“The beauty of politics is in serving the people”

Election Day in Bangladesh is just weeks away, and while many may be disillusioned with politics, Abdullah Al Hasan, 27, a Commonwealth Correspondent from Dhaka in Bangladesh argues that representational politics is still one of the most important ways to serve the people of any country.

Before I add anyone as a friend on Facebook, I always check that person’s profile, and one of the most interesting things I find is that most of the people I know have written  ‘I hate politics’ or something similar in the political views section of their profile. I’m not going to discuss the many reasons why people detest politics, but whatever their views, what is undeniable is that politics does matter in our everyday lives, and I believe that there are at least three reasons why we should consider serving in representational politics despite our inclination to distance ourselves from it.

In every country, there are many ways to serve the masses, but one of the best ways is to become a political representative for your people. You can reach out to a lot of people, listen to them and take initiatives to advance their interests. As a representative of the people, your voice can speak for the whole community or country. Of course, it can be argued that there are other career paths to take and civic activities you can do to serve your countrymen and women – but even those initiatives are affected by the decisions and actions of politicians – since political leaders are also policymakers.

As a politician, not only do you represent your people, but you also have an opportunity to find solutions that help your country. Political representation can therefore be an act of patriotism. When you love your country, you are more likely to contribute to its development with an open heart. We can certainly try  to move our country ahead from  whichever sector we work in, but what about the contributions we can make in the political arena? We should consider this vital area which can directly help to move our country forward within a short time. In Bangladesh, it is felt that changes are made in the country quickly when political leaders are determined to act upon certain issues. In these situations, it is the views and actions of politicians above other professionals that matter most and it is politics that holds the ultimate power to bring about massive change.

Negative news on corrupt politicians and political turmoil is abundant. But rather than being a turn off, this should propel us to consider representational politics. If honest, educated and skilled people stay away from politics, will our countries be in good hands? The more educated and bold people who make their way into politics the more outnumbered dishonest and corrupt political leaders will become. If we want to bring about change in the nature of politics today, we can do it by getting involved.

It is probably unlikely that those persons with political aspirations will get a lot of encouragement from family and friends to pursue this path. In Bangladesh, we look down on a political career. Parents hardly want their children to be politicians. But if we choose to stay away from representational politics , we, along with our family, and friends will be affected, because at the end of the day we cannot escape the impact of politics on our lives.

Every path has its fair share of negative and positive sides. But what really matters is that becoming a political representative allows us to serve the people we care for, and the countries we love, and it enables us to change the ethos of representational politics as well. Remember, change starts happening when we start changing.Good luck to all future politicians.

 

photo credit:  Commonwealth Asset Bank

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About me: I’m from Bangladesh; the green land. I graduated from North South University after majoring in marketing. Apart from my full- time job, I love to write and explore long-lost things.My other interests include metaphysics, chaos theory and politics.

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Opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of the Commonwealth Youth Programme. Articles are published in a spirit of dialogue, respect and understanding. If you disagree, why not submit a response?
To learn more about becoming a Commonwealth Correspondent please visit: http://www.yourcommonwealth.org/submit-articles/

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