Our democratic rulers
Khaleda Zia's incompetent and corrupt government created such a situation in Bangladesh that those who were paid by our poor people to arrest criminals and fight crime didn't perform their duties, because they were afraid that they might lose their jobs. In some cases people even lost their lives for doing their job. According to a DS report (“Alarming use of Yaba in posh areas”, 28 Oct), a narcotics officer said, “We did not dare to challenge the suspected traders though we knew well how some people in luxury cars were peddling the drug.” In the same report, a high official of the police said, “Most of the users are students of private universities, colleges and A and O-levels. They thought they were above the law in the last five years. But the situation changed after the caretaker government came to office. We have been working without interference for the last one year and the recent hauls are a result of those sincere efforts.” So much for our democracy!
These are not the only stories. In this country, we have people who just visited Bangladesh and they tell us that if we want to visit Bangladesh now is the best time! A few years ago, a relative from the UK went to stay in his village home in Bangladesh for a few months. During his stay, one night some local goons broke in. After some scuffles in the dark, with the help of other people in the house, he managed to apprehend one of the burglars who had a gun with him. Soon he recognised that the youth was one of his relatives! Anyway, he had no choice but to report it to the local police. And that is when his trouble started. Instead of taking care of that thief who was caught red-handed, the police let him free and this guy, who caught him, had to attend numerous court-hearings and spend loads of money. Now, thanks to the caretaker government, after about 2/3 years of headache, that thief has finally been sent to jail.
Can someone from the AL or the BNP explain to us why all the past criminal cases are now being dealt with; why criminals are being put behind bars; why people feel safe and relatively happy and why expatriates feel safe to visit their homeland now that the country is under an army-backed administration? Shouldn't all these things have happened when the country was run by a democratically elected government? And if these things didn't happen while we had democracy, then why do we need democracy? What for?
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