FINANCE Minister AMA Muhith on Saturday said blockade and frequent strike have already emerged as a major threat to the country’s economy and business. Unlike Dhaka, the wheels of the economy are not functioning in the districts; a news report quoted him as saying adding it is paralysing the national supply chain. It has hit farm incomes, snapped inter-district road and rail transport disrupting both local business and export shipments. Farmers are worst affected, as they are not able to get their produce to the market. Workers are not getting work to feed families. Quoting shop owners he said their sales have dropped by 70 percent. Undeniably, the blockade imposed by BNP-led opposition demanding an inclusive election has turned into a fatal violence and not only people are dying in the streets and public and private properties are set ablaze, there is no end in sight of this ongoing crisis. We see that businessmen, civil society members, development partners and the common people are asking the two sides, particularly the government to mend their political stance to end the impasse which started due to government refusal to allow BNP to hold demonstrations to denounce the January 5 election. While the Finance Minister describes the situation as serious and people from all socio-political strata are calling for a political solution to this problem; why the government is not ending the crisis is the big question. Election is a democratic right of the people. Then why the government is trying to ignore the political crisis as a law and order problem —is yet another question. We believe that the Finance Minister who is different from other party leaders in term of wisdom and intellectual rating can be reasonably expected to exercise his influence within the ruling establishment to end the crisis by way of dialogue and paving way to an election in view of its severe economic setback to the nation. Muhith highlighted the financial cost of the blockade and hartals along with the cost for deploying security forces for additional hours to deter violence. It is flying high. He said the economy has already suffered severely to the tune of $10 billion in production loss and physical damages; which is over Tk 2,277.86 crore on daily basis. Moreover, the government would fail in implementing the ADP and consequently the GDP growth would be at lower that the 7.3pc targetHe and his government have to its ability to help growth of the country. The government cannot justify its existence if it cannot maintain peace and order. The right thing for the government is to obtain its own legitimacy by seeking election and showing that the people have confidence in it.
