Challenges to survive, live and continue

[Thus was published on Dhaka Courier on 16 August 2013

Mr. Ahmed Imtiaz, a recognized entrepreneur since even before the days of the birth of Bangladesh, is currently not in good pose under the widespread in general state of circumstances that has taken Bangladesh to a point of no responsibility, no accountability and no responsiveness. He has seen the past and that’s why comparative studies between the past and present in nearly all concerns are, to him, not so much convincing positively at all for so-called highly publicized ‘improved Bangladesh’. He experiences and understands, indeed with gargantuan pains and shocks, that the blasts of fanciest pledges and commitments by the political parties including major two political parties AL and BNP notably before elections to parliament, misrule, maladministration, politicization, philistinism, sycophancies and so forth have by now shattered a variety of chains of command almost all stages at such an upsetting velocity and proportion that it has in the present day, if truth be told, become the most challenging task to survive, live and continue with integrity, transparency and sophistication. Politics has sled into politrics (perversion of politics), leadership has fallen significantly below the benchmark, statesmanship is almost a far cry, bureaucracy has turned into a kind of exposed, shameless partisan machinery for the party/alliance in power, oppositions have emerged as the champ of sticking to the development-threatening avowed principle and standing of ‘merely opposing all acts of the party/alliance in power irrespective of merits and needs in the context of national perspective, education has been transformed into a sort of ‘buy and sell’ and educational institutions from primary to university levels, both public and private, are at present successful industries for making money for the investors at the dire negation of producing promising generations. ‘Trade, commerce and industries, excepting very few in number, have reached, if viewed most liberally, at the mouth-point of ‘black hole’ in the respective domains. ‘Would you like to have a cup of tea?’ asked his wife Rebeka, a housewife in the fullest sense of the term. ‘Of course’ instantly came out from his mouth.

While having tea in a very relax temper and sense, his mobile started buzzing. Taking the mobile set hastily in hand he said ‘Who is calling please?’  ‘I am your neighbor-friend Mafizul Islam. ‘How are you, brother Mofiz’? ‘I am fine’? ‘What about you?’ ‘Brother, I am not going well these days’. ‘I guess it as I observe that you perturbed off and often. Tell me freely and directly what has exactly happened to you? Is there anything wrong in the family?’ ‘Nothing is grave at all, although the overall situations in the field of trade, commerce and industries in the country generated a kind of perennial concern in my mind’. ‘No problem. Are you free now? ‘Yes, I think so’. ‘Well, here we few friends are chatting without direction. If there is no bar from your side I may then come to your place along with them all’.  ‘It’s a very good proposal unquestionably. You all do come right away. However, there is a condition that tonight we will have dinner together at my place’. ‘Yes, it is accepted with pleasure as I am aware of your hospitability and generosity’.

‘First of all let me introduce the new ones all to you most of who are living within our compact.’ ‘I am really over the moon and honored to see you all at my residence’. ‘Same to you and we also feel so, Mr. Imtiaz’ replied all in a body. ‘O my God, your drawing room is almost a photo-gallery. What’s that Mr Imtiaz?  asked Mr Quader, a pharmaceutical industrialist. ‘’It’s a group photo of long forty five years ago. It reminds me off and often of those days of my successful standing in the field of commerce and industries in undivided Pakistan. Here I am with the crest for becoming the best entrepreneur in the then East Pakistan, now Bangladesh’ replied Mr. Imtiaz with a sense of pride and relax. ‘We have been told that you were a leading jute industrialist. What are you now doing? posed Mr Karim, a tiles manufacturer. ‘Immediately after the course of nationalization of all jute mills in Bangladesh after independence, I rushed towards textiles and ago-based industries. What I have lost in the jute sector cannot be roofed under any circumstances. In fact, running business in these days is not easy a task since along with the changing policies and increasing trends of taxes, vat, customs etc in the related sectors from time to time and  escalation of corruptions in various modes and covers at nearly all the stages, relevant or irrelevant, have reached at an alarming point. Further additions entail political turmoil, hartals by political parties and different organizations. Nobody can think of getting due justice or favor if he is not directly or indirectly associated with the party in power or at least supported by hand(s) of the party in power. Politicization is now a chronic disease. No tender is free from the blast of the cadres of the party in power. Belief in the politics of opposition means falling from the line of businesses.

Textile sector is suffering a lot because of lack of broad-based policy and support of the government. Industry-friendly environment is going afar day by day. Supply if uninterrupted electricity, gas and water is a challenging schedule for the authorities concerned. Protectionism for Trade and industry is on the wane’. ‘Which problem does concern you more?’ asked Mr. Jinnat Ali, a nationally reputed banker. ‘Are you a determined and promising industrialist nowadays” retorted Mr. Giasuddun Ahmed, Professor of Commerce at a university. ‘I think you are not at all optimistic under the given circumstances?’ added Mr. Motalab Talukdar, a retired civil servant. ‘For us textiles sector is not only vital but also a booming one from the standpoint of reality’ said Mr. Zillur Rahman, a textiles expert and consultant. Is not it further related to ‘our garments sector as well’ opined Mr. Ziauddin Ahmed.’ There are lot of documents and evidences that if garments and textiles move together in tune then more and more opportunities and possibilities will be easier for Bangladesh paving way for influx of foreign currencies with necessary employment realities’ added Mr. Newaz Murshed, a human resources expert. ’Do you find any realistic light for textiles in Bangladesh?’ What are your suggestions for taking this sector to the point of success?’ questioned Mr. Liaquat Ali Siddique. ‘I am not sure as to what to do under the present circumstances. To me everything is confusing, hazy and contaminated’ uttered Mt. Imtiaz with a sense of great despair.

All of a sudden appeared there NGO leader Mr. Shamim Ashan, who is known to almost all as a man of integrity on all counts. Listening details from them he in a minute passed a comment that ‘Let us take a vow that we shall not be miser enough to take risk befittingly and courageously if we are really committed to style ourselves as dauntless sons of the land. We now need to fight against all sorts of corruptions, extortions, undue favors, nepotism and so forth individually and collectively. Yes, Mr. Imtiaz Ahmed might be in a position to elaborate a lot on the topic he is talking about. But mere saying cannot be solution at all. Crying for the past glory keeping eyes close to the present and future is an exposition of pessimism, which is neither good for an individual or for a nation. Now and today should be the basis of moving forward.  Today saying and doing in right tune ought to be our motto. No problem is a problem if we are sincere and unyielding to face it with all concerted efforts leaving behind the ongoing tradition of escapism and speaking ill of others. There should not be any dearth of real research and detection to find out the challenges, overt or covert, to survive, live and continue as such.