2. File create by : JM Abdullah (Admin), Bank Recruitment Exam Boost(Group)
March 02, 2020
The Daily Star Editorial
**************************
āĻĨ āĻŽ āĻļ āĻžāĻĨ āĻŋāĻ˛ āĻ āĻ¨ āĻŋāĻ¨āĻ
=================
ā§§āĨ¤ Negligence of authoritiesÂāĻāĻ¤ā§
āĻĒ āĻ° āĻ āĻŦ āĻšāĻ˛āĻžÍž
ā§¨āĨ¤ ruining āĻāĻ¸ āĻš Íž
ā§ŠāĨ¤ A recent report published by this daily revealed thatÂāĻ¸ āĻŋāĻ¤ āĻĄāĻāĻŋāĻ˛ āĻžāĻ° āĻĒāĻŋ āĻāĻžā§/āĻāĻ
āĻĒāĻŋ āĻāĻžā§ āĻāĻžāĻŋāĻļāĻ¤ āĻāĻāĻŋāĻ āĻŋāĻ¤ āĻŦāĻĻ āĻ¨ āĻāĻžāĻ¨āĻž āĻ¯āĻžā§Íž
ā§ĒāĨ¤ the main way āĻ§āĻžāĻ¨ āĻĒāĻĨ/āĻ°āĻž āĻžÍž
ā§ĢāĨ¤ a dilapidated state āĻŽāĻ°āĻžāĻŽāĻ¤āĻšā§āĻ¨/ āĻāĻ¸ āĻž āĻ āĻŦ āĻžÍž
ā§ŦāĨ¤ the concerned authoritiesÂāĻ¸āĻāĻŋ āĻāĻ¤ā§
āĻĒ Íž
ā§āĨ¤ have paid no attention (to)ÂāĻŽ āĻ¨āĻž āĻ¯āĻžāĻ āĻĻā§āĻŋāĻ¨Íž
ā§ŽāĨ¤ the dire conditionÂāĻā§āĻžāĻŦāĻš/āĻā§āĻˇāĻŖ āĻ āĻŦ āĻžÍž
ā§¯āĨ¤ hundreds of vehiclesÂāĻļāĻ¤āĻļāĻ¤ āĻ¯āĻžāĻ¨āĻŦāĻžāĻšāĻ¨Íž
ā§§ā§ĻāĨ¤ commuterÂāĻ¯āĻž ā§Íž
ā§§ā§§āĨ¤ capacityÂāĻ¸ āĻŽāĻ¤āĻžÍž
ā§§ā§¨āĨ¤ the absence of a footpathÂāĻĢ
ā§
āĻāĻĒ āĻĨāĻ° āĻ āĻ¨ā§
āĻĒāĻŋ āĻŋāĻ¤Íž
ā§§ā§ŠāĨ¤ thousands of pedestriansÂāĻšāĻžāĻāĻžāĻ° āĻšāĻžāĻāĻžāĻ° āĻĒāĻĨāĻāĻžāĻ°ā§Íž
ā§§ā§ĒāĨ¤ thoroughfareÂāĻ¯āĻžāĻ¨āĻŦāĻžāĻšāĻ¨āĻŦ āĻ˛ āĻ°āĻž āĻžÍž
ā§§ā§ĢāĨ¤ chaos āĻ¨āĻ°āĻžāĻ Íž āĻŋāĻŦāĻļā§āĻ˛āĻžÍž
ā§§ā§ŦāĨ¤ the asphalt on the roadÂāĻ¸ā§ āĻāĻ° āĻāĻĒāĻ° āĻŋāĻĒāĻ āĻĸāĻžāĻ˛āĻžāĻÍž
ā§§ā§āĨ¤ erodeÂāĻ§ā§ āĻ° āĻ§ā§ āĻ° ā§ āĻāĻ°āĻžÍž
ā§§ā§ŽāĨ¤ cluttered bricks and stonesÂāĻ āĻ˛āĻž āĻŽ āĻ˛āĻž/āĻŋāĻŦāĻļā§āĻ˛ āĻāĻ āĻāĻŦāĻ āĻĒāĻžāĻĨāĻ°Íž
ā§§ā§¯āĨ¤ a myriad of potholesÂāĻ āĻ¸āĻāĻ āĻāĻ¤Íž
ā§¨ā§ĻāĨ¤ full of mudÂāĻāĻžāĻĻāĻžā§ āĻĒāĻŋāĻ°āĻĒā§
āĻŖÍž
ā§¨ā§§āĨ¤ during monsoonÂāĻŦāĻˇāĻžāĻāĻž āĻ˛Íž
ā§¨ā§¨āĨ¤ dustÂāĻ§ā§
āĻ˛āĻžÍž
ā§¨ā§ŠāĨ¤ occurrences of multiple minor accidents āĻāĻžāĻāĻāĻž āĻāĻž āĻ āĻ¸āĻāĻ āĻĻā§
āĻāĻāĻ¨āĻž āĻāĻāĻžÍž
ā§¨ā§ĒāĨ¤ indifference ÂāĻāĻĻāĻžāĻ¸ā§āĻ¨ / āĻ āĻ¯ Íž
3. ā§¨ā§ĢāĨ¤ excuse forÂāĻ āĻā§
āĻšāĻžāĻ¤Íž
ā§¨ā§ŦāĨ¤ lack of maintenance work of a roadÂāĻ¸ā§ āĻāĻ° āĻāĻž āĻāĻ° āĻ° āĻŖāĻž āĻŦ āĻŖāĻ° āĻ āĻāĻžāĻŦÍž
ā§¨ā§āĨ¤ exert pressure (on)ÂāĻāĻžāĻĒ ā§āĻžāĻ āĻāĻ°āĻžÍž
ā§¨ā§ŽāĨ¤ prioritiseÂāĻ āĻžāĻŋāĻ§āĻāĻžāĻ° āĻĻā§āĻžÍž
ā§¨ā§¯āĨ¤ crucial ÂāĻ āĻ¤ āĻĒā§
āĻŖÍž
ā§Šā§ĻāĨ¤ a matter of concern ÂāĻ āĻāĻ° āĻŦ āĻžāĻĒāĻžāĻ°/āĻŋāĻŦāĻˇā§Íž
ā§Šā§§āĨ¤ all over the countryÂāĻ¸āĻžāĻ°āĻž āĻĻ āĻļ/ āĻĻāĻļāĻŦ āĻžāĻĒā§Íž
ā§Šā§¨āĨ¤ in a bad conditionÂāĻāĻžāĻ°āĻžāĻĒ āĻ āĻŦ āĻžā§Íž
ā§Šā§ŠāĨ¤ the road crashesÂāĻ¸ā§āĻ āĻĻā§
āĻāĻāĻ¨āĻžÍž
ā§Šā§ĒāĨ¤ precious livesÂāĻŽā§
āĻ˛ āĻŦāĻžāĻ¨ āĻā§āĻŦāĻ¨'Íž
ā§Šā§ĢāĨ¤ ClearlyÂāĻĒāĻŋāĻ° āĻžāĻ°āĻāĻž āĻŦÍž āĻ¸ā§ āĻāĻž āĻŦÍž
ā§Šā§ŦāĨ¤ well aware ofÂāĻāĻž āĻ˛āĻžāĻāĻž āĻŦ āĻ āĻŦāĻŋāĻšāĻ¤Íž
ā§Šā§āĨ¤ repair āĻŽāĻ°āĻžāĻŽāĻ¤ āĻāĻ°āĻžÍž
*****āĻāĻŦāĻžāĻ° āĻŽā§
āĻ˛ āĻ¸ āĻžāĻĻāĻā§ā§āĻŋāĻ āĻĒāĻŋā§******
Negligence of authorities ruining Sonadanga Bypass Road
************************
A recent report published by this daily revealed that Sonadanga Bypass Road, the
main way leading in and out of Khulna, is in a dilapidated state because the
concerned authorities have paid no attention to the dire condition it faces. With
hundreds of vehicles plying the road on a daily basis, the bypass must bear the
onslaught of cars, buses and commuters, the combination of which far exceeds its
capacity. And in the absence of a footpath, thousands of pedestrians risk their lives
trying to make their way along the thoroughfare, contributing to the chaos.
Since its completion in 2013, no repair work has been done at all. Even the asphalt
on the road has eroded overtime. To make matters worse, cluttered bricks and
stones along with a myriad of potholesâfull of mud during monsoon or dust
otherwiseâare now a trademark of Sonadanga Bypass Road, with occurrences of
multiple minor accidents on a regular basis. Why then this indifference from the
concerned authorities?
There is really no excuse for this total lack of maintenance work of a road that is so
vital for safe, efficient movement of vehicles and people. The government should
exert pressure on the Roads and Highways Department (RHD) to prioritise the
maintenance of a road as crucial as the one in question. It is a matter of concern that
there are many roads and bridges all over the country that are also in a bad
condition, adding to the road crashes that are taking precious lives every day.
Around 25 percent of the country's roads under the Road and Highways Department
are in "poor, bad or very bad" shape, according to an RHD survey conducted on
17,452 km of roads last March. Clearly, the RHD is well aware of the situation and
should repair these roads on an urgent basis.
4. March 03, 2020
The Daily Star Editorial
**************************
āĻĨ āĻŽ āĻļ āĻžāĻĨ āĻŋāĻ˛ āĻ āĻ¨ āĻŋāĻ¨āĻ
=================
ā§§āĨ¤ A losing warÂāĻŦ āĻĨ āĻ¯ā§
Íž
ā§¨āĨ¤ on drugsÂāĻŽāĻžāĻĻāĻ āĻŋāĻŦāĻˇ ā§Íž
ā§ŠāĨ¤ The authoritiesÂāĻāĻ¤ā§
āĻĒ Íž
ā§ĒāĨ¤ acknowledge ā§āĻāĻžāĻ° āĻāĻ°āĻžÍž āĻŽ āĻ¨ āĻ¨āĻā§āĻžÍž
ā§ĢāĨ¤ tactics  āĻā§āĻļāĻ˛Íž
ā§ŦāĨ¤ have failedÂāĻŦ āĻĨ āĻš ā§ āĻÍž āĻ āĻ¸āĻĢāĻ˛ āĻš ā§ āĻÍž
ā§āĨ¤ drug lordÂāĻŽāĻžāĻĻāĻ āĻ¸ āĻžāĻÍž
ā§ŽāĨ¤ reportedlyÂāĻŋāĻŦāĻŦāĻ°āĻŖ āĻ āĻ¨ā§
āĻ¸āĻž āĻ°Íž
ā§¯āĨ¤ at the highest levelÂāĻ¸ āĻŦāĻž āĻĒāĻ¯āĻž ā§Íž
ā§§ā§ĻāĨ¤ a hiatus of around two years āĻžā§ āĻĻā§
āĻ āĻŦāĻ āĻ°āĻ° āĻŋāĻŦ āĻĻ/āĻŋāĻŦāĻ°āĻŋāĻ¤Íž
ā§§ā§§āĨ¤ the antiÂnarcotics crackdownÂāĻŽāĻžāĻĻāĻ āĻŋāĻŦ āĻ°āĻžāĻ§ā§ āĻ āĻŋāĻāĻ¯āĻžāĻ¨Íž
ā§§ā§¨āĨ¤ began in 2018Âā§¨ā§Ļā§§ā§Ž āĻ¸āĻž āĻ˛ āĻš ā§āĻŋāĻāĻ˛Íž
ā§§ā§ŠāĨ¤ reclaimÂāĻ āĻžāĻ° āĻāĻ°āĻžÍž
ā§§ā§ĒāĨ¤ throneÂāĻāĻ¤ā§
Íž āĻ Íž
ā§§ā§ĢāĨ¤ infested areasÂāĻāĻĒ āĻ¤ āĻāĻ˛āĻžāĻāĻžÍž
ā§§ā§ŦāĨ¤ According toÂāĻ āĻ¨ā§
āĻ¸āĻž āĻ°Íž āĻ āĻ¨ā§
āĻ¯āĻžā§ā§Íž āĻāĻžāĻˇ āĻŽ āĻ¤Íž
ā§§ā§āĨ¤ over 90,000 pillsÂā§¯ā§Ļ āĻšāĻžāĻāĻž āĻ°āĻ°āĻ āĻŦāĻŋāĻļ āĻŦā§ÍžāĻŋâ
ā§§ā§ŽāĨ¤ are sold daily āĻŋāĻ¤āĻŋāĻĻāĻ¨ āĻŋāĻŦāĻŋ āĻšā§Íž
ā§§ā§¯āĨ¤ are filed with Mohammadpur Police Station āĻŽāĻžāĻšāĻž āĻĻāĻĒā§
āĻ° āĻĨāĻžāĻ¨āĻžā§ āĻĻāĻž ā§āĻ° āĻāĻ°āĻž āĻšā§Íž
ā§¨ā§ĻāĨ¤ per month āĻŋāĻ¤ āĻŽāĻž āĻ¸Íž
ā§¨ā§§āĨ¤ narcotics casesÂāĻŽāĻžāĻĻāĻ āĻŽāĻžāĻŽāĻ˛āĻžÍž
ā§¨ā§¨āĨ¤ related toÂāĻ¸ āĻŋāĻāĻ¤Íž
ā§¨ā§ŠāĨ¤ ThereforeÂāĻ¸ā§
āĻ¤āĻ°āĻžāĻÍž
ā§¨ā§ĒāĨ¤ gangÂāĻĻāĻ˛Íž
ā§¨ā§ĢāĨ¤ rebuildÂāĻĒā§
āĻ¨āĻŋāĻ¨āĻŽāĻžāĻŖ āĻāĻ°āĻžÍž
5. ā§¨ā§ŦāĨ¤ some of his associatesÂāĻ¤āĻžāĻ° āĻāĻŋāĻ¤āĻĒā§ āĻ¸āĻš āĻ¯āĻžāĻā§Íž
ā§¨ā§āĨ¤ were arrested āĻĢāĻ¤āĻžāĻ° āĻš ā§āĻŋāĻāĻ˛Íž
ā§¨ā§ŽāĨ¤ the beginning of the antiÂnarcotics driveÂāĻŽāĻžāĻĻāĻ āĻŋāĻŦ āĻ°āĻžāĻ§ā§ āĻ āĻŋāĻāĻ¯āĻž āĻ¨āĻ° āĻ¤Íž
ā§¨ā§¯āĨ¤ .The main reason āĻ§āĻžāĻ¨ āĻāĻžāĻ°āĻŖÍž
ā§Šā§ĻāĨ¤ empireÂāĻ¸āĻž āĻžāĻ Íž
ā§Šā§§āĨ¤ corrupt law enforcersÂāĻāĻāĻ¨ āĻļā§āĻ˛āĻž āĻ° āĻžāĻāĻžāĻ°ā§ āĻŦāĻžāĻŋāĻšāĻ¨ā§āĻ° āĻĻā§
āĻ¨ āĻŋāĻ¤āĻĒāĻ°āĻžā§āĻ¨ āĻ¸āĻĻāĻ¸ Íž
ā§Šā§¨āĨ¤ payrollÂāĻŽāĻžāĻ āĻ¨Íž
ā§Šā§ŠāĨ¤ a top underworld criminalÂāĻ āĻĒāĻ°āĻžāĻ§āĻāĻ āĻ¤āĻ° āĻ āĻĒāĻ¯āĻž ā§āĻ° āĻ āĻĒāĻ°āĻžāĻ§ā§Íž
ā§Šā§ĒāĨ¤ a life termÂāĻ¯āĻžāĻŦ ā§āĻŦāĻ¨Íž
ā§Šā§ĢāĨ¤ some officers at Mohammadpur Police Station āĻŽāĻžāĻšāĻž āĻĻāĻĒā§
āĻ° āĻĨāĻžāĻ¨āĻžāĻ° āĻāĻŋāĻ¤āĻĒā§ āĻāĻŽāĻāĻ¤āĻžÍž
ā§Šā§ŦāĨ¤ every night āĻŋāĻ¤ āĻ°āĻž āĻ¤Íž
ā§Šā§āĨ¤ detectives āĻāĻž ā§ āĻžÍž
ā§Šā§ŽāĨ¤ to run his businessÂāĻ¤āĻžāĻ° āĻŦ āĻŦāĻ¸āĻž āĻāĻžāĻ˛āĻž āĻ¨āĻžāĻ° āĻāĻ¨ Íž
ā§Šā§¯āĨ¤ without hindranceÂāĻŦāĻžāĻ§āĻž āĻāĻžā§āĻžÍž
ā§Ēā§ĻāĨ¤ return to the country āĻĻ āĻļ āĻŋāĻĢ āĻ° āĻāĻ¸āĻžÍž
ā§Ēā§§āĨ¤ the massive wealthÂāĻŦ āĻžāĻĒāĻ/āĻŋāĻŦāĻĒā§
āĻ˛/ āĻāĻ° āĻ¸ āĻĻÍž
ā§Ēā§¨āĨ¤ amassÂāĻĒā§
āĻŋ āĻāĻ¤ āĻāĻ°āĻžÍž āĻ¸ ā§ āĻāĻ°āĻžÍž
ā§Ēā§ŠāĨ¤ the AntiÂCorruption CommissionÂāĻĻā§
āĻ¨ ā§āĻ¤ āĻĻāĻŽāĻ¨ āĻāĻŋāĻŽāĻļāĻ¨Íž
ā§Ēā§ĒāĨ¤ HoweverÂāĻ¤ āĻŦÍž
ā§Ēā§ĢāĨ¤ the question remains āĻĨ āĻ āĻ¯āĻžā§Íž āĻ āĻÍž
ā§Ēā§ŦāĨ¤ become so powerfulÂāĻā§
āĻŦāĻ āĻāĻžāĻŦāĻļāĻžāĻ˛ā§ āĻšāĻā§āĻžÍž
ā§Ēā§āĨ¤ powerful individuals āĻāĻžāĻŦāĻļāĻžāĻ˛ā§ āĻŦ āĻŋ Íž
ā§Ēā§ŽāĨ¤ unscrupulous law enforcersÂāĻāĻāĻ¨ āĻļā§āĻ˛āĻž āĻ° āĻžāĻāĻžāĻ°ā§ āĻŦāĻžāĻŋāĻšāĻ¨ā§āĻ° āĻ āĻ¨āĻŋāĻ¤āĻ āĻ¸āĻĻāĻ¸ Íž
ā§Ēā§¯āĨ¤ realityÂāĻŦāĻž āĻŦāĻ¤āĻžÍž
ā§Ģā§ĻāĨ¤ we cannot help but ask ÂāĻāĻŽāĻ°āĻž āĻŋāĻ āĻžāĻ¸āĻž āĻ¨āĻž āĻ āĻ° āĻĒāĻžāĻŋāĻ° āĻ¨āĻžÍž
ā§Ģā§§āĨ¤ the antiÂnarcotics drive has achievedÂāĻŽāĻžāĻĻāĻāĻŋāĻŦ āĻ°āĻžāĻ§ā§ āĻ āĻŋāĻāĻ¯āĻžāĻ¨ āĻ āĻāĻ¨ āĻ āĻ° āĻÍž
ā§Ģā§¨āĨ¤ livesÂāĻā§āĻŦāĻ¨Íž
ā§Ģā§ŠāĨ¤ suspiciousÂāĻ¸ āĻšāĻāĻ¨āĻÍž
ā§Ģā§ĒāĨ¤ "gunfights" ÂāĻŦ ā§
āĻāĻ¯ā§
Íž
ā§Ģā§ĢāĨ¤ the supply of drugsÂāĻŽāĻžāĻĻ āĻāĻ° āĻ¸āĻ°āĻŦāĻ°āĻžāĻšÍž
ā§Ģā§ŦāĨ¤ in any shape or form āĻ¯ āĻāĻžāĻ¨ āĻāĻāĻž āĻ° āĻŦāĻž āĻŋāĻ¨ā§ āĻŽÍž
6. ā§Ģā§āĨ¤ the drug menaceÂāĻŽāĻžāĻĻ āĻāĻ° āĻŽāĻŋāĻÍž
ā§Ģā§ŽāĨ¤ prosecutionÂāĻŽāĻžāĻŽāĻ˛āĻžÍž
ā§Ģā§¯āĨ¤ mastermindsÂāĻŽā§
āĻ˛ āĻšāĻžāĻ¤āĻžÍž
ā§Ŧā§ĻāĨ¤ such as āĻ¯āĻŽāĻ¨Íž
ā§Ŧā§§āĨ¤ crooked law enforcersÂāĻāĻāĻ¨ ā§āĻžāĻāĻāĻžāĻ°ā§ āĻ āĻ¸ā§ āĻ¸āĻĻāĻ¸ Íž
ā§Ŧā§¨āĨ¤ bring to bookÂāĻļāĻžāĻŋ āĻ° āĻāĻāĻ¤āĻžā§ āĻāĻ¸āĻž
*****āĻāĻŦāĻžāĻ° āĻŽā§
āĻ˛ āĻ¸ āĻžāĻĻāĻā§ā§āĻŋāĻ āĻĒāĻŋā§*********
A losing war on drugs
The authorities should acknowledge their tactics have failed
*************************
Mohammadpur Geneva Camp's drug lord Ishtiaq Ahmed is reportedly back in the
drug game at the highest level. After a hiatus of around two yearsâafter the antiÂ
narcotics crackdown began in 2018âthe bigÂtime narcotics dealer has reclaimed his
throne in one of the worst drug infested areas of Dhaka city.According to police
intelligence, over 90,000 pills are sold daily in the Mohammadpur area. And out of
the 150 cases that are filed with Mohammadpur Police Station per month, around 75
are narcotics cases related to the Geneva Camp area. Therefore, Ahmed's gang,
which he managed to rebuild since some of his associates were arrested following
the beginning of the antiÂnarcotics drive, continues to have a big influence on the
city's drug scene.The main reason for his success in rebuilding his empire has been
the backing he receives from corrupt law enforcersâwho are on his payrollâand a
top underworld criminal who had got a life term but came out of jail recently,
according to intelligence and camp sources. Reportedly, Ishtiaq's men give Tk 8Â10
thousand to some officers at Mohammadpur Police Station every night and Tk 75
thousand to detectives every week to run his business without hindrance. Last
month, Ahmed even felt safe enough to return to the country and is now running his
business from India, having reorganised his gang.With the massive wealth he
amassed, Ishtiaq has over 100 bighas of land in Savar and Ashulia, and cases
against him are pending with the AntiÂCorruption Commission. However, the
question remains on how Ishtiaq managed to become so powerful in the first place.
