Sustainable development: Needs more to accommodate

One is at a loss to understand, find and set appropriate ways, methods and frames of solutions to issues and problems coming from within and without nation-states in particular and the world in general. The ongoing maxims of development with its various canvasses and models therein are also getting colours, dimensions and extensions through a nonstop process of deductions, additions and accommodations, as an effect of this. Development is in fact an atomic concept that swells up sometimes gradually and at times revolutionarily and which one of the two will lead, depends on the leadership of those who matter during its course of journey accordingly. Simply because of leadership the march of development even with all its odds and obstacles, domestic or outside, may reach at the pinnacle of glory, or may grossly turn to an off-putting direction with a slur of regression, which is, truly speaking, an inability to apply duly the power of dynamism obtainable inherently in the very concept of development. Development itself is equipped with all required essentials and hence to use and reap fruits from it is a matter of direction and implementation. Where development stands today may not be befitting for future, say after twenty or thirty years. It does not mean that the concept of development has become obsolete; rather, judgments and thoughts must be given to the fact that the concept itself now needs to be used and applied in a wider focus to keep the peace ongoing in the new circumstances. That is the theme and thesis of development in its true and widest conceptual understanding. Theorists, experts, researches and teachers of a particular discipline such as economics, sociology, politics, physics, engineering etc., are, by nature, prone to define development from the very perspective of the discipline in issue and there is nothing wrong in it. But the definition of development, from the widest perspective taking everything into stocks under a single umbrella, is an oceanic venture where synchronization and harmonization balancing all possible areas are condition precedent. Who will do that? Yes, it must come from the directions and guidelines of those who are in the very field of politics and statecrafts. How is it possible on their part? Yes, it is possible in two ways as under: Initiatives by the United Nations (UN), centre place of all the nation-states in the world, in cooperation with its required affiliated bodies; and Initiatives by the leaders in politics and statecrafts in their own perspective. The former will be responsible for devising possible frames of development latent in it in a global vision and mission with due listening to the national frame in issue and the latter will invest its efforts to have the same in its own contexts paying qualified attention to limitations and constraints, internal and external. More fascinating to see is that there already occurred a revolution in the digging and application of the latent elements of development to keep its move onward with the changing landscapes of the world at large. And it came with the introduction of 'sustainable development frame' contained in the Brundtland Commission report in 1987, Our Common Future, with a definition 'sustainable development is development to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs', added a new dimension in global perspective in its entirety. Issue of environment, unheard or neglected so far, i.e. space came to the fore front from the latent area of the fold of development. It contains within it two key concepts: the concept of 'needs', in particular the essential needs of the world's poor, to which overriding priority should be given; and the idea of limitations imposed by the state of technology and social organization on the environment's ability to meet present and future needs. The report deals with sustainable development (sometimes taught as ELF-Environment, Local people, Future) and the change of politics needed for achieving that. The United Nations 2005 World Summit Outcome Document refers to the 'interdependent and mutually reinforcing pillars' of sustainable development as economic development, social development and environmental protection'. Based on the triple bottom line, numerous substantiality standards and certification systems have been established in recent years in particular in food industry and internationally focused standards include Organic, Rainforest Alliance, Bird Friendly and the Common Code for the Coffee Community. It has latter been argued by indigenous peoples through various international forums such as the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues and the Convention on Biological Diversity, that there are four pillars of sustainable development, the fourth being cultural. Further elaboration on the concept came from the Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity (UNESCO, 2001) with a note by stating that 'cultural diversity is as necessary for humankind as biodiversity is for future. It stands as one of the roots of development understood not simply in terms of economic growth, but also as a means to achieve a more satisfactory intellectual, emotional, moral and spiritual existence'. In this exposure, cultural diversity is the fourth policy area of sustainable development. And there is new a line of thoughts to hold, and this scribe believes also, that careful attention to the real teachings and practice of religions of various faiths and folds will in future be taken as the fifth pillar. Today it is being felt, realized to a greater extent than ever before that the basis of development for its overhauling from within and without require supports from religions as religion, only religion can touch the body and soul together. Man-made laws, rules and regulations all are subject to flaws and short-sightedness, and contain adequate roads, avenues, lanes and by-lanes for escapes and exits. Greediness, lusts, ugliness, negative competitions etc., can hardly be uprooted from the very minds of those who prefer moving behind wealth, assets and resources anyhow and at any cost to living in a community, based on equitable distribution of them all. Therefore, keeping the appeals and efficacy of religions at a long distance in the name of so-called standards of development and civilization may not continue as a measuring rod in future. Growth of extreme secularism i.e. separation of religion both from life and state means in the final end rise and application of proper teaching of teachings and lessons of religions in life not as a segmented piece but as a whole at every possible stage of life from self to family to society to state to international compacts. Time has come to reassess and recast everything in a new perspective and focus that neither Muslims nor Christians nor Jews not Hindus nor Sikhs nor Buddhists nor others in the currents are in a position to say that they are very much aware of the proper teachings and lessons of their respective religions while dealing with other(s) in a community, society, state in particular and the world in general. No religion, in true sense of the term, encourages a person to be dogmatic, hostile, terrorist, regressive and static. Humanity, humanitarian outlook, dedication and sacrifices are said to be ornaments of a religion. This is also true that, like other areas, religions have also become prey of negative interpretations, uses and escalations. We have to bear in mind carefully the difference between a religious person and a religion-loving person. One is exactness leading to conclusion being the minority of a religion and the other is vagueness keeping distance from conclusion forming the majority. Today it is really difficult to find and rank a community based on proper foundation of a religion. Let the leaders in the domains of religions take the crisis as challenge without delay anymore. Take it guaranteed that this writer is not talking of a religion-based state rather his emphasis is on the use and application of the proper teachings and lessons of religion in one's life so that a human being fell and realize all the time that he a creation of the Sovereign of universe, visible or not visible, and he has no choice but to go back to him any time upon His satisfaction. Hence, living in the world for a period of time is just one of the billions of fractions of ultimate time. No religion asks its followers to be bad, wicked, greedy, dishonest, corrupt, immoral, unethical, inconsiderate, ruthless, and inhuman and so forth. A human being is a blend of animalism and rationalism so fight for supremacy of one over the other is on all the time. When a human being acquires the ascendency of rationalism in life, he becomes a valuable asset for himself and others around him. Unfortunate to note it is that the numbers of such people are on decline everywhere in the world. Let the leaders in Bangladesh understand, think, fell and realize the tasks, immediate or remote, to be carried out to meet the challenges of the 21st century in the true perspective of its development. To face the challenges of development, there is no denying the fact that first of all, here a consensus on major issues between the two leading petticoat parties -- Awami League led by Sheikh Hasina, incumbent Prime Minister of Bangladesh and former leader of the opposition in Parliament, and Bangladesh Nationalist Party headed by Begum Khaleda Zia, leader of the opposition in Parliament and former Premier -- is a priori. Let our leaders in the position (in power) and in the opposition (out of power) come forward and shake hands without a delay. Let Bangladeshi leaders not allow themselves to take and bear the burden of being blamed by the posterity for repeating the historic saying on record 'Niro fiddles when Rome burns'. D. Sinha M. A. Sayeed is Chairman of Leadership Studies Foundation, LSF. He may be reached at e-mail: sinha_sayeed611@yahoo.com