Deeply exploited and harassed Eid time travellers : Why this unconcern?
Saturday, 19 September 2009
Year after year ticket black marketing at bus, train and launch terminals has been going on like an unchanging ritual. People expected a drastic change in this tradition after the installation of the government they elected with a massive mandate. But there has been no change from the ticket black marketing spree even this year when people expected the government they elected to power with so much enthusiasm would identify such ticket black marketing as a major governance issue and address the same with the seriousness it deserved. However, their experience is one of utter disillusionment on this score. The media have been focusing profusely on the activities of ticket black marketers from at least two weeks ago or about the happenings at departure terminals of buses, launches and trains. But the focuses could hardly sensitize the governmental authorities into doing anything of value to relieve the Eid time travellers.
Every year, hordes and hordes of people start leaving Dhaka city starting from two weeks before the two Eids. This is because out of some 1.2 million people with a residential status in the city, the majority of them do not have a permanent presence here. They are temporary residents of the city who require to stay here in connection with their jobs, businesses and other reasons. Thus, nearly 5 to 6 million people with their roots in other districts away from Dhaka , leave the city in the days before the two Eids. The same form a huge travel effort and no government can disclaim its responsibility in making the journeys smooth, secure and anxiety free.
Government is not expected to pay for the costs of travel or provide the transports for travel. But it falls well within the ambit of governmental responsibilities that the exodus of people would be well regulated to guard against any insecurity and exploitation. But the government of the day has proved to be very unsuccessful in this regard when, ironically, it was expected to make its mark in demonstrating good governance by completely frustrating the ticket black marketers in their evil acts this year. Therefore, the question must have loomed very large in the minds of millions of people who have left or are leaving Dhaka city on the occasion of Eid, about the ruling qualities of this government. People did not surely elect it to power with so much of passion to preside so quietly and ineffectively over the massive wrong doings of the sort that hazarded their lives in the past. People have been too eager for change which the incumbents in power promised to them before the election and are still promising . But where are these changes ?
The government promised the consumers the sky before the Ramadan. People were assured that they would be supplied kitchen items at very fair prices during Ramadan. But that promise has been found to be like a very sick joke by the people as they were subjected to a big rip off while buying essential foodstuffs during Ramadan. People have been suffering from unprecedented traffic jams in the city with no significant easing of the situation. And now, they are being put through the grinder in getting travel tickets by paying super normal prices for them. There is a limit to the ordeals that people can or should endure. It appears that these limits have been crossed when the government that proudly calls itself as change agents sits quietly on the fenc--watching-- without lifting a finger in response to the sights of tormented people from various reasons.
Media reports described in great details the predicament of home bound people of the city. They queued up before ticket counters at bus terminals, railway station and launch terminals from the small hours of the night in many cases only to be deeply disheartened from being told that no tickets were available after the selling of some of them. But the same tickets were found selling nearby by ticket black marketers at substantially higher prices than the normal fares. With no other choice available, people were usually compelled to buy these tickets at the unjustified higher prices. The bulk of the tickets were handed over to the black marketers by the operators of the transport companies in advance for their pecuniary gains. Even the tickets which were actually sold from the ticket counters carried a higher price differential than normal time fares. Thus, it all added up to cruel exploitation of the travellers who are in most cases ones of humble means.
When a family with limited purchasing power have to part with a good amount of money to satisfy the greed of ticket black marketers and their accomplices, the result is their stressed finances at a time when they need to retain all the money they can to celebrate Eid happily. But this happiness is being spoiled year after year because no government ever decided to take timely actions to prevent this most objectionable fleecing and harassment of common people .
The home ministry should have been proactive at least a fortnight ago in relation to these matters for making any positive impact on the scene this year. But hardly any forceful steps were taken by the government to indicate that it was really determined to stop ticket black marketing. Why couldn't the RAB and the police be posted at different exit points in the city or at bus, launch and train terminals ? They could be thus posted and directed to sternly watch over activities inside and outside the ticket selling counters to ensure that none would get any opportunity for ticket black marketing. But this was not done or done only superficially that seemed to give enough freedom to the black marketers. Why their beloved government which came to power on winning their trust that it would go to work from its day one in office to address issues close to their lives, is so uncaring ? People want to know .
Every year, hordes and hordes of people start leaving Dhaka city starting from two weeks before the two Eids. This is because out of some 1.2 million people with a residential status in the city, the majority of them do not have a permanent presence here. They are temporary residents of the city who require to stay here in connection with their jobs, businesses and other reasons. Thus, nearly 5 to 6 million people with their roots in other districts away from Dhaka , leave the city in the days before the two Eids. The same form a huge travel effort and no government can disclaim its responsibility in making the journeys smooth, secure and anxiety free.
Government is not expected to pay for the costs of travel or provide the transports for travel. But it falls well within the ambit of governmental responsibilities that the exodus of people would be well regulated to guard against any insecurity and exploitation. But the government of the day has proved to be very unsuccessful in this regard when, ironically, it was expected to make its mark in demonstrating good governance by completely frustrating the ticket black marketers in their evil acts this year. Therefore, the question must have loomed very large in the minds of millions of people who have left or are leaving Dhaka city on the occasion of Eid, about the ruling qualities of this government. People did not surely elect it to power with so much of passion to preside so quietly and ineffectively over the massive wrong doings of the sort that hazarded their lives in the past. People have been too eager for change which the incumbents in power promised to them before the election and are still promising . But where are these changes ?
The government promised the consumers the sky before the Ramadan. People were assured that they would be supplied kitchen items at very fair prices during Ramadan. But that promise has been found to be like a very sick joke by the people as they were subjected to a big rip off while buying essential foodstuffs during Ramadan. People have been suffering from unprecedented traffic jams in the city with no significant easing of the situation. And now, they are being put through the grinder in getting travel tickets by paying super normal prices for them. There is a limit to the ordeals that people can or should endure. It appears that these limits have been crossed when the government that proudly calls itself as change agents sits quietly on the fenc--watching-- without lifting a finger in response to the sights of tormented people from various reasons.
Media reports described in great details the predicament of home bound people of the city. They queued up before ticket counters at bus terminals, railway station and launch terminals from the small hours of the night in many cases only to be deeply disheartened from being told that no tickets were available after the selling of some of them. But the same tickets were found selling nearby by ticket black marketers at substantially higher prices than the normal fares. With no other choice available, people were usually compelled to buy these tickets at the unjustified higher prices. The bulk of the tickets were handed over to the black marketers by the operators of the transport companies in advance for their pecuniary gains. Even the tickets which were actually sold from the ticket counters carried a higher price differential than normal time fares. Thus, it all added up to cruel exploitation of the travellers who are in most cases ones of humble means.
When a family with limited purchasing power have to part with a good amount of money to satisfy the greed of ticket black marketers and their accomplices, the result is their stressed finances at a time when they need to retain all the money they can to celebrate Eid happily. But this happiness is being spoiled year after year because no government ever decided to take timely actions to prevent this most objectionable fleecing and harassment of common people .
The home ministry should have been proactive at least a fortnight ago in relation to these matters for making any positive impact on the scene this year. But hardly any forceful steps were taken by the government to indicate that it was really determined to stop ticket black marketing. Why couldn't the RAB and the police be posted at different exit points in the city or at bus, launch and train terminals ? They could be thus posted and directed to sternly watch over activities inside and outside the ticket selling counters to ensure that none would get any opportunity for ticket black marketing. But this was not done or done only superficially that seemed to give enough freedom to the black marketers. Why their beloved government which came to power on winning their trust that it would go to work from its day one in office to address issues close to their lives, is so uncaring ? People want to know .