Unguarded remarks
I hope that the newly installed elected AL government ministers have realised by now that unguarded and politically provoking remarks in the media might bring more harm than benefit to the individual and the party. The statements of the finance minister and the commerce minister on market management, especially on breaking the syndicates, were not based on facts. They should gather full information first and then give a policy prescription. This has only encouraged the private policy oversight institutions to come up with explicit comments on the syndicate issue. It is also important to note that the same person of this powerful oversight institutions has also provoked the existing syndicate to determine their course of action in the backdrop of the political note of warning and how they are going to respond negatively. We heard the commerce minister on channel i “First Minister” programme. He was informative and adopted a more practical approach to handle the syndicate. The most important thing he mentioned was that the syndicates exist and operate harmfully when political support is extended by the party in power. This is the catch issue. I hope both the ministers would keep this in mind as policy guideline. By the way, we are hearing about the syndicates since the BNP government. Tell us openly who are they or ask the FBCCI to find out who are they, why and how they operate.
It is very unfortunate to see that a politically active home minister can be embarrassed for her unguarded and unchecked political thoughts which might have influenced her to say only one sentence on law and order situation not liked by many including me and the opposition. She should control her politically biased emotion and stick to facts and figures which would be asked eventually by the oversight institutions, opposition and the neutral media. Now, the party would come to her rescue once, twice or even thrice, but eventually the incumbent would have to pay the price. My advice to the powerful private political oversight institutions and its office bearers is to please maintain political neutrality so that one can depend on what they say and why they say. The reputation of the "civil society" in Bangladesh is not positive.
I have a very humble advice for the electronic media not to disturb the politicians so often in their offices and in the gatherings. The same applies to the politician to bypass the media as long as it is not nationally important. I have no idea what impact it would have on the media coverage of important national events. The media perhaps needs more qualitative improvement, rather than quantitative growth.
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