Bangladesh at present is at a critical juncture, with the need to rebuild not just our institutions and our global standing but, above all, change the narrative regarding our reputation. To that end, it is truly disappointing that some of our highest-ranking officials are brazenly undermining that effort.
That there are repeated violations of foreign travel directives — by advisers and secretaries and not just junior government officials — is nothing if not embarrassing, not just for these individuals, but for the entirety of the country.
That there have been three separate circulars from the Chief Adviser’s Office, and yet we continue to see such disregard is, sadly, what the public have come to expect from government officials – that they are entitled and have little to no regard for public accountability.
The directive last year was clear: Foreign trips must be limited to those of undeniable national interest. Yet officials continue to travel in groups, often from the same ministry, ignoring that it is taxpayer money that they squander when taking these luxurious trips.
Such behaviour is particularly egregious ahead of national elections; at a time when Bangladesh is trying to bring transparency and restraint into its identity, we have our leaders setting the exact opposite example.
That there continues to be no repercussions for such behaviour, however, signals the most dangerous precedent that we are all-too-familiar with: Rules continue to be optional for those in power.
This is not an issue about travel but about leadership. When government officials of a rebuilding nation do not show discipline and integrity, how can they be trusted? It is their conduct that sets the tone for governance, and their failure to follow basic directives is a worrying sign for our future.
Bangladesh cannot perpetuate its legacy of the bureaucracy operating above the law. Accountability begins at the top, and this failure is an embarrassment.
