Government must pay attention to the economic crisis

The second survey carried out recently by the BRAC Institute of Governance and Development (BIGD) has been unveiled addressing several issues, including elections, new parties, efficiency of the interim government, women’s safety, and the law and order. The issue of the economy was prioritised.

One of the notable questions in the survey was, “What is the country’s biggest problem now?” In response, 67 percent of the people talked about the economic crisis such as price hike, economic or business downturn.

As much as 9 percent of the respondents mentioned political unrest and intolerance, 4 percent of them spoke of deterioration of law and order, 3 percent voted for lack of democracy and 2 percent talked about lack of safety.

From the survey results, we can realise that people are not as much worried about the law and order situation as they are about the price hike of daily commodities.

Economists say if the government fails to provide economic relief and to improve law and order, the public will lose patience.

They also blamed the price hike on extortion. No matter if it is extortion or stockpiling behind the price hike of daily essentials, it is the government that has to take action.

During the first survey also carried out by BIGD in August, 60 percent of the people had said that the country was going in the right direction, while 27 percent said it was going in the wrong direction. This means people’s trust in the government is declining.

The people will grow even more frustrated if the law and order situation does not improve or the prices of daily necessities do not come down.

Though both the BIGD surveys were carried out in August and September, the prices of daily commodities have soared even higher in the last two months.

But people from all walks of life do support the commissions the government has formed to reform the constitution, election commission, anti-corruption commission and so on.

However, the government must keep in mind that no reform will come to any use if the market cannot be brought under control.

The government must take in mind that the support of the people is a great source of strength for them, which came to power through the July-August student-people uprising.

But if that very source becomes unstable, then their moral stance will grow feeble as well.