How much is too much

The rhetoric of the incumbent ministers over some contemporary burning issues –prices hike of essentials and diplomatic relations – are highly subjective, particularistic and controversial as if there is 'no objective reality'.

Their imagination, expression, explanation and comparison – are completely influenced by these instincts and are far removed from the dire state of the country and its people living on the breadline.

Therefore, they come up with ridiculous remarks at times that draw huge flak across the country from all quarters. Let's talk about the remarks of our honourable foreign minister AK Abdul Momen.

Recently, the minister termed the country a 'heaven' in comparison to other nations amidst the looming economic crisis.

But the matter of fact that we live in such a 'heaven' – where people have to take street for weeks to get fair wages, where a mother has to think of selling child in the market to manage meals, and where a family has to wait for days at the morgue to receive the body of a loved one, who died in custody.

We live in such a 'heaven' – where the government withdraws subsidies from different sectors in lieu of providing fresh subsidy while the citizens are struggling to manage a square meal.

'Heaven' is a promised land of peace and happiness by the Almighty, but the 'heaven' we reside in is a common place of chaos, injustice and inequality.

The issue of increasing wages of the tea garden workers could be resolved by an hour if the government wants. But the government of 'heaven' has no headache or plan about these hapless workers, almost slaves, to be blunt. They have been persecuted and exploited for long and they survive in a penniless state.

Actually, it is not a matter of concern for the government and its foreign minister, the great son of Sylhet, because they think the people are in 'heaven' and having are apples, oranges and grapes after receiving Tk 120 daily as wage. So, giving them Tk 300 is too much. Is the amount too much? Absolutely not...

The 'too much' is what the government is doing with them.

2.

A Supreme Court (SC) lawyer served a legal notice to foreign minister AK Abdul Momen on Sunday asking him to resign in 48 hours for a comment he made while speaking at an event in Chattogram on 18 August.

Momen had said he went to India and requested them to do "whatever it needs" to keep the current government in power. The notice stated Abdul Momen has breached the oath he took by saying this. Apart from the violation of the constitution, his statement is an attack on the sovereignty of the country.

The notice also stated that the person submitting the notice (Ershad Hossain) came to know the matter through the media on the afternoon of 19 August.

However, the minister on Monday said his remarks were nowhere near the allegations that he sought cooperation from India to keep the government in power. That means he is innocent and the allegation brought against him is 'completely false'.

If he is right, media reports over his remark are biased and fabricated. But is it possible? Can the media run stories without facts? Absolutely not…

If so, the ruling party wouldn't think twice to lodge cases against the journalists and the media responsible under the Digital Security Act (DSA).

But the incumbent government didn't do that either. It proves that Abul Momen made the remark and now claims he didn't. Isn't it too much? The minister should have offered an apology and put a full stop to the issue. But he didn't, he denied the facts, making comment subjectively.

3.

Recently, at an occasion in Sunamganj, planning minister MA Mannan claimed 'August is the last month of the crisis we are going through. The prices of daily essentials will be brought within the purchasing power of the people'.

Four days after his remark, on Tuesday, the price of bottled soybean oil increased by Tk 7 to Tk 192 per litre. Besides, is it really possible to overcome the crisis by this month? Is the minister really aware of the depth of the crisis?

If his remark were true, we would be the first country across the world in terms of overcoming the financial crisis induced by the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

But ostensibly, his optimism is nothing but nonsense as it is not possible to bring the inflation and skyrocketing prices of different essentials under control in just a few days.

In an interview with Prothom Alo, economist Wahiuddin Mahmud said the country needs two to three more years to overcome the crisis. So, why did the veteran politician make such a remark before the audience?

He actually came up with this to deny the fact, asserting that the government has done everything whatever it can to tackle the crisis. But the reality is vague.

Hiding facts to manifest untruth is a common phenomenon in the country's political culture. Politicians from every party play the same card to implement their political agenda whenever they are in power.

But this is not the time to make ridicule statements as the country is going through a crisis – a time when lower class people are starving as the prices of daily necessities have soared up by a record margin.

If the government is unable to assist people by providing subsidies, they should at least try to show sympathy towards them. But the AL leaders are continuing the nonsense while delivering remarks on many occasions, which is too much.

When will they put an end to such mockery? How much is too much, men?

NH Sajjad is a sub-editor of Prothom Alo. He can be reached via nur.hossain@prothomalo.com