State of the nation
On the eve of our 38th Independence Day, it is relevant to look at the state of our country now that the 'honeymoon' period (100 days) of the new Awami League led grand alliance is almost over. In this, the AL's third innings, the second by an overwhelming majority, what is the position of the juicy pre-election promises?
1. There is no water and no electricity! The CTG had the same infrastructure but the electricity never went off at 1 o'clock at night and there were not many scenes of people protesting in the streets with 'empty vessels'.
2. The universities are either closed or have become battlegrounds.
3. The Election Commission is gradually becoming disabled and the welcome privilege of the “NO” vote gone.
4. The separation of the judiciary is being curtailed and smothered.
5. The ACC 'customers' are flaunting their freedom and their ill-gotten wealth with 'health holidays' all over the world (no party discrimination here).
6. Traffic jams have congealed everyone to a full stop.
7. Price of rice has gone down but rise in that of vegetables, fruits, fish, meat poultry etc have more than offset the advantage. No one is better off today.
8. The 'honeymoon' will long be remembered for three ugly and gory incidents.
9. No one can blame the government for the economic meltdown, but it is also true that the amateurs at the helm hardly have a clue as to what to do about it.
10. Finally, what has happened at the Bangabandhu Medical University is a blatant example of power-mad peoples' open defiance of existing norms to sink whatever remains of our healthcare institutions.
In this connection, it is relevant to highlight the happenings (suppressed?) of what transpired some days ago when a group of mastans took over, in broad daylight, the oldest, largest and most efficient private institution for eye-care that serves thousands of poor people every day. No 'law enforcers' turned up, though the Tejgaon PS is within walking distance. I understand it was only the Prime Minister's personal initiative that averted a disaster. What caught the eye were not the mastans, whom we have learnt to live with, but the introduction of female mastans, complete with borkha and jeans.
Shabash to the perpetrators for this noble innovation into gender equality!!
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