Sagar Biswas :New Year begins! It is time to welcome to the brand new-year! Adieu 2014 and Welcome to 2015. The nation is going to embrace the New Year amid a gloomy political situation along with a country-wide shutdown called by Jamaat-e Islami. Awami League government remained busy throughout the year 2014 mostly to get recognition from international community over January 5 voter less election. On the other hand, the opposition political parties, especially Bangladesh Nationalist Party, were under pressure of ruling administration. Besides, inclusion of Jatiya Party simultaneously in cabinet and parliament had appeared as a big political farce before the nation.Theme of Awami League government was ‘development first, democracy next’. But the development did not come ‘first’ while most of the major development projects faced setback due to bureaucratic tangle and widespread corruption. Of them, the Padma Bridge project witnessed very slow pace though the government had taken decision to execute the project with its own funds. “Only 14 percent of the work has been done. I hope, 30 percent of it will be over by next year,” Project Director Md Shafiqul Islam said. The 21km metro rail project at a cost of Tk 220 billion also faced quandary due to indecision of government high-ups. The road transport and bridges minister had said that the tender process would begin in December [2014], but it did not float.Besides, the construction of 46-km long Dhaka Elevated Expressway at a cost of Tk 122 billion missed three deadlines last year. “Ten percent of work is only completed,” Project Director Kazi Mohammad Ferdous said.Most of all, the business was disrupted throughout the year due to lack of local and foreign investments. But the reserve marked record high following smooth flow of remittances despite job scarcity in the middle-eastern markets.Apart from politics and business, the government also had faced hard time in tackling crimes, especially organized crimes like: abduction, killing, burglary and dacoity with the involvement of a section of law enforcers. The most sensational crime of the year occurred in Narayanganj district where seven persons including Narayanganj panel mayor Nazrul Islam and renowned lawyer Chandan Sarkar were killed after abduction from Fatullah in Narayanganj on April 27. The killing of Maulana Faruqui, presidium member of Islamic Front and internal affairs secretary of Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat, had created sensation. Besides, the abduction of Siddiqur Rahman Litu, husband of Syeda Rizwana Hasan, chief executive of Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers’ Association [BELA], on April 16, had raised concern among the nation. There were several incidents of burglaries in the banks last year. On January 25, burglars tunneled into the vault of Sonali Bank’s Kishoreganj branch and looted Tk 16.40 crore. About Tk 1.95 crore was robbed from Jaipurhat branch of BRAC on September 28. Besides, the burglars looted Tk 60 lk from the Gazipur branch of Janata Bank at Joydevpur on December 15. Some of the money was recovered by the police and RAB. Last year also may be remembered for some fatal accidents. At least 32 peoples were killed after two passenger buses collided head-on in Natore on October 27. Besides, a launch carrying 250 passengers capsized in Padma River in Munshiganj on August 4 leaving several people dead.Last of all, the capsize of oil tanker Southern Star-7 in the Sundarbans with 3.58 lakh litres of furnace oil raised high concern among international community for ecological disaster.Last year, the country lost several renowned persons, including prominent journalists ABM Musa and Zaglul Ahmed Chowdhury, the nightingale Feroza Begum, film actors Anwar Hossain and Khalil Ullah Khan, educationists Prof Zillur Rahman Siddiqui, Salauddin Ahmed and Piash Karim, and Justice Habibur Rahman. We pay respect to their memories. Despite all unpleasant happenings, we welcome the New Year with bidding farewell to 2014. We hope, there will be a better time ahead with new dreams, new aims and new visions! We also hope, it will be a year with peace, progress, prosperity and happiness!!
