Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who made history forming her government for the fourth time, has already started her official work holding the maiden meeting of her new cabinet on Monday and visiting different ministries at the Secretariat. The decisive and landslide victory with fresh massive mandate in December 30 general elections has made her energized, buoyant and more stimulated. She exuded confidence, determination, boldness and prudence in her recent statements and actions, particularly when she formed her new cabinet with almost new faces excluding old party stalwarts.
The country had never witnessed a leader so robust and committed to combat corruption, terrorism and wipe out illicit trading of harmful drugs. The fact that the newly re-elected PM would take a tougher stance against all the social evils became much clearer even before the elections. All the challenges were enlisted in the ruling Awami League's 11th JS polls election manifesto.
In the sequence of events to fight corruption, the PM commenced her uncompromising battle by addressing the civil servants by paying visits to the Ministry of Public Administration and then the law enforcing agencies at the Ministry of Home. Plan for installing CCTV in land offices to ensure a corruption-free service has been approved. Tender hijacking has come down to an all time low.
The PM also unequivocally asserted her 'zero tolerance' stand against corruption, terrorism, militancy and drugs at her first post election mammoth public meeting in capital Dhaka on Saturday. Given the Prime Minister's previous success story to combat terrorism and militancy from our soil, there are enough factual evidences to believe that she can also deliver the desired outcomes for curbing the all pervading corruption in the country.
There are enough facts for supporting our statement as well. Similar to her 'zero tolerance' policy for curbing militancy, she seems to be hell-bent to apply her 'zero tolerance' stand against corruption, terrorism and drug issues. On that note - she is not alone in this battle. The millions of patriotic citizens of the country, otherwise the absolute majority of the nation who have collectively given her a fresh mandate for running the country for the next five years are behind her.
If the people truly expect to see concrete results on the above mentioned menaces, our plea to them - they will have to be equally enthusiastic and cooperative towards the anti-corruption and the law enforcement agencies. Practically it's not possible for a head-of-government to monitor and control all the challenges with equal fervour without support from all.
On the topic of fighting terrorism she has been evidently triumphant in the past couple of years following the nightmare situation at Holy Artisan Cafe mayhem . The world has commended her sincere and bold efforts in that regard. The battle is ongoing until the last terrorist outpost has been eliminated. The intelligence and law enforcing agencies are showing their ability with their successful crackdown on the militant and terrorist forces.
On drugs menace the situation has improved in the last six months but a lot more needs to be done. Bangladesh has an unknown number of drug addicts ranging between 1 to 5 million and solving this malaise is undeniably a horrendous task. However, under Sheikh Hasina's leadership the government has already launched the Drug War.
Under the countrywide operation, a major "Yaba" crackdown took place in the past months for addressing the surging illegal Yaba trade. Fifty-two accused drug dealers were confirmed killed in the first 10 days of the operation. By now her government's Drug War has been lauded by a number of international countries and anti-drug organisations.
Rather fascinatingly, following Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's latest massive poll victory we are witnessing a countrywide renewed spirit of 1971 Liberation War. During our struggle for freedom the country had been united under the single leadership of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. This time the people had united under Sheikh Hasina's leadership to wage war against a different set of enemies.
The time and political reality of today's Bangladesh is different. We don't have to fight an occupying army like that of 1971 War of Liberation. Our new enemies of the state and people-corruption, drugs, terrorism, anti-liberation and communal forces-are correctly identified. We will have to win this war under her leadership-the way this nation won the country's liberation in 1971 under the leadership of her father Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, our Father of the Nation.
The people became jubilant with a piece of positive news, a New York based research firm revealed in its report that Bangladesh will see the third quickest growth in the number of high net-worth individuals in the world in the next five years. Merely three months ago in 2018, Bangladesh had topped the list of countries that saw the quickest growth in the number of ultra-wealthy people between 2012 and 2017, according to the same New York based research firm Wealth-X.
From a 'bottomless basket case' Bangladesh has now emerged as a 'role model' of development under Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's statesmanship. She has time and again proved her political acumen and leadership in the face of serious challenges and we wish she overcome the hurdles in her latest battle against the enormous but not impossible challenges. It's not her lone war. We all should embolden her in this battle because if she fails we all will lose.
Forty eight years ago this nation reposed confidence on the Father of the Nation and he gave us the cherished dream of a sovereign and independent country. This time people put their trust in his daughter Sheikh Hasina and she pledged the nation to present corruption, drugs and terrorism-free, developed, prosperous and democratic Bangladesh.
