Luxury vehicles for MPs
Sunday, 6 December 2009
Everybody in this country still remembers the scandal involving duty-free vehicles of the MPs, imported during the previous regime. In the process, the country lost revenue earnings worth millions of takas. This created a big uproar across the country which rightfully resulted in cancellation of the facility during the previous caretaker government. But the recent government announcement to rescind the past decision and to purchase new luxury vehicles for 345 MPs at a cost of Taka 7.0 billion (700.00 crore) has raised the eyebrows of the entire nation !
In the present context of global recession when the country is reeling under a heavy financial crisis and export oriented industries are clamouring for bail out packages due to loss of business, how could a poor country like Bangladesh even think of such fairytale luxury, one cannot understand! Time has come to observe austerity, not for extravaganza. Moreover an additional maintenance cost of Taka 165.6 million (16.56 crore) annually will have to be borne by the tax payers unjustifiably which perhaps could otherwise be utilised for poverty alleviation of the poor masses of the country.
There is a general complaint of the voters across the country that the elected MPs hardly visit their constituencies after the election to mitigate their grievances. The desires of the MPs to visit their constituencies in the villages now to meet the poverty-stricken voters by riding luxury SUVs sounds extremely funny. These 345 wide-bodied vehicles will be commissioned into Dhaka city streets, causing more traffic jams and discomfort for the city dwellers.
Nowhere in the world, even in the subcontinent (as evident from the internet), is such facility provided to the legislators. In India, the legislators can utilise government vehicles only during the parliament session. Many of our MPs are fabulously rich and as such, most of our MPs can now be seen already driving luxury SUVs. But how many of such vehicles does one need in a small poor country like Bangladesh, where the road facility is minimum ? Surprisingly not a single MP has raised his voice against such an unjust decision, even those of opposition who are boycotting the parliament for no reason, although they are drawing all financial benefits from the state exchequer !
In an on-line opinion poll conducted by a national daily recently, 97% of the voters, out of a total of 2200, voted against the government move. This clearly indicates that the overwhelming majority of the country disapprove this government initiative.
Ataul Hoque
Dhaka
E-mail: hoqueataul07@yahoo.com
In the present context of global recession when the country is reeling under a heavy financial crisis and export oriented industries are clamouring for bail out packages due to loss of business, how could a poor country like Bangladesh even think of such fairytale luxury, one cannot understand! Time has come to observe austerity, not for extravaganza. Moreover an additional maintenance cost of Taka 165.6 million (16.56 crore) annually will have to be borne by the tax payers unjustifiably which perhaps could otherwise be utilised for poverty alleviation of the poor masses of the country.
There is a general complaint of the voters across the country that the elected MPs hardly visit their constituencies after the election to mitigate their grievances. The desires of the MPs to visit their constituencies in the villages now to meet the poverty-stricken voters by riding luxury SUVs sounds extremely funny. These 345 wide-bodied vehicles will be commissioned into Dhaka city streets, causing more traffic jams and discomfort for the city dwellers.
Nowhere in the world, even in the subcontinent (as evident from the internet), is such facility provided to the legislators. In India, the legislators can utilise government vehicles only during the parliament session. Many of our MPs are fabulously rich and as such, most of our MPs can now be seen already driving luxury SUVs. But how many of such vehicles does one need in a small poor country like Bangladesh, where the road facility is minimum ? Surprisingly not a single MP has raised his voice against such an unjust decision, even those of opposition who are boycotting the parliament for no reason, although they are drawing all financial benefits from the state exchequer !
In an on-line opinion poll conducted by a national daily recently, 97% of the voters, out of a total of 2200, voted against the government move. This clearly indicates that the overwhelming majority of the country disapprove this government initiative.
Ataul Hoque
Dhaka
E-mail: hoqueataul07@yahoo.com