PoriPurno News Desk | August 02, 2025
In a decision that is sparking intense debate both regionally and internationally, the Taliban-led Afghan government has introduced a groundbreaking policy: any government official whose children pursue education abroad must resign from public service.
Announced recently by Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani in an interview with TOLO News, the new directive is being presented as a safeguard against corruption, elite escape plans, and capital flight—a pattern the current regime claims was rampant under the former Ashraf Ghani-led administration.
“From Children to Capital to Citizenship”—Haqqani’s Accusations
Haqqani outlined a concerning trend that he said characterized the old regime:
“Officials would first send their children abroad to study. Then they would transfer their wealth. Next, they would purchase property. Their children would secure foreign citizenship. And finally, at an opportune time, they would flee Afghanistan permanently, taking the country’s resources with them.”
This policy, he said, is aimed at halting that cycle.
“If someone wants to send their family abroad, they must first resign. This is the Islamic Emirate, not a republic. We are accountable to the Afghan people,” Haqqani stated.
The rule will not be limited to bureaucrats but will also apply to all Afghan politicians who are part of the current government.
Nationalistic or Authoritarian?
While the international community remains skeptical of the Taliban’s broader human rights record, this particular policy has triggered mixed reactions among observers.
Some critics argue that the move is symbolic authoritarianism that punishes personal liberty and education choices. But others, including political analysts across South Asia, see it as a bold attempt to restore accountability and dismantle elitist privileges—a recurring challenge in many developing nations.
Bangladesh’s Parallels: A Mirror to Our Own System?
The Afghan decision has also reignited debate in Bangladesh about its own political and bureaucratic class.
Despite deep-rooted connections to Bangladesh, many top officials, politicians, and civil servants have ensured their children live and study abroad, often acquiring foreign citizenships and settling in countries like the UK, USA, and Canada.
This includes the children of some of the country’s most powerful figures. A recent example is Tulip Siddiq, the British MP and daughter of Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s sister, who recently wrote a letter to Nobel Laureate Dr. Muhammad Yunus expressing her connection to Bangladesh. While her words convey affection for her roots, critics argue that her life—and that of many others like her—is firmly detached from the realities of the country’s youth.
Despite access to wealth and privilege, the children of Bangladesh’s elite often do not see the country as livable.
Meanwhile, 70–80% of the country’s young population reportedly wants to leave, citing reasons such as career growth, safety concerns, and lack of opportunities.
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Opinion: Can Elites Lead a Country They No Longer Live In?
As political commentator Mohammad Motaher Hossain writes, “Officials building second homes abroad and fleeing at the first sign of instability—are they truly fit to lead a nation whose people they do not stand by during crisis?”
The sentiment is not unique to Afghanistan or Bangladesh. Across the Global South, the disconnect between ruling elites and the populations they govern continues to grow. The Afghan directive, while controversial, raises an uncomfortable but critical question:
Can leaders and public servants effectively serve a country they no longer trust enough to raise their own families in?
A Regional Wake-Up Call?
Afghanistan’s new policy may not find many followers in the democratic or secular world, but it has certainly struck a chord. For countries like Bangladesh, where similar issues simmer beneath the surface, the Afghan move serves as both a provocation and a prompt for introspection.
As citizens increasingly question the moral authority of globe-trotting elites, policies rooted in national accountability may begin to resonate far beyond Afghanistan’s borders.
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