Time to change old attitude
Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury
July 24, 2008
Since political changes in Bangladesh, right after seizure of power by millitary controlled interim government, although people of the country left breath of comfort for a couple of months, things are already starting to move towards different direction, as change in the quality of politics, cleansing politics from the grips of corrupts and culprits are for some reason becoming almost mission impossible. Tremendous adversity is prevailing in country´s economy as well as export sectors. According to various reports, more than a few thousand people have already turned jobless following closure of several industrial projects in Bangladesh. The government has so far failed to show remarkable result in attracting foreign investors in the country, as a kind of peculiar paralized situation prevails in Bangladesh, basically due to government´s lack of proper expertise as well dilly-dally tendency of the policymakers in the interim government. On the other hand, as December is gradually appearing at front, various entrepreneurs and government officials are gradually becoming interested in lobbying with potential politicians and political parties, who are considered to form the next government. In most of the government offices, a kind of ´good bye´ mood prevails in the minds of republic´s servants. No doubt, such tendency will greatly hamper many of the noble efforts and initiatives taken by the present government in Dhaka. Police administration is in the worst ever form, with the continued ego problem of the present inspector general of police, who considers to remain in the post at least for next several years. On the other hand, people and power and their close aides are already getting infected with fear of falling into wrath of next elected government in Bangladesh for any possible wrong-doings or over doings.
Bangladesh being a small nation in South Asia, certainly holds numerous prospects and possibilities of turning into a real model country, if proper leadership can ever emerge here. According to foreign experts [DPR of Korea conducted a detailed survey on the mineral and natural resources in Bangladesh], the entire country is based on granite, gas, petrolium, coal, gold and other precious metals. According to this study, natural gas reserve in Bangladesh will continue to meet national requirement for next few decades [if not centuries]. But people of Bangladesh may get confused to read this forecast when they are quite habituated with the forecasts from some Western experts that Bangladesh´s natural gas may finish soon. Government is also consuming this theory, and possibly because of such pre-conceived mind, gas based projects in the country are gradually being eliminated.
Before taking the DPR Korea forecast into consideration, let us remember one simple fact. Western companies involved in exploration of narutal and mineral resources [especially gas and petrolium] are always interested in keeping the nation in dark on the actual reserve of such wealth, with the ulterior motive of extracting highest percentage of benefit from the exploration sharing deal. Should Bangladesh know, where it stands with the reserve, proportion of share for the foreign companies would greatly decrease. Do we know the fact of Nigeria? That country being one of the biggest producers of petrolium products are greatly deceived by the Western companies in exploration sharing deal, which although enriches the accounts of so-called multi national companies, but the Nigerians are dying almost every day due to shortage of food. On the other hand, let us get a quick lesson from what DPR Korean company has already proved in Madhyapara Hard Rock Mining Project at country´s Dinazpur area. There is no room to debate that this first ever project of its kind in Bangladesh is continuing to help the nation in saving millions of dollars from the import of essential hard rock from foreign nations. According to statistics, cost of each ton of hard rock extorted from Madhyapara project costs US$ 10.5 while the price of imported rock starts from US$ 22 per ton. Should Bangladesh never had implemented this project, every year foreign traders would virtually have looted more than 11 dollars from each tons of rock. Annual consumption of hard rock in Bangladesh is above 79 million tons. Experts feel that the government needs to sit with DPR Korean experts in at least understanding and knowing the real volume of reserve of natural gas, petrolium and other valuable resources, in order to bring more benefit for the country. But, in each of such cases, vested interest groups are extremely active. They will do everything in jeopardizing any such endevor.
There is a common belief that Bangladesh is floating on natural resources, especially gas and oil, which in reality is true. But, local experts in this sector are purchased by the foreign interest groups with heavy compensation, thus leaving the entire nation into furstration. In many of the countries in the world, such experts are always under intelligence monitoring. But, in Bangladesh, it is always very exception.
One of the key goals of any of the government in Bangladesh is to boost tourism and foreign investment sector. There is no room for any doubt that, Bangladesh holds all potentials of turning into one of the top favorite tourst attraction nations in Asia. Sunderban forest, Cox´s Bazar Beach [longest beach in the world] and thousand year old archeological sites would be filled with foreigners round the year. But, the problem is, although the government aspires in attaining tremendous progress in these sectors, basic arrangements and infrustructure for foreigners and tourists are greatly lacking. For example, United Arab Emirates [Dubai] or Indonesia being Muslim nations have opened bar, discoes, cabarets and other amusement facilities in order to attract tourists. Just because of this, these nations are continuing to cash billions of dollars from tourism industry. But, in Bangladesh, situation is quite opposite. Licensing process of a bar takes more than a couple of years, while, mentality of the rulers are not in support of opening other amusement sectors. Everyone in the government will say, "we are Muslim nation". Yes, it is true! But what about UAE or Indonesia? They too are not non-Muslim nations. In fact, problem, which stands as major obstacles in progress of tourism industry is attitude problem. Few years back, a Bangladeshi entrepreneur established a million-dollar beer production and canning plant. Due to heavy reaction and protests as well as instigations from the radical groups [due to hidden inspiration from the people in power], the entrepreneur of the project was forced to shut it down. On the other hand, while Bangladeshi authorities closed down the only beer manufacturing plant in the country, it fails in stopping regular trafficking in of deadly medicine-cum-drug named Phensydil. Physicians opine that, consumption of Phensydil will ultimate cause in a semi-paralized nation. But, possibly there is no one to listen to it. Experts feel that, the only beer production plant in Bangladesh should be allowed to re-commense its production, on national interest.
