Let there be politics of 'give' not of 'take'
BEGUM Zia's cantonment house is being touted as the hottest issue (?) by the opposition to launch an anti-government movement while the government is concerned with hard issues of everyday life. Unfortunately, BNP is taking bad politics too far, a naked example of the politics of "take" rather than "give," because the government allotted 2-bigha Gulshan house is good enough to house the ex-president's family.
Here I am tempted to adduce the selflessness on the part of leaders in the not-too-distant past. When British Prime Minister Edward Heath -- upon completion of his stint at 10, Downing Street -- was departing, he said to the curious journalists that he would live in some modest rented house as he had no house of his own.
Libya's President Gaddafi once said that his parents' family would be the last to move out of the "tent house" to a modern accommodation he was determined to ensure for the Libyans in general. The austerity loving Mahatma Gandhi lived in a hut all his life, and left behind no treasure other than his immortal idealism of serving humanity.
In the same vein, we should recall the plain living and high thinking traits of legendary Sher-e-Bangla, Bhashani and Bangabandhu, whose lives were illuminated by politics of "give," not "take." While at the helm, Bangabandhu lived in his Dhanmandi house instead of a posh government house. Assassinated President Zia had left a worn-out suitcase, and no other property.
These examples of selflessness are like an "oasis" in the desert. One wishes that these instances inspire the opposition leader to surrender the house of dispute. Should she do so, it might go down as a sacrifice on her part, thus enabling her to score big in public estimation.
On the other side, there is the case of Bangabandhu's orphaned daughters, who had passed many years in extreme hardships. Never have they clamoured or gone fighting for a gift of state property, not even after the heartless cancellation by Begum Zia of the allotment of a modest house to Sk. Rehana.
By complying with the government notice the leader of the opposition may take the path of "give" She can demonstrate that the goal of her politics is much larger than a house.
We are dismayed at the political storm gathering over the house issue. It is widely surmised that she will not vacate the house without fighting a legal battle, and heating up the streets. As the military land directorate served a notice upon her to vacate the house within fifteen days, her lawyer has issued what he called a "demand for justice," asking the government to withdraw the notice.
Besides, BNP has called for a month-long protest movement. Many argue it devolves upon a leader of Begum Zia's stature to give up the property, given that she can live in the government allotted house at Gulshan. It would be simply beneath her dignity to foment political trouble for keeping government property.
By leaving the house she may pay tribute to her husband's legendary image of selflessness, the moral burden of which primarily falls on her. As of now, she is tight-lipped, although some of her party leaders have threatened to launch a topple-the-government movement over the issue.
It is yet to be seen how much popular support the opposition will be able to muster for this issue, which, being solely to hold on to state property, has little to do with the welfare of the common masses that she claims she is working for. However, no one has discussed the likelihood of Begum Zia deciding to hand over the house to the government.
It may not also be weird to think, when it comes to her doing politics outside the cantonment as demanded by her opponents, that she might take it rather as a challenge to outsmart the latter by deciding to shift to a civilian location voluntarily.
Besides, this gesture may be the springboard of political dividends, as it will pave the way for her party leaders and activists as well as the commoners to have freer access to her than now. In that case, her free movement and interactions with the people may provide a shot in the arms to redeem BNP's seemingly battered image.
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