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BITTER TRUTH

Governance at stake

Governance failure becomes all too apparent when we analyse the impact of the increase in fuel price on people's lives. All told, the hardship experienced by the people is beyond pervasive.
Economic reforms launched by the government in sectors like power, communications, the Padma bridge, Deep seaport, Metro rail, Dhaka elevated expressway, Nuclear power plant are taking place at snail’s pace.
The construction of the Padma Bridge, with the World Bank bearing the biggest share of the "project cost” stalled because they cancelled the loan; alleging conspiracy of corruption. Reports now reveal that there were gross financial irregularities in this project before it made any headway.
A Prothom Alo report printed on January 7 quoting the chairman, ACC, said that the total contract amount of Tk.l 16 crore for the design of the bridge was paid to AECOM-MONSEL in July 2010 but the final design that was to be submitted 16 months after January, 2009, has not been submitted in the last 22 months.
These facts have come to light after the arrest of two officials in January this year. The ACC is now investigating the modalities of this payment. People hardly see any hope of the project reviving during the tenure of this government. The government failed to book all the suspects as per the WB allegation. Chances that other Mega Projects will make a kick-start by 2013 seem quite slim.
The collapse of the autocratic rule that had gripped the nation for nine years had initially brought a lot enthusiasm and expectation here. But reality has betrayed that expectation and there have been new intra-party chaos. The promise of a bright future, that had once seemed so near, has in the past few years been tampered by steep economic decline, social polarisation and political bickering.
The ruling party along with others that led a heroic fight in overthrowing the autocratic regime has not been able to translate the skills of revolt into running a country and restoring the economy. Severely hit by share-market scam, Rail Gate scandal, Hall Mark swindling and Destiny Fraud, people are apprehensive of a quick recovery of the business and investment climate.
The country is experiencing a breakdown of law and order. Whatever the nature of feud, business or politics, nobody can countenance the fact that people would be whisked away from their houses by unidentified individuals and will go missing forever.
Ilyas Ali, Chowdhury Alam and Waziullah remains missing till now and this time the "handcuffed" dead body of Rafiqul was found 20 km away from his father-in-law’s house at Jhenidah. During the last few years crime has risen manifold with abduction, kidnapping of children for ransom, burglaries, rape and killing
of minors topping the list.
Government effort in curbing crime is rather inadequate and at the same time the law enforcement agency is reluctant to admit the deterioration of the law and order situation. It is ironic that fledgling democracy has released creativity of all kinds that include criminality — and added new desires and frustrations.
People in the country were shocked to see the report published in Prothom Alo on January 8 that said that the tender box along with tenders put in the box for the construction of CID quarters of Magura police at a cost of Tk.72 lakh was snatched from the office of the Executive Engineer of Magura PWD in presence of the police and thrown into a nearby pond by some unscrupulous persons belonging to the ruling party.
The explanation given by the executive engineer was that he was away from the office on the scheduled day and by the police was that they were guarding the ground floor and remained unaware of the events related to the tender box taking place on the first place.
So as it appears, the administrative measures and actions over the past year are weak, indecisive and permissive toward corruption in all sectors of development activities.
The most serious of all problems is, however,
the lingering political impasse on the issue of holding the next parliamentary election that is yet to be resolved and is rather showing definite signs of growing worse.
Newspaper reports carry news of blood-shed clashes in all parts of the country between rival groups resulting from the control of the area, or a market place or a share of the booty. There are opposing versions in "Rafiqul abduction and killing incident."
Reports quoting business groups suggest that the Rafiqul abduction and subsequent killing might be linked with the control of the Dhaka Mohanagar Market Complex (former Dhaka Super market). Family sources of Rafiqul indicated that abductors of Rafiqul were armed and they were wearing dresses marked "Rab" and their vehicle also bore the Rab sticker.
Sadly true, this is a queer country where fake currency notes, Rab and police dresses, and even handcuffs are available widely in various markets! In the "Magura tender snatching" case, eye witnesses said that one rival group was seen carrying shot-
guns, firearms and daggers to terrorise the rivals.
Unsurprisingly, the country's agony seems limitless. Death toll soars with each passing day. The code of right and wrong has disintegrated. People still believe that this nation’s dreadful torment could possibly be alleviated by creating job opportunities for this disgruntled young population.
Happily there are many in the country who are quite willing to make enormous sacrifices to save the country and turn it into a peaceful zone; save a few who seem to respect "money above all else."
It is not a very unfamiliar virtue in a country where politics is greased by money. Governance failure becomes all too apparent when we analyse the impact of the increase in fuel price on people's lives. All told, the hardship experienced by the people is beyond pervasive.
The increase in the fuel price for the fifth time during the tenure of the AL government has a resultant effect on commodity price and cost of transportation of goods and merchandise from outside the cities and vice-versa. Shockingly yet, hardly any administrative action has monitored to see if the consequent hike in commodity prices and transport fares has been consistent with the fuel price hike.
Unhappily, the legislature remains paralysed by the prolonged boycott of the parliament session by the opposition over the last four years on issues that are so trivial to the electorate. They instead listen to the deafening chorus of calls from the people to join the parliament and raise their voice in the parliament during the remaining days of AL in power.
On the other hand, it would be most wise for the present AL-led government to gather views through its grass-root organisations about the modalities that people want in holding the next parliamentary election.
On a global scale, we at once see that the world has gone on the exultant binge of democracy in recent years. Repressive governments have fallen; authoritarian regimes have opened up to political opposition. After enforced silence, people feel free to speak their minds.
But now, after all the amply justified celebration, the moment for sober stock-taking and searching questions about the so-called triumph of democracy has come. We have to remember that even when the totalitarian or authoritarian systems crumble down, democratic ones do not automatically rise up in their place.
Only free and fair elections, which we have witnessed in 2008 in our country, do not necessarily produce open governments, human rights and economic prosperity.
The writer Is a columnist of The Dally Star.
E-mall: aukhandk@gmall.com