From sugar-free jam, the discussion moved on to other products such a cooking oil, some pharmaceutical products, auto parts, bottled water, blood for transfusion, and so on. For each category, great apprehension was expressed that the chances of being swindled or shortchanged was very high. From products, the discussion moved on to people and institutions. What followed in quick succession was how low one's confidence was in doctors, journalists, educators, engineers, businessmen, government officials (especially in the public services like taxes, customs, telephone, electric supply, etc.), consultants (both foreign and local), the police, and the politicians. Similar sentiments were expressed about educational institutions, hospitals, the justice system, the stock market, the investment banks, the news media, the international and donor agencies, visa granting authorities, and even some NGOs, sparing nearly none that had some impact on Bangladesh society. In each case, the conclusions were not flattering, to say the least, and the key question that kept reappearing was, "Whom can you trust in Bangladesh?"

Being skeptical of the opinions of a small group, I turned to some empirical data that Democr-acywatch in Bangladesh had graciously shared with me several years ago that surveyed people's opinions about several categories of professionals/elites whose influence in matters of individual and state is substantial. Focusing on just one item trustworthiness -- here's what I found: On a 10-point scale (1-10), journalists scored 5.37, doctors 5.28, politicians 2.91, and the police 2.64. While glorifying the lead of the journalists, one editorial of a prominent newspaper commented, "All of us in the journalism profession have reasons to be proud of this better public acceptance…But…

some of us are prone to weaknesses, shortcomings, and even journalistic deviations." The editorial added, "A disapproval rating of about 40 per cent is far from flattering."

Publicly decrying one's own profession, as above, is a rare treat in Bangladesh and such actions behoove members in other professions also to engage in serious soul-searching to take responsibility for their misguided ways and strive toward improving their worthiness in the public eye. That would go one giant step toward building public trust and confidence, a matter of paramount importance today. Other giant steps are also needed via better organisation of society, accountability, transparency, and concerted action to bring about positive changes.

Lack of public confidence has significant cost implications for the nation. Regaining that confidence today is a national priority, especially in matters of physical security, healthcare, education, information, transportation, the financial arena, and related public services. It also has tremendous implications for building social organisations, facilitating social cohesion, and creating an environment where economic and social exchange can take place without fear or apprehension. The bulk of this responsibility falls on the political leadership that is elected not to be self-serving but to serve the interests of their constituencies. However, those at other levels must also play their part, although they need assurances that when they perform in a manner that would help generate public trust, they are not to be victimised. Interestingly, whether they are victimised in reality is not the issue; what is at issue is their "perception" that they "may be" victimised. This calls for public pronouncements by the top political leaders, followed by actual demonstration, that when justified action is taken at various levels to reinforce public trust, the officials will be rewarded or, at least, provided the needed support to continue to conduct themselves without fear.

To better understand the need to rebuild public trust, it is pertinent to examine the concept and its effects on society. According to social scientists, trusting requires a situation having some personal relevance or consequence for an individual or group where trust remains a risky undertaking… "one who trusts takes cognisance of the possibility of excessive harm arising from the selectivity of others' actions." It has also been suggested that a fundamental condition of trust is that it must be possible for the "trusted" party to abuse the trust. If abuse occurs, one who trusts pays a price that (s)he may not have been willing to pay. This is why even religious texts such as from the Quran warn that "Bonds, oaths, or treaties once accepted freely must not be broken." It also commands, "Do not break your oaths after you have confirmed them. Do not take your oaths to practice deception among one another (or nations). Do not sell your covenants for a miserable price." Let us examine how the abuse of trust has major ramifications:

-When a patient requiring medical attention "gives in" to -- i.e., trusts -- the healthcare provider, (s)he is open to benefit or harm. When harm is the outcome, trust in the provider tumbles; the extent of the tumble depends on the extent of harm and the recourses and alternatives available. If trust takes a major tumble, many will seek healthcare alternatives, often in other countries. Some estimate that the economic outflow for healthcare from Bangladesh is about Tk.10 billion!