Bangladesh is certainly a country of infinite possibility. But, the problem is with the rulers and policymakers of this poor nation. Should Dhaka change its attitude to cope with the minds of modern Muslim world, simply in couple of years, this country can turn into a real example in Asia. For the sake of prosperity of the nation, rulers in Dhaka need to change their attitude.
Bangladesh being a small nation in South Asia, certainly holds numerous prospects and possibilities of turning into a real model country, if proper leadership can ever emerge here. According to foreign experts [DPR of Korea conducted a detailed survey on the mineral and natural resources in Bangladesh], the entire country is based on granite, gas, petrolium, coal, gold and other precious metals. According to this study, natural gas reserve in Bangladesh will continue to meet national requirement for next few decades [if not centuries]. But people of Bangladesh may get confused to read this forecast when they are quite habituated with the forecasts from some Western experts that Bangladesh´s natural gas may finish soon. Government is also consuming this theory, and possibly because of such pre-conceived mind, gas based projects in the country are gradually being eliminated.
Before taking the DPR Korea forecast into consideration, let us remember one simple fact. Western companies involved in exploration of narutal and mineral resources [especially gas and petrolium] are always interested in keeping the nation in dark on the actual reserve of such wealth, with the ulterior motive of extracting highest percentage of benefit from the exploration sharing deal. Should Bangladesh know, where it stands with the reserve, proportion of share for the foreign companies would greatly decrease. Do we know the fact of Nigeria? That country being one of the biggest producers of petrolium products are greatly deceived by the Western companies in exploration sharing deal, which although enriches the accounts of so-called multi national companies, but the Nigerians are dying almost every day due to shortage of food. On the other hand, let us get a quick lesson from what DPR Korean company has already proved in Madhyapara Hard Rock Mining Project at country´s Dinazpur area. There is no room to debate that this first ever project of its kind in Bangladesh is continuing to help the nation in saving millions of dollars from the import of essential hard rock from foreign nations. According to statistics, cost of each ton of hard rock extorted from Madhyapara project costs US$ 10.5 while the price of imported rock starts from US$ 22 per ton. Should Bangladesh never had implemented this project, every year foreign traders would virtually have looted more than 11 dollars from each tons of rock. Annual consumption of hard rock in Bangladesh is above 79 million tons. Experts feel that the government needs to sit with DPR Korean experts in at least understanding and knowing the real volume of reserve of natural gas, petrolium and other valuable resources, in order to bring more benefit for the country. But, in each of such cases, vested interest groups are extremely active. They will do everything in jeopardizing any such endevor.
There is a common belief that Bangladesh is floating on natural resources, especially gas and oil, which in reality is true. But, local experts in this sector are purchased by the foreign interest groups with heavy compensation, thus leaving the entire nation into furstration. In many of the countries in the world, such experts are always under intelligence monitoring. But, in Bangladesh, it is always very exception.
One of the key goals of any of the government in Bangladesh is to boost tourism and foreign investment sector. There is no room for any doubt that, Bangladesh holds all potentials of turning into one of the top favorite tourst attraction nations in Asia. Sunderban forest, Cox´s Bazar Beach [longest beach in the world] and thousand year old archeological sites would be filled with foreigners round the year. But, the problem is, although the government aspires in attaining tremendous progress in these sectors, basic arrangements and infrustructure for foreigners and tourists are greatly lacking. For example, United Arab Emirates [Dubai] or Indonesia being Muslim nations have opened bar, discoes, cabarets and other amusement facilities in order to attract tourists. Just because of this, these nations are continuing to cash billions of dollars from tourism industry. But, in Bangladesh, situation is quite opposite. Licensing process of a bar takes more than a couple of years, while, mentality of the rulers are not in support of opening other amusement sectors. Everyone in the government will say, "we are Muslim nation". Yes, it is true! But what about UAE or Indonesia? They too are not non-Muslim nations. In fact, problem, which stands as major obstacles in progress of tourism industry is attitude problem. Few years back, a Bangladeshi entrepreneur established a million-dollar beer production and canning plant. Due to heavy reaction and protests as well as instigations from the radical groups [due to hidden inspiration from the people in power], the entrepreneur of the project was forced to shut it down. On the other hand, while Bangladeshi authorities closed down the only beer manufacturing plant in the country, it fails in stopping regular trafficking in of deadly medicine-cum-drug named Phensydil. Physicians opine that, consumption of Phensydil will ultimate cause in a semi-paralized nation. But, possibly there is no one to listen to it. Experts feel that, the only beer production plant in Bangladesh should be allowed to re-commense its production, on national interest.
Bangladesh is certainly a country of infinite possibility. But, the problem is with the rulers and policymakers of this poor nation. Should Dhaka change its attitude to cope with the minds of modern Muslim world, simply in couple of years, this country can turn into a real example in Asia. For the sake of prosperity of the nation, rulers in Dhaka need to change their attitude.