Another ‘Three Zero’ formula for Bangladesh govt

Nobel Laureate Prof Muhammad Yunus has shaken up the world with his “Three Zero” formula for economic development. His proposed three zeroes – Zero Poverty, Zero Unemployment and Zero Net Carbon Emissions – form the core framework for building a prosperous and peaceful world, and require youthful energy, technology, good governance and social enterprises for full fruition.

The 85-year old “youth” is now at the helm of an interim government formed through a youth-led anti-fascist uprising. This government has assumed power as the people are tired of decades of faulty state functions, and are looking up to the new administration for implementing sustainable reform measures.

However, to realise people’s aspirations as well as the dreams of last year’s revolutionaries, the Yunus government needs another “Three Zero” formula: Zero Inefficiency, Zero Shortsightedness and Zero Dishonesty.

Coming to the issue of efficiency, the government has 22 advisers with ministerial powers, three special assistants with the ranks of advisers and three more special assistants holding ranks equal to advisers. Though, the people do not expect much achievement from these officials into just seven months of their tenure, it is fair to ask if all of them are eligible for their appointed roles and if they are truly personally invested in their responsibilities.

Inefficiency of at least a section of the interim administration is glaringly evident in their handling of repeated street protests in the capital that are threatening public order. Had the government tackled these deftly at the outset, these vested groups would not have got the chance to pose such a big problem now.

Then there comes the need for adequate foresight. The government has prudently formed six reform commissions to help overhaul state apparatus, but another commission should have been dedicated for reforming the education system, which has become merely a business sector.

The government has demonstrated a glaring lack of foresight in a number of other areas: 1) VAT hikes in the middle of a fiscal year were inappropriate, 2) not sitting down with business leaders to discuss the economic calamities was imprudent, 3) a full list of revolutionaries should have been prepared to avoid the future emergence of fake combatants, 4) the Awami League’s (AL) fascist activists should have been arrested by now, and 5) pro-AL government officials should have been removed from posts and tried.

Most importantly perhaps, mob violence should have been stopped. On 10 February, even though it was very late, Adviser Mahfuz Alam finally declared that mobs would also be arrested during the joint forces drives to ensure law and order in the country. In terms of dishonesty, the government must take care that it avoids all forms of malpractice, not just those related to financial corruption. Its moral duty should include holding free and fair elections without having bias for any specific group.