It is clear, given his background as a ragpicker, that Ishtiaq had to have the backing
of powerful individuals in his bid to become a bigÂtime drug dealer. And it is similar
backing from unscrupulous law enforcers and others that has allowed him to return
to the top of the drug running industry.Given this reality, we cannot help but ask what
the antiÂnarcotics drive has achieved. Except for claiming over 400 lives, has it really
achieved anything?The fact remains that killing small time yaba carriers in suspicious
"gunfights" will not slow down the supply of drugs in any shape or form. The only
way the drug menace can be overcomeâfrom the supply side of itâis through the
arrest and prosecution of bigÂtime drug dealers and masterminds, such as Ishtiaq
Ahmed. At the same time, crooked law enforcers and politicians such as the ones
shielding him must also be brought to book.
7. March 04, 2020
The Daily Star Editorial
**************************
āĻĨ āĻŽ āĻļ āĻžāĻĨ āĻŋāĻ˛ āĻ āĻ¨ āĻŋāĻ¨āĻ
==================
ā§§āĨ¤ crossfires āĻ¸āĻĢāĻžā§āĻžāĻ°Íž āĻāĻžāĻ˛āĻž āĻŋāĻ˛āĻŋāĻŦāĻŋāĻ¨āĻŽā§Íž
ā§¨āĨ¤ the new normal (Phrase)ÂāĻĒā§
āĻŦ āĻ āĻĒāĻŋāĻ°āĻŋāĻāĻ¤ āĻŦāĻž āĻ āĻžāĻāĻžāĻŋāĻŦāĻ āĻĒāĻŋāĻ°āĻŋ āĻŋāĻ¤ āĻŋāĻ¨āĻ¤ āĻ¨āĻŋāĻŽāĻŋ āĻ āĻāĻāĻ¨āĻžā§
āĻĒ āĻ¨āĻā§āĻžÍž
ā§ŠāĨ¤ Our law enforcement ÂāĻāĻŽāĻž āĻĻāĻ° āĻāĻāĻ¨āĻļā§āĻ˛āĻž āĻ° āĻžāĻāĻžāĻ°ā§ āĻŦāĻžāĻŋāĻšāĻ¨ā§Íž
ā§ĒāĨ¤ seem āĻ¤ā§ā§āĻŽāĻžāĻ¨ āĻšāĻā§āĻžÍž āĻ§āĻžāĻ°āĻŖāĻž āĻšāĻā§āĻžÍž
ā§ĢāĨ¤ lack faithÂāĻ āĻžāĻ° āĻ āĻāĻžāĻŦ/āĻāĻžāĻāĻŋāĻ¤Íž
ā§ŦāĨ¤ in the judicial processÂāĻŋāĻŦāĻāĻžāĻ° āĻŋ ā§āĻžā§Íž
ā§āĨ¤ troubleÂāĻāĻŋ āĻšāĻā§āĻžÍž āĻ āĻŋ āĻ¤ āĻĢāĻ˛āĻžÍž
ā§ŽāĨ¤ deeply troubledÂāĻāĻā§āĻ°āĻāĻž āĻŦ āĻāĻŋ Íž
ā§¯āĨ¤ suspected Rohingya robbersÂāĻ¸ āĻšāĻāĻžāĻāĻ¨ āĻ°āĻžāĻŋāĻš āĻž āĻĄāĻžāĻāĻžāĻ¤/āĻĻāĻ¸ā§
Íž
ā§§ā§ĻāĨ¤ were killedÂāĻŋāĻ¨āĻšāĻ¤ āĻš ā§ āĻÍž
ā§§ā§§āĨ¤ in an alleged gunfightÂāĻāĻŋāĻĨāĻ¤ āĻŦ ā§
āĻ āĻ¯ā§Íž
ā§§ā§¨āĨ¤ the highest number of casualtiesÂāĻšāĻ¤āĻžāĻš āĻ¤āĻ° āĻ¸ āĻŦāĻž āĻ¸āĻāĻ āĻžÍž
ā§§ā§ŠāĨ¤ justification ÂāĻŦ āĻžāĻ āĻžÍž āĻ āĻĒ ÂāĻ¸āĻŽāĻĨāĻ¨Íž
ā§§ā§ĒāĨ¤ followÂāĻ āĻ¨ā§
āĻ¸āĻ°āĻŖ āĻāĻ°āĻžÍž
ā§§ā§ĢāĨ¤ the same narrative ÂāĻāĻāĻ āĻŋāĻŦāĻŦāĻ°āĻŖ/āĻāĻžāĻŋāĻšāĻ¨ā§Íž
ā§§ā§ŦāĨ¤ other cases of "gun fights"ÂāĻŦ ā§
āĻ āĻ¯ā§āĻ° āĻ āĻ¨ āĻžāĻ¨ āĻāĻāĻ¨āĻžÍž
ā§§ā§āĨ¤ the criminalsÂāĻ āĻĒāĻ°āĻžāĻ§ā§āĻ°āĻžÍž
ā§§ā§ŽāĨ¤ opened fire on themÂāĻ¤āĻž āĻĻāĻ° āĻāĻĒāĻ° āĻŋāĻ˛āĻŦāĻˇāĻŖ āĻ āĻ°āĻŋāĻāĻ˛Íž
ā§§ā§¯āĨ¤ they were "forced" to fire shotsÂāĻ¤āĻžāĻ°āĻž āĻŋāĻ˛ āĻāĻ° āĻ¤ āĻŦāĻžāĻ§ āĻš ā§āĻŋāĻāĻ˛Íž āĻ¤āĻžāĻ°āĻž āĻŦāĻžāĻ§ āĻš ā§ āĻŋāĻ˛
āĻ āĻ°āĻŋāĻāĻ˛Íž
ā§¨ā§ĻāĨ¤ in retaliation āĻŋāĻ¤ āĻļāĻž āĻ§Íž
ā§¨ā§§āĨ¤ retaliateÂāĻĻā§
āĻŦ āĻŦāĻšāĻž āĻ°āĻ° āĻāĻŦāĻžāĻŦ āĻĻā§
āĻŦ āĻŦāĻšāĻž āĻ°āĻ° āĻŽāĻžāĻ§ āĻŽ āĻĻāĻā§āĻžÍž
ā§¨ā§¨āĨ¤ Rab also claimedÂāĻ°Â
â āĻžāĻŦ āĻ āĻ°āĻž āĻĻāĻžāĻŋāĻŦ āĻ āĻ° āĻāĻ¨Íž
ā§¨ā§ŠāĨ¤ recoverÂāĻ āĻžāĻ° āĻāĻ°āĻžÍž
ā§¨ā§ĒāĨ¤ abandoned bullet shellsÂāĻĒāĻŋāĻ°āĻ¤ āĻŦā§
āĻ˛ āĻāĻ° āĻāĻžāĻ˛āĻ¸Íž
ā§¨ā§ĢāĨ¤ from the spotÂāĻāĻāĻ¨āĻž āĻ˛ āĻĨ āĻÍž
8. ā§¨ā§ŦāĨ¤ the right to useÂāĻŦ āĻŦāĻšāĻžāĻ° āĻāĻ°āĻžāĻ° āĻ āĻŋāĻ§āĻāĻžāĻ°Íž
ā§¨ā§āĨ¤ their weapons ÂāĻ¤āĻž āĻĻāĻ° āĻ Íž
ā§¨ā§ŽāĨ¤ in selfÂdefenceÂāĻ āĻ° āĻž āĻĨÍž
ā§¨ā§¯āĨ¤ remind them ÂāĻ¤āĻž āĻĻāĻ° āĻ āĻŽ āĻ¨ āĻāĻŋāĻ° ā§ āĻĻāĻā§āĻžÍž
ā§Šā§ĻāĨ¤ under the most extreme casesÂāĻ āĻ¤ āĻāĻ°āĻŽ āĻāĻāĻ¨āĻžāĻ° āĻ āĻ§ā§āĻ¨/āĻŽā§
āĻāĻžāĻŽā§
āĻŋāĻ āĻš āĻ˛Íž
ā§Šā§§āĨ¤ run out of all possible optionsÂāĻ¸ āĻžāĻŦ āĻ¸āĻāĻ˛ āĻāĻĒāĻžā§ āĻ āĻŦāĻ˛ āĻ¨ āĻāĻ°āĻžÍž
ā§Šā§¨āĨ¤ HoweverÂāĻŋāĻ Íž āĻ¤ āĻŦÍž āĻ¯āĻžāĻ āĻšāĻžāĻÍž
ā§Šā§ŠāĨ¤ deaths from "gun fights"ÂāĻŦ ā§
āĻāĻ¯ā§ āĻšāĻ¤ āĻžÍž
ā§Šā§ĒāĨ¤ At leastÂāĻāĻŽāĻĒ Íž
ā§Šā§ĢāĨ¤ the government launchedÂāĻ¸āĻ°āĻāĻžāĻ° āĻāĻžāĻ˛ā§
āĻ āĻ° āĻ/ āĻ āĻ° āĻÍž
ā§Šā§ŦāĨ¤ antiÂnarcotics driveÂāĻŽāĻžāĻĻāĻāĻŋāĻŦ āĻ°āĻžāĻ§ā§ āĻ āĻŋāĻāĻ¯āĻžāĻ¨Íž
ā§Šā§āĨ¤ In many casesÂāĻ āĻ¨āĻ Íž
ā§Šā§ŽāĨ¤ the victims were allegedly picked upÂāĻ āĻāĻžāĻā§ āĻĻāĻ° āĻ āĻ¤ āĻ˛ āĻ¨ā§āĻžāĻ° āĻ āĻŋāĻ āĻ¯āĻžāĻ
āĻāĻ āĻ/āĻ āĻŋāĻ āĻ¯āĻžāĻ āĻ āĻÍž
ā§Šā§¯āĨ¤ from their own homesÂāĻ¤āĻž āĻĻāĻ° āĻŋāĻ¨āĻ āĻā§
āĻš āĻĨ āĻÍž
ā§Ēā§ĻāĨ¤ but were later found shotÂāĻŋāĻ āĻĒ āĻ° āĻŋāĻ˛āĻŋāĻŦ āĻ āĻŦ āĻžā§ āĻĒāĻžāĻā§āĻž āĻ¯āĻžā§Íž
ā§Ēā§§āĨ¤ provide credible evidenceÂāĻŋāĻŦ āĻžāĻ¸ āĻ¯āĻžāĻ āĻŽāĻžāĻŖ āĻĻāĻā§āĻžÍž
ā§Ēā§¨āĨ¤ the alleged criminals ÂāĻ āĻŋāĻāĻ¯ā§ āĻ āĻĒāĻ°āĻžāĻ§ā§:
ā§Ēā§ŠāĨ¤ armedÂāĻ¸āĻļ Íž
ā§Ēā§ĒāĨ¤ The sheer volume of deaths from encountersÂāĻ āĻ° āĻž āĻĨ āĻŋāĻ˛ āĻŋāĻŦāĻŋāĻ¨āĻŽ ā§āĻ° āĻāĻāĻ¨āĻžā§
āĻšāĻ¤ āĻžāĻ°
āĻŋāĻ¨āĻāĻ/āĻ¸ ā§
āĻŖ āĻ¸āĻāĻ āĻžÍž
ā§Ēā§ĢāĨ¤ the impunity withÂāĻŋāĻŦāĻāĻžāĻ°āĻšā§āĻ¨āĻ¤āĻžÍž āĻĻ āĻŽā§āĻ¤āĻžÍž
ā§Ēā§ŦāĨ¤ get away withÂāĻ āĻ¨ āĻžā§ āĻ āĻ°āĻ āĻĒāĻžāĻ° āĻĒāĻžāĻā§āĻžÍž
ā§Ēā§āĨ¤ give us pause for reflectionÂāĻāĻŽāĻž āĻĻāĻ° āĻŋāĻ āĻž āĻāĻ°āĻžāĻ° āĻāĻžāĻ°āĻŖ āĻāĻāĻž āĻ¨āĻžÍž
ā§Ēā§ŽāĨ¤ believeÂāĻŋāĻŦ āĻžāĻ¸ āĻāĻ°āĻžÍž āĻŽ āĻ¨ āĻāĻ°āĻžÍž
ā§Ēā§¯āĨ¤ an acceptable alternative to the judicial processÂāĻŋāĻŦāĻāĻžāĻ° āĻŋ ā§āĻžāĻ° āĻšāĻŖ āĻ¯āĻžāĻ āĻŋāĻŦāĻ Íž
ā§Ģā§ĻāĨ¤ surpriseÂāĻ āĻ¯Íž āĻŋāĻŦ ā§Íž
ā§Ģā§§āĨ¤ members of the parliament ÂāĻ¸āĻāĻ¸āĻĻ āĻ¸āĻĻāĻ¸ Íž
ā§Ģā§¨āĨ¤ earlier this yearÂāĻāĻ āĻŦāĻ āĻ°āĻ° āĻ¤Íž
ā§Ģā§ŠāĨ¤endorsed ÂāĻ āĻ¨ā§
āĻŽāĻžāĻĻāĻ¨ āĻ āĻ° āĻāĻ¨Íž āĻĻāĻžāĻŋāĻŦ āĻ¸āĻŽāĻĨāĻ¨ āĻ āĻ° āĻāĻ¨Íž
ā§Ģā§ĒāĨ¤ extrajudicial killingsÂāĻŋāĻŦāĻāĻžāĻ°āĻŦāĻŋāĻāĻ¤ āĻšāĻ¤ āĻžāĻāĻžāĻŖāĨ¤āĻĄÍž
9. ā§Ģā§ĢāĨ¤ a preferred means ÂāĻ āĻŋāĻ§āĻāĻ¤āĻ° āĻĒāĻ āĻ¨ā§ā§/ ā§ āĻāĻĒāĻžā§ āĻŦāĻž āĻĒ āĻŋāĻ¤Íž
ā§Ģā§ŦāĨ¤ of addressing criminal offences āĻĢā§āĻāĻĻāĻžāĻ°ā§ āĻ āĻĒāĻ°āĻžāĻ§ āĻĻāĻŽ āĻ¨āĻ°Íž
ā§Ģā§āĨ¤ frank admission ÂāĻ āĻāĻĒāĻ ā§āĻāĻžāĻ°Íž
ā§Ģā§ŽāĨ¤ the deliberate use of "crossfire" āĻ¸āĻĢāĻžā§āĻž āĻ°āĻ° āĻ āĻžāĻ
ā§
āĻ¤/āĻ¸ā§
āĻŋāĻāĻŋ āĻ¤ āĻŦ āĻŦāĻšāĻžāĻ°Íž
ā§Ģā§¯āĨ¤ to punish soÂcalled criminals ÂāĻ¤āĻĨāĻžāĻāĻŋāĻĨāĻ¤ āĻ āĻĒāĻ°āĻžāĻ§ā§ āĻĻāĻ° āĻ āĻļāĻžāĻŋ āĻĻā§āĻžāĻ°Íž
ā§Ŧā§ĻāĨ¤ alongsideÂāĻĒāĻžāĻļāĻžāĻĒāĻžāĻŋāĻļÍž
ā§Ŧā§§āĨ¤ on a dangerous pathÂāĻŋāĻŦāĻĒ āĻ¨āĻ āĻĒ āĻĨÍž
ā§Ŧā§¨āĨ¤ no point of returnÂāĻ āĻ˛āĻžāĻāĻ¨āĻžā§ āĻ āĻāĻŋāĻ¤āĻ° āĻ¸ āĻžāĻŦāĻ¨āĻž āĻ¨āĻ āĻāĻŽāĻ¨ āĻĒāĻ¯āĻž ā§ āĻĒā§āĻāĻž āĻ¨āĻžÍž
ā§Ŧā§ŠāĨ¤ in due processÂāĻ¸āĻŋāĻ āĻ āĻŋ ā§āĻžā§Íž
ā§Ŧā§ĒāĨ¤ citizens of the country āĻĻ āĻļāĻ° āĻ¨āĻžāĻāĻŋāĻ°āĻÍž
ā§Ŧā§ĢāĨ¤ afford āĻĻā§āĻžÍž
ā§Ŧā§ŦāĨ¤ complacentÂāĻ āĻ¤āĻŋ Íž
ā§Ŧā§āĨ¤ lawmakersÂāĻāĻāĻ¨ āĻŖāĻ¤āĻžÍž āĻ¸āĻāĻ¸āĻĻ āĻ¸āĻĻāĻ¸ Íž
ā§Ŧā§ŽāĨ¤ answer forÂāĻĻāĻžā§ā§ āĻšāĻā§āĻžÍž
ā§Ŧā§¯āĨ¤ extrajudicial measuresÂāĻŋāĻŦāĻāĻžāĻ°āĻŦāĻŋāĻšāĻāĻ¤ āĻŦ āĻŦ āĻžÍž
******āĻāĻŦāĻžāĻ° āĻŽā§
āĻ˛ āĻ¸ āĻžāĻĻāĻā§ā§āĻŋāĻ āĻĒāĻŋā§*****
Are âcrossfiresâ the new normal?
Our law enforcement seems to lack faith in the judicial process
****************************
We are deeply troubled by the news that seven suspected Rohingya robbers were
killed in an alleged gunfight with Rab in Cox's Bazar's Teknaf on March 2, in what
was the highest number of casualties in an encounter in the country in recent times.
The justification offered by the law enforcement agencies follows the same narrative
as that of other cases of "gun fights"âthat the criminals opened fire on them and
that they were "forced" to fire shots in retaliation. Rab also claimed to have
recovered three pistols, seven oneÂshot guns,12 bullets and 13 abandoned bullet
shells from the spot.
While law enforcement has the right to use their weapons in selfÂdefence, we should
not have to remind them that they must do so only under the most extreme cases
and when they have run out of all possible options. However, deaths from "gun
fights" seem to have become the new normal, with a total of 15 Rohingyas killed by
law enforcers in similar encounters since February alone. At least 786 people have
been killed in encounters since the government launched its antiÂnarcotics drive in
May 2018. In many cases, the victims were allegedly picked up from their own
homes but were later found shot. In other cases, the police could not provide
credible evidence that the alleged criminals were armed.
10. The sheer volume of deaths from encountersâand the impunity with which law
enforcers are allowed to get away with these deathsâshould give us pause for
reflection. Do our law enforcers now believe that "crossfire" is an acceptable
alternative to the judicial process? It would hardly be a surprise if they did, given that
members of the parliament earlier this year endorsed extrajudicial killings as a
preferred means of addressing criminal offences. Their frank admission about the
deliberate use of "crossfire" to punish soÂcalled criminals should be read alongside
these seven deaths.
We are now on a dangerous path from which there appears to be no point of return.
