VIPs get a big boost in their pays, perks and privileges
Saturday, 13 March 2010
Enayet Rasul Bhuiyan
According to media reports, the salaries and other monetary benefits of the President, the Prime Minister, Ministers, State Ministers, Members of parliament (MPs) and Judges of the Supreme Court, have been raised by some 83 per cent or come nearer to doubling. Another report on Wednesday says that each MP from now on will become the beneficiary of some 150 million Taka for doing developmental works in his or her constituency. But it is doubtful whether real developmental works would be accomplished through such allocations. It is more likely that the resources might lead to only self enrichment in the absence of a proper accountability framework.
None should have any grudge for granting additional financial compensation to top members of the government provided the same are well earned. But if the same are seen to be not well earned and when common people of the country are found fighting a grim battle of survival against rising inflation, their eroded purchasing capacities and as a result failing to even sustain their present modest standard of living, in these circumstances the hefty rise in the salaries and benefits of the top government functionaries indeed can be visualized with envy by them.
As it is, can the top government leaders claim that they have contributed in any sustainable manner to the highest needs of the people on taking over charge some thirteen months ago ? The country-- meaning its people and the economy --is suffering too badly from shortages of power. But the incumbent government or its ministers have not succeeded in the least in diminishing these power related agonies. Rather, people in all walks of life are apprehending the worst ever power related suffering in the present summer season. Load shedding that was unthinkable in the winter time during past years as demand for power remains low in this period, this experience was broken during the recent winter months when considerable load shedding on a regular basis was noted.
If this load shedding during winter was an indicator of worse things to come, then the same apprehensions are getting fulfilled. The summer period has not fully arrived. But already, load shedding on a scale is going on which is worse than during peak time of the summer seasons of previous years. Thus, the sufferers are fearing the rate of load shedding to become unprecedentedly high and, thus, excruciating in their effects by June-July when temperatures would likely soar. The latest reports about utter failure of the government to line up any significant addition of power to the national grid, are helping to confirm such fears. In fact, even eruptions of violence or outburst of public resentments on this scored are anticipated and law enforced bodies are seemingly considering the taking of preparations to cope with the same.
The big promise of the ruling party before the election was price control. But that promise also remains largely unmet. A fall in prices of some essentials was noted for some months after the takeover by this government. But that downtrend in prices, specially of imported goods, had more to do with very substantial decreases of prices of these commodities in international markets and the consequent much reduced import costs of these goods. Internally, the record breaking higher production of rice in the country also helped such prices decreases. But that trend was short-lived. For the last six months or more, prices of essential goods including that of even domestically produced rice after its super bumper harvests, have marked rises in much the same manner like in the past defying all business rules and ethics. The seniormost Minister in charge of a vital ministry has blamed the 'syndicates' for such developments but did not say what his government did so far to bust these syndicates. In fact, the freestyle rise in prices seem to suggest that there is no price monitoring mechanism of the government in existence or even if it is there it has probably a namesake existence only with no resolve whatsoever to make its impact felt.
The law and order situation is in no way satisfactory. Muggings, murders, snatching, robberies, kidnapping for ransoms and extortion activities are reaching new heights every day. Extortionists are making life miserable for even middle class people on a large scale by demanding money over telephones. Hardly a befitting response to the rising crime wave is seen from the law enforcement bodies. There is no sign that the highest manager of law and order in the government are able to utilse the law enforcement bodies to provide proper security to people.
The rate of new investment operations in the economy is also slowing done. This is no surprise as government is not succeeding in sending credible signals to potential investors that they can proceed with their investment plans as they would be able to count on adequate power supply in the short and medium terms to run their various enterprises after these are set up.
In these conditions, is there any way for this government to take satisfaction from a sense that its members are discharging their duties well to be able to justify any significantly increased higher salaries and perks for themselves ? Nothing can be done or may be done now that the pays and benefits of top members of the government have increased by a fat margin. But they should at least feel a pinch in their conscience and from now on dedicate themselves to truly earn their higher pays and perks.
There are many examples in other countries round the world to show how responsibly and conscientiously the highly placed members of the government usually behave there. In the developed countries, Ministers are found resigning without any pressure on them to do so for what they feel as their own failings. They do this to take responsibility. Ministers and other top dignitaries are also noted in such countries working completely selflessly for the public good by donating their salaries and benefits to a public fund. They are found leading in observing-- as and when needs arise-- to calls from government to observe austerity by doing without perks to which they are entitled . The Ministers and lawmakers there are found to be in the front rank in voluntarily refusing to accept increases in salaries and perks for themselves and suggesting a freeze on the same in all or different sectors on economic grounds. They do these things to prove the depth of their commitments to the people and their high missions. Even in neighbouring India, there are so many examples of politicians who sought to set standards of frugality and truly dedicated public service. For instance, the former Prime Minister of India, Lal Bahadur Shsastri, out of deliberate choice used to live in a two room modest flat and his wife used to cook their meals by herself in a small stove.
All of the above things are said only to show how different things are in Bangladesh. Here, the so called representatives of the people tend to live off the fattest fruits of the land regardless of whether they are really serving or not the people from whose name they derive all their powers and authorities.
