REPORT in a national daily on Sunday said a ruling party lawmaker from Narsingdi Shibpur area suspended classes of a local high school for five days as the school ground was needed to celebrate the wedding of his daughter. The lawmaker, who is also a central presidium member of Jubo League, the youth front of Bangladesh Awami League, entertained 15 thousand guests on the occasion when the school was virtually closed barring students from visiting the premises. Decoration work of the huge pendal started from 10 days before the event with workmen hired from the capital.
Head teacher had no option but to entertain the wish of the lawmaker who is also the Chairman of the school’s managing committee. So the celebration took place in a wild way in which one person was killed from stampede and ten were injured in the crowd.
A family will celebrate the wedding of the daughter; there can’t be any objection from any quarter. Invitees join the celebration, locals wish the marriage the best and everybody lend a hand of support, this is part of our culture.
But there should also be a careful socio-cultural consideration as to how far a family celebration may go. It is a highly unacceptable matter that the local lawmaker using his position forced the students to stay out of the classes for five days. For him it could have a big demonstrative value that everything moves as he wishes, but the loss of lessons for five days to several hundred students is an enormous loss. Although we doubt the honourable lawmaker would at all give a thought to it. The public suffering of their arrogant behaviour is no consideration. In our politics after the people have lost their voting power, the concerned lawmaker is aware he is not accountable to the people. The state controlled election riggers will ensure his election victory if the party chief is happy with him.
The other side of the marriage ceremony was how easy it has become to make money using state power only to be wasted on lavish expenses.