If law enforcers themselves no longer believe in due process, why should citizens of
the country have faith in it? We cannot afford to be complacent, and our lawmakers,
and law enforcers, must both answer for the impunity enjoyed by law enforcing
agencies in meting out extrajudicial
March 05, 2020
The Daily Star Editorial
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āĻĨ āĻŽ āĻļ āĻžāĻĨ āĻŋāĻ˛ āĻ āĻ¨ āĻŋāĻ¨āĻ
==================
ā§§āĨ¤ Air pollutionÂāĻŦāĻžā§ā§
āĻĻā§
āĻˇāĻŖÍž
ā§¨āĨ¤ shortenÂāĻāĻŽāĻž āĻ¨āĻžÍž āĻ¸āĻāĻ
ā§
āĻŋāĻāĻ¤ āĻāĻ°āĻžÍž āĻ¸āĻāĻŋ āĻāĻ°āĻžÍž
ā§ŠāĨ¤ life expectancyÂāĻā§ā§
Íž
ā§ĒāĨ¤ Air pollution shortening life expectancyÂāĻā§ā§
āĻāĻŋāĻŽ ā§ āĻŋāĻĻ āĻŦāĻžā§ā§
āĻĻā§
āĻˇāĻŖÍž
ā§ĢāĨ¤ the governmentÂāĻ¸āĻ°āĻāĻžāĻ°Íž
ā§ŦāĨ¤ any concrete planÂāĻŦāĻž āĻŦ āĻāĻžāĻ¨ āĻĒāĻŋāĻ°āĻ āĻ¨āĻžÍž
ā§āĨ¤ to address thisÂāĻāĻāĻž āĻ¸āĻŽāĻžāĻ§āĻžāĻ¨ āĻāĻ°āĻžāĻ°/ āĻŽāĻžāĻāĻž āĻŦāĻ˛āĻž āĻāĻ°āĻžāĻ°Íž
ā§ŽāĨ¤ shockingÂāĻŽāĻŽāĻāĻžāĻ¤ā§Íž āĻŽāĻŽāĻžāĻŋ āĻÍž
ā§¯āĨ¤ to noteÂāĻ˛ āĻ āĻ°Íž āĻŽ āĻ¨āĻž āĻ¯āĻžāĻ āĻŋāĻĻ ā§Íž
ā§§ā§ĻāĨ¤ the apathy of our policymakersÂāĻāĻŽāĻž āĻĻāĻ° āĻāĻāĻ¨ āĻŖāĻ¤āĻž āĻĻāĻ°/āĻ¸āĻāĻ¸āĻĻ āĻ¸āĻĻāĻ¸ āĻĻāĻ°
āĻ āĻ¨ā§āĻšāĻž/āĻāĻĻāĻžāĻ¸ā§āĻ¨āĻ¤āĻžÍž
ā§§ā§§āĨ¤ in addressing the issue of air pollutionÂāĻā§ā§
āĻĻā§
āĻˇ āĻŖāĻ° āĻŋāĻŦāĻˇā§āĻŋāĻ āĻ¸āĻŽāĻžāĻ§āĻž āĻ¨Íž
ā§§ā§¨āĨ¤ take its toll=āĻŋāĻŦ āĻļāĻˇ āĻ āĻ° āĻ§āĻžāĻ°āĻžāĻŦāĻžāĻŋāĻšāĻāĻāĻž āĻŦ āĻāĻž āĻ°āĻž āĻŦāĻž āĻāĻžāĻ¨ āĻŋāĻāĻāĻ° āĻŋāĻ¤ āĻāĻ°āĻžÍž (āĻāĻ Phrase āĻŋāĻ
āĻŦāĻžāĻāĻ˛āĻž āĻāĻāĻž āĻĄāĻŋāĻŽ āĻŋāĻĄāĻāĻļāĻ¨āĻžāĻ°ā§ āĻ¤ āĻ¨āĻ)Íž
ā§§ā§ŠāĨ¤ on public health for longÂāĻĻā§āĻ āĻ¸āĻŽā§ āĻ§ āĻ°/āĻĻā§āĻ āĻŽā§āĻžāĻĻā§ āĻāĻ¨ āĻž āĻ°Íž
ā§§ā§ĒāĨ¤ A recent international research found thatÂāĻ¸ āĻŋāĻ¤ āĻāĻāĻŋāĻ āĻ āĻāĻžāĻŋāĻ¤āĻ āĻ āĻŦāĻˇāĻŖāĻžā§ āĻĻāĻāĻž
āĻ āĻ āĻ¯Íž
ā§§ā§ĢāĨ¤ air pollution shortens livesÂāĻŦāĻžā§ā§
āĻĻā§
āĻˇāĻŖ āĻā§āĻŦāĻ¨ āĻ āĻāĻŋāĻŽ ā§/ āĻžāĻ¸ āĻ āĻ° āĻŋāĻĻ ( āĻĻā§)Íž
ā§§ā§ŦāĨ¤ nearly three years āĻžā§ āĻŋāĻ¤āĻ¨ āĻŦāĻāĻ°Íž
11. ā§§ā§āĨ¤ on averageÂāĻ ā§Íž āĻā§āĻĒā§āĻ¤āĻžÍž
ā§§ā§ŽāĨ¤ premature deathsÂāĻ āĻāĻžāĻ˛āĻŽā§
āĻ¤ Íž
ā§§ā§¯āĨ¤ annuallyÂāĻŦāĻžā§āĻ¸āĻŋāĻ°āĻÍž āĻŦāĻ āĻ°Íž
ā§¨ā§ĻāĨ¤ mainly āĻ§āĻžāĻ¨āĻ¤Íž
ā§¨ā§§āĨ¤ increased mortalityÂāĻŦāĻŋāĻ§āĻ¤/āĻŦā§
āĻŋ āĻž āĻŽā§
āĻ¤ āĻšāĻžāĻ°Íž
ā§¨ā§¨āĨ¤ cardiovascular diseases āĻĻ āĻ°āĻžāĻÍž
ā§¨ā§ŠāĨ¤ respiratory infections āĻžāĻ¸ āĻ Íž āĻžāĻ¸āĻŋ ā§āĻž āĻ¸āĻ āĻŽāĻŖÍž
ā§¨ā§ĒāĨ¤ The study mentioned thatÂāĻ āĻŦāĻˇāĻŖāĻžāĻŋāĻ āĻ āĻ āĻ āĻ° āĻ āĻ¯Íž
ā§¨ā§ĢāĨ¤ compare toÂāĻĒāĻ° āĻ°āĻ° āĻŽ āĻ§ āĻŋāĻŽāĻ˛/āĻ¸ āĻ āĻŋāĻ¨ āĻĻāĻļ āĻāĻ°āĻžÍž
ā§¨ā§ŦāĨ¤ causes of premature deathÂāĻ āĻāĻžāĻ˛ āĻŽā§
āĻ¤ āĻ° āĻāĻžāĻ°āĻŖ/ āĻšāĻ¤ āĻ¸āĻŽā§
āĻšÍž
ā§¨ā§āĨ¤ air pollution kills 19 times more peopleÂā§§ā§¯ āĻŖ āĻŦāĻŋāĻļ āĻŽāĻžāĻ¨ā§
āĻˇ āĻ āĻŦāĻžā§ā§
āĻĻā§
āĻˇāĻŖ āĻšāĻ¤ āĻž
āĻāĻ° āĻ/ āĻāĻ¸ āĻāĻ° āĻÍž
ā§¨ā§ŽāĨ¤ each year āĻŋāĻ¤ āĻŦāĻāĻ°Íž
ā§¨ā§¯āĨ¤ than malariaÂāĻŽ āĻž āĻ˛āĻŋāĻ°ā§āĻžāĻ° āĻ ā§Íž
ā§Šā§ĻāĨ¤ nine times more than HIV/AIDSÂāĻāĻāĻāĻāĻāĻŋāĻ/āĻāĻāĻĄāĻ¸ āĻāĻ° āĻ ā§ ā§¯ āĻŖ āĻŦāĻŋāĻļÍž
ā§Šā§§āĨ¤ three times more than alcohol ÂāĻāĻ˛ āĻāĻžāĻšāĻ˛ āĻāĻ° āĻ ā§ ā§Š āĻŖ āĻŦāĻŋāĻļÍž
ā§Šā§¨āĨ¤ poses a larger public health riskÂāĻāĻ¨ āĻž āĻ° āĻŦā§
āĻšā§ āĻ
ā§
āĻŋāĻ āĻ¤āĻŋāĻ° āĻāĻ° āĻÍž
ā§Šā§ŠāĨ¤ tobacco smokingÂāĻ¤āĻžāĻŽāĻžāĻ āĻ¸āĻŦāĻ¨Íž āĻ§ā§
āĻŽāĻĒāĻžāĻ¨Íž
ā§Šā§ĒāĨ¤ According to the 2019 World Air Quality ReportÂā§¨ā§Ļā§§ā§¯ āĻ¸āĻž āĻ˛āĻ° āĻŋāĻŦ āĻŦāĻžā§ā§
āĻŽāĻžāĻ¨
āĻŋāĻ¤ āĻŦāĻĻāĻ¨ āĻ āĻ¨ā§
āĻ¸āĻž āĻ°Íž
ā§Šā§ĢāĨ¤ air quality in BangladeshÂāĻŦāĻžāĻāĻ˛āĻž āĻĻ āĻļ āĻŦāĻžā§ā§
āĻ° āĻŽāĻžāĻ¨Íž
ā§Šā§ŦāĨ¤ the worst in the worldÂāĻŋāĻŦ āĻ° āĻ¸āĻŦ āĻ ā§ āĻāĻžāĻ°āĻžāĻĒÍž
ā§Šā§āĨ¤ among the capital citiesÂāĻ°āĻžāĻāĻ§āĻžāĻ¨ā§ āĻļāĻšāĻ° āĻ˛āĻžāĻ° āĻŽ āĻ§ Íž
ā§Šā§ŽāĨ¤ MoreoverÂāĻ¤āĻžāĻāĻžā§āĻžÍž āĻ āĻŋāĻ§āĻ Íž
ā§Šā§¯āĨ¤ the highest number of deathsÂāĻŽā§
āĻ¤ āĻ° āĻ¸ āĻŦāĻž āĻ¸āĻāĻ āĻžÍž āĻ¸ āĻŦāĻž āĻŽā§
āĻ¤ āĻ¸āĻāĻ āĻžÍž
ā§Ēā§ĻāĨ¤ associated with air pollutionÂāĻŦāĻžā§ā§
āĻĻā§
āĻˇ āĻŖāĻ° āĻ¸āĻž āĻĨ āĻ¸ āĻŋāĻāĻ¤Íž
ā§Ēā§§āĨ¤ took placeÂāĻ āĻāĻŋāĻāĻ˛/āĻ¸āĻāĻāĻŋāĻāĻ¤ āĻš ā§āĻŋāĻāĻ˛Íž
ā§Ēā§¨āĨ¤ ReportedlyÂāĻŋāĻŦāĻŦāĻ°āĻŖ/ āĻŋāĻ¤ āĻŦāĻĻāĻ¨ āĻ āĻ¨ā§
āĻ¸āĻž āĻ°Íž
ā§Ēā§ŠāĨ¤ the main sources of air pollutionÂāĻŦāĻžā§ā§
āĻĻā§
āĻˇ āĻŖāĻ° āĻ§āĻžāĻ¨ āĻā§āĻ¸Íž
ā§Ēā§ĒāĨ¤ the smog āĻ§āĻžā§āĻžāĻļāĻžÍž āĻ
ā§
ā§āĻžāĻļāĻž āĻ āĻ§āĻžā§āĻžāĻ° āĻŋāĻŽ āĻŖÍž
ā§Ēā§ĢāĨ¤ generateÂāĻā§āĻĒāĻžāĻĻāĻ¨ āĻāĻ°āĻžÍž
ā§Ēā§ŦāĨ¤ brick kilnsÂāĻāĻāĻāĻžāĻāĻžÍž
12. ā§Ēā§āĨ¤ black smoke from unfit vehiclesÂāĻ āĻ¨ā§
āĻĒāĻ¯ā§ āĻ¯āĻžāĻ¨āĻŦāĻžāĻšāĻ¨ āĻĨ āĻ āĻāĻž āĻ˛āĻž āĻ§āĻžā§āĻžÍž
ā§Ēā§ŽāĨ¤ dustÂāĻ§ā§
āĻ˛āĻžÍž
ā§Ēā§¯āĨ¤ from constructions sitesÂāĻŋāĻ¨āĻŽāĻžāĻŖ āĻžāĻ¨ āĻĨ āĻÍž
ā§Ģā§ĻāĨ¤ including the mega projects āĻŽāĻāĻž āĻ āĻ¸āĻšÍž
ā§Ģā§§āĨ¤ WorldwideÂāĻŋāĻŦ āĻŦ āĻžāĻĒā§Íž
ā§Ģā§¨āĨ¤ a major source of air pollutionÂāĻŦāĻžā§ā§
āĻĻā§
āĻˇ āĻŖāĻ° āĻŦā§
āĻšā§ āĻā§āĻ¸Íž
ā§Ģā§ŠāĨ¤ coalÂfired power plantsÂāĻā§āĻ˛āĻž āĻŋāĻŦāĻĻā§
ā§ āĻ Íž
ā§Ģā§ĒāĨ¤ emit ÂāĻŋāĻ¨āĻāĻ¤ āĻāĻ°āĻžÍž
ā§Ģā§ĢāĨ¤ dangerous levelsÂāĻŽāĻžāĻ°āĻž āĻ āĻĒāĻ¯āĻžā§Íž
ā§Ģā§ŦāĨ¤ particulate matter ÂāĻŦ āĻāĻŖāĻžÍž
ā§Ģā§āĨ¤ long exposureÂāĻĻā§āĻ āĻĻāĻļāĻ¨/ āĻāĻžāĻļÍž
ā§Ģā§ŽāĨ¤ a huge threat to human healthÂāĻāĻ¨ āĻž /āĻŽāĻžāĻ¨āĻŦ āĻž āĻ° āĻŋāĻ¤ āĻŽāĻžāĻ°āĻž āĻ āĻŽāĻŋāĻÍž
ā§Ģā§¯āĨ¤ under constructionÂāĻŋāĻ¨āĻŽāĻžāĻŖāĻžāĻ§ā§āĻ¨Íž
ā§Ŧā§ĻāĨ¤ the government has planned to buildÂāĻ¸āĻ°āĻāĻžāĻ° āĻ¤āĻŋāĻ° āĻāĻ°āĻžāĻ° āĻĒāĻŋāĻ°āĻ āĻ¨āĻž āĻ āĻ° āĻāĻ¨Íž
ā§Ŧā§§āĨ¤ by 2031Âā§¨ā§Ļā§Šā§§ āĻ¸āĻž āĻ˛āĻ° āĻŽ āĻ§ Íž
ā§Ŧā§¨āĨ¤ released a reportÂāĻāĻāĻŋāĻ āĻŋāĻ¤ āĻŦāĻĻāĻ¨ āĻāĻžāĻļ āĻ āĻ° āĻāĻ¨Íž
ā§Ŧā§ŠāĨ¤ in November last yearÂāĻāĻ¤ āĻŦāĻ āĻ°āĻ° āĻ¨ āĻ āĻ°Íž
ā§Ŧā§ĒāĨ¤ according toÂāĻ āĻ¨ā§
āĻ¸āĻž āĻ°Íž
ā§Ŧā§ĢāĨ¤ the most polluted placesÂāĻ¸āĻŦ āĻ ā§ āĻĻā§
āĻŋāĻˇāĻ¤ āĻžāĻ¨Íž
ā§Ŧā§ŦāĨ¤ power plantsÂāĻŋāĻŦāĻĻā§
ā§ āĻāĻ¨ Íž
ā§Ŧā§āĨ¤ more and moreÂāĻ āĻ°āĻž āĻ°Íž āĻŽāĻžāĻāĻ¤Íž
ā§Ŧā§ŽāĨ¤ national and international research organisations ÂāĻāĻžāĻ¤ā§ā§ āĻ āĻ āĻāĻžāĻŋāĻ¤āĻ āĻ¸āĻ āĻžÍž
ā§Ŧā§¯āĨ¤ on the quality of airÂāĻŦāĻžā§ā§
āĻ° āĻŽāĻžāĻ¨ āĻŋāĻŦāĻˇ ā§Íž
ā§ā§ĻāĨ¤ breath āĻžāĻ¸ āĻ¨āĻā§āĻžÍž
ā§ā§§āĨ¤ abandonÂāĻĒāĻŋāĻ°āĻ¤ āĻžāĻ āĻāĻ°āĻžÍž
ā§ā§¨āĨ¤ coalÂpowered projectsÂāĻā§āĻ˛āĻž āĻŋāĻŦāĻĻā§
ā§ āĻ Íž
ā§ā§ŠāĨ¤ look forÂāĻ āĻˇāĻŖ āĻāĻ°āĻžÍž āĻāĻžāĻāĻžÍž
ā§ā§ĒāĨ¤ renewable sources of energy.ÂāĻ¨āĻŦāĻžā§āĻ¨ āĻ¯āĻžāĻ āĻļāĻŋ āĻ° āĻā§āĻ¸Íž
ā§ā§ĢāĨ¤ At the same timeÂāĻāĻāĻāĻāĻž āĻŦÍž
ā§ā§ŦāĨ¤ take some basic policy decisionsÂāĻŋāĻāĻ āĻŽā§āĻŋāĻ˛āĻ āĻ¨ā§āĻŋāĻ¤ āĻŋāĻ¸ āĻž āĻ¨ā§āĻžÍž
ā§ā§āĨ¤ illegal brick kilnsÂāĻ āĻŦāĻ§ āĻāĻāĻāĻžāĻāĻžÍž
13. ā§ā§ŽāĨ¤ ecoÂfriendly bricksÂāĻĒāĻŋāĻ° āĻŦāĻļāĻŦāĻž āĻŦ āĻāĻāĻāĻžāĻāĻžÍž
ā§ā§ŽāĨ¤ using standard methodsÂāĻŽāĻžāĻ¨āĻ¸ āĻ¤ āĻĒ āĻŋāĻ¤ āĻŦ āĻŦāĻšāĻžāĻ°Íž
***********āĻāĻŦāĻžāĻ° āĻŽā§
āĻ˛ āĻ¸ āĻžāĻĻāĻā§ā§āĻŋāĻ āĻĒāĻŋā§*******
Air pollution shortening life expectancy
Does the government have any concrete plan to address this?
*********************
it is shocking to note the apathy of our policymakers in addressing the issue of air
pollution which has been taking its toll on public health for long. A recent
international research found that air pollution shortens lives by nearly three years on
average and also causes 8.8 million premature deaths annually, mainly as a result of
increased mortality from cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and respiratory infections.
The study mentioned that compared to other causes of premature death, air
pollution kills 19 times more people each year than malaria, nine times more than
HIV/AIDS, and three times more than alcohol and also poses a larger public health
risk than tobacco smoking.
According to the 2019 World Air Quality Report, air quality in Bangladesh is the
worst in the world with Dhaka's air being the second worst among the capital cities.
Moreover, a 2017 Lancet report said that the highest number of deaths associated
with air pollution took place in Dhaka. Reportedly, the main sources of air pollution in
the country are the smog generated from brick kilns, black smoke from unfit vehicles
and dust generated from constructions sites, including the mega projects.
Worldwide, a major source of air pollution is coalÂfired power plants which emit
dangerous levels of sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and fine particulate
matter (known as PM2.5), long exposure to which pose a huge threat to human
health. We also have a number of coalÂfired power plants operating in the country at
present while some of them are under construction. Reportedly, the government has
planned to build 17 coalÂfired power plants in Cox's Bazar by 2031. Bangladesh
Poribesh Andolon and Waterkeepers Bangladesh released a report in November
last year according to which Cox's Bazar will be one of the most polluted places in
the country when all the power plants start operating. As more and more reports are
being released by national and international research organisations on the quality of
air that we breath, the government can no longer downplay the issue anymore. It's
time for the government to abandon coalÂpowered projects and look for renewable
sources of energy. At the same time, it should take some basic policy decisions,
including shutting down the operation of illegal brick kilns, using ecoÂfriendly bricks,
containing pollution in the construction sites using standard methods, identifying and
making sure vehicles emitting black smoke are taken off the streets.
