Patience, a virtue Bangladesh now needs

Sir Frank Peters

Sir Frank Peters:

It’s been a most refreshing experience to read Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami’s Ameer Shafiqur Rahman’s call for patience and restraint above the shouts and screams that permeates Dhaka’s polluted air seeking premature fresh elections.

It’s only been a couple of weeks since President Mohammed Shahabuddin Chuppu swore in Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus as Chief Adviser to the Interim Government and added a number of advisers to his team.

Although the team isn’t even complete yet, it has already hit the ground running to repair Bangladesh from years of mismanagement. More potential advisers are going through the selection process to be added soon, but certain segments of society are calling for early elections. How preposterous is that?

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami’s Ameer Shafiqur Rahman has added a voice of reason and understanding by urging everyone to give the Interim Government an opportunity to work for the welfare of the countrymen. No doubt the Jamaat-e-Islami party is as keen as the rest to enter into battle for political power at the next elections (whenever that will be) but it’s sensibly showing patience and restraint as is expected from all. The best dishes need time to cook.

“Be patient. The interim government took charge of the country in response to the student-people’s call. Give them an opportunity to work for the people’s welfare,” the Ameer pleaded this week.

Ameer Rahman was speaking to journalists after inspecting the health condition of Hasnat Abdullah, one of the co-ordinators of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, who is undergoing treatment at Dhaka Medical College Hospital after being injured during a clash between Ansar members and students at the Secretariat.

Anyone who’s ever moved into new residence will vouch for the fact it is much better to allow the workmen to complete whatever work that needs doing before making the actual move.

Ideally the patriots, irrespective to whichever party they belong, will have the best interests of the nation and its people foremost in their hearts, and will assist the Interim Government with its Spring-cleaning efforts and not hinder it.

Politics being politics, however, that seems highly unlikely, but as we’ve already experienced one major unprecedented-in-world-history surprise in this month, perhaps we could be in for another treat.

The Interim Government gives all political parties valuable breathing space and a great opportunity to put their own houses in order in readiness for future opportunities.

Meanwhile Jamaat-e-Islami’s Ameer Shafiqur Rahman offers sound advice that makes earthly-grounded sense when he says: “Be patient. Give them (the Interim Government) an opportunity to work for the people’s welfare.”

(Sir Frank Peters is a former newspaper and magazine publisher and editor, a humanitarian, human rights activist, Honorary Member of the Bangladesh Freedom Fighters, and a foreign friend of Bangladesh. Three Bangladeshi boys have been named ‘Frank Peters’ in his honour. <SirFrankPeters@gmail.com>)