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OPINION

Let us Now Give the Prime Minister

Rehana Begum
The Prime Minister Sheikh Haslna's forthright statement made in the parliament with regard to corruption permeating through all strata of our society on the eve of prorogation of the budget session deserves due recognition for her showing the courage not to sweep it under the carpet. Though belated, it Is never too late as the saying goes.
I am an apolitical person In the first place, and In the second, as a lawyer of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh in the High Court Division as well as a member of the Supreme Court Bar Association, I take the liberty to express my observation with a dispassionate mind on the Issues of corruption as expounded by the Prime Minister;
It is known to all of us that absolute power corrupts absolutely. Since the independence and emergence of Bangladesh there have all along been governments of various definition — democracy never fitting into the definition of democracy, autocracy. be It called a military rule or usurping power by force, etc. Those who were the heads of government since 1972 had only one ambition in their mind - how to hang on to power and run the country regardless of any respect for rule of law and any good for the country And when such a situation exists In any country corruption
Sheikh Hasina her Due
is bound to breed.
Political leaders should be sellless and to them the interest of the country should be far above than their party and self interest. They should not consider themselves demagogues sitting in the Ivory tower. I feel very sad to say that this Is what our political leaders have in full measures in them Corruption pervading the nation as painted by the Prime Minister is the cumulative result of the mental make up of our politicians as I have mentioned before. As our Prime Minister was forthright in her statement, 1 therefore, do not wish to be euphemistic and would like to say In all humility that to my mind, our political leaders are for no body but tor themselves, to say the least
Bangladesh achieved independence in December 1971. Now If we take stock of our achievement over this period, we would find that in reality we have achieved very little except deluding ourselves and sowing the seeds of corruption Bangladesh Is a land of plenty but it remains a paradox be-
Rehana Begum
cause the country suffers from dearth of leadership.
However. let us not rake up the past and get down to the present in order to fight the odds out and rid the country of the social ills.
In order to achieve this Himalayan task, we must have a government free of nepotism, favouritism, parochialism. We will not give any quarters to anyone, whoever he or she might be. if his/her actions run counter to the interest of the nation. When the malaise has been identified. 1 like to believe the remedy will not be difficult given the serious Intention.
Kamal Ataturk stood alone against the Caliph of Turkey who In his .sell-aggrandisement made Turkey 'the sick man of Europe'. Kamal could not care less for his own life or lor anybody and put Turkey back on track and while doing so he showed no mercy and gave no quarters to any one. Before Kamal took over the rein in Tin key there prevailed a fifi-able ananhh situation peihaps no dillerent horn what is (he state ol allairs In Bangladesh
today.
It Is a matter of national concern today that the educational institutions that are the source of knowledge are being defiled by greed of the political parties. Knowledge is acquired through education and no nation can be great without it. There is no gainsaying the fact that our coming generation will have to take the leadership. But if our students are misguided and remain deprived of proper education, then who will be the leaders? Then the question is whether it is the students to be blamed or the political parties? Do they not realise the far-reaching effect of this damage being done which if not stalled now will go beyond redemption?
One may. however, ask how would students learn politics then? Yes they must learn it as passive observers, without being dragged into active politics.
Student organisations do exist In all the educational institution in all the countries even in Oxford But the difference that it makes from ours Is that it Is limited to the campuses
and work for the welfare of the students in so far as their academic matter is concerned.
How painful it is to think that till today we have not been able to frame a sound education policy. If we take a look at our next door neighbour India, we will find that education system runs there smoothly and the term "session Jam' is perhaps unknown to the students there. While India continues with the legacy of the proven educational system because leaders there have given much thought and time as to how to make India economically, industrially strong we frittei away our precious time and cm rg\ <.n issues gainful only to them and their political parties.
I may not be in the land of the living when good sense will prevail upon our national leaders. yet I urge them to prepare our posterity so that they maybe worth their salt.
Before I conclude. I crave the Indulgence of our Prime Minister to say that her statement made on corruption in the parliament is not a claptrap and she really means business.
After the PM s statement, it is my firm belief that the political leaders would bend their mind to deliver goods to the people and not allow Bangladesh to become, as Internationally tagged, a corrupt nation.