14. March 06, 2020
The Daily Star Editorial
**************************
āĻĨ āĻŽ āĻļ āĻžāĻĨ āĻŋāĻ˛ āĻ āĻ¨ āĻŋāĻ¨āĻ
=================
ā§§āĨ¤ BIWTAÂāĻŦāĻžāĻāĻ˛āĻž āĻĻāĻļ āĻ āĻ āĻ°ā§āĻŖ āĻ¨ā§ÂāĻĒāĻŋāĻ°āĻŦāĻšāĻ¨ āĻāĻ¤ā§
āĻĒ Íž
ā§¨āĨ¤ stand up toÂāĻāĻž āĻ°āĻž āĻŋāĻŦāĻĒ āĻ¸āĻžāĻšāĻ¸ āĻŋāĻ¨ ā§ āĻĻāĻžā§āĻž āĻ¨āĻžÍž
ā§ŠāĨ¤ a lawmakerÂāĻāĻāĻāĻ¨ āĻāĻāĻ¨ āĻŖāĻ¤āĻžÍž āĻ¸āĻāĻ¸āĻĻ āĻ¸āĻāĻ¸āĻĻ Íž
ā§ĒāĨ¤ river encroacherÂāĻ āĻŦāĻ§āĻāĻž āĻŦ āĻ¨āĻĻā§ āĻĻāĻāĻ˛āĻāĻžāĻ°ā§Íž
ā§ĢāĨ¤ Sincerity of public officialsÂāĻ¸āĻ°āĻāĻžāĻŋāĻ° āĻāĻŽāĻāĻ¤āĻžāĻ° āĻ āĻŋāĻ°āĻāĻ¤āĻžÍž
ā§ŦāĨ¤ work wondersÂāĻŋāĻŦ ā§āĻāĻ° āĻāĻžāĻ āĻāĻ°āĻžÍž āĻ āĻ¸ āĻŦ āĻ āĻ¸ āĻŦ āĻāĻ°āĻžÍž āĻ āĻ˛ā§āĻŋāĻāĻ āĻāĻžāĻ āĻāĻ°āĻžÍž
ā§āĨ¤ pleased to learn  āĻ āĻ¨ āĻā§
āĻŋāĻļ/āĻ¸ Íž
ā§ŽāĨ¤ the brave and determined stanceÂāĻ¸āĻžāĻšāĻ¸ āĻāĻŦāĻ āĻĻā§
ā§ āĻ āĻŦ āĻžāĻ¨Íž
ā§¯āĨ¤ of officials of the BIWTAÂāĻŋāĻŦāĻāĻāĻĄāĻŋ āĻāĻŋāĻāĻ āĻāĻŽāĻāĻ¤āĻžāĻ°Íž
ā§§ā§ĻāĨ¤ encroach uponÂāĻ āĻŦāĻ§āĻāĻž āĻŦ āĻĻāĻāĻ˛ āĻāĻ°āĻžÍž
ā§§ā§§āĨ¤ a large and crucial areaÂāĻŦā§
āĻšā§ āĻāĻŦāĻ āĻĒā§
āĻŖ āĻāĻ˛āĻžāĻāĻžÍž
ā§§ā§¨āĨ¤ of the Buriganga RiverÂāĻŦā§
āĻŋā§āĻ āĻž āĻ¨āĻĻā§āĻ°Íž
ā§§ā§ŠāĨ¤ During the eviction driveÂāĻ āĻĻ āĻ āĻŋāĻāĻ¯āĻž āĻ¨āĻ° āĻ¸āĻŽā§Íž
ā§§ā§ĒāĨ¤ the lawmaker came to the spotÂāĻ¸āĻāĻ¸āĻĻ āĻ¸āĻĻāĻ¸ āĻāĻāĻ¨āĻž āĻ˛ āĻāĻ¸āĻŋāĻ āĻ˛āĻ¨Íž
ā§§ā§ĢāĨ¤ with around 80 people āĻžā§ ā§Žā§Ļ āĻāĻ¨āĻ¸āĻš/āĻ¸āĻšāĻāĻž āĻ°Íž
ā§§ā§ŦāĨ¤ no doubt āĻāĻžāĻ¨ āĻ¸ āĻš āĻ¨āĻÍž
ā§§ā§āĨ¤ intimidate āĻžāĻŋāĻ¸āĻ¤ āĻāĻ°āĻžÍž āĻā§ āĻĻāĻāĻž āĻ¨āĻžÍž
ā§§ā§ŽāĨ¤ laudably āĻļāĻāĻ¸āĻžāĻāĻ¨āĻāĻāĻž āĻŦÍž
ā§§ā§¯āĨ¤ the BIWTA teamÂāĻŋāĻŦāĻāĻāĻĄāĻŋ āĻāĻŋāĻāĻ āĻĻāĻ˛Íž
ā§¨ā§ĻāĨ¤ was ready to confront āĻŽāĻžāĻāĻž āĻŦāĻ˛āĻž āĻāĻ° āĻ¤ āĻ¤ āĻŋāĻ āĻ˛āĻ¨Íž
ā§¨ā§§āĨ¤ refused to budgeÂāĻ āĻŦ āĻžāĻ¨ āĻĒāĻŋāĻ°āĻŦāĻ¤āĻ¨ āĻāĻ° āĻ¤ āĻ¨āĻžāĻ°āĻžāĻÍž
ā§¨ā§¨āĨ¤ they were helped by the law enforcersÂāĻ¤āĻžāĻ°āĻž āĻāĻāĻ¨āĻļā§āĻ˛āĻž āĻ° āĻžāĻāĻžāĻ°ā§ āĻŦāĻžāĻŋāĻšāĻ¨ā§āĻ° āĻ¸āĻžāĻšāĻžāĻ¯
āĻĒ ā§āĻŋāĻāĻ˛Íž
ā§¨ā§ŠāĨ¤ chase away āĻāĻžāĻ°āĻĒā§
āĻŦāĻ āĻ¤āĻžāĻŋā§ ā§ āĻĻā§āĻžÍž āĻ āĻ˛ āĻ¯ āĻ¤ āĻŦāĻžāĻ§ āĻāĻ°āĻžÍž
ā§¨ā§ĒāĨ¤ the cohorts of the lawmakerÂāĻ¸āĻāĻ¸āĻĻ āĻ¸āĻĻ āĻ¸ āĻ° āĻ¸āĻž āĻĒāĻž Íž
ā§¨ā§ĢāĨ¤ commend āĻļāĻāĻ¸āĻž āĻāĻ°āĻžÍž
15. ā§¨ā§ŦāĨ¤ resoluteÂāĻĻā§
ā§āĻ¸āĻāĻ Íž
ā§¨ā§āĨ¤ in carrying out the eviction driveÂāĻ āĻĻ āĻ āĻŋāĻāĻ¯āĻžāĻ¨ āĻĒāĻŋāĻ°āĻāĻžāĻ˛āĻ¨āĻžā§Íž
ā§¨ā§ŽāĨ¤ of illegal structureÂāĻ āĻŦāĻ§ āĻžāĻĒāĻ¨āĻžāĻ°Íž
ā§¨ā§¯āĨ¤ despiteÂāĻ¸ āĻÍž
ā§Šā§ĻāĨ¤ in such a powerful positionÂāĻāĻŽāĻ¨ āĻāĻžāĻŦāĻļāĻžāĻ˛ā§ āĻ āĻŦ āĻž āĻ¨Íž
ā§Šā§§āĨ¤ We need such public officialsÂāĻāĻŽāĻ¨ āĻ¸āĻ°āĻāĻžāĻŋāĻ° āĻāĻāĻŽāĻāĻ¤āĻž āĻāĻŽāĻž āĻĻāĻ° āĻĻāĻ°āĻāĻžāĻ°Íž
ā§Šā§¨āĨ¤ who are not intimidated or influencedÂāĻ¯āĻžāĻ°āĻž āĻā§āĻ¤ āĻāĻŦāĻ āĻāĻžāĻŋāĻŦāĻ¤ āĻš āĻŦāĻ¨āĻžÍž
ā§Šā§ŠāĨ¤ by political figuresÂāĻ°āĻžāĻ āĻ¨āĻŋāĻ¤āĻ āĻŦ āĻŋ āĻĻāĻ° āĻžāĻ°āĻžÍž
ā§Šā§ĒāĨ¤ who abuse their powerÂāĻ¯āĻžāĻ°āĻž āĻ¤āĻž āĻĻāĻ° āĻŽāĻ¤āĻžāĻ° āĻ āĻĒāĻŦ āĻŦāĻšāĻžāĻ° āĻ āĻ°Íž
ā§Šā§ĢāĨ¤ for selfÂaggrandisementÂāĻ  āĻŽāĻ¤āĻž/āĻŋāĻ¨āĻ āĻŽāĻ¤āĻž āĻŦāĻžā§āĻž āĻ¨āĻžāĻ° āĻāĻ¨ Íž
ā§Šā§ŦāĨ¤ all government drivesÂāĻ¸āĻāĻ˛ āĻ¸āĻ°āĻāĻžāĻŋāĻ° āĻ āĻŋāĻāĻ¯āĻžāĻ¨Íž
ā§Šā§āĨ¤ to stop encroachment of riversÂāĻ¨āĻĻā§ āĻĻāĻāĻ˛āĻĻāĻžāĻŋāĻ° āĻŦ āĻāĻ° āĻ¤Íž
ā§Šā§ŽāĨ¤ According to this paperÂāĻāĻ āĻĒāĻŋ āĻāĻžāĻ° āĻŦāĻ°āĻž āĻ¤ āĻāĻžāĻ¨āĻž āĻ¯āĻžā§Íž
ā§Šā§¯āĨ¤ the lawmaker filled up around 20 acres of the river ÂāĻ¸āĻāĻ¸āĻĻ āĻ¸āĻĻāĻ¸ āĻ¨āĻĻā§āĻ° āĻžā§ ā§¨ā§Ļ
āĻāĻāĻ° āĻāĻŋāĻŽ āĻāĻ°āĻžāĻ āĻ āĻ°āĻŋāĻāĻ˛Íž
ā§Ēā§ĻāĨ¤ to make two extensionsÂāĻĻā§
āĻāĻŋāĻ āĻ¸ āĻ¸āĻžāĻ°āĻŖ āĻāĻ° āĻ¤Íž
ā§Ēā§§āĨ¤ sprawlÂāĻšāĻžāĻ¤ āĻĒāĻž āĻāĻŋā§ ā§ āĻļāĻžā§āĻž āĻŦāĻž āĻŦāĻ¸āĻžÍž
ā§Ēā§¨āĨ¤ leisure retreatÂāĻ āĻŦāĻ¸ āĻ° āĻŋāĻ¨āĻāĻ¨ āĻ ā§Íž
ā§Ēā§ŠāĨ¤ blockÂāĻŋāĻŦ āĻžāĻĒāĻ¨ āĻāĻ°āĻžÍž
ā§Ēā§ĒāĨ¤ the entire breadthÂāĻ¸āĻŽ āĻĒāĻŋāĻ°āĻ¸āĻ°Íž
ā§Ēā§ĢāĨ¤ of Buriganga offshootÂāĻŦā§
āĻŋā§āĻ āĻžāĻ° āĻļāĻžāĻāĻžÂ āĻļāĻžāĻāĻžāĻ°Íž
ā§Ēā§ŦāĨ¤ eventuallyÂāĻ āĻŦ āĻļ āĻˇÍž
ā§Ēā§āĨ¤ convergeÂāĻāĻāĻ āĻŋāĻŦ ā§
āĻ¤ āĻ āĻ¸ āĻŋāĻŽāĻŋāĻ˛āĻ¤ āĻšāĻā§āĻžÍž
ā§Ēā§ŽāĨ¤ with the Dhaleswari RiverÂāĻ§ āĻ˛ āĻ°ā§ āĻ¨āĻĻā§āĻ° āĻ¸āĻž āĻĨÍž
ā§Ēā§¯āĨ¤ in turnÂāĻĒāĻžāĻ˛āĻž āĻŽÍž āĻāĻ āĻāĻ āĻ āĻ°Íž
ā§Ģā§ĻāĨ¤ branch of the Buriganga ÂāĻŦā§
āĻŋā§āĻ āĻžāĻ° āĻļāĻžāĻāĻž āĻ¨āĻĻā§Íž
ā§Ģā§§āĨ¤ tragedyÂāĻĻā§
:āĻāĻāĻ¨āĻ āĻāĻāĻ¨āĻžÍž
ā§Ģā§¨āĨ¤ violate the lawÂāĻāĻāĻ¨ āĻ˛ āĻ¨ āĻāĻ°āĻžÍž
ā§Ģā§ŠāĨ¤ the damage to a river ÂāĻ¨āĻĻā§āĻ° āĻāĻ¸Íž
ā§Ģā§ĒāĨ¤ particular areaÂāĻŋāĻ¨āĻŋāĻĻ /āĻŋāĻŦ āĻļāĻˇ āĻāĻ˛āĻžāĻāĻžÍž
ā§Ģā§ĢāĨ¤ the Water Body Conservation Act 2000ÂāĻāĻ˛āĻžāĻ§āĻžāĻ° āĻ¸āĻāĻ° āĻŖ āĻāĻāĻ¨Âā§¨ā§Ļā§Ļā§ĻÍž
16. ā§Ģā§ŦāĨ¤ the Bangladesh Environmental Protection Act 1995ÂāĻŦāĻžāĻāĻ˛āĻž āĻĻāĻļ āĻĒāĻŋāĻ° āĻŦāĻļ āĻ¸āĻāĻ° āĻŖ
āĻāĻāĻ¨Âā§§ā§¯ā§¯ā§ĢÍž
ā§Ģā§āĨ¤ mentionÂāĻ āĻ āĻāĻ°āĻžÍž
ā§Ģā§ŽāĨ¤ disregarded ÂāĻ āĻžāĻš Íž āĻ āĻŦ āĻšāĻ˛āĻžÍž
ā§Ģā§¯āĨ¤ the High Court's declarationÂāĻšāĻžāĻ āĻāĻž āĻāĻ° āĻāĻžāĻˇāĻŖāĻžÍž
ā§Ŧā§ĻāĨ¤ living entitiesÂāĻā§āĻŦ āĻ¸ āĻžÍž
ā§Ŧā§§āĨ¤ legal personsÂāĻāĻāĻ¨āĻāĻ¤ āĻŦ āĻŋ Íž
ā§Ŧā§¨āĨ¤ protectÂāĻ° āĻž āĻāĻ°āĻžÍž
ā§Ŧā§ŠāĨ¤ The PM has also called for joint initiatives āĻ§āĻžāĻ¨āĻŽ ā§āĻ āĻ¯ā§āĻĨ/āĻ¸āĻŋ āĻŋāĻ˛āĻ¤ āĻāĻĻ āĻž āĻāĻ°
āĻāĻšāĻŦāĻžāĻ¨ āĻāĻžāĻŋāĻ¨ ā§ āĻāĻ¨Íž
ā§Ŧā§ĒāĨ¤ to save Buriganga ÂāĻŦā§
āĻŋā§āĻ āĻž āĻ āĻŦāĻžāĻāĻž āĻ¤/āĻ° āĻž āĻāĻ° āĻ¤Íž
ā§Ŧā§ĢāĨ¤ severe actionÂāĻ āĻ āĻžāĻ° āĻŦ āĻŦ āĻžÍž
ā§Ŧā§ŦāĨ¤ against all river grabbersÂāĻ¸āĻāĻ˛ āĻ¨āĻĻā§ āĻĻāĻāĻ˛āĻāĻžāĻ°ā§ āĻĻāĻ° āĻŋāĻŦ Íž
ā§Ŧā§āĨ¤ thereforeÂāĻ āĻ¤āĻāĻŦÍž
ā§Ŧā§ŽāĨ¤ a significant victoryÂāĻ āĻ āĻ¯āĻžāĻ / āĻĒā§
āĻŖ āĻŋāĻŦāĻā§Íž
ā§Ŧā§¯āĨ¤ withstand āĻŋāĻ¤ āĻ°āĻžāĻ§ āĻāĻ°āĻžÍž āĻ āĻāĻž āĻ¨āĻžÍž
ā§ā§ĻāĨ¤ the pressure of a lawmakerÂāĻ¸āĻāĻ¸āĻĻ āĻ¸āĻĻ āĻ¸ āĻ° āĻāĻžāĻĒÍž
ā§ā§§āĨ¤ for the sake of saving a vital part of the BurigangaÂāĻŦā§
āĻŋā§āĻ āĻžāĻ° āĻāĻāĻŋāĻ āĻĒā§
āĻŖ āĻ āĻāĻļ
āĻ° āĻžāĻ° āĻž āĻĨÍž
ā§ā§¨āĨ¤ demonstrate āĻŋāĻ¤āĻĒāĻžāĻĻāĻ¨ āĻāĻ°āĻžÍž
ā§ā§ŠāĨ¤ accomplishÂāĻ¸ā§
āĻ¸ āĻāĻ°āĻžÍž
ā§ā§ĒāĨ¤ sincere about their dutiesÂāĻ¤āĻž āĻĻāĻ° āĻĻāĻžāĻŋā§ āĻ¸ āĻ āĻ¸ āĻāĻ¤āĻ¨Íž
ā§ā§ĢāĨ¤ around 450 rivers  āĻžā§ ā§Ēā§Ģā§ĻāĻŋāĻ āĻ¨āĻĻā§Íž
ā§ā§ŦāĨ¤ countless other waterbodiesÂāĻ āĻāĻŋāĻŖāĻ¤ āĻ āĻ¨ āĻāĻ˛āĻžāĻ§āĻžāĻ°Íž
ā§ā§āĨ¤ threatened by illegal land grabbingÂāĻ āĻŦāĻ§ āĻāĻŦāĻ āĻĻāĻāĻ˛āĻĻāĻžāĻŋāĻ° āĻ° āĻŽāĻŋāĻāĻ° āĻŽā§
āĻÍž
ā§ā§ŽāĨ¤ We hope that ÂāĻāĻŽāĻ°āĻž āĻŽ āĻ¨ āĻāĻŋāĻ°Íž
ā§ā§¯āĨ¤ this instance of courage and honesty ÂāĻ¸āĻžāĻšāĻ¸āĻ¸ āĻāĻŦāĻ āĻ¸āĻ¤āĻ¤āĻžāĻ° āĻāĻ āĻ āĻŦ āĻžāĻ¨Íž
ā§Žā§ĻāĨ¤ all throughout the countryÂāĻ¸āĻŽ āĻĻāĻļāĻŦ āĻžāĻĒā§Íž
ā§Žā§§āĨ¤ so that ÂāĻ¯āĻž āĻ¤Íž
ā§Žā§¨āĨ¤ water bodies ÂāĻāĻ˛āĻžāĻ§āĻžāĻ°āĻžÍž āĻāĻ˛āĻŽāĻšāĻ˛Íž
ā§Žā§ŠāĨ¤ flow freelyÂāĻŽā§āĻāĻž āĻŦ āĻŦāĻžāĻŋāĻšāĻ¤ āĻšāĻā§āĻžÍž
17. *****āĻāĻŦāĻžāĻ° āĻŽā§
āĻ˛ āĻ¸ āĻžāĻĻāĻā§ā§āĻŋāĻ āĻĒāĻŋā§*******
BIWTA stands up to a lawmaker and river encroacher
Sincerity of public officials can work wonders!
**************************
We are more than pleased to learn about the brave and determined stance of
officials of the BIWTA (Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority) who stood up
to a lawmaker who has encroached upon a large and crucial area of the Buriganga
River in Charwashpur. During the eviction drive, the lawmaker came to the spot with
around 80 people, no doubt to intimidate the BIWTA officials. But laudably the
BIWTA team was ready to confront them and refused to budge and they were
helped by the law enforcers who chased away the cohorts of the lawmaker.
We commend the BIWTA for being so resolute in carrying out the eviction drive of
illegal structures despite them belonging to someone in such a powerful position. We
need such public officials who are not intimidated or influenced by political figures
who abuse their power for selfÂaggrandisement. And that is how it should be in the
case of all government drives to stop encroachment of rivers that have rendered
many of them beyond saving.
According to this paper, the lawmaker filled up around 20 acres of the river to make
two extensions to his Maisha power plant along with a sprawling leisure retreat. This
has blocked the entire breadth of Buriganga offshoot that eventually converges with
the Dhaleswari River. This, in turn, has rendered that branch of the Buriganga dead
with other encroachers grabbing the area. It is a tragedy that a lawmaker would
violate the law so blatantly with no regard for the damage to a river that is a lifeline
for the city. By encroaching that particular area, he has violated the Water Body
Conservation Act 2000 and the Bangladesh Environmental Protection Act 1995, not
to mention disregarded the High Court's declaration that rivers are living entities and
legal persons and the government must protect them. The PM has also called for
joint initiatives to save Buriganga and has asked for severe action against all river
grabbers.
It is therefore a significant victory of the BIWTA team that they have managed to
withstand the pressure of a lawmaker for the sake of saving a vital part of the
Buriganga. It demonstrates what public officials can accomplish if they are sincere
about their duties. There are around 450 rivers and countless other waterbodies in
this country, most of them threatened by illegal land grabbing. We hope that this
instance of courage and honesty will be replicated all throughout the country during
such eviction drives by the BIWTA so that our rivers and water bodies can once
again flow freely and become the lifelines of the cities and villages they once were.
