A manifesto for breaking the gray ceiling
FROM the president of the country to senior advocates in the High Courts to leading activists in the political sphere, it is the dictatorship of the "aged." Reverse age discrimination in Bangladesh is rampant, alarming and abysmal.
At first, let there be a disclaimer preceding this manifesto. This is a blanket analysis of ground realities and a clear call to upset the deeply-rooted supremacy of the aged.
Envision being young, creative, adventurous and full of ideas. Ready to implement new theories, challenge traditional norms and break institutional barriers. Willing to adapt to changing technologies, eager to please and explore alternative possibilities.
Now imagine being trapped in a dubious contract, frustrated with low pay, troubled by job insecurity and frazzled by the lack of support networks. And working for someone who nonchalantly dumps the load on the unsuspecting young employee, someone who is hungry to grab undeserved glory and happy to pass other people's work as his own, and gladly enjoys the sweet fruits of other people's hard labour. Welcome to the degraded status and thankless job of young, enthusiastic, driven professionals trying to prove their worth.
A young lawyer with a degree and a large student loan ends up being a miserably underpaid clerk in one of the few city law firms. A young, promising researcher has to resort to editing and writing papers for a reputed professor. A young social justice worker becomes a puppet and paper pusher for the fame-hungry NGO supervisor. Their passion is thrashed, dreams quashed and aspirations abandoned.
Interestingly, it is the carefully orchestrated sport of the "aging and privileged" who have cunningly framed the rules to retain power and score goals in a strategically empty playing field.
Now, had the "seniors" not paid the price in their own time? They fought colonial rulers, resisted military dictatorships and somehow convinced themselves that they had earned the respect of all parties.
After all, there must be a prize for suffering generational abuse and exploitation. Can it be called "passing the torch of abuse to the lowest rung of the age ladder?" Followed by a moratorium on actively promoting young people to follow their own dreams, clipping their wings to stop them flying on their own, and stripping them of individual aspirations to fulfill the "aging visionaries' " objectives.
The corporate sector may somehow have started to figure out that it is imperative to foster the newer breed of employees. Providing training, investing in skill building and recognising creativity and innovativeness are critical ingredients in building future leaders and attaining maximum output. Managers are increasingly grooming and motivating young professionals and rewarding gifted employees.
Is it insecurity that prevents the senior supervisor from highlighting the work of a young colleague? Or is it humiliation that prevents one from acknowledging the talented new worker's ability to achieve incredible results? Are we inherently threatened by the boundless possibilities of youth that we feel vulnerable and fear being redundant?
Senior friends, let go. Though two simple words, together they have serious implications. It is an art to let go of leadership and not hold the whole nation, organisation or issue hostage by the mere virtue of being the first to arrive at the scene.
Let the young make mistakes. It is not really about the mistakes is it? You made a lot of mistakes in your own time. Share your experience, guide the youth, and take a back seat. Let them talk about politics, law, science, human rights, religion, constitution, policy, economics and, yes, even history.
Unless the fundamental direction of our work ethics and leadership changes, no amount of education or experience will improve the lack of hope in the future.
A job, especially in the formative years, is an opportunity to discover and pursue a passion, not a death sentence.
Only tyranny can be held on to by sheer will and force. To leave a legacy, one needs others to take over and direct the work to new heights. Hand over the reigns, folks. Experience tells you that now is certainly the time to let go.
Sumaiya Islam is an activist and a proponent of rights-based policies.
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