Donors' concerns

The government was apparently chagrined by the meeting, if the finance minister's reactions and statements were anything to go by. Most of the bad feeling generated seemed to have to do with the fact that the donors were meeting in the absence of the Bangladesh government.

It is clear that the government needn't have been worried. The idea that the donors have some vendetta against the government is, frankly, childish. Indeed, if they thought that they could accomplish more without the government present, this should serve as a message to the government as to how its credibility is impaired. The donor community has no reason to favour one side over the other in a partisan manner.

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In any event, now that the meeting has ended and that we can see plainly that it kept the nation's interests at heart and expressed appreciation for the achievements of the country, let us put the matter behind us and move on. The meeting should not be the cause for bad relations.

Indeed, it seems as though the government has rethought its stance and finally decided to shift from its denial mode. It is beginning to crack down on anti-democratic militants. The atmosphere is therefore congenial to working with the donors and there exists a strong logic for the joining of hands.

When the EU and other bilateral donors with whom we have long shared liberal good relations take a tough line, the government should take the matter seriously and ask why.

Let us have no more of the tired and stale government rhetoric of erosion of our "sovereignty." The donors have, after all, said nothing new. The same has been said by civil society and democracy loving people of the country for a long time now.