Whither working ethics?

There is a shift of vision on work values and ethics; which are more negatively polarised. The social scientists cannot get louder than the political cacophony. Timid leadership in these changing times is sabotaging the national values. Bold and beautiful evil and ugly.

The gangsters culture is powerful behind the scenes. Misuse of power without responsibility is a dangerous weapon, and it will eventually erode the national leadership, because evil objectives do not provide long-term protection.

Living at gunpoint and surrounded by armed gangs of miscreants is not a political or national goal. The police has lost its public motivation. The black population is rising. The wrong type of music makers join the chorus.

The society is facing the situation "Might is right"--as the only superpower is doing. It is easy to imitate. Unless the rent-seeking mentality is nipped in the bud, the cost of evil practices has to be paid in the form of VAT or value-added tax on the citizens in the long run.

These nefarious leaders are well known, but not named or tamed-for obvious reasons. The environment is not improving visibly. Today governance is based on temptation. How to separate these two faces of politics? This punishment of the society accelerated during the last one decade--strangely, after democratic tools and methods were reintroduced after the rule of the autocrats for 15 years.

Why it did not mushroom before in the intervening period? Discreet operation. It was kept confined and almost out of sight, and insecurity to the life of the innocent people was not involved. Now even a middle-class rickshaw passenger is not safe. Neither at home nor the road.

Also, inter-city journeys have become risky on the roads and waterways.

Why deterrence cannot be enforced? The problems are not new, but multiplying.

It is not that all the mastaans are illiterate persons. No official survey figures are available, but the number of highly educated youth run into thousands, according to media analysis (erosion in the academia). The political parties are fully aware of the modus operandi.

Perhaps today it is not safe to remain in the neutral camp, where protection is not available. Why 100 percent of the citizens have to get involved in political protection and activities? The general elections are not raising the national standards. The first phase of the new governance has nothing to talk about.

Drug addiction is another long-term menace bugging the society. In some Asian nations, the death penalty works. Bangladesh is going to be controlled by gun toting drug addicts? Only recently death penalty has been imposed on the acid-throwers.

Today, Bangladesh looks leaderless at the right vertical levels, because layers or moral levels have been compromised. It seems we have to start all over again, for the third time (the previous mileposts were 1947 and 1971). No applications are invited because there is no vacancy!