Darkness is our constant companion. This is the dominant feeling as we look around. So depressing is the scenario in every sector of life: politics, administration, education and business, even in social service that one is tempted to echo the forlorn refrain of a Tagore song "Darkness is dear to me". For decades the shadow of darkness has loomed ever larger in the totality of our existence. It seems we have forgotten to turn towards light.
If it were not so, why should our respected teachers be the target of violent assaults from a section of their students, why do universities turn into battlefields, why does a section of the revered community of teachers kneel before might and power to secure worldly success and career advancement?
IN THE HEART OF DARKNESS: Why isn't there any basic discipline and order in traffic in the high streets? Why is everyone engaged in the vain and suicidal attempt to get ahead of others by hook or crook - on buses, trucks, cars and even rickshaws? Why should we suffer unreasonable traffic jams as a result of this mindless rat race? And why do the traffic police stand impotent as the mighty and dominant break laws and demands discipline from the weak and the helpless?
Why are the leaders of an avowedly democratic society seemingly afraid of those very streets on which their struggle for freedom and democratic liberty lifted them to the positions of the controllers of national destiny? Why aren't the cities safe? Why have towns and villages become the happy hunting grounds of robbers, terrorists and hooligans?
Why have our hospitals turned into havens of mismanagement? There is only one specialised institution for treatment of heart diseases in this land of hundred and sixty million. In its intensive care unit there are only a few beds. How does that work out in terms of available beds in proportion to population afflicted with cardiovascular ailments? The hospitals in the public sector are in pathological disorder and confused under the titanic pressures of innumerable patients. The expensive private hospital and clinics also hold no guarantee of effective treatment and skilled nursing. The all-devouring darkness of mismanagement also spreads its deadly claws there. Even wealth cannot secure either appropriate treatment or reasonable death.
As in health so in education. Unskilled and incompetent management has brought forth nothing but immeasurable darkness. The students do not seem to trust the teachers. A section of teachers do not regard their profession as a mission. On the contrary, in their ceaseless quest for material success and prosperity they transform themselves into the handmaidens of predominant political and administrative power. Thus, these elements belittle themselves before the students and society as a whole. The indiscipline and lack of system and order in our hospitals and educational institutions are nothing but the reflection of the directionless and uncertain state of our benighted nation and society. Lack of stability and certitude marks all segments of life: politics, administration, trade, industry and commerce. Nobody knows what's going to happen. No one trusts that the logical and the reasonable results will emerge. If such trust existed, there wouldn't have been so strong a reluctance to invest and work in business and industry under a government that has come to power through disputed elections but happens seemingly to work alright?
BEAUTY OF DEMOCRACY: Nothing odd can usually happen in a society where democracy and democratic norms and practices are strong at the roots. A change of government in such a society doesn't mean that the skies will fall, for such a change will take place in peaceful, orderly and democratic fashion. If the people do not like the political party that came to power through one free and democratic election, they will bid farewell to it through another. A different party will come to power and go out of it at the end of their days in the same manner. The beauty of democracy lies in coming into and going out of power peacefully. Democratic transfer of power does not lead to a situation where those who are sent out of power are indiscriminately oppressed, suppressed and tortured. As for those against whom there may be specific cases of lapse or wrong-doing, the law takes its own course.
Today democracy apparently prevails in the country. The ruling party claims so. The major opposition, outside parliament, rejects this claim. In the context of Bangladesh, it should be noted, transfer of power occurred in the past through violence and assassination.
Before the controversial elections of January 05, 2014 the transition to a democratically elected government was overseen by a non-partisan and neutral interim or Caretaker government. It is a matter of pride for Bangladesh that this widely acclaimed mechanism of transition has been followed in other countries.
Subsequently, despite various problems and obstacles, Bangladesh was adorned with a democratically elected parliamentary cabinet type of government. The dream seemed near-realisation. Why then as, Tagore said, "There is no much hesitation, O, my fair lady?" Why even now widespread and frequent violence casts its ominous shadows over education, administration, trade and industry and human settlements? There seems to be a great inability somewhere. There apparently is grave inadequacy in comprehension.
THE DISTORTED SHADOW WITH LIGHT BEHIND: An apparently feudalistic system of governance and a lack of trust in the spontaneous strength and judgment of the people have reduced us into helpless, faithless and impotent creatures. So habituated have we become to sudden and violent changes that we have virtually forgotten that government changes and transformation of power structures by peaceful and democratic means are credible and realistic methods of politico-social changes. That's why, perhaps, we are yet to grasp the meaning and significance of the true democracy. It appears that we still don't believe that this non-violent mode and mechanism of change has come to stay. That's why, perhaps, the change in the manner of transfer of political power has not yet been able to secure changes in other sectors of life, including administration, industrial and business management and education. In these areas all-encompassing darkness seems to continue its relentless sway. These areas of darkness are still to encounter the chastening thrill of all-embracing radiance of light.
When Alexander the Great was a young prince, his father, King Philip of Macedon, entrusted him with the task of reining in an uncontrollable horse. Alexander easily completed the job and "Buccophelus" became his favourite horse. An astonished Philip asked: How could you do that with such ease?
A realistic Alexander replied, "I saw that Buccophelus had his back towards the sun. His own shadow spread long before him and so he was frightened and restless. I turned his face towards the sun and the shadow fell behind. The horse was no more distracted and confused and did my bidding".
We have turned towards the light by opting for democratic processes so far as the political dimension is concerned until recent times. The welcome change of democratisation did not spread in the various dimensions of life. In the other dimension - organizational, industrial, educational and business-related activities, we still appear to be facing the wrong way with the light behind, rather than before us.
Our own larger-than-life and distorted shadow has kept us restless and incapable of trust and faith in our own abilities. That's why, perhaps, our top-level society, in many instances, has become virtual sanctuaries of incompetent sycophants.
All this darkness holds our society by the jugular vein. We have not been able to turn the face of our society towards the sun. We cannot even now recognise the good as such. We have patronised the bad and put the incompetent and the incapable into the high positions because they, having made money by devious means and feeding on the crumbs of power, climbed close to us. Now they flatter and please us with the same sweetness with which they used to gladden the hearts of those who preceded us. No doubt that they will continue to do the same with those that will succeed us. The villains will become heroes and continue with the sham until and unless we turn our faces towards the light. Who will turn our faces towards the light? Only the future can tell.
Dr. Mizanur Rahman Shelley is the Chairman of the Centre for Development Research, Bangladesh (CDRB). [email protected]
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