March 07, 2020
The Daily Star Editorial
**************************
āĻĨ āĻŽ āĻļ āĻžāĻĨ āĻŋāĻ˛ āĻ āĻ¨ āĻŋāĻ¨āĻ
==================
18. ā§§āĨ¤ Historic 7th MarchÂāĻāĻŋāĻ¤āĻšāĻžāĻŋāĻ¸āĻ ā§āĻ āĻŽāĻžāĻÍž
ā§¨āĨ¤ redÂletter day āĻĒā§
āĻŖ āĻŦāĻž āĻ°āĻŖā§ā§ āĻŋāĻĻāĻ¨Íž
ā§ŠāĨ¤ A redÂletter day for BangladeshÂāĻŦāĻžāĻāĻ˛āĻž āĻĻ āĻļāĻ° āĻāĻ¨ āĻāĻāĻŋāĻ āĻ°āĻŖā§ā§ āĻŋāĻĻāĻ¨Íž
ā§ĒāĨ¤ several daysÂāĻāĻŋāĻ¤āĻĒā§/āĻ ā§āĻāĻŋāĻ āĻŋāĻĻāĻ¨Íž
ā§ĢāĨ¤ emboss āĻāĻžāĻĻāĻžāĻ āĻāĻ°āĻžÍž
ā§ŦāĨ¤ are embossed in gold āĻŖāĻž āĻ° āĻŋāĻ˛āĻŋāĻāĻ¤/ āĻāĻžāĻĻāĻžāĻāĻ
ā§
āĻ¤Íž
ā§āĨ¤ in its historyÂāĻāĻŋāĻāĻ°( āĻĻ āĻļāĻ°) āĻāĻŋāĻ¤āĻšāĻž āĻ¸Íž
ā§ŽāĨ¤ March 7 of 1971 is one of themÂā§āĻ āĻŽāĻžāĻ āĻ¸ āĻ˛āĻžāĻ° āĻāĻāĻŋāĻÍž
ā§¯āĨ¤ turnÂāĻĒāĻŋāĻ°āĻŖāĻ¤ āĻāĻ°āĻžÍž āĻŽāĻžā§ āĻ¨āĻā§āĻžÍž
ā§§ā§ĻāĨ¤ the course of historyÂāĻāĻŋāĻ¤āĻšāĻž āĻ¸āĻ° āĻāĻŋāĻ¤āĻĒāĻĨ/āĻāĻžāĻ¯āĻ§āĻžāĻ°āĻž/āĻāĻžāĻ¯āĻĒāĻ° āĻ°āĻžÍž
ā§§ā§§āĨ¤ for the nation and the subcontinent as a wholeÂāĻ¸āĻŽ āĻāĻžāĻŋāĻ¤ āĻāĻŦāĻ āĻāĻĒāĻŽāĻšāĻž āĻĻ āĻļāĻ° āĻāĻ¨ Íž
ā§§ā§¨āĨ¤ The day, 49 years agoÂā§Ēā§¯ āĻŦāĻāĻ° āĻ āĻ āĻāĻ āĻŋāĻĻāĻ¨āĻŋāĻÍž
ā§§ā§ŠāĨ¤ stand outÂāĻ āĻ¸āĻžāĻ§āĻžāĻ°āĻŖ āĻŦāĻž āĻŋāĻŦāĻŋāĻļ āĻšāĻā§āĻžÍž āĻ āĻ¸āĻžāĻŽāĻžāĻ¨ āĻšāĻā§āĻžÍž
ā§§ā§ĒāĨ¤ for two main reasonsÂāĻĻā§
āĻāĻŋāĻ āĻāĻžāĻ° āĻŖÍž
ā§§ā§ĢāĨ¤ the oratorial brilliance of Bangabandhu ÂāĻŦ āĻŦ ā§
āĻ° āĻāĻ° āĻŦā§
āĻŋ āĻŽ āĻžāĻ° āĻāĻžāĻˇāĻŖÍž
ā§§ā§ŦāĨ¤ brilliance āĻāĻ° āĻŦā§
āĻŋ āĻŽ āĻžÍž āĻāĻžÍž
ā§§ā§āĨ¤ demonstrate āĻĻāĻļāĻŖ āĻāĻ°āĻžÍž āĻāĻ°āĻžÍž
ā§§ā§ŽāĨ¤ in the 23 minutes of extempore deliveryÂā§¨ā§Š āĻŋāĻŽāĻŋāĻ¨ āĻāĻ° āĻāĻĒāĻŋ āĻ¤ āĻŦ ā§
āĻ¤āĻžā§Íž
ā§§ā§¯āĨ¤ tempered byÂāĻŋāĻŽ āĻŖ āĻžāĻ°āĻžÍž
ā§¨ā§ĻāĨ¤ logic, reason and sobrietyÂāĻ¯ā§
āĻŋ , āĻ¨ āĻžā§āĻ¸ āĻ¤ āĻāĻŦāĻ āĻ āĻŋāĻ¨ā§ āĻŖÍž
ā§¨ā§§āĨ¤ delivered without a pause or hesitationÂāĻŋāĻŦāĻ°āĻŋāĻ¤ āĻ āĻĨāĻŦāĻž āĻŋ āĻ§āĻž āĻāĻžā§āĻžāĻ āĻĻ Íž
ā§¨ā§¨āĨ¤ for the substanceÂāĻ¸āĻžāĻ°āĻŦ /āĻ¸āĻžāĻ°āĻāĻĨāĻžāĻ° āĻāĻ¨ Íž
ā§¨ā§ŠāĨ¤ as well aÂāĻĒāĻžāĻļāĻžāĻĒāĻžāĻŋāĻļÍž āĻāĻŦāĻÍž
ā§¨ā§ĒāĨ¤ the soul of the wordsÂāĻŦ āĻŦ āĻ°/āĻāĻĨāĻžāĻ° āĻ āĻŋāĻ¨āĻŋāĻšāĻ¤ āĻļāĻŋ Íž
ā§¨ā§ĢāĨ¤ Bangabandhu utteredÂāĻŦ āĻŦ ā§
āĻ āĻžāĻ°āĻŖ āĻ āĻ°āĻŋāĻ āĻ˛āĻ¨/ āĻŋāĻ¨āĻ¤ āĻ āĻ°āĻŋāĻ āĻ˛āĻ¨Íž
ā§¨ā§ŦāĨ¤ in the impassioned speech āĻĻā§ āĻžāĻšā§/āĻ āĻŦāĻāĻŽā§ āĻŦ āĻŦ Íž
ā§¨ā§āĨ¤ to the Bengalis in 1971Âā§§ā§¯ā§ā§§ āĻ¸āĻž āĻ˛ āĻŦāĻžāĻāĻžāĻŋāĻ˛ āĻĻāĻ° āĻÍž
ā§¨ā§ŽāĨ¤ rateÂāĻŽā§
āĻ˛ āĻžā§āĻ¨ āĻāĻ°āĻžÍž āĻŋāĻŦ āĻāĻ¨āĻž āĻāĻ°āĻžÍž
ā§¨ā§¯āĨ¤ among the best speechesÂāĻ¸āĻŦ āĻŦ āĻŦ āĻ˛āĻžāĻ° āĻŽ āĻ§ Íž
ā§Šā§ĻāĨ¤ any world leader āĻ¯ āĻāĻžāĻ¨ āĻŋāĻŦ āĻ¨āĻ¤āĻžÍž
ā§Šā§§āĨ¤ in the annals of world historyÂāĻŋāĻŦ āĻāĻŋāĻ¤āĻšāĻž āĻ¸āĻ° āĻŦāĻˇāĻĒāĻŋ āĻ¤Íž
19. ā§Šā§¨āĨ¤ under Bangabandhu's directionÂāĻŦ āĻŦ ā§
āĻ° āĻŋāĻ¨ āĻĻāĻļāĻ¨āĻžā§Íž
ā§Šā§ŠāĨ¤ started its final preparation āĻš ā§āĻŋāĻāĻ˛ āĻāĻ° āĻā§āĻž āĻŋāĻ¤/āĻ ā§āĻžāĻāĻ¨'Íž
ā§Šā§ĒāĨ¤ the concluding stages āĻļāĻˇ āĻĒāĻ¯āĻžā§Íž
ā§Šā§ĢāĨ¤ the liberation of the people ÂāĻāĻ¨āĻ āĻŖāĻ° āĻŽā§
āĻŋ Íž
ā§Šā§ŦāĨ¤ the formation of an independent nationÂāĻāĻāĻŋāĻ āĻžāĻ§ā§āĻ¨ āĻāĻžāĻŋāĻ¤ āĻāĻ āĻ¨Íž
ā§Šā§āĨ¤ with a Flag and a Country of its ownÂāĻāĻāĻŋāĻ āĻĒāĻ¤āĻžāĻāĻž āĻāĻŦāĻ āĻ¤āĻž āĻĻāĻ° āĻŋāĻ¨āĻ āĻāĻāĻŋāĻ
āĻĻāĻļāĻ¸āĻš/āĻ¸āĻšāĻāĻž āĻ°Íž
ā§Šā§ŽāĨ¤ lay outÂāĻĒāĻŋāĻ°āĻ āĻ¨āĻž āĻāĻ°āĻžÍž
ā§Šā§¯āĨ¤ clear guidance for the BengalisÂāĻŦāĻžāĻāĻžāĻŋāĻ˛āĻ° āĻāĻ¨ āĻ¨āĻ¤ā§
/āĻĒāĻŋāĻ°āĻāĻžāĻ˛āĻ¨āĻž/āĻĒāĻĨāĻŋāĻ¨ āĻĻāĻļÍž
ā§Ēā§ĻāĨ¤ as toÂāĻ¸ āĻÍž āĻŦ āĻžāĻĒāĻž āĻ°Íž
ā§Ēā§§āĨ¤ how to conduct themselvesÂāĻ¤āĻž āĻĻāĻ° āĻ āĻŋāĻāĻāĻž āĻŦ āĻĒāĻŋāĻ°āĻāĻžāĻ˛āĻ¨āĻž āĻāĻ°āĻž āĻš āĻŦÍž āĻ¤āĻžāĻ°āĻž āĻŋāĻāĻāĻž āĻŦ
āĻĒāĻŋāĻ°āĻāĻžāĻŋāĻ˛āĻ¤ āĻš āĻŦÍž
ā§Ēā§¨āĨ¤ during the interregnumÂāĻ āĻ°āĻžāĻāĻāĻ¤āĻžāĻ° āĻ¸āĻŽā§Íž
ā§Ēā§ŠāĨ¤ issue a warningÂāĻ¸āĻ¤āĻāĻŦāĻžāĻ¤āĻž āĻāĻžāĻŋāĻ° āĻāĻ°āĻžÍž
ā§Ēā§ĒāĨ¤ to the Pakistani military juntaÂāĻĒāĻžāĻŋāĻ āĻžāĻŋāĻ¨ āĻ¸āĻžāĻŽāĻŋāĻ°āĻ āĻāĻž āĻž āĻĻāĻ° āĻŋāĻ¤Íž
ā§Ēā§ĢāĨ¤ to shun the path of violence and forceÂāĻ¸āĻŋāĻšāĻāĻ¸āĻ¤āĻž āĻāĻŦāĻ āĻļāĻŋ āĻ° āĻĒāĻĨ āĻĒāĻŋāĻ°āĻšāĻžāĻ° āĻāĻ°āĻžāĻ° āĻāĻ¨ Íž
ā§Ēā§ŦāĨ¤ has been included in UNESCO'S Memory of the World Register Â
ā§Ēā§āĨ¤ documentary heritageÂ(āĻŋāĻŦ ) āĻžāĻŽāĻžāĻŖ āĻāĻŋāĻ¤āĻš Íž
ā§Ēā§ŽāĨ¤ encapsulateÂāĻŋāĻ āĻ° āĻĢāĻ˛āĻžÍž
ā§Ēā§¯āĨ¤ brilliantlyÂāĻŦā§
āĻŋ āĻĻā§ āĻāĻž āĻŦÍž
ā§Ģā§ĻāĨ¤ the struggle of the BengalisÂāĻŦāĻžāĻāĻžāĻŋāĻ˛āĻ° āĻ¸āĻ āĻžāĻŽÍž
ā§Ģā§§āĨ¤ for their political rightsÂāĻ°āĻžāĻ āĻ¨āĻŋāĻ¤āĻ āĻ āĻŋāĻ§āĻāĻž āĻ°āĻ° āĻāĻ¨ Íž
ā§Ģā§¨āĨ¤ postÂ1947Âā§§ā§¯ā§Ēā§ āĻ¸āĻžāĻ˛ āĻĒāĻ°āĻŦāĻ¤ Íž
ā§Ģā§ŠāĨ¤ the continuation of the yokeÂāĻĻāĻžāĻ¸ āĻ° āĻ§āĻžāĻ°āĻžāĻŦāĻžāĻŋāĻšāĻāĻ¤āĻžÍž
ā§Ģā§ĒāĨ¤ deprivation and repression under British ruleÂāĻŋ āĻŋāĻāĻļ āĻļāĻžāĻ¸ āĻ¨āĻ° āĻ āĻ§ā§āĻ¨ āĻŦ āĻ¨āĻž āĻāĻŦāĻ
āĻĻāĻŽāĻ¨āĻ¨ā§āĻŋāĻ¤Íž
ā§Ģā§ĢāĨ¤ despite being the majorityÂāĻ¸āĻāĻ āĻž āĻšāĻā§āĻž āĻ¸ āĻÍž
ā§Ģā§ŦāĨ¤ an authentic testimonyÂāĻ¸ā§ āĻŽāĻžāĻŖ/āĻ¸āĻž Íž
ā§Ģā§āĨ¤ the failure of multiculturalÂāĻŋāĻŦāĻŋāĻ āĻ§āĻŽ āĻ¸āĻ āĻŋāĻ¤āĻ° āĻŦ āĻĨāĻ¤āĻžÍž
ā§Ģā§ŽāĨ¤ multiethnic societiesÂāĻŦ āĻāĻžāĻŋāĻ¤āĻ āĻ¸āĻŽāĻžāĻÍž
ā§Ģā§¯āĨ¤ coagulateÂāĻāĻŋāĻŖāĻāĻ¤ āĻāĻ°āĻž āĻŦāĻž āĻšāĻā§āĻžÍž
ā§Ŧā§ĻāĨ¤ as a nationÂāĻāĻžāĻŋāĻ¤ āĻŋāĻšāĻ¸āĻž āĻŦÍž'
20. ā§Ŧā§§āĨ¤ under misruleÂāĻ
ā§
āĻļāĻžāĻ¸āĻ¨/āĻ āĻĒāĻļāĻžāĻ¸ āĻ¨āĻ° āĻ āĻ§ā§āĻ¨Íž
ā§Ŧā§¨āĨ¤ motivated byÂ( āĻāĻžāĻ¨ āĻŋāĻāĻāĻ° āĻžāĻ°āĻž) āĻ /āĻ āĻ¨ā§
āĻžāĻŋāĻŖāĻ¤Íž
ā§Ŧā§ŠāĨ¤ prejudiceÂāĻ
ā§
āĻ¸āĻ āĻžāĻ°Íž
ā§Ŧā§ĒāĨ¤ a politically bigoted polityÂāĻ°āĻžāĻ āĻ¨āĻŋāĻ¤āĻāĻāĻž āĻŦ āĻāĻžā§āĻž āĻļāĻžāĻ¸āĻ¨āĻŦ āĻŦ āĻžÍž
ā§Ŧā§ĢāĨ¤ unwilling to feelÂāĻ āĻ¨ā§
āĻāĻŦ āĻāĻ° āĻ¤ āĻ āĻŋāĻ¨ āĻÍž
ā§Ŧā§ŦāĨ¤ the pulse and the sentiments of the majority of the peopleÂāĻ¸āĻāĻ āĻžāĻŋāĻ§āĻ āĻāĻ¨āĻ āĻŖāĻ°
āĻ°āĻŖāĻž āĻāĻŦāĻ āĻ āĻ¨ā§
āĻāĻŋāĻ¤Íž
ā§Ŧā§āĨ¤ concede āĻŽ āĻ¨ āĻ¨āĻā§āĻžÍž ā§āĻāĻžāĻ° āĻāĻ°āĻžÍž
ā§Ŧā§ŽāĨ¤ the majority willÂāĻ āĻŋāĻ§āĻāĻžāĻāĻļ/āĻ¸āĻāĻ āĻžāĻŋāĻ§ āĻ āĻ° āĻ āĻžÍž
ā§Ŧā§¯āĨ¤ effectively a declaration of the independence of BangladeshÂāĻāĻžāĻ¯āĻāĻŋāĻ°āĻāĻž āĻŦ
āĻŦāĻžāĻāĻ˛āĻž āĻĻ āĻļāĻ° āĻžāĻ§ā§āĻ¨āĻ¤āĻžāĻ° āĻāĻžāĻˇāĻŖāĻžÍž
ā§ā§ĻāĨ¤ For the final wordsÂāĻ¸āĻŦ āĻļāĻˇ āĻāĻĨāĻž āĻāĻ¨ Íž
ā§ā§§āĨ¤ of the memorable speech āĻ°āĻŖā§ā§ āĻŦ āĻŦ āĻ°Íž
ā§ā§¨āĨ¤ The struggle this time is for emancipationÂāĻāĻŦāĻž āĻ°āĻ° āĻ¸āĻ āĻžāĻŽ āĻŽā§
āĻŋ āĻ° āĻ¸āĻ āĻžāĻŽÍž
ā§ā§ŠāĨ¤ the struggle this time is for independenceÂāĻāĻŦāĻž āĻ°āĻ° āĻ¸āĻ āĻžāĻŽ āĻžāĻ§ā§āĻ¨āĻ¤āĻžāĻ° āĻ¸āĻ āĻžāĻŽÍž
ā§ā§ĒāĨ¤ launched the people into the final phase of the independence struggle of the
BengalisÂāĻŦāĻžāĻāĻžāĻŋāĻ˛āĻ° āĻžāĻ§ā§āĻ¨āĻ¤āĻž āĻ¸āĻ āĻž āĻŽāĻ° āĻā§āĻž āĻĒāĻ¯āĻž ā§ āĻāĻ¨āĻāĻŖ āĻ āĻ āĻ āĻ°āĻŋāĻāĻ˛Íž
ā§ā§ĢāĨ¤ launch intoÂāĻ¨āĻ¤āĻ¨ āĻāĻžāĻ¨ āĻāĻž āĻ āĻŦā§āĻāĻ°āĻžÍž
ā§ā§ŦāĨ¤ our glorious Liberation WarÂāĻāĻŽāĻž āĻĻāĻ° āĻŽāĻŋāĻšāĻŽāĻžāĻŋ āĻ¤ āĻŦāĻž āĻā§āĻ°āĻŦāĻžāĻŋ āĻ¤ āĻŽā§
āĻŋ āĻ¯ā§
Íž
*******āĻāĻŦāĻžāĻ° āĻŽā§
āĻ˛ āĻ¸ āĻžāĻĻāĻā§ā§āĻŋāĻ āĻĒāĻŋā§******
Historic 7th March
A redÂletter day for Bangladesh
*************************
For Bangladesh, several days are embossed in gold in its history. March 7 of 1971 is
one of them, for it turned the course of history for the nation and the subcontinent as
a whole. The day, 49 years ago, stands out for two main reasonsâthe oratorial
brilliance of Bangabandhu demonstrated in the 23 minutes of extempore delivery
tempered by logic, reason and sobriety, and delivered without a pause or hesitation.
It stands out also for the substance as well as the soul of the words that
Bangabandhu uttered in the impassioned speech to the Bengalis in 1971, which will
rate among the best speeches by any world leader in the annals of world history. It
was also the day that the nation, under Bangabandhu's direction, started its final
preparation for the concluding stages of the liberation of the people and the
formation of an independent nation, with a Flag and a Country of its own. It laid out
clear guidance for the Bengalis as to how to conduct themselves during the
interregnum and issued a warning to the Pakistani military junta to shun the path of
violence and force.
21. The speech, which has been included in UNESCO'S Memory of the World Register
as a "documentary heritage", encapsulates brilliantly the struggle of the Bengalis for
their political rights. For the Bengalis, postÂ1947 was the continuation of the yoke of
deprivation and repression under British rule, despite being the majority. It was an
authentic testimony of the failure of multicultural and multiethnic societies to
coagulate as a nation under misrule, motivated by prejudice and a politically bigoted
polity that was unwilling to feel the pulse and the sentiments of the majority of the
people and concede to the majority will.
The speech was also effectively a declaration of the independence of Bangladesh, if
not a direct call to arms. For the final words of the memorable speech, "The struggle
this time is for emancipationÍž the struggle this time is for independence", carries no
other meaning. And those are the words that launched the people into the final
phase of the independence struggle of the Bengalis, our glorious Liberation War,
from March 26, 1971.
