Our leaders need to change themselves first

Leaders' transformation is a must to see a transformed Bangladesh. Whatever leaders are seen to be doing are perceived as mostly doing for themselves, to add to vainglorious things like winning foreign medals for this or that or for the enrichment and pomp of their own selves, members of their own families and associates. A changed person can only change others. The famous Indian first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru once said: "To see a transformed India, we require the transformation of all the government high officials and political leaders, they should be transformed first." Our leaders, as they often deliver speeches in various meetings and sittings, make commitment for building this country like other developed countries. But how would they do this work without having the values and principles like that of leaders of those countries? The main problem of our leaders is this that they are unaware about what they value. It is really alarming that they only look for apparent results but do not stress on effort, sincerity, honesty, quality, competency, justice, transparency, humanity, etc. But the latter types of values are indispensables for attaining successes and developments. Our leaders want to catch fish without getting wet. They should rather urgently decide what they should value. Poverty, corruption, injustice and insecurity are intensifying day by day. Problems are seen largely remaining in an uncaringly unaddressed state or are little addressed. Some of the main problems are inflation, electricity crisis, shortage of gas, traffic jam, lack of public transportations, unplanned and illegal urbanisation, unethical politics misconception and misunderstandings etc.. Dishonesty and greediness of different stakeholders and service-providers are making this state unstable, imbalanced and vulnerable. Gaining wealth and property by means of illicit actions is a common phenomenon. It seems that our leaders are unable or unwilling --whatever the case--to effectively respond to such problems and correct their own transparent errors or give up their self-aggrandising instincts. Eventually those things are becoming harder and unbearable day by day. The attitudes of our leaders are not being changed but they are trying to bring changes in others. They are not willing to respect others whereas they expect others to respect them, regardless of their unearned vanity and litany of failures. They are still, very stubbornly unchangeable in their positions. If the whole country goes astray, they don't care about it, whereas their own selfish desire and personal interests are focused and prioritised. A. M. Mannan Banani, Dhaka