Call for new consensus
Tuesday, 3 January 2012
In the past year, there seemed to be no let up in popular protests against incompetent governments, inequality, oligarchic politics, rogue elitism, corruption and other evils across the world. Despite the differences in the levels of deprivation among protesters of varying economic backgrounds and nationalities, the overriding consensus seemed to be for a new economic order where the '99 per cent' would not be left in the lurch. Sober analysts studying the developments, beginning from the 1997 Asian financial crisis to the more recent problems in the 'global' system, now have no doubt that the root cause of such crises is a gaping deficit in the 'moral and human spirit.'
To mend this deficit, new programmes and measures have been emerging from Asia, such as the Himalayan Consensus of Bangladesh's own Nobel laureate, and the 'gross national happiness index' championed by the Bhutanese Prime Minister. The real purpose of the market is to create wealth but it should also fulfill a duty towards the wider community rather than act with complete disregard for people at large. The principles espoused by them seek to salvage the moral spirit of capitalism to serve humanity in all its complexity, sharing the fruits equitably with all the other social partners who make business possible. These structural adjustments include more social businesses and involvement in environmental protection for the greater good.
Corporate prosperity in the world has unfortunately been at the cost --- sometimes irreparable ---- of the natural habitat and its resources and people, over the last few hundred years of ruthless and indiscriminate exploitation. Countries like Bangladesh that are struggling to raise their standard of life, had better learn from the mistakes and positive experiences all around them. The consensus is for a new growth model that is truly inclusive, and in a nation teeming with socio-economically disadvantaged people, there cannot be any other way to development that is truly sustainable. With fair distribution of work, wages, and amenities, and entrepreneurship growing at the current rate, Bangladesh could become a model middle income country, if the latent talents of the youthful human resource are tapped to the full.
Investment in the available human resource must be well-thought-out, to fit the market. Although the requisite skill development facilities are yet to be at par with the demand for properly trained labour at home or abroad, the government is fortunately waking up to the need of the hour, as evident in the focus on nursing, for example. The huge remittances migrants send home do not belie the fact that most of these hard-working hands could have earned far more, and placed in better workplaces, had their full potential been honed in advance to ensure higher working and living standards abroad. It may be mentioned here that most deaths in the Middle East have reportedly been due to poor food intake, dehydration and heat stroke. All such risks could be easily eliminated if the workers were given the basics of self-care knowledge prior to taking up their jobs. The recruiting agencies should therefore be made to include such vital self-care information in compulsory pre-flight training. The manpower exporters should also be made to ensure that all employers provide reasonably humane standards at the designated accomodation and workplaces.
To mend this deficit, new programmes and measures have been emerging from Asia, such as the Himalayan Consensus of Bangladesh's own Nobel laureate, and the 'gross national happiness index' championed by the Bhutanese Prime Minister. The real purpose of the market is to create wealth but it should also fulfill a duty towards the wider community rather than act with complete disregard for people at large. The principles espoused by them seek to salvage the moral spirit of capitalism to serve humanity in all its complexity, sharing the fruits equitably with all the other social partners who make business possible. These structural adjustments include more social businesses and involvement in environmental protection for the greater good.
Corporate prosperity in the world has unfortunately been at the cost --- sometimes irreparable ---- of the natural habitat and its resources and people, over the last few hundred years of ruthless and indiscriminate exploitation. Countries like Bangladesh that are struggling to raise their standard of life, had better learn from the mistakes and positive experiences all around them. The consensus is for a new growth model that is truly inclusive, and in a nation teeming with socio-economically disadvantaged people, there cannot be any other way to development that is truly sustainable. With fair distribution of work, wages, and amenities, and entrepreneurship growing at the current rate, Bangladesh could become a model middle income country, if the latent talents of the youthful human resource are tapped to the full.
Investment in the available human resource must be well-thought-out, to fit the market. Although the requisite skill development facilities are yet to be at par with the demand for properly trained labour at home or abroad, the government is fortunately waking up to the need of the hour, as evident in the focus on nursing, for example. The huge remittances migrants send home do not belie the fact that most of these hard-working hands could have earned far more, and placed in better workplaces, had their full potential been honed in advance to ensure higher working and living standards abroad. It may be mentioned here that most deaths in the Middle East have reportedly been due to poor food intake, dehydration and heat stroke. All such risks could be easily eliminated if the workers were given the basics of self-care knowledge prior to taking up their jobs. The recruiting agencies should therefore be made to include such vital self-care information in compulsory pre-flight training. The manpower exporters should also be made to ensure that all employers provide reasonably humane standards at the designated accomodation and workplaces.