The never fulfilled basic expectations
Monday, 29 November 2010
Shamsul Huq Zahid
The government does play a central role in the affairs of the State. And taking that role into consideration, the electorates do want the government to carry out its duties and responsibilities to them sincerely and make their life and living happy and peaceful, as far as possible. Such expectation is far greater in the case of a democratically elected government that makes certain promises to the people during electioneering. And the promises are, obviously, of political, social and economic nature. Ideally, the main focus of all activities of the government, among others, should be on improving the economic conditions of the people, ensuring proper education for all and guaranteeing peace and security of all citizens, irrespective of their cast and creed.
The expectation of the people generally revolves round the issues that concern them most. Such issues include food prices, law and order, education, transportation, healthcare etc., and the people want the government to attach top most priority to those. They, in fact, always long for a government that is adequately responsive to their problems that they face day in, day out. Sadly enough, most expectations of the people from the successive governments since independence of the country have remained unfulfilled as men in power have been more interested in achieving their narrow personal or party interests.
Food prices: It is a constitutional obligation of the government to ensure the citizens' unhindered access to food. However, the availability of the food in the marketplace does not necessarily ensure access to food for all people. The price of the food items is an important issue here. The affluent and middleclass have the means to buy food items even if the prices of the same go up. But that is not true in the case of the poor people who constitute nearly 40 per cent of the country's population. A large segment of the poor, who are described as hardcore poor because of their less than a dollar earning a day, cannot afford to buy food even if the price of the same is low.
The situation relating to food prices has always fluctuated because of domestic and external factors. If production of food grains suffers a setback due to natural calamities or the price of the same goes up in the international market, it generally leaves some destabilizing effect on the price situation. However, the government is supposed to stabilize the situation through effective management.
One of the major electoral promises that the incumbent government had made to the people related to making available the essentials at affordable prices. The people pinned much hope on such promises since they had suffered a lot under the military-backed caretaker government when two consecutive natural calamities and the extremely volatile international food prices had pushed the prices of most essentials to an all-time-high level. In the initial months of the current government, prices of most essentials recorded some decline, much to the relief of the common man. But the relief was short-lived as the prices started increasing again. The policymakers, who do very often resort to political rhetoric and blame the so-called syndication of businessmen for the price hike, have failed to monitor the market and stabilize the prices of most essentials.
Law and order: After food, what the people want the government to ensure is security at their workplace, on roads and at their homes. As far as law and order situation, the country had both bad times and good times under different governments in the past. But, honestly speaking, it has never been even to near perfect. It is also hard to expect so in a country where the rate of unemployment is so high-every third person in the country is believed to be either unemployed or under-employed-- and literacy rate is low. Moreover, the performance of the law enforcing agencies and the government's respect for rule of law are two very important factors.
The law enforcing agencies, in most cases, have been inefficient and largely corrupt. Their primary task has always been to keep the men in power happy, if necessary, through abuse or wrong application of law and earn money for themselves through illegal means. Rather than remaining alert to their main responsibility of ensuring safety and security of the citizens for which they are paid for by the State, a section of dishonest police force is found to develop relationship with criminals. The political use of police and other law enforcers under different governments, has contributed to the rising indiscipline and moral decadence of the law enforcers.
Education: An educated population is considered a great asset for any country. The state of education in Bangladesh falls far short of the expectation. The literacy rate is still as low as 45 per cent, which is well below the rate in most other south Asian countries. Poverty remains a major hurdle to achieving the goal of universal education. Though primary education is free, the poor families who find it hard to earn their livelihood, are, in many cases, found reluctant to send their kids to school. Even if they send their children, the drop-out rate is still high. Besides, the flawed education system is churning out a large number of educated people every year who find it hard to get suitable employment.
The number of public educational institutions where the cost of education is low is highly inadequate. The private sector educational institutions being expensive remain well beyond the reach of most families. Thus, the government has been failing in its duties in ensuring education to all as per constitutional requirement.
Healthcare: Healthcare is yet another area where the people are supposed to depend more on the government. But the government in this country has failed to make available the same up to their requirement. The doctor-population ratio is low and the services offered by the public health facilities have been, to a great extent, dismal. The affluent people have the means to go to expensive private sector hospitals and clinics but the poor cannot for obvious reasons. Since the government's upazila health complexes and community health clinics at the grassroots are failing to meet the health needs of the rural poor.