March 08, 2020
The Daily Star Editorial
***************************
āĻĨ āĻŽ āĻļ āĻžāĻĨ āĻŋāĻ˛ āĻ āĻ¨ āĻŋāĻ¨āĻ
====================
ā§§āĨ¤ Road crash casualtiesÂāĻ¸ā§ āĻ āĻžāĻŖāĻšāĻžāĻŋāĻ¨āĻ° āĻāĻāĻ¨āĻžÍž
ā§¨āĨ¤ rising āĻŦ ā§āĻ āĻāĻ˛ āĻÍž
ā§ŠāĨ¤ by the dayÂāĻŋāĻĻ āĻ¨āĻ° āĻĒāĻ° āĻŋāĻĻāĻ¨Íž
ā§ĒāĨ¤ 23 lives lost in a single day!ÂāĻāĻāĻŋāĻĻ āĻ¨āĻ ā§¨ā§ŠāĻŋāĻ āĻžāĻŖ āĻ āĻ° āĻāĻ˛Íž
ā§ĢāĨ¤ shocked to learn āĻ āĻ¨ āĻŽāĻŽāĻžāĻšāĻ¤Íž
ā§ŦāĨ¤ at least 23 peopleÂāĻāĻŽāĻĒ ā§¨ā§Š āĻāĻ¨ āĻŽāĻžāĻ¨ā§
āĻˇÍž
ā§āĨ¤ were killed ÂāĻŋāĻ¨āĻšāĻ¤ āĻš ā§ āĻÍž
ā§ŽāĨ¤ nine others injuredÂāĻ āĻ°āĻž āĻ¨ā§āĻāĻ¨ āĻāĻšāĻ¤ āĻš ā§ āĻÍž
ā§¯āĨ¤ n separate road crashesÂāĻĒā§
āĻĨāĻ āĻ¸ā§āĻ āĻĻā§
āĻāĻāĻ¨āĻžā§Íž
ā§§ā§ĻāĨ¤ across the countryÂāĻ¸āĻžāĻ°āĻž āĻĻ āĻļÍž āĻĻāĻļāĻŦ āĻžāĻĒā§Íž
ā§§ā§§āĨ¤ on March 6Âā§Ŧ āĻ āĻŽāĻžāĻÍž
ā§§ā§¨āĨ¤ Ten people were killed ÂāĻāĻ¨ āĻŽāĻžāĻ¨ā§
āĻˇ āĻŋāĻ¨āĻšāĻ¤ āĻš ā§ āĻÍž
ā§§ā§ŠāĨ¤ crash āĻ āĻ āĻ° āĻāĻŋāĻ ā§ āĻ¯āĻžāĻā§āĻžÍž
ā§§ā§ĒāĨ¤ into a roadside treeÂāĻ°āĻž āĻžāĻ° āĻĒāĻž āĻŦāĻ¤ āĻāĻāĻŋāĻ āĻāĻž āĻāĻ° āĻŽ āĻ§ Íž
22. ā§§ā§ĢāĨ¤ all of themÂāĻ¤āĻž āĻĻāĻ° āĻ¸āĻŦāĻžāĻÍž
ā§§ā§ŦāĨ¤ were going to attendÂāĻ āĻāĻļ āĻšāĻŖ āĻāĻ° āĻ¤ āĻ¯āĻžāĻŋ āĻ˛Íž
ā§§ā§āĨ¤ an engagement ceremonyÂāĻŦāĻžāĻāĻĻ āĻž āĻ āĻ¨ā§
āĻž āĻ¨Íž
ā§§ā§ŽāĨ¤ were burnt to deathÂāĻĻ āĻš ā§ āĻŽāĻžāĻ°āĻž āĻŋāĻ ā§āĻŋāĻāĻ˛Íž
ā§§ā§¯āĨ¤ when a gas cylinder of a microbus caught fire ÂāĻ¯āĻāĻ¨ āĻāĻāĻŋāĻ āĻŽāĻžāĻ āĻžāĻŦāĻž āĻ¸ āĻŋāĻ¸āĻŋāĻ˛ āĻžāĻ°
āĻ āĻž āĻ¸ āĻ āĻ¨ āĻ§ āĻ° āĻŋāĻ ā§āĻŋāĻāĻ˛Íž
ā§¨ā§ĻāĨ¤ after it collided with a busÂāĻāĻāĻŋāĻ āĻŦāĻž āĻ¸āĻ° āĻ¸āĻž āĻĨ āĻ¸āĻāĻ āĻˇāĻ° āĻĒāĻ°Íž
ā§¨ā§§āĨ¤ on DhakaÂSylhet highwayÂāĻĸāĻžāĻāĻžÂāĻŋāĻ¸ āĻ˛āĻ āĻŽāĻšāĻžāĻ¸ā§ āĻÍž
ā§¨ā§¨āĨ¤ On the same dayÂāĻāĻāĻ āĻŋāĻĻ āĻ¨Íž
ā§¨ā§ŠāĨ¤ when a bus hit his motorcycleÂāĻ¯āĻāĻ¨ āĻāĻāĻŋāĻ āĻŦāĻžāĻ¸ āĻ¤āĻžāĻ° āĻŽāĻāĻ°āĻ¸āĻžāĻ āĻāĻ˛āĻŋāĻ āĻ āĻāĻāĻžāĻ¤ āĻ āĻ°Íž
ā§¨ā§ĒāĨ¤ in the capital's Banani areaÂāĻ°āĻžāĻāĻ§āĻžāĻ¨ā§āĻ° āĻŦāĻ¨āĻžāĻŋāĻ¨ āĻ¤Íž
ā§¨ā§ĢāĨ¤ worries ÂāĻĻā§
āĻŋ āĻžÍž
ā§¨ā§ŦāĨ¤ such horrible accidentsÂāĻāĻŽāĻ¨ āĻŋāĻŦāĻā§āĻŋāĻˇāĻāĻžāĻŽā§ āĻĻā§
āĻāĻāĻ¨āĻžÍž
ā§¨ā§āĨ¤ despite taking placeÂāĻāĻāĻž āĻ¸ āĻÍž
ā§¨ā§ŽāĨ¤ on our roads regularlyÂāĻāĻŽāĻž āĻĻāĻ° āĻ¸ā§ āĻ āĻŋāĻ¨ā§āĻŋāĻŽāĻ¤Íž
ā§¨ā§¯āĨ¤ the road transport authoritiesÂāĻ¸ā§āĻ āĻĒāĻŋāĻ°āĻŦāĻšāĻ¨ āĻāĻ¤ā§
āĻĒ Íž
ā§Šā§ĻāĨ¤ as well asÂāĻĒāĻžāĻļāĻžāĻĒāĻžāĻŋāĻļÍžāĻ¸āĻšÍž āĻÍž āĻāĻŦāĻÍž
ā§Šā§§āĨ¤ the transport owners and workersÂāĻĒāĻŋāĻ°āĻŦāĻšāĻ¨ āĻŽāĻžāĻŋāĻ˛āĻ āĻ āĻŋāĻŽāĻÍž
ā§Šā§¨āĨ¤ the victims' families ÂāĻ āĻāĻžāĻā§āĻ° āĻĒāĻŋāĻ°āĻŦāĻžāĻ° āĻ˛āĻžÍž
ā§Šā§ŠāĨ¤ suffer in silence ÂāĻŋāĻ¨āĻ° āĻŦ āĻāĻžāĻ āĻāĻ°āĻžÍž āĻŋāĻ¨āĻ° āĻŦ āĻŋāĻ¤ āĻšāĻā§āĻžÍž
ā§Šā§ĒāĨ¤ their fight to get justice for their loved onesÂāĻ¤āĻž āĻĻāĻ° āĻŋ ā§āĻ āĻ¨āĻ° āĻāĻ¨ āĻ¤āĻž āĻĻāĻ° āĻŋāĻŦāĻāĻž āĻ°āĻ°
āĻ˛ā§āĻžāĻÍž
ā§Šā§ĢāĨ¤ never endsÂāĻāĻ āĻ¨āĻžāĻ āĻļāĻˇ āĻšā§āĻ¨āĻžÍž
ā§Šā§ŦāĨ¤ According to ÂāĻ āĻ¨ā§
āĻ¸āĻž āĻ°Íž āĻ āĻ¨ā§
āĻ¯āĻžā§ā§Íž
ā§Šā§āĨ¤ a report by the Road Safety FoundationÂāĻ¸ā§āĻ āĻŋāĻ¨āĻ°āĻžāĻĒ āĻž āĻĢāĻžāĻ āĻļāĻ¨ āĻāĻ° āĻāĻāĻŋāĻ
āĻŋāĻ¤ āĻŦāĻĻāĻ¨Íž
ā§Šā§ŽāĨ¤ at leastÂāĻāĻŽāĻĒ Íž
ā§Šā§¯āĨ¤ The alarming increaseÂāĻā§ āĻ°/ āĻžāĻ¸āĻāĻ¨āĻ āĻŦā§
āĻŋ Íž
ā§Ēā§ĻāĨ¤ indicates thatÂāĻŋāĻ¨ āĻĻāĻļ āĻ āĻ° āĻ¯Íž
ā§Ēā§§āĨ¤ all the initiativesÂāĻ¸āĻāĻ˛ āĻ āĻĻ āĻžāĻÍž
ā§Ēā§¨āĨ¤ taken by the governmentÂāĻ¸āĻ°āĻāĻžāĻ° āĻāĻ¤ā§
āĻ āĻ¨ā§āĻžÍž
ā§Ēā§ŠāĨ¤ the formulation of the Road Transport Act 2018ÂāĻ¸ā§āĻ āĻĒāĻŋāĻ°āĻŦāĻšāĻ¨ āĻāĻāĻ¨Âā§¨ā§Ļā§§ā§Ž āĻŖā§āĻ¨Íž
23. ā§Ēā§ĒāĨ¤ observance of Police Week ÂāĻĒā§
āĻŋāĻ˛āĻļ āĻ¸ āĻžāĻš āĻāĻĻāĻ¯āĻžāĻĒāĻ¨Íž
ā§Ēā§ĢāĨ¤ make the commuters and pedestrians aware of traffic rules āĻžāĻŋāĻĢāĻ āĻŋāĻŦāĻŋāĻ§/āĻāĻāĻ¨
āĻ¸ āĻ āĻ¯āĻž ā§ āĻ āĻĒāĻĨāĻāĻžāĻ°ā§ āĻĻāĻ° āĻ āĻ¸ āĻāĻ¤āĻ¨ āĻāĻ°āĻžÍž
ā§Ēā§ŦāĨ¤ the PM's directives given in 2018Âā§¨ā§Ļā§§ā§Ž āĻ¸āĻž āĻ˛ āĻ§āĻžāĻ¨āĻŽ ā§āĻ° āĻĻ āĻŋāĻ¨ āĻĻāĻļāĻ¨āĻžÍž
ā§Ēā§āĨ¤ including limiting the driveÂtime of the drivers ÂāĻāĻžāĻ˛āĻ āĻĻāĻ° āĻāĻžāĻŋā§ āĻāĻžāĻ˛āĻž āĻ¨āĻžāĻ° āĻ¸āĻŽā§
āĻŋāĻ¨āĻ§āĻžāĻ°āĻŖ āĻ¸āĻšÍž
ā§Ēā§ŽāĨ¤ on longÂroute vehiclesÂāĻĻā§āĻ āĻ¯āĻž āĻžāĻ° āĻāĻžāĻŋā§ āĻ¸ āĻ/āĻŦ āĻžāĻĒāĻž āĻ°Íž
ā§Ēā§¯āĨ¤ have failed to bring order ÂāĻļā§āĻ˛āĻž āĻāĻ¨ āĻ¤ āĻŦ āĻĨ āĻš ā§ āĻÍž
ā§Ģā§ĻāĨ¤ The reasons behind the rise in road accidentsÂāĻ¸ā§āĻ āĻĻā§
āĻāĻāĻ¨āĻž āĻŦā§
āĻŋ āĻ° āĻŋāĻĒāĻ āĻ¨āĻ° āĻāĻžāĻ°āĻŖÍž
ā§Ģā§§āĨ¤ have already been identifiedÂāĻ āĻ¤āĻžāĻŽ āĻ§ āĻŋāĻāĻŋ āĻ¤ āĻš ā§ āĻÍž
ā§Ģā§¨āĨ¤ by the transport expertsÂāĻĒāĻŋāĻ°āĻŦāĻšāĻ¨ āĻŋāĻŦ āĻļāĻˇ āĻ° āĻžāĻ°āĻžÍž
ā§Ģā§ŠāĨ¤ the organisations working on road safetyÂāĻŋāĻ¨āĻ°āĻžāĻĒāĻĻ āĻ¸ā§āĻ āĻŋāĻ¨ ā§ āĻāĻžāĻ āĻāĻ°āĻž āĻ¸āĻāĻāĻ āĻ¨Íž
ā§Ģā§ĒāĨ¤ unfit vehiclesÂāĻ āĻ¨ā§
āĻĒāĻ¯ā§ āĻāĻžāĻŋā§Íž
ā§Ģā§ĢāĨ¤ reckless driving āĻŦāĻĒ āĻ°āĻžā§āĻž āĻāĻžāĻŋā§ āĻāĻžāĻ˛āĻ¨āĻžÍž
ā§Ģā§ŦāĨ¤ drivers' incompetence and their physical or mental unsuitabilityÂāĻāĻžāĻ˛āĻ āĻĻāĻ°
āĻ āĻ¯āĻžāĻ āĻ¤āĻž āĻāĻŦāĻ āĻ¤āĻž āĻĻāĻ° āĻļāĻžāĻ°ā§āĻŋāĻ°āĻ āĻ āĻĨāĻŦāĻž āĻŽāĻžāĻ¨āĻŋāĻ¸āĻ āĻ āĻ¨ā§
āĻĒāĻ¯ā§āĻ¤āĻžÍž
ā§Ģā§āĨ¤ unregulated working hours for driversÂāĻāĻžāĻ˛āĻ āĻĻāĻ° āĻŋāĻŦāĻ°āĻŋāĻ¤āĻšā§āĻ¨āĻāĻž āĻŦ āĻāĻžāĻ āĻāĻ°āĻžÍž
ā§Ģā§ŽāĨ¤ poor traffic management āĻŋāĻāĻĒā§
āĻŖ āĻžāĻŋāĻĢāĻ āĻŦ āĻŦ āĻžāĻĒāĻ¨āĻžÍž
ā§Ģā§¯āĨ¤ the inefficiency of the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) ÂāĻŋāĻŦāĻāĻ°āĻŋāĻāĻāĻ°
āĻāĻ° āĻ āĻĻ āĻ¤āĻžÍž
ā§Ŧā§ĻāĨ¤ the lack of knowledge about traffic rules āĻžāĻŋāĻĢāĻ āĻŋāĻ¨ā§āĻŽ āĻ¸ āĻ āĻž āĻ¨āĻ° āĻ āĻāĻžāĻŦ/āĻ āĻ¤āĻžÍž
ā§Ŧā§§āĨ¤ among the general peopleÂāĻ¸āĻžāĻ§āĻžāĻ°āĻŖ āĻāĻ¨āĻ āĻŖāĻ° āĻŽāĻž āĻÍž
ā§Ŧā§¨āĨ¤ the tendency to disregard them āĻžāĻŋāĻĢāĻ āĻŋāĻ¨ā§āĻŽ āĻ¨āĻž āĻŽāĻžāĻ¨āĻžāĻ° āĻŦāĻŖāĻ¤āĻžÍž
ā§Ŧā§ŠāĨ¤ wake up to the reality ÂāĻŦāĻž āĻŦāĻ¤āĻžā§ āĻ¸āĻāĻžāĻ āĻšāĻā§āĻžÍž
ā§Ŧā§ĒāĨ¤ make allÂout effortsÂāĻ¸āĻāĻ˛ āĻ āĻž āĻāĻžāĻ˛āĻž āĻ¨āĻžÍž
ā§Ŧā§ĢāĨ¤ to properly implement the Road Transport Act 2018ÂāĻ¸ā§āĻ āĻĒāĻŋāĻ°āĻŦāĻšāĻ¨ āĻāĻāĻ¨Âā§¨ā§Ļā§§ā§Ž
āĻ¯āĻĨāĻžāĻ¯āĻĨāĻāĻž āĻŦ āĻŦāĻž āĻŦāĻžā§āĻ¨ āĻāĻ°āĻžāĻ° āĻāĻ¨ Íž
ā§Ŧā§ŦāĨ¤ BesidesÂāĻ¤āĻžāĻāĻžā§āĻžÍž
ā§Ŧā§āĨ¤ increase the number of skilled driversÂāĻĻ āĻžāĻāĻāĻžāĻ°/āĻāĻžāĻ˛āĻ āĻāĻ° āĻ¸āĻāĻ āĻž āĻŦā§
āĻŋ āĻāĻ°āĻžÍž
ā§Ŧā§ŽāĨ¤ construct road dividers on all highwaysÂāĻ¸āĻāĻ˛ āĻŽāĻšāĻžāĻ¸ā§ āĻ āĻ¸ā§āĻ āĻŋāĻŦāĻāĻžāĻāĻ āĻŋāĻ¨āĻŽāĻžāĻŖÍž
ā§Ŧā§¯āĨ¤ fix salaries āĻŦāĻ¤āĻ¨ āĻŋāĻ¨āĻ§āĻžāĻ°āĻŖÍž
ā§ā§ĻāĨ¤ working hours of drivers ÂāĻāĻžāĻ˛āĻ āĻĻāĻ° āĻāĻžāĻ¯āĻ¸āĻŽā§Íž
ā§ā§§āĨ¤ ban lowÂspeed vehicles on highwaysÂāĻŽāĻšāĻžāĻ¸ā§ āĻ āĻŋāĻ¨ āĻāĻŋāĻ¤āĻ° āĻ¯āĻžāĻ¨āĻŦāĻžāĻšāĻ¨ āĻŋāĻ¨āĻŋāĻˇ āĻāĻ°āĻžÍž
24. ā§ā§¨āĨ¤ has also recommendedÂāĻ āĻ°āĻž āĻ¸ā§
āĻĒāĻžāĻŋāĻ°āĻļ āĻ āĻ° āĻÍž
********āĻāĻŦāĻžāĻ° āĻŽā§
āĻ˛ āĻ¸ āĻžāĻĻāĻā§ā§āĻŋāĻ āĻĒāĻŋā§******
Road crash casualties rising by the day
23 lives lost in a single day!
***************************
We are shocked to learn that at least 23 people were killed and nine others injured in
separate road crashes across the country on March 6. Ten people were killed when
a microbus crashed into a roadside tree in Habiganj (all of them were going to attend
an engagement ceremony in Sunamganj), while in another accident, six people were
burnt to death when a gas cylinder of a microbus caught fire after it collided with a
bus on DhakaÂSylhet highway. On the same day, a student of Dhaka University was
killed when a bus hit his motorcycle in the capital's Banani area. What worries us
most is the fact that such horrible accidents, despite taking place on our roads
regularly, seem to have no effect on the road transport authorities as well as the
transport owners and workers. It is only the victims' families who suffer in silence as
their fight to get justice for their loved ones never ends.
According to a report by the Road Safety Foundation, at least 445 people were killed
and 834 others injured in 340 road accidents across the country in January alone
this year. The alarming increase in road accidents indicates that all the initiatives
taken by the governmentâ the formulation of the Road Transport Act 2018,
observance of Police Week to make the commuters and pedestrians aware of traffic
rules, the PM's directives given in 2018, including limiting the driveÂtime of the
drivers on longÂroute vehicles, etc.âhave failed to bring order on our roads.
The reasons behind the rise in road accidents have already been identified by the
transport experts as well as the organisations working on road safety, which include
unfit vehicles, reckless driving, drivers' incompetence and their physical or mental
unsuitability, unregulated working hours for drivers, poor traffic management, the
inefficiency of the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) and the lack of
knowledge about traffic rules among the general people or the tendency to disregard
them.
Since cases of road accidents and the deaths resulting from them are rising by the
day, the government must wake up to the reality and make allÂout efforts to properly
implement the Road Transport Act 2018. Besides, initiatives should also be taken to
increase the number of skilled drivers, construct road dividers on all highways, fix
salaries and working hours of drivers and ban lowÂspeed vehicles on highways, as
the Road Safety Foundation has also recommended.
