Senior politicians lament growing dependency on bureaucrats

Two front bench MPs from the treasury and opposition on Monday expressed their frustration at bypassing political leaders in various emergency periods like the Covid-19 pandemic.

Ruling Awami League’s senior lawmaker Tofail Ahmed and Jatiya Party (JaPa) MP Kazi Firoz Rashid expressed their anger and frustration in the parliament while speaking on the general discussion on the next fiscal budget.

Awami League senior MP Tofail Ahmed said: "Now the administrative officers have been given the responsibility in our district. People think that all the help we gave to the people amid Covid was given by these administrative officials."

But the administrative officials did not visit the area, he claimed.

"The person who had been given the responsibility in my area never came. Not even for a day,” Tofail said, expressing his frustration.

The senior-most parliamentarian said that it was unfortunate.

There is not a single MP in parliament who did not stand by the poor and distressed during this pandemic. Everyone is standing by the people, he said.

In this connection, he said that he has given relief to 40,000 people in his area.

"But people think that it was the administrative officials who provide all the aid.”

He said that the authority and works of a political government and politicians have “faded away nowadays.”

Tofail criticizing the planning minister who recently said that there were bureaucrats even during the times of the pharaohs, said: "People don't like such statements."

He said that according to the warrant of precedence, MPs are above the secretaries.

"This thing needs to be noticed. We will need officials from the administration, but not with the exclusion of politicians."

Tofail said politicians are the elected representatives and they should have their specific place and job for them and they should remain there.

“A secretary will go to our district. We'll welcome him. There is no problem with it. But they do not go there even for a day.” 

He said Sheikh Hasina became the prime minister in 1996. At that time the ministers were in charge of the districts and party leaders and activists thronged there when they used to visit. 

“Those days are gone now.”

Kazi Firoz Rashid also echoed Tofail Amed. He said: “There is no politics in the country today. 

“Secretaries were given responsibility [of Covid aid] for each of the districts.”

The JaPa lawmaker said that the prime minister spoke to the deputy commissioners (DC) at different programs and MPs' positions at such events remained at a distance.

"Later [after the program], MPs requested the DCs…they want to talk a little with the premier. This is the situation of politicians," he expressed his anger.

He said when the prime minister speaks to the DCs, the importance of MPs becomes less. "Tofail Ahmed has perfectly mentioned this issue."

The senior JaPa MP said that the political arenas are slowly being occupied by businessmen.

"Who is running the country? Businessmen and bureaucrats are running the country. We, politicians, are now standing behind them. 

“This is our bad luck. But this country has been liberated by politicians."

He said that it is the politicians, not the businessmen who have political commitment. They hold umbrellas to tell in which direction the wind blows.

"We were also in power, we have bitter experience in this regard," he warned.