MPs must make the govt to be competent for safety of all

REFERRING to the killing of ruling party MP from Gaibandha-1 Constituency Manzurul Islam Liton, lawmakers from both the Treasury and Opposition Benches on Monday demanded urgent foolproof security for them similar to Cabinet Members. Our lawmakers are important if they act as public representatives. The point is MPs as people’s representatives are to hold the government accountable for creating conditions for safety and security of the general people. Instead the situation in the country is such that everybody’s life is unsafe.

 In fact, the government is missing in addressing the key issue regarding safety and security. The answer has to be found how and why, safety situation in our country has so gravely deteriorated.

Before separating the lawmakers from general citizens, we need clear understanding about the role they have been playing for the good of the people. If MPs call for added security protection in the wake of killing one of them then the general public be also provided with security for killing them and disappearances in hundreds.

The Prime Minister has reportedly mentioned of a ‘vested quarter, not believing in the country’s Liberation War and Independence to be hatching conspiracy to kill the Awami League lawmakers.’ It is forgotten that ‘non-Awami League freedom fighters’ staying in the country gave lives in thousands for the liberation of this country. So it is painful to hear that our people are being blamed of conspiring against independence. The crux of the problem lies here. The Awami League freedom fighters are thinking they and they alone are freedom fighters and secured independence of the country. That way a serious division has been created among the united people. A grave situation of enmity and suspicion has been spread among the people. Awami League has to accept for their own good that the Liberation War was not of any particular party but of the whole nation.

We do not want the government to follow the wrong path and make things uncertain for all. Our people inspired by Bangabandhu freed Bangladesh and they do not want that their patriotism to be questioned every now and then.

The question should be asked what the government as the government of all the people has done for the safety and security in public life. The problem with government, it thinks it knows best. It only listens to its own bureaucratic special advisers and not to others about what is right for the country.

The government is out of touch of the people.

The government is depending on police power and court cases for running the government. This is not governance. They must listen to the opposition and members of civil society to stop political antagonism and police oppression. The police must not be allowed to act as party loyalists but as law enforcers.