NEWS reports in the New Nation and other dailies on Wednesday flashed out two incidents of vandalism carried out at two government offices in the city by ruling party men in their attempts to control public work tenders. This is the same report as we see in every day newspaper; the same story of tender vandalism involving the ruling party men without any government success so far to control them; while police are rather giving all impunity to their street vandalism. Yesterday’s newspaper reports said in the first incidence, a group of six miscreants known to be members of the ruling party forcefully entered the office room of the Chief Engineer [Implementation] of Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha [RAJUK], ransacked his office furniture, hurled abusive language at him and quickly left. They did not bother safety of a government office in the center of the city. It is feared a group of contractors who are vying to get work orders of RAJUK development projects have hired them failing to influence the engineer who is an influential member of the tender evaluation committee.
The second incidence of the day happened at a small distance at Bidyut Bhavan opposite to Bangladesh Secretariat gate where a group of Chatra League cadres locked in gunfights with a group of Jubo League activists in their bid to control a tender document of Dhaka Power Distribution Company. In the fight they defied the heavy presence of police and other law enforcing agency men deployed in the area since it is a highly sensitive place. There on the spot they exploded crude bombs, created panic and caused damaged to several vehicles including one belonged to a senior government official while chase and counter-chase took place under the nose of police. One victim later received treatment at Dhaka Medical College and Hospital but no arrest was made on the spot.
We are appalled to see that when police are having the order to shot at sight on miscreants using firearms and explosives why the ruling party men are not taking it seriously and police continued to tolerate them thus keeping open almost all government offices to be target of tender vandalism. There can’t be two standards for application of law — one for the ruling party men and the other for the opposition. Moreover, gunfights and vandalism centering the control of tender documents are often causing deaths to contesting parties and bystanders. Appealing to the government seeking solution is not hopeful for the reason that they are known for their connection with the government.
So we can sadly say that the tender terrorism is helping our young ones to be engaged in crimes under the shelter of the government.
