Editorial
European Parliament resolution
The world is watching
The resolution passed by the European Parliament on the internal situation in Bangladesh has been many-faceted but is more or less uniform in its critical tone and temper. Basically though, it has stated nothing that has not been known inside the country or articulated in one form or the other by the media, civil society and multilateral lenders. There has, of course, been the expected sensitivity about others telling us what to do. But as we have said in the past, if the government had listened to the criticism inside the country before, then it would have been saved the embarrassment. One cannot help but notice also that the Members of European Parliament were critical of the opposition in the resolution, and so this cannot be considered a deliberate attack on the government. But there is one thing that we should bear in mind: the resolution does demonstrate to us that the world is watching closely what happens in Bangladesh. We no longer live in an isolated world where our squabbles and foibles are solely our own affair. If we wish to integrate ourselves with the community of nations and avail ourselves of greater opportunity in international markets -- and we do -- then we need to be aware that we are being scrutinised, and that the dysfunctions that are all too visible to us within the country are not hidden from view from those outside either. It remains a frustration that it would take outside voices to make the government or the opposition sit up and take note and that the ceaseless counsel of those of us here in the country fall on deaf ears. The image of the country in the world is a serious issue. But the important thing is not to worry about public relations or brushing up the image -- it is to brush up the reality.
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