Bangladesh Headlines 28/11/2018

Headlines:

• B Chowdhury meets Indian High Commission

• PM Hasina listens to Youth Aspirations, speaks on Future Plans

• Youth Unemployment doubled in 7 years: ILO

Details:

B Chowdhury meets Indian High Commission

Indian High Commissioner in Dhaka Harsh Vardhan Shringla on Monday had the courtesy meeting at the invitation of Bikalpa Dhara Bangladesh (BDB) president AQM Badruddoza Chowdhury during which he wanted to know about BDB’s thoughts before the next elections. BDB secretary general Abdul Mannan said they have a very good relation with India and had a very frank and friendly discussion with the Indian high commissioner, “Maintaining good relations between the two countries was the main focus of the meeting,” he said adding that commercial and political relations also came up for discussions. (Prothom Alo -19.11.2018)

This is another common feature of election in Bangladesh under democracy. All so called democratic politicians are busy to secure their blessing from their masters whether it be western Kuffar imperialists or a Mushrik enemy state like India; because, under the capitalist-democratic system support from the foreign imperialist states matters more than the votes from the people. It is now open secret in Bangladesh that for winning election and getting into power you must obtain support from US and India (https://bdnews24.com/bangladesh/2017/03/11/hasina-blames-india-us-collusion-for-awami-league-s-defeat-in-2001-polls).

Hence, we see both Awami League and BNP alliances employing their lobbyists and putting their maximum efforts to please their foreign lords. Though the people of Bangladesh are still skeptical about the free and fair election, the announcement of the schedule by the Election Commission has put the whole nation in a festive mood. People are looking forward to vote believing that it might change the miserable condition they are currently living in. People are being hyped up by the various colorful coverage from both electronic and print media. Political parties are also pushing it up by making rhetoric statement and false promises. But all these mean nothing for the people as far as their economic and political conditions are concerned. The elections in Bangladesh under democratic system are nothing more than a puppet show where people is simply a spectator.

Politicians very artfully play with the people’s expectations and emotions. The vote of the people ultimately counts for nothing. The foreign masters are the main players and they pull the strings according to their benefits. They sometimes reshuffle our rulers so that they can have a good bargaining edge to push forward their agendas in our country. Thus in the upcoming election whoever wins people will lose as it will certainly not bring a real change.

PM Hasina listens to Youth Aspirations, speaks on Future Plans

PM Sheikh Hasina recently interacted with some selected youth section of the society at a program called “Let’s talk”. Professionals, service holders, entrepreneurs, sports and cultural personalities and representatives of various youth groups and associations took part in the discussion. But youths shared their dreams and expectations and recalled the struggles of the life of the current PM and what she had gone through till today. It is claimed that this kind of public interaction especially with youths is very new in our political history (Dhaka Tribune, 23rd November 2018).

It has been instructed long ago by the regime that any kind of anti-government propaganda or presenting their failures are extremely undesirable and any violation will go under trial. They even formed an anti-propaganda cell to combat any negative news in the social media that may embarrass the Hasina government. Amid such dominating environment, if someone is invited to have a dialogue with Hasina, then he probably does not have any other option except to thank the PM. Fact of the matter is that the invitees were selected with a VIP pass to ensure that nothing can be discussed but favourable dreams and hopes under her leadership. In these 10 years, Hasina essentially has managed to control almost all kind of media with her “carrot and stick” policy, and now she feels quite comfortable to talk with anyone.

While the election commission put a bar on any kind of political or election related publicity, the current government and their party activist are freely publicizing their achievements through different means and media. They are trying innovative ideas along with conventional ones to remain at least nominally popular while there is hardly anyone to oppose. From state media to private ones, billboards and hand bills, all are depicting the fake tales of the tyrant. So, whether someone talks or walks with Hasina, the people will have the same miserable conditions to look forward to. The only true way forward is to replace her and the very system which allows her to stay in power.

Youth Unemployment doubled in 7 years: ILO

ILOs Asia-Pacific Employment and social Outlook 2018 pointed out that the jobless rate among the youths rose to 12.8 percent in 2017 from 6.32 percent in 2000. The number of jobless youth who have the higher education is 10.7 percent and it is 8 percent who completed their SSC. But, the rate of unemployed youth who could not complete their primary education was only 1.8 percent. The report also reads that the overall employment rate in the country was 3.3 percent in 2000 and 3.4 percent in 2010. But it jumped to 4.4 percent in 2013 and remained the same in 2016 and 2017. (Prothom Alo, 20 November, 2018)

Hasina regime takes extreme pride for its self-proclaimed progressive economic growth since Bangladesh is experiencing GDP growth above 7% for the last three years. But, ironically, the growth is not contributing employment generation which indicates that the growth is driven from the unnecessary projects which have less contribution to the real economy. Moreover, the faulty education system worsens the situation where the graduates from the current education system are unable to secure descent jobs. Due to the lack of appropriate employment opportunities, the youth of the country are in acute depression and are often being involved in drugs and various other crimes. Consequently, the whole society is becoming insecure and vulnerable.

The ruling classes of the country have miserably failed to capitalize the demographic dividend of Bangladesh, which is the blessing from the Almighty Allah (swt), due to their lack of vision and sense of responsibility. They do not feel necessary to arrange appropriate education for the youths that can help them acquire the necessary skills to pursue their life prosperously and secure descent jobs. The existing ruling classes and their cherished capitalist economic system is responsible for increasing unemployment as it focuses on wealth generation for the few, denying the need for development of skills, policies and schemes to facilitate general masses to fulfil their basic needs. The whole system is operating to drain wealth to few capitalists at the cost of the need of the general masses.