Amid global economic recession, every country in the world is facing numerous forms of challenges. The United States, the wealthiest country in the world itself is no exception. The war in Ukraine is disrupting global food and energy supplies due to punitive sanctions imposed on Russia, which is obstructing shipment of food grains, crude oil and refined petroleum products. As counter-measures to sanctions, Russia has already suspended supplying gas to the European countries. When we in Bangladesh have already started expressing frustration due to load shedding once or twice a day, shall we think even for once, what will happen to people in the European countries when during bone-chilling winter those hitting machines at houses will not run due to unavailability of gas?
It is true that we are suffering in the heat due to load shedding, at least there is no risk of loss of life. But in European countries, there is a clear risk of death of hundreds of people if the heaters will not be able to function due to non-availability of gas.
These days, many people, including some anti-government pundits are saying, Bangladesh is going to become bankrupt, similarly as Sri Lanka or Pakistan. I am saying with confidence, Bangladesh will never go bankrupt like Sri Lanka or Pakistan. There is no such risk at all. With the amount of foreign exchange reserves that we still have, it is possible to meet the import bills for the next 7-8 months. Meanwhile, remittances are coming from abroad every month. In July, we have received more than two billion dollars remittance. This inflow of remittance will continue.
In addition, due to the war in Ukraine, the buying capacity of the people in Western nations will significantly decrease. This will force them in switching from luxury apparels to basic clothes. As a result, the demand for readymade garments from Bangladesh will increase significantly – at least 25-30 percent. That means, our export earning from this sector too will increase.
I don’t understand why some people keep saying that Bangladesh will go bankrupt like Sri Lanka or Pakistan. Is it their revenge on the state? Again, I would like to firmly say – Bangladesh will never go bankrupt like Sri Lanka or Pakistan. Still, those who have become too eager to see such disastrous situation in Bangladesh, they can go to Sri Lanka or Pakistan, if they want, to taste the bitter consequences of any nation’s going bankrupt.
I would like to remind those who think that the previous governments wrapped the country with gold, during 2004-2006, there was load shedding 7-8 times a day in Dhaka city itself. Factories were in dire straits. At that time, the electricity came less and went more. Because, that government did not take any initiative to increase electricity production. Instead they gave opportunity to a company named Khamba, a money-making venture of Tarique Rahman and his cohorts, to earn billions of takas by installing electricity poles in rural areas. Thousands of poles were set even without electric cables.
When that government left power, the country’s foreign exchange reserves were almost at the bottom. Have we all forgotten so quickly?
These days political opponents of the ruling party are loudly saying, Awami League government has conducted a fake election in 2018.
Let’s look into the past!
During the tenure of military ruler Hussain Muhammad Ershad, all the elections were marred by vote rigging. Don’t Jatiyo Party men feel ashamed of talking of free and fair election? Had even a single election took place transparently during Ershad’s tenure?
Now let’s talk about Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). On February 15, 1996, who held a one-sided election? The nation has not forgotten this. Before the 2006 general elections didn’t the BNP try to hold a farce election with their chosen Chief Election Commissioner and Head of the caretaker Government?
In 2013, BNP withdrew from the national elections on the advice of its political concubine Jamaat-e-Islami – the dan of war criminals and Islamists. Before the 2013 election, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina herself called BNP leader Khaleda Zia inviting her to participate in the election through dialogue. It was even predicted, should BNP join the 2013 elections, it might have even won. But BNP was kept away from that election by Jamaat-e-Islami. Because they wanted to come to power instead of BNP.
Now let’s talk about the caretaker government system. No other country in the world has such a ridiculous or at least unique system. After the fall of the military ruler Ershad in 1990, all parties approved the temporary system of a caretaker government to fill the void created by the sudden fall of the ruling government. Many are now saying that the caretaker government system was initiated for the sake of fair elections. This is completely wrong.
The caretaker government was then initiated to temporarily manage the country by filling the void left by the sudden fall of the ruling government. At that time, if the caretaker government system was not introduced, the country would have become a nation without government. Therefore, caretaker government conducted the subsequent elections in 1991 just as a part of their broad-based duties. The caretaker government system was never introduced just for the purpose of holding elections.
Now you tell me, in which country of the world elections are held under the caretaker government? Not anywhere. Not in America-Britain, not in Pakistan or even Uganda. In this case, why are we making such absurd claims? Do we want to show the world that we are a crazy nation that needs a caretaker government to hold elections? Isn’t it a kind of madness?
