REPEATING the tragic incidents that occurred many times in recent past centering free distribution of Zakat cloths to the poor, 27 persons died again in Mymensingh town early on Friday including 23 women and four children. This is a sad incident and we sympathize with the victims’ families for the loss of their near and dears. As usual the district administration has set up an investigation committee and also announced Tk 20,000 as compensation to each victim’s family. This money should have been realized also from the wealthy .This is another instance, among many others, of demonstrative charity with use of public money by the government to show personal generosity.
Dying of the poor at the doorsteps of the rich specially, on Eid occasions, for getting free clothes distributed is not something new. As it appears some overnight rich or irresponsible businessmen want to make such event a case for demonstration of their wealth or political ambition. The local police, if they had cared, must have known such a massacre was going to happen. It is not reported whether police help was sought for controlling the mob. There is nothing to investigate, only thing that needs to be done is to ask the businessman to compensate the families of the dead ones.
If any investigation is necessary then it should be done to asses whether the local police and administration had neglected their responsibility. But that will not happen because public servant have no accountability to the people. Public servants think they are the masters and the people do not matter.
Dhaka Metropolitan Police Commissioner at a free Zakat cloths distribution event in the city on Saturday said permission must be mandatory from now to organize such charity event. He made the remark essentially referring to Friday’s tragedy in Mymensingh town. At least the Police Commissioner had given the matter a thought and we welcome such a decision. We find many government servants have given up thinking to be helpful to the people. Sycophancy to higher authorities has become their supreme duty.
