Democracy there and here
Sunday, 13 July 2014
Interesting AFP news from Austin Texas carried in a local daily demonstrates democracy in real life in USA. US President Barack Obama jumped the queue (with apologies to all in the queue) which was rather long in a popular hamburger joint in Austin, Texas. As a friendly gesture; he offered to order for the family whose top place at the counter he had usurped. Their order shocked Obama: it was for 3tbs of beef, 2ths of ribs, and half a pound of sausage and turkey. Jokingly Obama said: "how many folks you are feeding". The bill for their order came to well over $ 300 while Obama had only around 200 dollars with him; so he had to pay the amount using his credit card.
Can one ever imagine such a situation in Bangladesh, or in any other country except in USA; despite the fact that hard line Republicans in USA hate him; and a US president was assassinated not long time back?
In Bangladesh should this ever happen, the whole street leading to the restaurant would have been cordoned, all restaurant employees checked and double checked, and the restaurant concerned would be out of bounds (queue of eaters-simply impossible.) for many hours before the proposed arrival of the VVVIP guests. Deployment of over a few hundred security staff for couples of hours would be needed. That is democracy here.
S A Mansoor
Dhaka