25. March 09, 2020
The Daily Star Editorial
***************************
āĻĨ āĻŽ āĻļ āĻžāĻĨ āĻŋāĻ˛ āĻ āĻ¨ āĻŋāĻ¨āĻ
==================
ā§§āĨ¤ womenâs political participationÂāĻ¨āĻžāĻ°ā§ āĻĻāĻ° āĻ°āĻžāĻ āĻ¨āĻŋāĻ¤āĻ āĻ āĻāĻļ āĻšāĻŖÍž āĻ°āĻžāĻāĻ¨ā§āĻŋāĻ¤ āĻ¤ āĻ¨āĻžāĻ°ā§ āĻĻāĻ°
āĻ āĻāĻļ āĻšāĻŖÍž
ā§¨āĨ¤ still so lowÂāĻāĻāĻ¨āĻ āĻā§
āĻŦāĻ āĻŋāĻ¨ āĻŽā§
āĻā§Íž
ā§ŠāĨ¤ Only five parties āĻāĻŦāĻ˛/ āĻ§ā§
ā§ĢāĻŋāĻ āĻĻāĻ˛Íž
ā§ĒāĨ¤ the required representation ā§āĻžāĻāĻ¨ā§ā§ āĻŋāĻ¤āĻŋāĻ¨āĻŋāĻ§ Íž
ā§ĢāĨ¤ make upÂāĻāĻ āĻ¨ āĻāĻ°āĻžÍž
ā§ŦāĨ¤ a third of any political party āĻ¯ āĻāĻžāĻ¨ āĻ°āĻžāĻ āĻ¨āĻŋāĻ¤āĻ āĻĻ āĻ˛āĻ° āĻāĻ āĻ¤ā§
āĻ¤ā§ā§āĻžāĻāĻļÍž
ā§āĨ¤ as stipulated by the Representation of the People OrderÂāĻāĻŖ āĻŋāĻ¤āĻŋāĻ¨āĻŋāĻ§ āĻ āĻĻ āĻļ
āĻ¯āĻāĻž āĻŦ āĻ āĻ āĻ āĻÍž
ā§ŽāĨ¤ except for five partiesÂā§ĢāĻŋāĻ āĻĻāĻ˛ āĻāĻžā§āĻžÍž
ā§¯āĨ¤ no other political party in the country āĻĻ āĻļ āĻ āĻ¨ āĻāĻžāĻ¨ āĻ°āĻžāĻ āĻ¨āĻŋāĻ¤āĻ āĻĻ āĻ˛ āĻ¨āĻÍž
ā§§ā§ĻāĨ¤ the required percentage of women's participationÂāĻ¨āĻžāĻ°ā§ āĻĻāĻ° āĻ āĻāĻļ āĻš āĻŖāĻ° ā§āĻžāĻāĻ¨ā§ā§
āĻļāĻ¤āĻžāĻāĻļ/āĻ āĻ¨ā§
āĻĒāĻžāĻ¤Íž
ā§§ā§§āĨ¤ AlthoughÂāĻ¯āĻŋāĻĻāĻÍž
ā§§ā§¨āĨ¤ reserving 33 percent of the committee positions for womenÂāĻāĻŋāĻŽāĻŋāĻāĻ° āĻĒāĻĻ āĻ˛āĻž āĻ¤
āĻ¨āĻžāĻ°ā§ āĻĻāĻ° āĻāĻ¨ ā§Šā§Š āĻļāĻ¤āĻžāĻāĻļ āĻ¸āĻāĻ°āĻŋ āĻ¤Íž
ā§§ā§ŠāĨ¤ be registered with the Election CommissionÂāĻŋāĻ¨āĻŦāĻžāĻāĻ¨ āĻāĻŋāĻŽāĻļ āĻ¨ āĻŋāĻ¨āĻŦāĻŋ āĻ¤Íž
ā§§ā§ĒāĨ¤ requirement ā§āĻžāĻāĻ¨ā§ā§ āĻ¸āĻāĻ āĻžÍž
ā§§ā§ĢāĨ¤ meetÂāĻĒā§
āĻ°āĻŖ āĻāĻ°āĻžÍž
ā§§ā§ŦāĨ¤ should be met by 2020Âā§¨ā§Ļā§¨ā§Ļ āĻ¸āĻž āĻ˛āĻ° āĻŽ āĻ§ āĻĒā§
āĻ°āĻŖ āĻāĻ°āĻž āĻāĻŋāĻāĻ¤ āĻš āĻŦÍž
ā§§ā§āĨ¤ only nine months for the deadlineÂāĻ¸āĻŽāĻžāĻŋ āĻ° āĻ¤āĻžāĻŋāĻ°āĻ/ āĻļāĻˇ āĻ¤āĻžāĻŋāĻ°āĻ āĻāĻŦāĻ˛ āĻ¨ā§ āĻŽāĻžāĻ¸Íž
ā§§ā§ŽāĨ¤ to end āĻļāĻˇ āĻāĻ°āĻžāĻ° āĻāĻ¨ Íž
ā§§ā§¯āĨ¤ most of the political partiesÂāĻ āĻŋāĻ§āĻāĻžāĻāĻļ āĻ°āĻžāĻ āĻ¨āĻŋāĻ¤āĻ āĻĻāĻ˛ āĻ˛āĻžÍž
ā§¨ā§ĻāĨ¤ have not managed to meet the requirement ā§āĻžāĻāĻ¨ā§ā§ āĻ¸āĻāĻ āĻ āĻĒā§
āĻ°āĻŖ āĻāĻ°āĻžāĻ° āĻŦ āĻŦ āĻž
āĻ¨ā§āĻŋāĻ¨Íž
ā§¨ā§§āĨ¤ What is moreÂāĻ āĻ°āĻž āĻĒā§
āĻŖ āĻš āĻ˛āĻžÍž
ā§¨ā§¨āĨ¤ only four of the parties have women as their heads āĻāĻŦāĻ˛ ā§ĒāĻŋāĻ āĻĻ āĻ˛āĻ° āĻ§āĻžāĻ¨ āĻ¨āĻžāĻ°ā§Íž
26. ā§¨ā§ŠāĨ¤ including the Awami League and the BNPÂāĻāĻā§āĻžāĻŽā§ āĻ˛ā§āĻ āĻ āĻŋāĻŦāĻāĻ¨āĻŋāĻĒ āĻ¸āĻšÍž
ā§¨ā§ĒāĨ¤ Our reporter has talked to leaders of 25ÂāĻāĻŽāĻž āĻĻāĻ° āĻŋāĻ¤ āĻŦāĻĻāĻ ā§¨ā§Ģ āĻāĻ¨ āĻ¨āĻ¤āĻž/ āĻ¨āĻ¤ā§
āĻŦā§ āĻ°
āĻ¸āĻž āĻĨ āĻāĻĨāĻž āĻŦ āĻ˛ āĻāĻ¨Íž
ā§¨ā§ĢāĨ¤ out of the country's 41 registered political partiesÂā§Ēā§§āĻŋāĻ āĻ°āĻŋāĻāĻŋ āĻ āĻ°āĻžāĻ āĻ¨āĻŋāĻ¤āĻ
āĻĻ āĻ˛āĻ° āĻŽāĻ§ āĻĨ āĻÍž
ā§¨ā§ŦāĨ¤ found a rather ÂāĻŦāĻ°āĻ āĻĒāĻžāĻā§āĻž āĻ āĻÍž
ā§¨ā§āĨ¤ dismal picture of women's participationÂāĻ¨āĻžāĻ°ā§ āĻĻāĻ° āĻ āĻāĻļ āĻš āĻŖāĻ° āĻŦāĻĻāĻ¨āĻžāĻĻāĻžā§āĻ/āĻĻā§
:āĻāĻĻāĻžā§āĻ
āĻŋāĻ Íž
ā§¨ā§ŽāĨ¤ in these partiesÂāĻāĻ āĻ¸āĻāĻ˛ āĻĻāĻ˛ āĻ˛āĻž āĻ¤Íž
ā§¨ā§¯āĨ¤ What is most shockingÂāĻ āĻ¤ āĻŽāĻŽāĻžāĻŋ āĻ/ āĻŦāĻĻāĻ¨āĻžāĻĻāĻžā§āĻ āĻŦ āĻžāĻĒāĻžāĻ° āĻš āĻ˛āĻžÍž
ā§Šā§ĻāĨ¤ the ruling AL āĻŽāĻ¤āĻžāĻ¸ā§āĻ¨ āĻāĻā§āĻžāĻŽā§ āĻ˛ā§āĻÍž
ā§Šā§§āĨ¤ only nineteen women āĻ§ā§
ā§§ā§¯ āĻāĻ¨ āĻ¨āĻžāĻ°ā§Íž
ā§Šā§¨āĨ¤ in its 74Âmember central committee āĻ ā§ā§ āĻāĻŋāĻŽāĻŋāĻāĻ° ā§ā§Ē āĻāĻ¨ āĻ¸āĻĻ āĻ¸ āĻ° āĻŽāĻ§ Íž
ā§Šā§ŠāĨ¤ meaning thatÂāĻ¯āĻžāĻ° āĻ āĻĨ āĻĻāĻžā§āĻžā§Íž āĻ¯āĻžāĻ°āĻž āĻ āĻĨ āĻš Íž
ā§Šā§ĒāĨ¤ only 26 percent of the committee positionsÂāĻāĻŋāĻŽāĻŋāĻāĻ° āĻĒ āĻĻāĻ° āĻāĻŦāĻ˛ ā§¨ā§Ŧ āĻļāĻ¤āĻžāĻāĻļÍž
ā§Šā§ĢāĨ¤ are held by womenÂāĻ¨āĻžāĻ°ā§ āĻĻāĻ° āĻĻāĻ āĻ˛Íž
ā§Šā§ŦāĨ¤ advisory bodyÂāĻāĻĒ āĻĻ āĻž āĻŦāĻžāĻĄÍž
ā§Šā§āĨ¤ HoweverÂāĻŋāĻ Íž
ā§Šā§ŽāĨ¤ have claimed thatÂāĻĻāĻžāĻŋāĻŦ āĻāĻžāĻŋāĻ¨ ā§ āĻāĻ¨ āĻ¯Íž
ā§Šā§¯āĨ¤ women constituted 33 percent of each of their central committeesÂāĻ¤āĻž āĻĻāĻ°
āĻ¤ āĻāĻ° āĻ ā§ā§ āĻāĻŋāĻŽāĻŋāĻ āĻ¤ ā§Šā§Š āĻļāĻ¤āĻžāĻāĻļ āĻ¨āĻžāĻ°ā§ āĻ āĻÍž
ā§Ēā§ĻāĨ¤ Given the situationÂāĻāĻŽāĻ¤āĻžāĻŦ āĻžā§Íž āĻĒāĻŋāĻ°āĻŋ āĻŋāĻ¤ āĻ¤Íž
ā§Ēā§§āĨ¤ we need to find outÂāĻāĻŽāĻž āĻĻāĻ° āĻā§
āĻ āĻŦāĻ° āĻāĻ°āĻž āĻĻāĻ°āĻāĻžāĻ°Íž
ā§Ēā§¨āĨ¤ preciselyÂāĻŋāĻ¨āĻāĻ˛āĻāĻž āĻŦÍž
ā§Ēā§ŠāĨ¤ have failed to achieveÂāĻ āĻāĻ¨ āĻāĻ° āĻ¤ āĻŦ āĻĨ āĻš ā§ āĻÍž
ā§Ēā§ĒāĨ¤ Clearly āĻāĻž āĻŦ āĻŦāĻ˛ āĻ˛ āĻŦāĻ˛ āĻ¤ āĻšā§Íž
ā§Ēā§ĢāĨ¤ was not given much attentionÂāĻ¯ āĻĨ āĻŽ āĻ¨āĻž āĻ¯āĻžāĻ āĻāĻāĻˇāĻŖ āĻ āĻ°āĻŋāĻ¨Íž
ā§Ēā§ŦāĨ¤ by our political leadersÂāĻāĻŽāĻž āĻĻāĻ° āĻ°āĻžāĻ āĻ¨āĻŋāĻ¤āĻ āĻ¨āĻ¤āĻž āĻĻāĻ°Íž
ā§Ēā§āĨ¤ because ofÂāĻāĻžāĻ° āĻŖÍž āĻ āĻ¨ Íž āĻĻ āĻ¨Íž
ā§Ēā§ŽāĨ¤ patriarchal mindsetÂāĻĒā§
āĻˇāĻļāĻžāĻŋāĻ¸āĻ¤ āĻŽ āĻ¨āĻžāĻāĻžāĻŦÍž
ā§Ēā§¯āĨ¤ let aloneÂāĻĻā§
āĻ° āĻĨāĻžāĻÍž āĻĻā§
āĻ°āĻ° āĻāĻĨāĻžÍž
ā§Ģā§ĻāĨ¤ in the various committeesÂāĻŋāĻŦāĻŋāĻ āĻāĻŋāĻŽāĻŋāĻ āĻ¤Íž
ā§Ģā§§āĨ¤ According to ÂāĻŽ āĻ¤Íž āĻ āĻ¨ā§
āĻ¸āĻž āĻ°Íž āĻ āĻ¨ā§
āĻ¯āĻžā§ā§Íž
27. ā§Ģā§¨āĨ¤ women's rights activistsÂāĻ¨āĻžāĻ°ā§ āĻ āĻŋāĻ§āĻāĻžāĻ° āĻāĻŽ Íž
ā§Ģā§ŠāĨ¤ women members of our political partiesÂāĻāĻŽāĻž āĻĻāĻ° āĻ°āĻžāĻ āĻ¨āĻŋāĻ¤ āĻĻāĻ˛ āĻ˛āĻžāĻ° āĻ¨āĻžāĻ°ā§ āĻ¸āĻĻāĻ¸ Íž
ā§Ģā§ĒāĨ¤ generallyÂāĻ¸āĻžāĻ§āĻžāĻ°āĻŖāĻāĻž āĻŦÍž
ā§Ģā§ĢāĨ¤ do not have any decisionÂmaking power āĻāĻžāĻ¨ āĻŋāĻ¸ āĻž āĻš āĻŖāĻ° āĻŽāĻ¤āĻž āĻ¨āĻÍž
ā§Ģā§ŦāĨ¤ they are always looked down upon by their male counterpartsÂāĻ¤āĻžāĻ°āĻž āĻ¤āĻž āĻĻāĻ° āĻĒā§
āĻˇ
āĻ¸āĻšāĻāĻŽ āĻ° āĻžāĻ°āĻž āĻšā§āĻ¨ āĻŋāĻŦ āĻŦāĻŋāĻāĻ¤ āĻš ā§ āĻĨāĻž āĻÍž
ā§Ģā§āĨ¤ male counterpartsÂāĻĒā§āĻˇ āĻ¸āĻšāĻāĻŽ Íž
ā§Ģā§ŽāĨ¤ definitely discourageÂāĻŋāĻ¨:āĻ¸ āĻš āĻŋāĻ¨ ā§āĻ¸āĻžāĻŋāĻšāĻ¤ āĻ āĻ°Íž
ā§Ģā§¯āĨ¤ the educated and intellectually active womenÂāĻŋāĻļāĻŋ āĻ¤ āĻāĻŦāĻ āĻŦā§
āĻŋ āĻŦā§
āĻŋ āĻāĻāĻž āĻŦ āĻ¸āĻŋ ā§
āĻ¨āĻžāĻ°ā§Íž
ā§Ŧā§ĻāĨ¤ to come to politicsÂāĻ°āĻžāĻāĻ¨ā§āĻŋāĻ¤ āĻ¤ āĻāĻ¸āĻžāĻ° āĻāĻ¨ Íž
ā§Ŧā§§āĨ¤ Such attitudes of our political parties ÂāĻāĻŽāĻž āĻĻāĻ° āĻ°āĻžāĻ āĻ¨āĻŋāĻ¤āĻ āĻĻāĻ˛ āĻ˛āĻžāĻ° āĻāĻŽāĻ¨
āĻŽ āĻ¨āĻžāĻāĻžāĻŦ/āĻĻā§
āĻŋ āĻāĻŋ Íž
ā§Ŧā§¨āĨ¤ must changeÂāĻ āĻŦāĻļ āĻ āĻĒāĻŋāĻ°āĻŦāĻ¤āĻ¨ āĻāĻ° āĻ¤ āĻš āĻŦÍž
ā§Ŧā§ŠāĨ¤ if we are to bring more women into politics āĻ¨āĻžāĻ°ā§ āĻĻāĻ° āĻ āĻ¯āĻŋāĻĻ āĻāĻŽāĻž āĻĻāĻ° āĻ āĻ°āĻž
āĻ°āĻžāĻāĻ¨ā§āĻŋāĻ¤ āĻ¤ āĻāĻ¨ āĻ¤ āĻšā§Íž
******āĻāĻŦāĻžāĻ° āĻŽā§
āĻ˛ āĻ¸ āĻžāĻĻāĻā§ā§āĻŋāĻ āĻĒāĻŋā§*****
Why is womenâs political participation still so low?
Only five parties have the required representation!
***************************
While women should make up a third of any political party, as stipulated by the
Representation of the People Order, except for five parties, no other political party in
the country has the required percentage of women's participation. Although
reserving 33 percent of the committee positions for women is a prerequisite for any
political party to be registered with the Election Commission and this requirement
should be met by 2020, with only nine months for the deadline to end, most of the
political parties have not managed to meet the requirement. What is more, only four
of the parties have women as their heads, including the Awami League and the BNP.
Our reporter has talked to leaders of 25 out of the country's 41 registered political
parties and found a rather dismal picture of women's participation in these parties.
What is most shocking is the fact that even the ruling AL has only nineteen women
in its 74Âmember central committee, meaning that only 26 percent of the committee
positions are held by women. While the BNP has 11 percent women's participation
in its advisory body, the Jatiya Party seems to have no data on women's
participation in the party. However, five parties, including Gono Front, Zaker Party
and Jatiya Ganatantrik Party, have claimed that women constituted 33 percent of
each of their central committees.
Given the situation, we need to find out precisely why our political parties have failed
to achieve the goal set some 12 years ago. Clearly, the issue was not given much
28. attention by our political leaders because of their patriarchal mindset which still
makes them doubt the necessity of including women in the party, let alone in the
various committees. According to women's rights activists, women members of our
political parties generally do not have any decisionÂmaking power and they are
always looked down upon by their male counterparts, which definitely discourage the
educated and intellectually active women to come to politics. Such attitudes of our
political parties must change if we are to bring more women into politics.
March 10, 2020
The Daily Star Editorial
***************************
āĻĨ āĻŽ āĻļ āĻžāĻĨ āĻŋāĻ˛ āĻ āĻ¨ āĻŋāĻ¨āĻ
===================
ā§§āĨ¤ panicÂāĻāĻ¤ āĻšāĻā§āĻžÍž
ā§¨āĨ¤ prudentÂāĻ¸āĻ¤āĻÍž āĻĻā§
āĻ°āĻĻāĻļ Íž
ā§ŠāĨ¤ about coronavirusÂāĻ āĻ°āĻžāĻ¨āĻžāĻāĻžāĻāĻ°āĻžāĻ¸ āĻ¸ āĻÍž
ā§ĒāĨ¤ Precautionary measuresÂāĻĒā§
āĻŦ āĻ¸āĻ¤āĻāĻ¤āĻžāĻŽā§
āĻ˛āĻ āĻŦ āĻŦ āĻžÍž
ā§ĢāĨ¤ speed up āĻāĻžāĻ¨ āĻŋāĻāĻāĻ° āĻŦāĻ āĻŦā§
āĻŋ āĻāĻ°āĻžÍž
ā§ŦāĨ¤ heartenedÂāĻ āĻŋāĻ¸āĻ¤Íž
ā§āĨ¤ by the Prime Minister's assurance āĻ§āĻžāĻ¨āĻŽ ā§āĻ° āĻ āĻž āĻ¸Íž
ā§ŽāĨ¤ the government is taking all measures ÂāĻ¸āĻ°āĻāĻžāĻ° āĻ¸āĻāĻ˛ āĻŦ āĻŦ āĻž āĻŋāĻ¨ Íž
ā§¯āĨ¤ to make sureÂāĻŋāĻ¨āĻŋ āĻ¤ āĻāĻ° āĻ¤Íž
ā§§ā§ĻāĨ¤ Bangladesh can handleÂāĻŦāĻžāĻāĻ˛āĻž āĻĻāĻļ āĻŽāĻžāĻāĻž āĻŦāĻ˛āĻž āĻāĻ° āĻ¤ āĻĒāĻž āĻ°Íž
ā§§ā§§āĨ¤ onslaught āĻ āĻ āĻŽāĻŖÍž
ā§§ā§¨āĨ¤ the onslaught of the coronavirusÂāĻ āĻ°āĻžāĻ¨āĻžāĻāĻžāĻāĻ°āĻž āĻ¸āĻ° āĻ āĻ āĻŽāĻŖÍž
ā§§ā§ŠāĨ¤ we cannot help but feel concernedÂāĻāĻŽāĻ°āĻž āĻāĻŋ āĻ¨āĻž āĻš ā§ āĻĒāĻžāĻŋāĻ° āĻ¨āĻžÍž
ā§§ā§ĒāĨ¤ regardingÂāĻ¸ āĻÍž
ā§§ā§ĢāĨ¤ our preparednessÂāĻāĻŽāĻž āĻĻāĻ° āĻŋāĻ¤Íž
ā§§ā§ŦāĨ¤ a possible epidemicÂāĻ¸ āĻžāĻŦ āĻŽāĻšāĻžāĻŽāĻžāĻ°ā§Íž
ā§§ā§āĨ¤ three confirmed casesÂāĻŋāĻ¤āĻ¨āĻŋāĻ āĻŋāĻ¨āĻŋ āĻ¤ Íž
ā§§ā§ŽāĨ¤ the intense density of populationÂāĻāĻ¨āĻ¸āĻāĻ āĻžāĻ° āĻŋāĻŦāĻĒā§
āĻ˛ āĻāĻ¨ Íž
ā§§ā§¯āĨ¤ in our cities and townsÂāĻāĻŽāĻž āĻĻāĻ° āĻ¨āĻāĻ° āĻ āĻļāĻšāĻ° āĻŋāĻ˛ āĻ¤Íž
ā§¨ā§ĻāĨ¤ a new dimensionÂāĻāĻāĻŋāĻ āĻ¨āĻ¤āĻ¨ āĻŽāĻž āĻžÍž
29. ā§¨ā§§āĨ¤ the crisisÂāĻ¸āĻāĻāĻÍž
ā§¨ā§¨āĨ¤ ThusÂāĻ¸ā§
āĻ¤āĻ°āĻžāĻÍž
ā§¨ā§ŠāĨ¤ the need for preparedness āĻŋāĻ¤āĻ° ā§āĻžāĻāĻ¨ā§ā§āĻ¤āĻžÍž
ā§¨ā§ĒāĨ¤ for taking measuresÂāĻŦ āĻŦ āĻž āĻ¨ā§āĻžāĻ° āĻāĻ¨ Íž
ā§¨ā§ĢāĨ¤ to minimise the suffering of peopleÂāĻāĻ¨āĻĻā§
āĻāĻžāĻ āĻāĻŽāĻž āĻ¨āĻžÍž
ā§¨ā§ŦāĨ¤ an outbreak of the virus occursÂāĻ¸ā§āĻāĻžāĻāĻ°āĻž āĻ¸āĻ° āĻžāĻĻā§
āĻāĻžāĻŦÍž
ā§¨ā§āĨ¤ emphasis āĻĻāĻžāĻ¨ āĻāĻ°āĻžÍž
ā§¨ā§ŽāĨ¤ TrueÂāĻ¸āĻ¤ āĻš āĻ˛āĻžÍž
ā§¨ā§¯āĨ¤ the government has provided hotlinesÂāĻ¸āĻ°āĻāĻžāĻ° āĻšāĻāĻ˛āĻžāĻāĻ¨ āĻ¸āĻ°āĻŦāĻ°āĻžāĻš āĻ āĻ° āĻÍž
