A Japanese economist and ex-minister once said that their work ethic is entirely different from ours. In Japan, starting from a labor to a University teacher or a researcher, everyone works pensively day and night until the work at hand is properly finished. They don’t know what’s happening around the world at that time and don’t even read the newspapers. This means giving only full concentration on the work produces a quality work.
The system that Europe and America has established regarding their work ethic is undoubtedly praiseworthy. But they get completely lost if their system is slightly disrupted. Few minutes of power failure is enough to create a chaos in their lives. But we are daily struggling with so many things at one time. Every moment we are bombarded with new challenges and are able to take immediate decisions. As a result, our tolerance, adaptability, strength to fight challenges and courage are increasing both at the individual and national level.
Usually in institutional education, the students with mediocre talent do better than the more talented ones, the geniuses. The main reason for this is- balancing. If one can get a reasonably good score in each subject then the total number obtained in the exam is ultimately good. But the geniuses always stick to whatever they enjoy doing or reading. If they like mathematics they get so engrossed in it that they forget to study Bengali. So, they can't be kept on track. Ultimately, they can’t really maintain the first place.
Not only in academics, but in every aspect of life integration is important. Life consists of personal to family life to career and social life. In every stage there are so many responsibilities, so many communications; but meditation has the clue to face all these challenges in a smiling face and keeping a cool head. Personally though I use another technique and that is compartmentalization of work. This is simply starting a new work after finishing the old one and not worrying at all about the old works.
As a nation, ill competitive mindedness is a big barrier to our mental peace. We are more accustomed to competition than appreciation. Competition is necessary, because without it no good will be produced. But competition becomes suicidal when it's out of jealousy and hatred. It is quite normal to feel disappointed after losing a game. But in a healthy competition the defeated team will come forward to congratulate the winning team. Only then the defeated will feel the inspiration to do well next time. He can again get on the field with proper strength.
As an economist, it is also our subject of research to see Bangladesh as a prosperous nation. In the economic scale, if a country has an annual GDP greater than 7% for consecutive 25 years then the per capita income increases and the country secures a place in the list of the rich nations. According to this scale, after the WWII, only 13 out of the 200 and more countries appeared as rich nations and all these countries are situated in East Asia. Some of these countries once had similar situations like that of Bangladesh and in some cases worse. But what was just a dream for them in 1950 now has turned into a reality. Thus a national vision undoubtedly initiates change. But in action, the change has to be initiated in context of the country and its related infrastructures. Recently it was found in a research that many countries are following the reform policy of the organizations like the World Bank, IMF. But we must notice that they all have not become rich. In fact, it is never possible to bring change with donor's help. Instead if steps are taken based on understanding of the own needs then the result is more desirable; and it also reduces waste of resource and time.
Again, however high the economic growth is, it will collapse if its prime driving force, that is the leadership, is not honest and far sighted. All the theories, equations and explanations of economics come to a standstill when faced with the question of leadership. It is now time to seek the answer to the question as to why starting from the same scratch, South Korea was able to change its fate and Bangladesh lagged behind. Once, Bangladesh ranked first as the happiest nation in the world where as America, known as the heaven on earth, ranked the last. It is not necessary that being economic superpower will bring happiness. The real happiness depends on one’s outlook, that is whether he’s content with what he has got. For this, apart from economic freedom, practice of intelligence, creativity, freedom of thoughts is very much necessary. The country then turns into a prosperous one and the nation into a blissful nation.
Shishu Sadan
Mother Care
Drug
Charity Bank
Zakat
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