Everybody loves foreign currency; so brothers, hang in there!

My dear brothers, who are stranded at the Libyan border, starving and freezing, hovering in uncertainty, we do understand your situation. It must be hard out there, particularly, not knowing what is coming next.

Nevertheless, we request you not to make a big fuss out of this temporary phase. We are highly embarrassed to see you guys wailing on television screens.

We condemn those of you who are sobbing in front of the international media. We also condemn those who have informed BBC and Al-Jazeera about the utter absence of Bangladeshi diplomats in the border-area. Due to such insensible complaints from your part, the international media has been constantly reporting on the 'misery' of the Bangladeshi workers, 'specifically'.

How could you be so irresponsible? How could you give such a negative impression to the international community? Don't you have the responsibility to stand up for your country no matter what?

Brothers, do not forget that we are spending millions for the exclusive branding of this country. Haven't you heard of Beautiful Bangladesh? Do you people have any idea how much it actually costs to boost up a country's image?

We urge you, do not act like your brothers and sisters back home, the ones who work in the textile industry. Yes, we agree, just like you guys, they too work very hard to earn foreign currency. However, can't you see how much damage they have caused to our Beautiful Bangladesh? They have been vandalising public property, blocking roads, and complaining 24/7 about their low wages. They keep forgetting all the wonderful things the industry has done for them.

For the last 2/3 decades, this industry has been sincerely and routinely paying millions of them a wage that can very easily reach the poverty line ($1/day). So what if the wage is little lower than the poverty line? So what if the international human rights organisations have labelled it as a sheer 'malnutrition' wage? Weren't they already living under the poverty line anyway? Then what's the big deal? Do you want to end up like them? Always complaining and conspiring?

Brothers, we do understand you. It must have been quite painful and terrifying. We understand that thousands of you have been sleeping under the open sky in shivering cold. We are certainly aware of the fact that each of you has borrowed at a great deal to come to Libya. Therefore, you do have the right to ask a simple question — "Where have all our diplomats gone while the rest of the world in the border has the luxury of being accommodated by their diplomats?"

We urge you, do not compare.

Don't expect jet planes, rescue ships or 24/7-at-your-service-diplomats. Our diplomats have important things to do at the desk. They simply cannot afford to spend their days and nights at the border.

Yes, we are certainly aware of the fact that the Americans, the British, the Chinese, and even the Indians have already rescued their citizens. Please note, all of them are superpowers with nuclear weapons. Do we have Nukes? Then how can you expect us to be as prompt and as efficient as them? Most of our people live under hopeless poverty, and barely can manage two square meals a day. Be considerate. We simply don't have the affluence to send such things to you.

Furthermore, you should know, we have been planning to spend millions to construct a mind-blowing-world-class airport, so that thousands of foreign tourists can travel to Bangladesh, hassle-free.

Brothers, think sensibly. At this point our government should not be wasteful, rather only be economic and prudent. Do you even have the slightest idea how costly, and troublesome it would be for the Bangladesh government to arrange for your return? How can a third world nation like ours afford such a luxurious project of carrying workers back home, hassle-free!

So just hang in there, don't create an uproar, don't try to come back home, stay calm and wait for the 'Gaddafi regime' to fall apart. Think about your great service to your nation. The money you send back home is certainly the lifeline to our economy. Don't you want to continue with your precious service to your people?

Let us make it very clear. We love foreign currency. We all do. No matter who we are, right or left, liberal or conservatives, politically conscious or politically ignorant, either way, we are helpless, charm-less and backboneless without it. All the fine things that happened to us since the '90s, have happened because we could afford to pay for it in green bucks. The bucks we got from you.

The fantastic flow of your remittance in last two decades have boosted our GDP, flattered our central bank, fattened our national reserve, and shielded our exchange rate. It routinely exceeds our ODA, the very amount of the sum of all official development aid we have received in recent times.

We also love imported goods. All kinds of it. We love imported cars, imported shampoos and imported jellies. We love Prados, Porsches and BMWs. We love German perfumes and French pashminas, English chocolate and Belgian diamonds, Kashmiri scarf and Iranian carpets, Dutch beer, Dubai gold and Italian undergarments. And who makes it possible for us to purchase such elegance, such grace, and such splendid delicacy? Of course you guys. You are the ones, who deprive yourselves and send us the dollars to pay for all of it. And every bit of your money is in use here.

For instance, we just pulled off a spectacular opening ceremony for the World Cup Cricket tournament. Guess how we paid the foreign technicians for the dazzling laser show? Yes, it is right, we paid them with the dollars that you sent home. It is your sweat-earned currency and we assure you, we are making the best use of it.

We are also paying back the World Bank regularly with the money you send home. Much of your money directly goes back to the Anglo-American banks, to serve the incredibly overweighed foreign debt we have. Think about it, if you didn't send your money home, we would be surely defaulting by now. Like the Africans. Like the Argentineans and the Mexicans. So, undoubtedly, it is you guys who have been saving our buttocks for quite long.

Furthermore, we allow our foreign investors to repatriate profit without any complex clause of local reinvestment. The foreigners are therefore very happy with us. They can take out as much money as they want and send back to Norway or wherever they like. They can quickly and conveniently exchange their 'deshi' profit for foreign dollars, simply because our central bank has a stockpile of it. Simply, because you starve yourselves to send home whatever you earn. We obviously appreciate your contribution.

However, we do not appreciate the way you have been crying in front of the media. That is not acceptable by any cost. Don't you know, big boys don't cry?

So we urge you to hang in there, as long as you can. Don't be so silly to let the foreign journalists know that you are dehydrated and starved, tormented and terrified. Are you really? We are aware of the fact that the Red Cross and various UN organisations are distributing breads and water to all refugees. How come you haven't received those? True, those Egyptian breads are hard, flavourless and dry. However, think positively. The longer you are struck there, the more of those free breads you get. How many times in a lifetime you get to have such free lunch?

And therefore, we urge you, the ones in the border: just hang in there. If possible, why don't you create pressure on the UN to provide each of you with a free blanket? Meanwhile, enjoy the free drinks, until the madman goes away.

We understand, some of you may not survive the night-time frost. Some of you may die in the violence. However, think of the positive side. If you die, you don't have to face those monster-like loan sharks from whom you have borrowed such huge sum of money. You can totally pass the burden to your family back home and rest in peace.
So why worry at all?

And the ones, who will make it to the end, please go back to work and keep sending us dollars. We LOVE foreign currency. There is nothing so glamorous, lovable, and pampering like it.

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Maha Mirza is a researcher and activist. She is a graduate in economics and international political economy.