According to media reports, the salaries and other monetary benefits of the President, the Prime Minister, Ministers, State Ministers, Members of parliament (MPs) and Judges of the Supreme Court, have been raised by some 83 per cent or come nearer to doubling. Another report on Wednesday says that each MP from now on will become the beneficiary of some 150 million Taka for doing developmental works in his or her constituency. But it is doubtful whether real developmental works would be accomplished through such allocations. It is more likely that the resources might lead to only self enrichment in the absence of a proper accountability framework.
None should have any grudge for granting additional financial compensation to top members of the government provided the same are well earned. But if the same are seen to be not well earned and when common people of the country are found fighting a grim battle of survival against rising inflation, their eroded purchasing capacities and as a result failing to even sustain their present modest standard of living, in these circumstances the hefty rise in the salaries and benefits of the top government functionaries indeed can be visualized with envy by them.
As it is, can the top government leaders claim that they have contributed in any sustainable manner to the highest needs of the people on taking over charge some thirteen months ago ? The country-- meaning its people and the economy --is suffering too badly from shortages of power. But the incumbent government or its ministers have not succeeded in the least in diminishing these power related agonies. Rather, people in all walks of life are apprehending the worst ever power related suffering in the present summer season. Load shedding that was unthinkable in the winter time during past years as demand for power remains low in this period, this experience was broken during the recent winter months when considerable load shedding on a regular basis was noted.
If this load shedding during winter was an indicator of worse things to come, then the same apprehensions are getting fulfilled. The summer period has not fully arrived. But already, load shedding on a scale is going on which is worse than during peak time of the summer seasons of previous years. Thus, the sufferers are fearing the rate of load shedding to become unprecedentedly high and, thus, excruciating in their effects by June-July when temperatures would likely soar. The latest reports about utter failure of the government to line up any significant addition of power to the national grid, are helping to confirm such fears. In fact, even eruptions of violence or outburst of public resentments on this scored are anticipated and law enforced bodies are seemingly considering the taking of preparations to cope with the same.
The big promise of the ruling party before the election was price control. But that promise also remains largely unmet. A fall in prices of some essentials was noted for some months after the takeover by this government. But that downtrend in prices, specially of imported goods, had more to do with very substantial decreases of prices of these commodities in international markets and the consequent much reduced import costs of these goods. Internally, the record breaking higher production of rice in the country also helped such prices decreases. But that trend was short-lived. For the last six months or more, prices of essential goods including that of even domestically produced rice after its super bumper harvests, have marked rises in much the same manner like in the past defying all business rules and ethics. The seniormost Minister in charge of a vital ministry has blamed the 'syndicates' for such developments but did not say what his government did so far to bust these syndicates. In fact, the freestyle rise in prices seem to suggest that there is no price monitoring mechanism of the government in existence or even if it is there it has probably a namesake existence only with no resolve whatsoever to make its impact felt.
The law and order situation is in no way satisfactory. Muggings, murders, snatching, robberies, kidnapping for ransoms and extortion activities are reaching new heights every day. Extortionists are making life miserable for even middle class people on a large scale by demanding money over telephones. Hardly a befitting response to the rising crime wave is seen from the law enforcement bodies. There is no sign that the highest manager of law and order in the government are able to utilse the law enforcement bodies to provide proper security to people.
The rate of new investment operations in the economy is also slowing done. This is no surprise as government is not succeeding in sending credible signals to potential investors that they can proceed with their investment plans as they would be able to count on adequate power supply in the short and medium terms to run their various enterprises after these are set up.
In these conditions, is there any way for this government to take satisfaction from a sense that its members are discharging their duties well to be able to justify any significantly increased higher salaries and perks for themselves ? Nothing can be done or may be done now that the pays and benefits of top members of the government have increased by a fat margin. But they should at least feel a pinch in their conscience and from now on dedicate themselves to truly earn their higher pays and perks.
There are many examples in other countries round the world to show how responsibly and conscientiously the highly placed members of the government usually behave there. In the developed countries, Ministers are found resigning without any pressure on them to do so for what they feel as their own failings. They do this to take responsibility. Ministers and other top dignitaries are also noted in such countries working completely selflessly for the public good by donating their salaries and benefits to a public fund. They are found leading in observing-- as and when needs arise-- to calls from government to observe austerity by doing without perks to which they are entitled . The Ministers and lawmakers there are found to be in the front rank in voluntarily refusing to accept increases in salaries and perks for themselves and suggesting a freeze on the same in all or different sectors on economic grounds. They do these things to prove the depth of their commitments to the people and their high missions. Even in neighbouring India, there are so many examples of politicians who sought to set standards of frugality and truly dedicated public service. For instance, the former Prime Minister of India, Lal Bahadur Shsastri, out of deliberate choice used to live in a two room modest flat and his wife used to cook their meals by herself in a small stove.
All of the above things are said only to show how different things are in Bangladesh. Here, the so called representatives of the people tend to live off the fattest fruits of the land regardless of whether they are really serving or not the people from whose name they derive all their powers and authorities.