PRESIDENT Abdul Hamid has urged all political parties to promote those who have an early orientation in politics, as it is not right to become a politician overnight, local media reported. The President was speaking at the 51st Convocation of Dhaka University on Saturday.
The President also urged the political parties to ensure utmost professionalism in politics to bring a qualitative change. About election to Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (DUCSU), he said when there’s a schedule for election, many calculations will come up. Students must not be deprived of their right to elect their representatives. The President, also the Chancellor of DU, said the university will have to be quick about this so that no one can interfere in the DUCSU election.
He urged the new graduates to dedicate themselves to building a hunger- and poverty-free “Sonar Bangla” dreamt by Father of the Nation. Comparing the student politics at present and in the past, he said that in the 60s it would be driven mainly by ideals and not dictated by interest of any individual or quarter.
It is right to say that one should not enter into politics overnight and become a politician. We have seen many examples of businessmen and technocrats who have become politicians to further their own careers or interests. But this creates a dangerous conflict of interest as the business people will only try to create laws or regulations favouring one particular business over another. Similarly technocrats will want to empower one section of the bureaucracy over another for their own interests.
Doing politics for personal interest has become the order of the day–whether it is student politics or something at a higher level. We need politicians who are patriotic and not self- serving, in other words, we need professional and dedicated politicians. But do they exist at this point in time of our brief independent history is the question? A politician who is honest and dedicated can be called a patriot–but such patriots are almost non-existent today as most honest men and women eschew the dirty and bitter nature of politics. We need them if we are to grow as a nation.