-When parents invest their life's savings to educate their progeny in the belief that the children will emerge from the system as winners, trust and confidence in the system is shattered if, after years of toil and the accompanying expenses, the terminal degree is deemed worthless. Lack of confidence in the education system also means that many of the best and brightest will not stay in the country; some even will not return as they find better opportunities -- a double loss for the country.

-When people lack confidence in the internal security provided by the country, economic exchange becomes restricted, transactions dwindle (e.g., after certain hours everything closes down as opposed to countries where transactions continue 24/7), market-based activities are distorted, and opportunities for employment shrink. The opportunity cost to the nation, as a consequence, is enormous.

-When the information environment cannot be trusted, people stop engaging with that environment or seek information from other sources. For example, if a newspaper is reputed to tow a certain party line, ordinary citizens who are not aligned one way or the other will not trust that newspaper, deeming it as biased. If the newspaper provides misinformation, misguides the public, and becomes a mouthpiece for a limited audience, it does great disservice to public trust and people will seek information elsewhere. Similarly, when the information labels on sugar-free jam cannot be trusted, people will get it elsewhere, usually abroad!

-If people cannot trust their leaders, these leaders will be deemed useless to the nation. Bangladesh today has the indubitable reputation of being the most corrupt nation in the world or thereabouts, a reputation that works resolutely against public confidence building. To a large extent, political leaders over different regimes have to bear responsibility for this reputation. However, businessmen, government officials, and in many cases even the general public (who use bribes to obtain advantages over others) cannot be exonerated either for confidence destroying behaviour. In an environment of low public confidence, leaders who are not trusted will be unable to enthuse the people to "rise" behind their leadership, nor will they be able to ask the people to make sacrifices that may be necessary (e.g., if there is a need to install any austerity programmes).

The fundamental importance of trust and confidence for social and economic advancement has been attested by a number of social scientists from different disciplines. Economists consider trust as a public good necessary for many economic transactions (e.g., protection from fraud and faulty products -- witness the poor investment climate in the country); sociologists describe trust as essential for stable social relations (witness the relations between various political and social groups in the country); some see trust as one way in which individuals can cope with uncertainty and vulnerability in their daily lives (witness how lack of trust makes people avoid the police even when they are wronged); while moral philosophers contend that trust is a social good; when it is destroyed, societies falter and collapse (witness how the hartals and the continuing conflict between various political groups shut down the entire country while its people suffer untold miseries).

Where there is trust, it opens up many avenues and opportunities for the advancement of society. It reduces cognitive complexity and the need for constant surveillance and enforcement; it evokes a sense of stability; it induces persistence of order; and it performs various social control functions. When trust is lacking, the entire social order is fraught with great uncertainty, gripped by an environment of fear, and burdened by unchecked exploitation; consequently social cohesion and organisation is gradually dismembered as a sense of vulnerability pervades society. And that can lead to great upheavals of a very unsettling or even catastrophic nature (witness Liberia, Yugoslavia, Afghanistan or Iraq).

It is important to bring back an environment of trust in which the citizenry can be confident of the basic things that society is supposed to provide: They must be able to walk the streets at any hour without feeling unsafe, send their children to institutions that will truly educate them and not exploit them, go to healthcare providers who will take responsibility for their health, be informed of their rights and privileges, and engage in economic activities that provide basic guarantees from connivance and fraud. There is more that goes along with this list that society must provide under the able guidance and greater resolve of its leaders to bring back an era of public trust. When trust returns, it will be possible to build a more vigorous and vibrant society in the melee of public opinion to shape the country's destiny.

Dr. Syed Saad Andaleeb is a Professor of Marketing at the Sam and Irene Black School of Business, Pennsylvania State University at Erie, Editor of the Journal of Bangladesh Studies, and a Visiting Fulbright Scholar at East West University.