The extent of apathy among the administration and all others involved, someway or other, in the delivery of various services to the people has, apparently, reached its peak. No amount of cajoling or media campaign is being able to ensure any attitudinal shift in all concerned.
Barring a few exceptions, when it comes to righting the major wrongs that are being committed openly or punishing the violators of laws and rules, the authorities concerned demonstrate an unpardonable indifference. Â
There was a time when the government and the agencies concerned used to take media reports very seriously and tried to address the issues raised in the media reports. In fact, the media used to act as an effective tool to highlight the public grievances and sufferings.
Over the last two to three decades, both print and electronic media have expanded to a great degree. Not many people would be able to say the exact number of daily or weekly newspapers in the country. The number of private satellite television channels has also increased notwithstanding the fact that the majority of the channels are not financially viable.
The media have expanded. So has their coverage. But neither government agencies nor relevant others do attach much of an importance to the media that try to highlight public grievances and sufferings. The public still continues to rely on the media to ventilate their problems and dissatisfaction with a hope for getting some redress.
The recent media and public outcry over the death of some people, including senior journalist Jaglul Ahmed Chowdhury, in road accidents in Dhaka city can be cited as an example.
There was a series of reports how buses with total impunity violated traffic rules and picked and dropped passengers at any point of the road or right on the middle of the road or how dilapidated buses lacking road-worthiness were plying the city streets.
Unfortunately, a section of commuters too have developed the habit of flouting traffic rules. They might have been tempted to do it because of the unruly behaviour of the transport operators and workers. Â
The traffic police and the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority feigned to be hyperactive for a couple of days following the media bashing. But that was it. The situation, in fact, has remained unchanged. The road transports in Dhaka and elsewhere in the country are defying laws and rules. The owners and workers being politically linked to the powers that be give a damn to what the laws and rules say and operate their vehicles or fix fares according to their whims. Why won't they when there are plenty of men in the administration to protect their interests?
There are many other areas where indifference to 'playing by the rules' is very much visible. The state affairs with the two city corporations of Dhaka can be cited here. In the absence of their elected representatives at the helm of the two city corporations, the Dhakaites have been suffering immensely. Barring the major roads, the condition of roads and surface drains in most city wards is pitiable. Even extensive media coverage has failed to bring about any change in the situation on the ground. The residents do not know to whom their grievances to be placed for remedial measures.
The busy Kalshi Road that connects the New Airport Road via the flyover is yet another example of apathy on the part of the bureaucrats overseeing the activity of the Dhaka North City Corporation.
During the last T-20 Cricket World Cup tournament in Dhaka last year, a project was taken up for widening and reconstructing the Kalshi Road because of the increased traffic flow. But the road has remained half-done for more than six months. Large potholes on the one and a half kilometre road has made it unfit for plying of motor vehicles. Still buses and all other vehicles have been using the road for it has shortened the journey from Gabtoli and Mirpur to airport or Tongi, Gazipur and Uttara drastically. It does take only 15 to 20 minutes to reach the airport or Uttara form Mirpur.
The engineering core of the Bangladesh Army was seen supervising the construction of the Kalshi Road until recently. But in the midst of dry season which is considered the best time for any civil or road construction works, no work is being done on this important link road. If the reconstruction work of the road is not completed before next monsoon, thousands of people and vehicle users will be facing untold sufferings.
The leading newspapers have carried front-page reports along with pictures on the pitiable state of the Kalshi Road, but nothing has happened.
There have been newspaper reports galore on land-grabbing, unauthorized occupation of pavements, open sale of drugs, sufferings of residents due to poor drainage system, corruption on the part of government agencies involved in utility service delivery etc. But those, in most cases, have failed to draw the attention of the agencies concerned. However, the people do still believe that the media wields immense power. That is, however, true when the administration is willing to listen to people's voice and adhere to principles of good governance.
zahidmar10@gmail.com
Apathy now in its worst form
Shamsul Huq Zahid | Published: January 12, 2015 00:00:00 | Updated: November 30, 2024 06:01:00
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