Md Bayazid Khan :
In September 2019 I paid a short visit to Malaysia. I didn’t believe even my two eyes to see the fabulous development of the country. Well planned and multi-designed ski-high buildings, beautifully looking diverse roads/highways and flyovers, beautification of tourism friendly natural and man-made places, cleanliness of every places, citizens’ acceptance and obedience to rule of laws etc really bewitched me a lot. Infrastructural development along with tourism friendly beautification in Putrajaya, Genting Highlands, Lake City, Batu Caves etc amazedly bewildered me and repeatedly reminded the question, ” Is it Malaysia that became independent in 1957 with poor economic condition, have no fertile lands conducive to cultivation, shortages of manpower, no seasonal (natural) variation etc?” But the country nowadays has been setting inspiring instances to other countries to follow their model of socio-economic and cultural development. The country has been a successful developing country and is forging ahead to become a developed nation in its own mould by 2020. The mystery behind impetuous development of Malaysia is strong commitment of leadership, establishment of discipline and citizens’ positive attitude regards to support commitment of the leadership.
The extents and momentum of development in Malaysia and other South- East Asian developing countries like Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand and even Vietnam may be the role model in Bangladesh and other South Asian countries. These south-east Asian countries too were not as rich as socio-economic development is concerned immediately after emergence of independent Bangladesh. But development scenario of those countries dramatically changed a lot and everybody will be impressed and surprised too seeing the enviable and sustained infrastructural, economic and environmental development along with digitization in every sector. Tremendous development that the countries also enabled to achieve is cleanliness of roads, markets, public places etc and citizens’ positive attitude of applying civic senses and etiquettes. The root cause behind history making achievement of these countries is establishing discipline in individual and social life as well as all sectors of economy. Thus pragmatic leader of Singapore, late Lee Kuan Yew rightly said, “I do not believe that democracy necessarily leads to development. I believe that what a country needs to develop is discipline more than democracy. The exuberance of democracy leads to undisciplined and disorderly conditions which are inimical to development.”
Developing Bangladesh needs gradually advancement in economy, keeping trends of continuous progress in growth rate, developed attitude of citizens, equal participation of both men and women in economic activities, stable and harmonize political environment and last but not the least maintaining discipline in every sphere of personal, social and work life. This is fact that application and co-existence of discipline and morality in individual life along with socio-economic & cultural sectors is the key to materialize government vision of making the country a developed nation one by 2041.
So, the country’s socio-economic and cultural development crucially requires possessing positive attitude, practices of good manner and morality, obedience of rule of laws and maintaining discipline by citizens. The proverb “First deserve, then desire” is absolutely relevant to fulfill the country’s vision. Keeping movement of economic activities active, the government and citizens of the country must be committed, devoted and should have the attitude of maintaining discipline, applying morality and civic senses in daily activities of personal, social and working life to make people’s desire a success.
Establishment of discipline relies mostly on carrying rule of laws into effect, the integrity of leadership, good governance and strong will of citizens. The country has Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina like visionary, honest and committed leader, rationale applicable rules and regulation, hard working manpower, valuable natural resources as fertile land and cultivation friendly climate, availability of sweet water conducive to agro-production. Despite of having such advantages for making Bangladesh a developed country one (those didn’t have in Singapore, Malaysia etc), the country is slowly advancing to achieve the target because of absence in establishing discipline. But establishing discipline can never be a massive issue to the government as 90-95 per cent people of the country have the tendency of accepting rule of laws. They don’t like to commit corruption and immoral activities. They only seek happiness and want to lead life amidst discipline. Only 5-10 per cent highly educated, influential public and private officials, politicians, businessmen, professionals etc are involved in violating rules as well as committing corruption. Establishing discipline is challenging but not impossible if the government is able to resist the said small percentage of influential persons from committing immoral and undisciplined activities. And citizens believe that the government must be successful as the government is more powerful than others.
Citizens of the country are the only means of putting discipline into practice in everyday activities as discipline has diverse extents to apply in the daily life. It includes not only applying civic senses, good manner and morality but also keeping aloof from committing immoral activities. Discipline too has close connection with execution of rule of the laws. The country is experiencing severely absence of discipline nowadays in the forms of committing corruption, misappropriation of public money and resources, misuses of gas and electricity, induce others to commit irregularities for own interest, adulteration and contamination of food and essential commodities, industrialization in the fertile cultivable lands instead of swampy and fallow lands beside tendency of disobedience rules, committing nuisance activities etc. Moreover, undisciplined issues are also found in the country as accomplishment of poor quality development works (roads, bridges, infrastructures in the public offices and educational institutions), negligence of performing duties properly by government officials, teachers, doctors and reluctance to give proper respect to taxpayer citizens by government officials. On the other hand, absence of coordinated and planned initiatives by the departments like PDB, BTCL, WASA, City Corporation/Municipality are responsible for traffic congestion in mega cities which cost wasting of working hours and money, hampering economic activities as well as increasing public sufferings. Above mentioned issues are alarming towards making the country a developed one. Therefore, restoring discipline is crucially needed to remove aforesaid irregularities that are committed in the society.
The government may consider the following steps to be taken to establish discipline.
Roads/Highways/Waterways, Metropolitan areas, Cities/Towns, Railway Stations/bus and launch terminals/air ports, parks, markets, shopping malls, offices etc might be brought under close watch by installing CC cameras with a view to ensure cleanliness, apply civic senses and avoid creating public nuisance. Culture of giving priority to VIP and CIP’s vehicles movement in the highways/roads (except the President, the Prime Minister, Fire Service, Ambulance) must be cancelled.
Highway traffic management and city/town traffic system must be modernized and digitized. Presence of illegal and unfit vehicles, picking and dropping passengers in the middle of road, stopping beyond the designated bus stops, removal of shops/markets beside highways, driving by fit and license owned drivers might be ensured. Illegal parking should resist. Taking quick exemplary punishment not considering accused status or designation may compel citizens to obey traffic rules.
Rule of laws must be executed by any means. Violation of laws must be brought under rapid punitive action irrespective to social and official status and political identity of the accused.
Present zero tolerance policy of the government against corruption and unlawful activities should be continued. This citizens’ desired policy should be applied not only for politicians but also for public and private officials, businessmen, professionals etc those are involved in corruption. Agencies concerned to relinquish corruption might be brought under close monitoring too.
Completed development works must have lifetime and it should be visible to citizens. Moreover, contractors’ profit, estimated costs, materials details etc might also be disclosed to citizens.
Commitment in performing duties properly and timely, providing hazardless quality services may ensure discipline in educational institutes, hospitals, agencies of enforcing law & order and other service providing agencies.
Discipline in tourism sector is significantly important by ensuring tourism-friendly infrastructure, transport, security, amusement facilities, beautification of spots etc so that tourists can choose Bangladesh to tour without any hesitation. Tourism sector could be a vital earning sector of Bangladesh like Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia and Vietnam.
Last but not the least citizens are to be motivated to obey rule of laws and to apply civic senses in everyday life. Besides, tax payer citizens’ honour, priority of receiving hazardless services and patience hearing of problems from government officials must be ensured.
(Md Bayazid Khan, works for Primary Education Sector; email: [email protected])
