Before and After

The above two before-and-after photos show the sheer lack of apathy on the government's part in excavating a 400-yard section, from Hathkhola bridge to the Kirtankhola's edge, of the six-kilometre Jail canal in Barisal city despite being pointed out by The Daily Star on March 10 that over 100 local watermelon traders, frustrated after months of only empty assurances from the administration, had taken up the task and appointed workers, left, to give access to vessels carrying their products targeting the business' prime season, February to April. The photo on the right, taken yesterday, reveals that efforts on such a small scale prove to be futile when it comes to working with the ways of nature and that the government, and only itself, is adept at bringing an end to the traders' sufferings. Photo: Arifur Rahman