The country has been going through a weird situation where bureaucrats are taking most strange decisions one after another and politicians are sitting behind them just to obey their orders. This lockdown that began on Monday has again showed us how implementation of an administrative decision could be so mismanaged to ultimately bring sufferings to common people.
In particular, the office goers and garment workers had to bear the brunt of public transport shortage. There were all modes of transports except public buses. Before shutting down operation of city bus services, the offices were not closed and garment factories kept open without arranging alternative transport for workers. Many had to count abnormal rickshaw fare for short trips. We do wonder how such an absurd decision could be taken without considering common people’s sufferings!
Like previous such occasions, people are leaving Dhaka in millions this time too just after government announced a countrywide lockdown from June 28. But within a day the decision was changed following severe pressure from banking sector and business circle as it could hamper their June closing activities (financial year ending). The government again switched its decision announcing another ‘strict lockdown’ from July 1.
This type of indecision and uncertainty gives a clear message to the people – that is incompetence and unprofessional conduct of government machinery. With such an announcement, prices of essentials have shot up again apparently for no reason. The schools-colleges-universities have remained shut for about 15 months and the time is now extended further.
In this backdrop, the Cabinet Secretary Khandker Anwarul Islam on Monday said that ‘a ‘strict lockdown’ will be imposed in country from July 1. No one will be allowed to leave home unless there is an emergency – such as burial and taking patients to hospital.” The army, BGB, and police will be on patrol during the lockdown, he said.
Interestingly, even in strict lockdown the garment factories and export-oriented industries would be reportedly allowed to remain open and rickshaws could operate. But it is very tough to make lockdown successful keeping thousands of people out of homes. Most of our low-income group people have no other way but to join their works daily.
This time, the situation is somewhat different as infections are spreading in rural areas and remote villages. There must be alternative thinking. The poor people must get food and other services during their stay at home. What we had earlier witnessed is that a lion’s portion of government cash grant and food relief goes to the pockets of administrative officials and local government representatives.
In this backdrop, some leaders of ruling and opposition parties yesterday expressed their annoyance over assigning government secretaries in charge of districts instead of MPs to tackle situation during the Coronavirus pandemic. They have categorically said while an MP’s position is higher than that of a Secretary, the MPs should get the priority in implementing government decisions. Trusting MPs of a stolen election is a great blunder. But let them show their love for the people by helping the government officials to create mass awareness about the danger of the pandemic. They can mobilise the people so that deserving people get the help.
For the next phase the government is thinking of deploying the army for enforcing lockdown. Election stealing was easy but to keep economically hard up people locked in will not be easy. We need a competent and thinking government to plan things properly. Why vaccines are not available should be answered by the government first. The army must ensure that needy people get help to survive.
