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To the Editor
Woes of consumers
Sir. While corporate consumers can possibly make special arrangements with the utility service organisations concerned. small domestic consumers cannot. As a result, these utility service organisations make the small domestic consumers their particular targets with threats of immediate disconnection by making Imaginary’ claims of decades-old arrears. They use their power more or less in the same way as the Police once used to do under the BCLA (Act Section 4) which, unlike all other criminal laws, had provided that the onus of proving innocence was on the accused rather than proving guilt being on the prosecution.
The utility service organisations which maintain huge offices and large number of staff shamelessly ask individual consumers In. say, 1999 to "prove" with vouchers or other documents that they had actually paid the bills of particular months of, say. 1991. Domestic consumers may maintain records and vouchers upto a period of three or four years. It Is too much to expect them to maintain bulky records of payment for decades. Recently, a WASA Supervisor came to tell me that, according to the register of Mohakhall Branch Office, I have some arrear dues of 1991-92. I asked him how could such a claim be made by WASA after having been in hybernation for long eight years. He was courteous and invited me to his office to have a cup of tea and to see his register. I declined his offer and. Instead, requested him to send me his claims with appropriate supporting papers. Was the Supervisor's invitation intended to frighten me with disconnection and then trying to negotiate a deal? God only knows what was In his mind. When I told him that even the Income Tax Department cannot prefer a claim after a certain number of years unless it was made in due time, he told me that there are no such laws of limitation in regard to WASA claims. Obviously, that was his weapon, and persons like him in all utility organisations take full advantage of the absence of the laws of limitation to harass domestic consumers.
A news Item which appeared in your journal of 8th instant brings some ray of hope al-though the Cabinet has not yet accepted the wise recommendations of the Administrative Reforms Commission. The recommendations are that only if a utility service organisation can provide satisfactory proof that the arrear was claimed within a certain period and It was not paid by the consumer that any such claim will have validity and that also for a specified period during which legal or other penal action could be taken against the defaulting consumer. It is greatly hoped that the recommendations of the Administrative Reforms Committee would be fi-nally accepted by the Government which will not only go a long way in alleviating the woes of consumers but will also curb the existing wide handle of the utility service organisations and their dishonest employees. Kazi Abdul Gojran
House No. 5. Road N. 20
Gulshan Model Toum, Dhaka-1212.
In support of the open letter
Sir. I am writing this letter to express my full support to the statement made In the form of an open letter to the (DS. March 23. 2000) Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition from non-resident Bangladeshi University Professors from various International universities in North America and elsewhere.
In the open letter, the distinguished Professors urge the government and the opposition to ensure that the country’ docs not suffer from another bout of in-
stability, uncertainty and chaos. They not only call for a short-term solution to the current impasse but also suggest certain measures that can ensure a more stable form of government in the long run. I urge the political leaders of Bangladesh to carefully consider these proposals.
The government and the op-positlon need to put aside personal grievances and petty differences in order to work for the greater good of the country. They should think about the interests of their children and grandchildren and of the future of the nation. The people of Bangladesh do not want to suffer more from the endless strife and violence that characterises the politics of Bangladesh. The proposals of the non-resident Bangladeshi University professors suggest a way out of this vicious cycle of suffering.
1. therefore, hope that our political leaders would respond magnanimously to the suggestions made by this group of distinguished scholars.
Tanu'eer Akram student. Department oj Economics
Columbia University, New York &
Editor oj Bangladesh Studies Scanner
Misuse of power
Sir. Misuse and overuse of power and influence has become a political culture of Bangladesh spreading the immoral practice to all corners of the country.
The political leaders will have to sow as they reap, if they nurture ugly potential monsters within their front organisations. The exercise of power is a dangerous tool, hence power has to be used by the right person in the right place. In the right proportion. If the youth or the younger generation’ namely (he students are authorised with over-power. It will spill over into evil deeds, as temptation is difficult to control, es-
peclally where there is abatement by the higher authorities. The level of power has to be proportionate at different levels, depending on the age group (representing maturity, experience). The philosophy of shortcuts is to be deplored. Are we raising a nation of rent-seekers?
Office-bearership in Bangladesh is a popular pastime which is frequently misused for personal or group gains. One example is the menacing hold of the labour union leaders; who are used as pawns in grey partnerships through invisible godfathers who hover in the background. The other group are the student leaders, on whom the party depends too much (lack of party workers at other levels of the society due to illiteracy and economic backwardness). The commission, in cash or kind, for such services should not spoil the society by introducing evil cultures.
Who control the society? All the responsibilities should not be thrust upon the political leaders: the leaders from the other sectors have to come forward. without conniving at political stands, especially the internal environment within the political parties, and the back-door activities which are openly practised. Power attracts; but there may be too many files In the ointment!
Power corrupts, and it cannot be stopped entirely in undisciplined societies; but the boundary line has to be drawn somewhere by some regulatory agency, which is obviously the government, to start with. In Germany, a famous former Chancellor lost his high and powerful Image, after exposure to some irregularities committed years ago. In our local leadership. birds of feather flock together. and become too powerfill for corrective action. Physician, heal thyself, before trying to cure others!
Abul H Ahmad
Dhaka.