Govt fails to save honest traders

Syed Shemul Parvez :
The government has failed to ensure the security of honest traders across the country, it was alleged.
As a result, the honest traders who want to sell their commodities and products at fair prices are under serious threat by the organized syndicate and criminal gangs.

Recently the issue of a meat seller Mamun Hossain, who wanted to trade with a minimum profit considering the misery of mass people, became the victim of these criminal gangs.

Experts said most of the departments of the government are massively corrupted and they are controlled by the syndicate with the blessing of the politician and law enforcers. Kitchen market is one of the vital sectors which is controlled by the syndicate.

In these circumstances, experts believe that only government desire is enough to control such syndicate and the criminal gangs.

When asked Professor Shahariar Afrin, chairman of the Criminology department, University of Dhaka, told The New Nation that corruption in everywhere is the main concern and alarming issue for Bangladesh.

Numbers of dishonest traders are in the steering and controlling the whole markets to grab the millions of taka illegally.

Nowadays those who are honest they cannot sustain here due to these powerful gangs and syndicates.

Though government never avoids the responsibility over the issue, we people are also liable as we are not doing our own duty properly, Professor Afrin said.

If we don’t teach the values, morals and religion to our children since childhood, our problems won’t be eradicated. Besides, criminals must be brought under law rapidly to ensure peace and prosperity, she further added.

Dr Hafiz Uddin Buiyan, Professor, Institute of Social welfare and Research, University of Dhaka, told The New Nation that our whole country including various important departments and trades are being led by the businessmen who are also ministers and Members of Parliament.

As a result, a section of ruling party people are taking advantage to make a syndicate in the markets to loot millions of taka illegally.

After occurrence, most of the criminals involved in various syndicate gangs get favour from both administration and the ruling party which is one of the drawbacks to establish justice in the society.

He said that members of law enforcement are not leading regular drives to curb the problems.

They generally take the initiatives after a fatal incident occurred. So problems never be solved if they don’t continue the drives regularly.

On January 20, the meat seller named Mamun Hossain was brutally killed in Rajshahi by a criminal gang for charging less.

Mamun was stabbed to death by Md Mizanur Rahman alias Khokon for selling meat at a lower price. Later the accused Mizanur was arrested by the elite force RAB from Shibchar in Madaripur.

It was known that victim Mamun was hacked to death for selling beef at Tk650 per kg as per the price fixed by the government at Arani Bazar in Rajshahi’s Bagha upazila. On the day except Mamun, accused Khokon and others traders were selling beef for Tk700.

During a heated altercation between the two over price, Mamun was fatally stabbed by Khokon in broad daylight.

Locals rushed Mamun to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital, but he succumbed to his injuries on the way.

Abdus Salam, who works at Khokon’s shop, said that Mamun and Khokon used to do business together. Later, they separated their businesses.