Sycophancy is defined as reverential behaviour towards someone in a position of authority, the intention being personal gain.
In Bangladesh, we have gotten accustomed to sycophancy in varying forms, in almost all areas of public life, for that matter -- particularly in politics. And as we mourned the death anniversary of our Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman last month, sadly, the prevalence of sycophants in our society could not be any clearer.
Billboards and posters mourning the loss of our founding father are a common and somewhat indispensable part of the way we do politics in Bangladesh. But there has to be a limit to the grandiosity in which public figures misuse state funds to showcase their loyalty to a national icon -- political leaders proudly flaunt overblown images of themselves right by that of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and his daughter, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Even President Abdul Hamid, a Mujib-loyalist and a former leader of the AL, has repeatedly criticized politicians for using a superfluous number of posters as a means to please the political leadership. At the same time, the iconic Mujib coat seems to be the sole symbolic mechanism via which we showcase our allegiance to a man whose principles, values, and ideas are seemingly being sidelined by many of those in power.
This is not unique to politicians in the ruling party, of course.
The controversial “birthday” of jailed BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia, was celebrated last month by party leaders, including very senior members who had the opportunity of working with Bangabandhu. We have seen, with a sense of shock, as the likes of Moudud Ahmed stood beside Begum Zia in past years, when the BNP Chairperson cut her birthday cake on the death anniversary of Bangabandhu.
Begum Zia started celebrating her birthday on August 15 in the 1990s -- and whilst there is no legal barrier for her to do so, it becomes a question of taste, dignity, and grace. Sadly, in order to please their chairperson, politicians in the party feel that it is their responsibility to celebrate her birthday on this day, with as much grandeur as possible. A common argument by the BNP is that Begum Zia herself does not celebrate her birthday, her party workers do. But why exactly?
Sycophancy, of course.
In the Mujib era, so-called loyalists of the AL stood by their leader, whilst simultaneously conspiring with fringe members of the military, to topple the erstwhile government. Suffice to say, the betrayal and treacheries forged by a section in the AL, with the likes of Khondaker Mostaq Ahmad and Taheruddin Thakur, showcased betrayal on a whole new scale.
Yet, prior to the assassination of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, these personalities not once questioned or engaged in conversations with the founding father as to their so-called “reservations” about his ruling style. In fact, they remained strangely flattering to Sheikh Mujib, whilst on the other end, the bold and courageous Tajuddin Ahmed, resigned from the cabinet with both respect and love for Bangabandhu.
To celebrate our political leaders, is surely not to revere them as divine. For many in our politics, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman or Sheikh Hasina can do no wrong. At the other end of the spectrum, the same is said for General Ziaur Rahman and Begum Khaleda Zia. And, sadly, both ruling families in our country have done nothing to eradicate or sideline the sycophantic behaviour of their followers.
There is a difference between respecting and loving a national leader, and worshipping them. Sadly, we practice the latter.
The younger generation of our country -- the quota protesters and the students demanding safer roads -- were born into an atmosphere of sycophancy. But we express our gratitude to them for understanding the difference between respecting someone and being a sycophant. The activists and students demanding change in our education and transport systems are the very people who can say that their reverence is towards the spirit of 1971 and mean it.
Their love and admiration for our founding father is visible, not through the wearing of Mujib coats, but by what they practice and preach. The manner in which they respectfully treated Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed, when the senior politician’s car was plying on the wrong side of the road, was refreshing, to say the least. They did not fall prey to flattery, neither did they sideline their duty to remind the minister that what his car was doing was illegal and wrong – yet they did so in a dignified manner, and received plaudits from the veteran leader himself.
Therefore, there is hope that young Bangladeshis will move above and beyond being sycophants to those in power, and remind our leadership of the values which this country was founded upon.
The Constitution of Bangladesh guarantees that each and every person in this country is equal under the eyes of the law -- and that the fundamental rights of citizens supersede any and all laws of the land. One hopes that, with time and with the diminishing of sycophancy from our society, our political leaders will accept their positions as mediums to showcase duty and responsibility to the people, rather than avenues for wielding authority and power. And this can only happen if our citizens hold our political leadership accountable at each and every step of the way.
Mir Aftabuddin Ahmed is a freelance contributor and a graduate in economics and international relations.
