Commentary: Men, women and children are crying for help but no help assured

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The most shocking rape of a three and half year-old child and then killing her by strangulation in the capital city is repulsive and intolerable in a civilised society. It is not just one incident. Such brutal crimes now have become a regular affair. Most of them do not come to public attention unless disclosed by the media.

The other recent brutal and law defying rape incident took place last Friday in Bogra. A ruling party leader was so carelessly bold that not only he but his party men also joined him to shave the head of the college girl and that of her mother to establish their authority to be feared. Not only in Bogra, in most places ruling party men along with the local Member of the Parliament have organised their autocratic rule defying the central government. There are allegations that such brutal acts and violent crimes are being committed with the willing or unwilling cooperation of the local police. Thus we are living in a situation where criminals are busy committing crimes and police are busy arresting. But no help to the people.

It is not only the deteriorating of overall law and order situation of the country – ranging from the rise in the violence against women and children, mismanagement in returning our illegal immigrants from Europe, unwarranted conflict between the Law Ministry and Supreme Court, unrepaired roads and highways, rampant vandalism witnessed in our public university campuses to unbridled corruption at every level of the government – it seems that the chain of a state’s system is somehow falling apart.

There is no political thinking for dealing with the chaos, crimes and violences. The police enjoy unlimited power to handle crime and violence. There is no understanding that political governments are considered best for politically securing public cooperation of all concerned for peace and order in a country. But the government depends wholly on police.

The repercussions of visible mismanagement of the government in public life including its shameful incompetence to ensure safety of life are enormous and no civilised country can live with it. But the government appears busy to survive in a world of falsehood of economy development. Most such stories of development are manufactured by the few corrupt bureaucrats.

Additionally, barely four months ago The United Nations Working Group on Involuntary and Enforced Disappearances stated that some 40 people have been disappeared without a clue, and the UN body said the government to stop increased number of disappearances. In most cases the abducted persons have been missing for more than six months. This is a dangerous threat to public safety and security. The public and the international humanitarian bodies are frequently concerned about their well-being.

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Under the dominance of bureaucrats the Ministers are busy talking tall of so-called developments achieved by the government but not seen or appreciated by the people.

The people do not feel the existence of a government to make their lives and those of their children safe. They know big developments are nothing but big corruption units. Security of life is the least assurance a government should be able to ensure.

They claim credit for fighting terrorism, but unable to make life safe from their own party criminals.

Until and unless the big crimes come to light through media, the people are afraid to complain about the wrongs they suffer locally.

After the crimes, arrests are made quickly because the police who indulge in crimes. Then in some quarters doubts remain if right persons are arrested or they are punished in the end. To put it more straightly, the people have no faith about the government’s truthfulness and competence to give protection to their lives. The government should think hard about their responsibility, accountability to the people.

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