Make builders accountable
Photo: STAR
Why does it seem so difficult to apply the principle of 'accountability' to the building trade in this dear country? Are there deficiencies in the laws surrounding contracts? Again and again there is evidence of builders making serious and dangerous mistakes - and nothing happens and someone else has to pay for repairs - or they are left undone.... A headline of 20th July read 'Just repaired Chondimari dyke partially collapses - thousands of families under threat'. We learnt that one crore taka had been handed over to the construction firm who got the contract from the Lalmonirhat Water Development Board. The work was completed only 2 months ago. However, some local villagers report that the firm used low quality cement CC blocks and not the ones as per the contract agreement. When local officials might be involved in corruption around such contracts, to whom can the local people turn for support? Is there anyone whose job it is to care that ten thousand families could lose their properties to the Teesta river and go and test the remaining blocks and, maybe, bring charges? Months ago, I rejoiced to see the nice quality pavement bricks for parts of Gulshan but they were laid so badly that whole sections are subsiding and can hardly be walked on. Does the law of the land not make provision for (a) delaying full payment until proof of good workmanship can be tested? (b) builders being 'named and shamed' and those officials who backed the contract? (c) builders having to return and do the work again or paying for another firm to do so? Is it not also a religious duty to insist on accountability? If people, young and old, private and corporate, are allowed to avoid the consequences of their bad behaviour, they never learn to respect the judgment of man. How, then, can they respect the judgment of God - or do they think that a sweet smile, a nice bribe and the threat of powerful 'friends' will ensure His indulgence also?
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel.
Comments