is absence of too much police power and presence of more accountability of the government to the democratic institutions of checks and balances.
There has also to be a sure way of peaceful change of government. This is now completely absent in Bangladesh. The present election process is socialism kind and not helpful for peaceful change of the government.
Foreign business and government to government investments on infrastructure development are not invariably for the consideration of political stability or just economic development. The interest of the foreign countries remains uppermost. We do not complain about it, we are only analysing the logic of things. For foreign countries, strategic importance is a big consideration for finding footholds in another country. Such investments or cooperations are welcome but we must see them in proper perspective.
The World Bank Chief Mr Kim has categorically pointed out in an interview with a national daily during his recent visit to Dhaka that
political stability is highly critical for development. For uncertainty, in his view, plays the negative role to discourage local and foreign investment; which is so important to achieve higher growth.
Mere spending money on mega projects by the government is not mega economic growth. Real growth has to come from the private sector development. There is no denying that investment in private sector is far from encouraging.
Banks are going after the businessmen for recovery of the loans they are unable to repay. The senseless pressure from banks is responsible for closing down many businesses. For the consequence of lack of vitality in private sector, it is hurting the economy. But the Finance Ministry has no anxiety.
High level of bank robbery, massive corruption and mismanagement within the government cannot be indicators of economic development for the good of the general public. Constraining free flow of information and making police all powerful are weaknesses of the government and not signs of success.
We do not say that the government always directly interferes with the media. Because of too much police power in the name of fighting terrorism there exists a general atmosphere of fear which is not helpful for the government to get the correct picture of the country.
Our country is in a peculiar situation of beginning of socialism paving the way for a full socialism kind of authoritarianism. The main task for the bureaucrats now is how to make the judiciary cowed down.
BNP is no democratic opposition and it is only exploiting the government’s fear of free election. The responsibility lies with the government to create conditions for stable and sensible alternative. Fight against terrorism will not save the country from fearful violence if peaceful political alternative is not put in place. Denying the possibility of peaceful change of government is no assurance against change.
Let us learn from the causes of our Liberation War.
It is our fear that the government is not in the know of the whole truth about economic growth in the country. This happens where the bureaucrats are in charge of the government who cannot admit failure and they know how to manipulate figures on papers to hide the truth. The distortion of truth is the reality in those countries dominated by bureaucracy.
True information becomes the first casualty under all authoritarianisms. That is why pro-people good governance is possible only where the government has accountability to the people and there is fear in airing information.
By political stability what is meant is absence of too much police power and presence of more accountability of the government to the democratic institutions of checks and balances.
There has also to be a sure way of peaceful change of government. This is now completely absent in Bangladesh. The present election process is socialism kind and not helpful for peaceful change of the government.
Foreign business and government to government investments on infrastructure development are not invariably for the consideration of political stability or just economic development. The interest of the foreign countries remains uppermost. We do not complain about it, we are only analysing the logic of things. For foreign countries, strategic importance is a big consideration for finding footholds in another country. Such investments or cooperations are welcome but we must see them in proper perspective.
The World Bank Chief Mr Kim has categorically pointed out in an interview with a national daily during his recent visit to Dhaka that
political stability is highly critical for development. For uncertainty, in his view, plays the negative role to discourage local and foreign investment; which is so important to achieve higher growth.
Mere spending money on mega projects by the government is not mega economic growth. Real growth has to come from the private sector development. There is no denying that investment in private sector is far from encouraging.
Banks are going after the businessmen for recovery of the loans they are unable to repay. The senseless pressure from banks is responsible for closing down many businesses. For the consequence of lack of vitality in private sector, it is hurting the economy. But the Finance Ministry has no anxiety.
High level of bank robbery, massive corruption and mismanagement within the government cannot be indicators of economic development for the good of the general public. Constraining free flow of information and making police all powerful are weaknesses of the government and not signs of success.
We do not say that the government always directly interferes with the media. Because of too much police power in the name of fighting terrorism there exists a general atmosphere of fear which is not helpful for the government to get the correct picture of the country.
Our country is in a peculiar situation of beginning of socialism paving the way for a full socialism kind of authoritarianism. The main task for the bureaucrats now is how to make the judiciary cowed down.
BNP is no democratic opposition and it is only exploiting the government’s fear of free election. The responsibility lies with the government to create conditions for stable and sensible alternative. Fight against terrorism will not save the country from fearful violence if peaceful political alternative is not put in place. Denying the possibility of peaceful change of government is no assurance against change.
Let us learn from the causes of our Liberation War.
