Editorial Desk :
Most of the people of this country have to face discrimination at different levels, from education to health facilities and earning bread to owning homes. Disclosing the findings of a study, the Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) on Thursday said that the country’s marginalised people are facing discriminatory attitudes while seeking government services and benefits. The study found that negative mentality of local public representatives and a section of government officials also work as obstacles for the marginalised people to avail different government services.
We consider the findings of the study very important because over three crore people are in the marginal income group. Children of marginalised families face discriminatory attitudes in educational institutions. In fact the prime goal of education is not achieved especially because of such discrimination. For any citizen equal primary education is a right.
But the relationship between poverty and education moves in a cyclic order. Lack of equality in primary education forces poor families to engage in less productive pursuits. Discrimination between the poor and the rich results in a small investment in education. The inequality in education is a big reason for not achieving international standards in education by our students. The discrimination is also visible in other basic areas – such as food and clothing, health and shelter.
Another stage of discrimination is usually faced by the transgender people. The transgender community faces serious obstacles to live a normal life in our society. A huge number of them is seen begging in the open. Though the government has declared them as “third gender”, they hardly get any privilege from the government to lead life with honour and dignity. They are still not allowed in common places, like schools and jobs.
Our problem is the government is bureaucracy dependent and not popular election dependent. So the looters are getting richer for enjoying all state benefits inequitably and the rest of the people are marginalised. They are subjected to extortion by way of heavy tax on everything conceivable. The government officials enjoy fat salaries and every other facilities the state can provide. But why should not they pay on cars mostly used for private purposes. They get free petrol. Next to looters, the high government functionaries are highest beneficiaries of the state benefits. The larger population in Bangladesh are extorted and marginalised.
Bangladesh is a country of dishonest privileged ones. Life is terrible for the honest ones.
TIB gives text book analysis of government benefits given to government officials. We are tolerating a colonial system. The bureaucrats have not become public servants. They are still government servants to serve the government and enjoy above the people position. Is it that the TIB thinks we have people’s representative in the country.
