Muhammad Quamrul Islam :
An enlightened young man returned from his village home after observance of holy Eid-ul-Fitr with his family to Uttara Dhaka on June 15, 2019 and opened his medicine shop in a melancholy mood. He was found expressing his excitements before a veteran editor and Ekushey Padak recipient about harassments caused in declaring moon sighting which cannot be taken lightly but the Minister did not resign and there was silence of all leaders in the capital. He felt so uneasy and inclined to go to other side of the border West Bengal, where Eid was celebrated with due solemnity and gaiety unlike us! It was reported in Bangladeshi national dailies on June 8 that Eid was celebrated on June 5 (Wednesday) in West Bengal. The big Jamat at Kolkata Red Road was visited by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee from where she expressed greetings to all and sent message of communal peace and harmony that nobody would be able to disturb.
Farmers are not getting fair price of paddy and there was no compensation for loss in the national budget presented on June 13 which marred their merriments. It is corroborated by reports in Bangladesh national dailies on June 18 that though government started to purchase paddy lately, benefits did’t reach the cultivators and they’re in losses, which were looted by rice mill owners and middlemen in syndicate. Consumers pay high prices for rice and farmers cannot get cost of production of paddy, which in reality speaks of dwindling political morality and governance. These should not be ignored but addressed bravely by the Parliament.
It was reported in print media on June 11, 2019 that Bangladesh Government for Religion Affairs Ministry will go to purchase high technological equipment for sighting of the moon. This because it failed to decide on moon sighting and changed decision for holding Eid-ul-Fitr, which was accordingly held on June 5 after the first declaration made for June 6. But, people had to say Tarabi Namaj as usual in pursuance of first declaration in mosques countrywide and after return from mosques prepared for Sehri as usual when at 11pm got the second declaration of Eid-ul-Fitr on June 5. As such, the disturbances can be easily gauged, which has been put up in the first day of budget session of Parliament on June 11.
A lot has been reported in media, which has apparently been taken lightly by the government quarters that came up with lame excuses and sought solution in purchasing equipment to cover up their inefficiency and satisfy indenter of equipment if any. We are afraid of recent precedence of pillow corruption at Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant. Taking the floor BNP MP Harunur Rashid expressed his anguish at the changing decision of moon sighting to the nation and callousness in dealing with religious matters. For this, he demanded in the Parliament resignation of Religion Minister and cancellation of Moon Sighting Committee. On the other hand, opposition JP MP Pir Fazlur Rahman had demanded statement of Housing and Public Works Minister on Pillow corruption scandal at RNPC.
Another BNP MP Barrister Rumin Farhana questioned the validity of Parliament, which was objected by treasury bench members. The Speaker then expunged her remarks as per procedure in the midst of protests of ruling party members. Barrister Rumin also spoke about imprisonment of Khaleda Zia who is not getting bail on political ground and Tareque Rahman could not return home, which the ruling party members objected. Then Speaker went to next work item of the day without giving floor to anybody. Over here so called opposition JP MPs do not carry any confidence of the people, as those won the seats under the cover of grand alliance led by Awami League, now seat in the opposition bench and their criticisms and participation in debates would hardly be taken seriously by the government. Early this month and on June 17 it appeared in print media, JP sold nominations to its reserved seats of women at Tk.5 crore each!
Now the main opposition BNP is in Parliament which is actually one of two big democratic parties in this country. It is expected Awami League would give due weight to their demand as promised earlier. In this way true multi-party democracy may be facilitated to emerge with respective electoral base and ideology shunning share politics of small parties under the banner of 14-party led by AL or 20-party led by BNP and so on Oikya Front backed by BNP or AL-led grand alliance. Actually parties registered with Election Commission from Fakhruddin’s caretaker government to date without electoral base are polluting the politics whose only business is to go between AL and BNP to create confrontations for personal aggrandizements and satisfy their masters at home and abroad.
More so university campus is not peaceful which was expected after the DUCSU election to start afresh countrywide in the growth trajectory equitably distributed not compromising morality that is after all the base of sustainable development. Reports in national dailies June16 show a section of students League leaders and workers deprived of due positions in its committee are continuing protest program to expel the disputed. Its mouthpiece said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina asked to exclude the disputed, but they do not listen, who they are. Simultaneously a section of leaders of Chhatra Dal, student front of BNP, are pressing its high command to withdraw age limitation and give continuing committee, reports said.
Small parties maintain usual silence. To cut short DUCSU VP Nurul Haq has rightly said while country is economically progressing at that time leakage of question papers, corruption and nepotism in appointment in every sphere would destroy the education system and country. Let it be taken up in the Parliament.
(Muhammad Quamrul Islam, economist, advocate and columnist; E-mail: mqislambd @ hotmail.com)
