Leaders� responsibility to educate, to lead
According to all time famous US President John F Kennedy the real test of a great leader is not to be easily pushed on by uneducated and uncaring public opinion or passions but to only go on doing do what would be judged right and constructive ultimately in the greater interests of a country or nation
Ehsanul Kabir
John F Kennedy was an all time famous President of the USA. He remains etched in the memory of the survivors of his generation round the world for his idealism, philosophy, erudite statements and intellectual abilities. This outstanding leader was one asked by a journalist about what essentially constitutes the vital core of sound leadership. President Kennedys reply was that the same basically involved resisting populism or not sailing with the wind meaning not surrendering to what seemed to be passionately supported or desired by the people though otherwise having no significant public utility.
According to Kennedy the real test of a great leader is not to be easily pushed on by uneducated an uncaring public opinion or passions but to only go on doing do what would be judged right and constructive in the greater interests of a country or nation. In other words, he was setting forth the right attributes of a great leader. He or she should never succumb to the what is apparently or superficially popular or settle for cheap popularity while sacrificing the bigger or higher national interest.
A great leader decides not to adopt the easy path of surrendering to public whims and caprices but tries to educate them on what ought to be done in their best interests if they are so silly or lacking in wisdom and failing thereof to see the same for themselves. Thus, such a leader will risk taking up a position against what may be the current public mood if it is really not in the higher interests of the country.
This disposition of sailing against the wind can cost the leader dear in vote banks and popularity. But he or she would stand ready and resolute in carrying out the uphill task till succeeding in forming the public opinion and support in his or her favour notwithstanding the short term personal loss suffered in career terms and other ways during the struggle to establish what is really good or constructive.
In sum, the true leader is expected to be courageous and not to be a opportunist pushed around simply by public frenzy or uneducated public opinion. He or she seeks to educate the people and lead them effectively in the right direction instead of being led by the people. And such leaders are required at every level not only in the highest seats of power or governance but in all tiers and spheres in sufficient number. Having such leaders in the requisite number underwrites the progress and prosperity of a nation.
Why go to such great length to elaborate the point ? Indeed, there are powerful reasons for it as one gets shocked to see untamed or unrestrained public behavior in the present context of Bangladesh and the leaders irresponsibility in helping the same. For example, let us take the example of some years ago (when I was visiting Dhaka) what had been going on linked to frustrations for being unable to see the World Cup matches on TV due to power failure. Indeed, this was highly undesirable and even the writer of this column was disappointed from missing out matches from power outages. But could this frustration be a trigger to resort to rioting and damaging private and public properties ?
But that was what rampaging youngsters and even elders in large number did in the first two evenings after that World Cup started. Hundreds of cars were smashed in varying degrees by mobs in Dhaka who were giving vent to their anger for not being able to see the matches. Others surrounded power supply stations in some cases and the ones in charge of them fled in fear. The unattended stations could lead to major accidents any time. The whole city was put to risk by these people.
But was this a sensible way for people to behave? The answer should be an obvious one. More important question was: should the leaders in government responded to the violence by reminding people about the actualities and appealing to their patriotism so that they would feel pinched in the mind whenever they are under an impulse to be destructive ?
Could the power supply position improve any if these unruly people vandalized power stations and intimidated their staff into deserting their posts out of panic ? The power supply situation would plunge into a far worse state from such activities. And what have the owners of private motor cars done to get their vehicles damaged from brick batting and smashing by ones who could not see World Cup matches? Nothing, of course. But such senseless destructions were carried out completely without any reasonableness by the perpetrators of such violence. Amazingly, not a word against such mindless destructiveness came from anybody in the administration in the following days. It was, as if, the perpetrators of the damages and violence had not unjustifiably acted and government seemed only apologetic for failing to maintain power supply during the matches. The Power Development Board (PDB) rather extended a directive of sorts to operators of shopping malls and industries to close down activities from the evening for the duration of the World Cup to conserve power which could then be supplied to households for people to see the soccer matches.
But this suggestion was also preposterous. Why should this poor and underdeveloped country sacrifice for a month its commercial activities and industrial productivity so that some people can amuse themselves with a sporting event?
Let us take another current example. It is credibly alleged that the present administration is not moving as dedicatedly or determinedly against the killers of blog writers. Meanwhile, Bangladesh is increasingly coming under international criticisms as tolerant in relation to those who would not hesitate to kill the votaries of freedom of speech and expression. Allegedly again, the administration is also blamed for being soft on ultra Islamists though they are noted clearly for acquiring and flexing their muscles.
This is visualized as a kind of compromise on the part of the administration to broaden its power base at least temporarily and conveniently. But one wonders whether this policy would prove to be a prudent one in the future because the Islamist fanatics and extremists are sure to make their bid for state power sooner than later taking advantage of the alleged current somewhat relaxed attitude of the administration towards them.
Thus, it is high time for the high ups in governance of the country to take such matters seriously and really educate people about what should be the national priorities. If they will not be educated in these matters, then the government is expected to be decisive and crackdown on the forces of unreason and darkness realizing that risking some resistance and unpopularity now they would nonetheless be delivering the nation from regressive forces in the long run. They would be thus earning the appreciation of countrymen in the longer term for choosing to remain very resolved now in these matters not compromising in the least.
The writer is a professor of mass communications who now lives in Ohio, USA and occasionally contributes to The Independent