The government does play a central role in the affairs of the State. And taking that role into consideration, the electorates do want the government to carry out its duties and responsibilities to them sincerely and make their life and living happy and peaceful, as far as possible. Such expectation is far greater in the case of a democratically elected government that makes certain promises to the people during electioneering. And the promises are, obviously, of political, social and economic nature. Ideally, the main focus of all activities of the government, among others, should be on improving the economic conditions of the people, ensuring proper education for all and guaranteeing peace and security of all citizens, irrespective of their cast and creed.
The expectation of the people generally revolves round the issues that concern them most. Such issues include food prices, law and order, education, transportation, healthcare etc., and the people want the government to attach top most priority to those. They, in fact, always long for a government that is adequately responsive to their problems that they face day in, day out. Sadly enough, most expectations of the people from the successive governments since independence of the country have remained unfulfilled as men in power have been more interested in achieving their narrow personal or party interests.
Food prices: It is a constitutional obligation of the government to ensure the citizens' unhindered access to food. However, the availability of the food in the marketplace does not necessarily ensure access to food for all people. The price of the food items is an important issue here. The affluent and middleclass have the means to buy food items even if the prices of the same go up. But that is not true in the case of the poor people who constitute nearly 40 per cent of the country's population. A large segment of the poor, who are described as hardcore poor because of their less than a dollar earning a day, cannot afford to buy food even if the price of the same is low.
The situation relating to food prices has always fluctuated because of domestic and external factors. If production of food grains suffers a setback due to natural calamities or the price of the same goes up in the international market, it generally leaves some destabilizing effect on the price situation. However, the government is supposed to stabilize the situation through effective management.
One of the major electoral promises that the incumbent government had made to the people related to making available the essentials at affordable prices. The people pinned much hope on such promises since they had suffered a lot under the military-backed caretaker government when two consecutive natural calamities and the extremely volatile international food prices had pushed the prices of most essentials to an all-time-high level. In the initial months of the current government, prices of most essentials recorded some decline, much to the relief of the common man. But the relief was short-lived as the prices started increasing again. The policymakers, who do very often resort to political rhetoric and blame the so-called syndication of businessmen for the price hike, have failed to monitor the market and stabilize the prices of most essentials.
Law and order: After food, what the people want the government to ensure is security at their workplace, on roads and at their homes. As far as law and order situation, the country had both bad times and good times under different governments in the past. But, honestly speaking, it has never been even to near perfect. It is also hard to expect so in a country where the rate of unemployment is so high-every third person in the country is believed to be either unemployed or under-employed-- and literacy rate is low. Moreover, the performance of the law enforcing agencies and the government's respect for rule of law are two very important factors.
The law enforcing agencies, in most cases, have been inefficient and largely corrupt. Their primary task has always been to keep the men in power happy, if necessary, through abuse or wrong application of law and earn money for themselves through illegal means. Rather than remaining alert to their main responsibility of ensuring safety and security of the citizens for which they are paid for by the State, a section of dishonest police force is found to develop relationship with criminals. The political use of police and other law enforcers under different governments, has contributed to the rising indiscipline and moral decadence of the law enforcers.
Education: An educated population is considered a great asset for any country. The state of education in Bangladesh falls far short of the expectation. The literacy rate is still as low as 45 per cent, which is well below the rate in most other south Asian countries. Poverty remains a major hurdle to achieving the goal of universal education. Though primary education is free, the poor families who find it hard to earn their livelihood, are, in many cases, found reluctant to send their kids to school. Even if they send their children, the drop-out rate is still high. Besides, the flawed education system is churning out a large number of educated people every year who find it hard to get suitable employment.
The number of public educational institutions where the cost of education is low is highly inadequate. The private sector educational institutions being expensive remain well beyond the reach of most families. Thus, the government has been failing in its duties in ensuring education to all as per constitutional requirement.
Healthcare: Healthcare is yet another area where the people are supposed to depend more on the government. But the government in this country has failed to make available the same up to their requirement. The doctor-population ratio is low and the services offered by the public health facilities have been, to a great extent, dismal. The affluent people have the means to go to expensive private sector hospitals and clinics but the poor cannot for obvious reasons. Since the government's upazila health complexes and community health clinics at the grassroots are failing to meet the health needs of the rural poor.