In the good old days when cinemas were watchable in movie halls there used to be a sort of peaceful non-existence between black marketers (popularly known as blackers) and the cinegoers. It was a coexistence based on convenience whereby rather than stand in long queues, the extra payment for tickets was well acceptable. In a way it can be described as acceptance of 'speed money' by those in charge of the Treasury. The affair happened under the noses of the police, with ticket clerks in cahoots with, no doubt a percentage game in play. All these years later, the phenomenon has spread with wider acceptance to wherever tickets are sold, not to mention the utility services that have to be paid whether utility is gained or not.
Indian visa queues were more infamous, during the torrid days when lines snaked for literal miles. While technology has alleviated some of the hassle, it has brought about its own form of black-marketing…ER..speed money. Classified advertisements in dailies, social media, travel agents and open shop adverts will tell us they can help not just in form filling but also getting appointments-for a consideration.
And trying desperately not to be in contempt, court stamps are usually not available at prescribed fees; to venture beyond is stepping in where angels fear to tread.
These are just some of the unofficial taxation reluctantly accepted by the citizenry, as are the seasonal racket connected with bus and train tickets for holiday-travellers and if it is hilarious to hear a ticket-seeker complaining about the prices and the ticket clerk in complete denial, its good to be able to laugh over that which should cause grumpiness. No wonder we were once rated as the happiest nation in the world. Wouldn't it be a nice chuckle if, like Australian Prime Minister Michael Turnbell all VIPs travelling the wrong side of the road were handed out hefty fines? Turnbell has to cough up A$ 250 for violating life vest rules.
These so-called immigration and visa assistance agencies aren't legally fined, not by embassies and high-commissions nor by the law. It's almost as if no one knows whose jurisdiction they fall under. And they have the gall to make statements such as 'guaranteed' visas. The taxman, struggling to meet ambitious revenue targets, follows the tradition not chasing the already taxed or big corporates, almost turning a blind eye to the massive quantities of ornaments and ostentatious clothes that find their way in to the wedding season. Somewhere in the past we had been told there would be sting raids on such functions. Perhaps 'arrangements' are in place. It's sad. As one former news reporter put it, just a part of New Year revelry costs could go a long byway to ease, just a bit, the lives for whom neither the bygone or oncoming year makes much of a difference.
Business planning and forecasting certainly has invaded the individual's life, some time back. The birth of a child means immediate planning for funds for education and nutrition. And as a chuckling Editor, who saw the funny beside of it, remarked, that extends to weddings as well. Community centres are difficult to book forcing many to plan years ahead. And then again, there's the ingenuous short-cut. Enterprising individuals book all available venues and then give up them up - you guessed it - for a consideration whoever came up with the concept that it wasn't Neil Armstrong but a man from Noakhali that got to the moon first wasn't joking.
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