ā§Šā§ĻāĨ¤ for the publicÂāĻāĻ¨āĻ āĻŖāĻ° āĻāĻ¨ Íž
ā§Šā§§āĨ¤ to call and get helpÂāĻāĻ˛ āĻĻā§āĻžāĻ° āĻāĻ¨ āĻāĻŦāĻ āĻ¸āĻžāĻšāĻžāĻ¯ āĻĒāĻžāĻā§āĻžāĻ° āĻāĻ¨ Íž
ā§Šā§¨āĨ¤ the actual healthcare facilities āĻ
ā§
āĻ¤ āĻž āĻ¸āĻŦāĻž āĻ¸ā§
āĻŋāĻŦāĻ§āĻžÍž
ā§Šā§ŠāĨ¤ According to expertsÂāĻŋāĻŦ āĻļāĻˇ āĻĻāĻ° āĻŽ āĻ¤Íž
ā§Šā§ĒāĨ¤ the high contagiousness of the virus ÂāĻāĻžāĻāĻ°āĻž āĻ¸āĻ° āĻ āĻ¸āĻ āĻŽāĻŖāĻ¤āĻžÍž
ā§Šā§ĢāĨ¤ solely āĻāĻŦāĻ˛āĻŽāĻž Íž
ā§Šā§ŦāĨ¤ spreadÂāĻāĻŋā§ ā§ āĻĒā§āĻžÍž
ā§Šā§āĨ¤ Greater awarenessÂāĻŦā§
āĻš āĻ° āĻ¸ āĻāĻ¤āĻ¨āĻ¤āĻžÍž
ā§Šā§ŽāĨ¤ among the publicÂāĻāĻ¨āĻ āĻŖāĻ° āĻŽāĻž āĻÍž
ā§Šā§¯āĨ¤ health professionalsÂāĻŋāĻāĻŋāĻā§āĻ¸āĻÍž
ā§Ēā§ĻāĨ¤ who will be in direct contact with patientsÂāĻ¯āĻžāĻ°āĻž āĻ¸āĻ°āĻžāĻ¸āĻŋāĻ° āĻ°āĻžāĻā§ āĻĻāĻ° āĻ¸āĻž āĻĨ āĻ¯āĻžāĻāĻž āĻ¯āĻžāĻ
āĻāĻ° āĻŦÍž
ā§Ēā§§āĨ¤ AlthoughÂāĻ¯āĻŋāĻĻāĻÍž
ā§Ēā§¨āĨ¤ many hospitalsÂāĻ āĻ¨āĻ āĻšāĻžāĻ¸āĻĒāĻžāĻ¤āĻžāĻ˛Íž
ā§Ēā§ŠāĨ¤ have not yet receivedÂāĻāĻāĻ¨āĻ āĻšāĻŖ āĻ āĻ°āĻŋāĻ¨Íž
ā§Ēā§ĒāĨ¤ on an urgent basisÂāĻ āĻŋāĻ° āĻŋāĻāĻŋ āĻ¤Íž
ā§Ēā§ĢāĨ¤ infection from this virus ÂāĻāĻ āĻāĻžāĻāĻ°āĻžāĻ¸ āĻĨ āĻ āĻ¸āĻ āĻŽāĻŖÍž
ā§Ēā§ŦāĨ¤ globallyÂāĻŋāĻŦ āĻŦ āĻžāĻĒā§Íž
ā§Ēā§āĨ¤ People have been advised to wash their handsÂāĻāĻ¨āĻāĻŖ āĻ āĻšāĻžāĻ¤ āĻ§ā§āĻ¤ āĻāĻ°āĻžāĻ° āĻĒāĻ°āĻžāĻŽāĻļ
āĻĻā§āĻž āĻš ā§ āĻÍž
ā§Ēā§ŽāĨ¤ frequently ÂāĻŦāĻžāĻ°āĻŦāĻžāĻ°Íž āĻāĻ¨āĻāĻ¨Íž
ā§Ēā§¯āĨ¤ with soap and water ÂāĻ¸āĻžāĻŦāĻžāĻ¨ āĻāĻŦāĻ āĻĒāĻžāĻŋāĻ¨āĻ° āĻ¸āĻžāĻšāĻž āĻ¯ Íž
ā§Ģā§ĻāĨ¤ the basic preventive measures āĻŽā§āĻŋāĻ˛āĻ āĻŋāĻ¤ āĻ°āĻžāĻ§āĻŽā§
āĻ˛āĻ āĻŦ āĻŦ āĻžÍž
30. ā§Ģā§§āĨ¤ such facilitiesÂāĻāĻŽāĻ¨ āĻ¸ā§
āĻŋāĻŦāĻ§āĻžÍž
ā§Ģā§¨āĨ¤ in densely populated areasÂāĻāĻ¨āĻŦ āĻ˛ āĻāĻ˛āĻžāĻāĻžā§Íž
ā§Ģā§ŠāĨ¤ like slumsÂāĻŦāĻŋ āĻĻāĻ° āĻŽāĻ¤Íž
ā§Ģā§ĒāĨ¤ Of courseÂāĻ āĻŦāĻļ āĻÍž
ā§Ģā§ĢāĨ¤ feeling helplessÂāĻ āĻ¸āĻšāĻžā§ āĻ āĻ¨ā§
āĻāĻŦÍž
ā§Ģā§ŦāĨ¤ a prudent moveÂāĻŋāĻŦāĻ āĻŖ āĻĒāĻĻ āĻĒÍž
ā§Ģā§āĨ¤ the government has postponedÂāĻ¸āĻ°āĻāĻžāĻ° āĻŋāĻāĻ¤ āĻ āĻ° āĻÍž
ā§Ģā§ŽāĨ¤ the March 17 grand rallyÂā§§ā§āĻ āĻŽāĻž āĻāĻ° āĻŦā§
āĻšā§ āĻ¸āĻŽāĻž āĻŦāĻļÍž
ā§Ģā§¯āĨ¤ in view ofÂāĻĒāĻŋāĻ° āĻŋ āĻ¤Íž
ā§Ŧā§ĻāĨ¤ We hope thatÂāĻāĻŽāĻ°āĻž āĻāĻļāĻž āĻāĻŋāĻ°Íž
ā§Ŧā§§āĨ¤ other public gatheringsÂāĻ āĻ¨ āĻāĻ¨āĻ¸āĻŽāĻžāĻāĻŽÍž
ā§Ŧā§¨āĨ¤ We also expectÂāĻāĻŽāĻ°āĻž āĻ¤ āĻžāĻļāĻžāĻ āĻāĻŋāĻ°Íž
ā§Ŧā§ŠāĨ¤ assess the situationÂāĻĒāĻŋāĻ°āĻŋ āĻŋāĻ¤ āĻŽā§
āĻ˛ āĻžā§āĻ¨ āĻāĻ°āĻžÍž
ā§Ŧā§ĒāĨ¤ consider what precautions should be taken āĻĒā§
āĻŦāĻ¸āĻ¤āĻāĻ¤āĻžāĻŽā§
āĻ˛āĻ āĻ¯ āĻŦ āĻŦ āĻž āĻ¨ā§āĻž āĻš ā§ āĻ
āĻ¤āĻž āĻŋāĻŦ āĻŦāĻāĻ¨āĻž āĻāĻ°āĻžÍž
ā§Ŧā§ĢāĨ¤ educational institutionsÂāĻŋāĻļ āĻž āĻŋāĻ¤ āĻžāĻ¨Íž
ā§Ŧā§ŦāĨ¤ stay on alertÂāĻ¸āĻ¤āĻ āĻĨāĻžāĻāĻžÍž
ā§Ŧā§āĨ¤ especiallyÂāĻŋāĻŦ āĻļāĻˇ āĻ āĻ°Íž
ā§Ŧā§ŽāĨ¤ low immunityÂāĻŋāĻ¨ āĻŽāĻž āĻ¨āĻ° āĻŋāĻ¨āĻ°āĻžāĻĒ āĻžÍž
ā§Ŧā§¯āĨ¤ asthma and other respiratory problemsÂāĻšāĻžāĻĒāĻžāĻŋāĻ¨ āĻāĻŦāĻ āĻžāĻ¸āĻŋ ā§āĻžāĻ° āĻ āĻ¨ āĻžāĻ¨ āĻ¸āĻŽāĻ¸ āĻžÍž
ā§ā§ĻāĨ¤ at risk ÂāĻ
ā§
āĻŋāĻ āĻ¤Íž
ā§ā§§āĨ¤ severely ÂāĻ āĻ āĻžāĻ°āĻāĻž āĻŦÍž
ā§ā§¨āĨ¤ affectedÂāĻ āĻž Íž
*******āĻāĻŦāĻžāĻ° āĻŽā§
āĻ˛ āĻ¸ āĻžāĻĻāĻā§ā§āĻŋāĻ āĻĒāĻŋā§*******
Donât panic but be prudent about coronavirus
Precautionary measures must be sped up
*************************
While we are heartened by the Prime Minister's assurance that the government is
taking all measures to make sure Bangladesh can handle the onslaught of the
coronavirus, we cannot help but feel concerned regarding our preparedness for a
possible epidemic, if it comes to that. With three confirmed cases in Bangladesh and
given the intense density of population in our cities and towns, there is a new
31. dimension that has been added to the crisis. Thus, the need for preparedness and
for taking measures to minimise the suffering of people, should an outbreak of the
virus occurs, cannot be emphasised enough.
True, the government has provided hotlines for the public to call and get help, but
what about the actual healthcare facilities? According to experts, the high
contagiousness of the virus warrants having healthcare facilities solely for CovidÂ19
patients so that it does not spread. Greater awareness regarding precautions are
needed not only among the public, but also health professionals who will be in direct
contact with patients. Although the government has started distributing personal
protective equipment (PPE) to hospitals, there are still many hospitals that have not
yet received them. PPEs and other necessary equipment and measures have to be
in place in hospitals on an urgent basis, given the speed with which infection from
this virus spreads, as we have seen globally. People have been advised to wash
their hands frequently with soap and water as one of the basic preventive
measuresâhow readily available are such facilities in densely populated areas like
slums, in bazaars, in schools or even in health care complexes?
Of course there is no value in panicking and feeling helpless. But we must take all
the measures that can be taken to prevent infections from spreading. It is a prudent
move that the government has postponed the March 17 grand rally in view of the
coronavirus crisis and with three confirmed cases in Bangladesh. We hope that
other public gatherings will be kept on hold for the time being. We also expect the
government will assess the situation and consider what precautions should be taken
with regards to educational institutions. The public and health care professionals
must stay on alert, especially with regard to the elderly, people with low immunity
and those who already have preÂexisting health conditions such as asthma and
other respiratory problems, all of whom are particularly at risk of being severely
affected if infected by the virus.
March 11, 2020
The Daily Star Editorial
***************************
āĻĨ āĻŽ āĻļ āĻžāĻĨ āĻŋāĻ˛ āĻ āĻ¨ āĻŋāĻ¨āĻ
==================
ā§§āĨ¤ Public awarenessÂāĻāĻ¨ÂāĻ¸ āĻāĻ¤āĻ¨āĻ¤āĻžÍž
ā§¨āĨ¤ in tackling coronavirusÂāĻ āĻ°āĻžāĻ¨āĻžāĻāĻžāĻāĻ°āĻžāĻ¸ āĻŽāĻžāĻāĻž āĻŦāĻ˛āĻžā§Íž
ā§ŠāĨ¤ Make available clear guidelinesÂāĻŦ āĻŦāĻšāĻž āĻ°āĻžāĻĒ āĻ¯āĻžāĻā§ āĻŋāĻ¨ āĻĻāĻļāĻ¨āĻž āĻ¤āĻŋāĻ° āĻ āĻ¨Íž
ā§ĒāĨ¤ daily awareness drives āĻĻāĻŋāĻ¨āĻ āĻ¸ āĻāĻ¤āĻ¨āĻ¤āĻž āĻ āĻŋāĻāĻ¯āĻžāĻ¨Íž
ā§ĢāĨ¤ The response to the newsÂāĻ¸āĻāĻŦāĻž āĻĻāĻ° āĻŋāĻ¤āĻŋ ā§āĻžÍž
ā§ŦāĨ¤ of coronavirus casesÂāĻ āĻ°āĻžāĻ¨āĻžāĻāĻžāĻāĻ°āĻžāĻ¸ āĻāĻāĻ¨āĻžāĻ°Íž
ā§āĨ¤ being reported in BangladeshÂāĻŦāĻžāĻāĻ˛āĻž āĻĻ āĻļ āĻŋāĻ¤ āĻŦāĻĻāĻ¨ āĻāĻžāĻļ āĻšāĻā§āĻžā§Íž
ā§ŽāĨ¤ widespread panic āĻ¤ āĻāĻŋā§ ā§ āĻĒā§āĻž āĻŦ āĻžāĻĒāĻ āĻāĻ¤ Íž
32. ā§¯āĨ¤ According to a report by The Daily Star āĻĄāĻāĻ˛ āĻž āĻ°āĻ° āĻāĻāĻŋāĻ āĻŋāĻ¤ āĻŦāĻĻāĻ¨ āĻ āĻ¨ā§
āĻ¯āĻžā§ā§Íž
ā§§ā§ĻāĨ¤ greet withÂ(āĻāĻŦāĻ°, āĻāĻāĻ¨āĻž āĻāĻ¤ āĻžāĻŋāĻĻ) āĻšāĻŖ āĻāĻ°āĻžÍž
ā§§ā§§āĨ¤ buying and hoarding ā§ āĻāĻŦāĻ āĻŽāĻā§
āĻ¤Íž
ā§§ā§¨āĨ¤ antiseptic liquidsÂāĻā§āĻŦāĻžāĻŖā§
āĻ¨āĻžāĻļāĻ āĻ¤āĻ°āĻ˛ āĻĒāĻĻāĻžāĻĨÍž
ā§§ā§ŠāĨ¤ protectionÂāĻ¸ā§
āĻ° āĻžÍž
ā§§ā§ĒāĨ¤ a potential spread of the virusÂāĻāĻžāĻāĻ°āĻž āĻ¸āĻ° āĻ¸ āĻžāĻŦ āĻāĻŋā§ ā§ āĻĒā§āĻžÍž
ā§§ā§ĢāĨ¤ globally infectedÂāĻŋāĻŦ āĻŦ āĻžāĻĒā§ āĻ¸āĻ āĻŋāĻŽāĻ¤Íž
ā§§ā§ŦāĨ¤ killed ÂāĻŋāĻ¨āĻšāĻ¤ āĻš ā§ āĻÍž
ā§§ā§āĨ¤ at leastÂāĻāĻŽāĻĒ Íž
ā§§ā§ŽāĨ¤ so farÂāĻ āĻ¯āĻžāĻŦā§Íž
ā§§ā§¯āĨ¤ reportÂāĻŋāĻŦāĻŦāĻ°āĻŖ āĻĻāĻā§āĻžÍž
ā§¨ā§ĻāĨ¤ a shortage of these itemsÂāĻāĻ¸āĻŦ āĻāĻĒāĻāĻ°āĻŖ āĻŋāĻ˛āĻ° āĻāĻžāĻāĻŋāĻ¤Íž
ā§¨ā§§āĨ¤ thanks to ÂāĻāĻžāĻ° āĻŖÍž āĻ āĻ¨ Íž āĻĻ āĻŖÍž
ā§¨ā§¨āĨ¤ stockpilingÂāĻ¸āĻāĻ°āĻžāĻāĻ° āĻĒāĻžāĻā§āĻž āĻ¯āĻžā§āĻ¨āĻž āĻāĻŽāĻ¨ āĻŋāĻāĻŋāĻ¨āĻŋāĻ¸ āĻŋāĻ āĻ¨ āĻŽāĻā§
āĻ¤ āĻ°āĻžāĻāĻžÍž
ā§¨ā§ŠāĨ¤ the demand for tissue paperÂāĻŋāĻāĻ¸ā§āĻĒāĻĒāĻž āĻ°āĻ° āĻāĻžāĻŋāĻšāĻĻāĻžÍž
ā§¨ā§ĒāĨ¤ special protection ÂāĻŋāĻŦ āĻļāĻˇ āĻ¸ā§
āĻ° āĻžÍž
ā§¨ā§ĢāĨ¤ almost āĻžā§Íž
ā§¨ā§ŦāĨ¤ doubled overnightÂāĻ°āĻžāĻ¤āĻžāĻ°āĻžāĻŋāĻ¤ āĻŋ āĻŖ āĻšāĻā§āĻžÍž
ā§¨ā§āĨ¤ retailersÂāĻā§
āĻāĻ°āĻž āĻŋāĻŦ āĻ¤āĻžÍž
ā§¨ā§ŽāĨ¤ a buying frenzy āĻāĻ¨āĻžāĻ° āĻ āĻ¤āĻž/ āĻŋāĻ¤ āĻ¯āĻžāĻŋāĻāĻ¤āĻžÍž
ā§¨ā§¯āĨ¤ wellÂknownÂāĻ¸ā§
āĻĒāĻŋāĻ°āĻŋāĻāĻ¤Íž
ā§Šā§ĻāĨ¤ deprive those who might need themÂāĻ¯āĻž āĻĻāĻ° ā§āĻžāĻāĻ¨ āĻ¤āĻž āĻĻāĻ° āĻ āĻŦāĻŋ āĻ¤ āĻ āĻ°Íž
ā§Šā§§āĨ¤ uncheckedÂāĻ āĻŋāĻ¨ā§āĻŋ āĻ¤Íž āĻ āĻŦāĻžāĻ§Íž
ā§Šā§¨āĨ¤ the effects of panicÂbuying and hoarding ÂāĻāĻ¤ āĻāĻ¨āĻž āĻāĻŦāĻ āĻŽāĻā§
āĻ¤ āĻāĻ°āĻžāĻ° āĻāĻžāĻŦÍž
ā§Šā§ŠāĨ¤ eventually ÂāĻĢ āĻ˛Íž
ā§Šā§ĒāĨ¤ extend ÂāĻŦāĻžāĻŋā§ ā§ āĻĻāĻā§āĻžÍž
ā§Šā§ĢāĨ¤ daily essentialsÂāĻŋāĻ¨āĻ¤ ā§āĻžāĻāĻ¨ā§ā§ āĻŋāĻāĻŋāĻ¨āĻ¸āĻĒ Íž
ā§Šā§ŦāĨ¤ resulting inÂāĻĢ āĻ˛Íž
ā§Šā§āĨ¤ total chaos in the marketÂāĻŦāĻžāĻāĻž āĻ° āĻ¸ ā§
āĻŖ āĻ¨āĻ°āĻžāĻ /āĻŋāĻŦāĻļā§āĻ˛āĻžÍž
ā§Šā§ŽāĨ¤ desirable ÂāĻāĻžāĻŋ āĻ¤
ā§Šā§¯āĨ¤ at this stageÂāĻāĻ āĻĒāĻ¯āĻž ā§Íž
33. ā§Ēā§ĻāĨ¤ Experts ÂāĻŋāĻŦ āĻļāĻˇ āĻ°āĻžÍž
ā§Ēā§§āĨ¤ some explanationsÂāĻŋāĻāĻ āĻŦ āĻžāĻ āĻžÍž
ā§Ēā§¨āĨ¤ extremesÂāĻāĻ°āĻŽāĻ¸ā§āĻŽāĻžÍž āĻāĻ°āĻŽ āĻŽāĻž āĻžÍž
ā§Ēā§ŠāĨ¤ because of ÂāĻāĻžāĻ° āĻŖÍž
ā§Ēā§ĒāĨ¤ unpredictabilityÂāĻ āĻŋāĻ¨āĻŋ ā§āĻ¤āĻžÍž
ā§Ēā§ĢāĨ¤ mysteriesÂāĻ°āĻšāĻ¸ Íž
ā§Ēā§ŦāĨ¤ the lack of a clear direction āĻŋāĻ¨ āĻĻāĻļāĻ¨āĻžāĻ° āĻāĻžāĻāĻŋāĻ¤/āĻ āĻāĻžāĻŦÍž
ā§Ēā§āĨ¤ as well asÂāĻĒāĻžāĻļāĻžāĻĒāĻžāĻŋāĻļÍž āĻÍž
ā§Ēā§ŽāĨ¤ the lack of preparedness  āĻŋāĻ¤āĻ° āĻāĻžāĻāĻŋāĻ¤Íž
ā§Ēā§¯āĨ¤ from health officials, etcÂāĻŋāĻāĻŋāĻā§āĻ¸āĻ āĻāĻ¤ āĻžāĻŋāĻĻāĻ° āĻĒ āĻĨ āĻÍž
ā§Ģā§ĻāĨ¤ Whatever the reasonÂāĻāĻžāĻ°āĻŖ āĻ¯āĻžāĻ āĻšāĻžāĻ āĻ¨āĻž āĻāĻ¨Íž
ā§Ģā§§āĨ¤ find a way to addressÂāĻ¸āĻŽāĻžāĻ§āĻž āĻ¨āĻ° āĻĒāĻĨ/āĻĒ āĻŋāĻ¤ āĻŦāĻ° āĻāĻ°āĻžÍž
ā§Ģā§¨āĨ¤ clear communicationÂāĻ āĻŦāĻžāĻ§ āĻ¯āĻžāĻāĻž āĻ¯āĻžāĻÍž
ā§Ģā§ŠāĨ¤ essenceÂāĻ¸āĻžāĻ°āĻžāĻāĻļÍž āĻŋāĻ¨āĻ¯āĻžāĻ¸Íž
ā§Ģā§ĒāĨ¤ want to limitÂāĻ¸ā§āĻŽāĻž āĻŋāĻ¨āĻ§āĻžāĻ°āĻŖ āĻāĻ° āĻ¤ āĻāĻžāĻā§āĻžÍž
ā§Ģā§ĢāĨ¤ the public engagement issueÂāĻāĻ¨āĻ¸ ā§ āĻŋāĻŦāĻˇā§Íž
ā§Ģā§ŦāĨ¤ responsible behaviourÂāĻĻāĻžā§āĻŦ āĻāĻāĻ°āĻŖÍž
ā§Ģā§āĨ¤ enormous help āĻāĻ° āĻ¸āĻšāĻžā§āĻ¤āĻžÍž
ā§Ģā§ŽāĨ¤ coming from abroadÂāĻŋāĻŦ āĻĻāĻļ āĻĨ āĻ āĻāĻ¸ āĻÍž
ā§Ģā§¯āĨ¤ in particularÂāĻŋāĻŦ āĻļāĻˇ āĻ āĻ°Íž
ā§Ŧā§ĻāĨ¤ to the authoritiesÂāĻāĻ¤ā§
āĻĒ āĻ° āĻāĻž āĻÍž
ā§Ŧā§§āĨ¤ should be strongly dealt withÂāĻ āĻ āĻžāĻ°āĻāĻž āĻŦ āĻŦ āĻŦ āĻž āĻ¨ā§āĻž āĻāĻŋāĻāĻ¤Íž
ā§Ŧā§¨āĨ¤ health officials āĻž āĻāĻŽāĻāĻ¤āĻžāĻŦā§Íž
ā§Ŧā§ŠāĨ¤ daily awareness campaigns āĻĻāĻŋāĻ¨āĻ āĻ¸ āĻāĻ¤āĻ¨āĻ¤āĻž āĻ āĻŋāĻāĻ¯āĻžāĻ¨Íž
ā§Ŧā§ĒāĨ¤ social mediaÂāĻ¸āĻžāĻŽāĻžāĻŋāĻāĻ āĻ¯āĻžāĻāĻž āĻ¯āĻžāĻ āĻŽāĻžāĻ§ āĻŽÍž
ā§Ŧā§ĢāĨ¤ advantages ÂāĻ¸ā§
āĻ¯āĻžāĻÂāĻ¸ā§
āĻŋāĻŦāĻ§āĻžÍž
ā§Ŧā§ŦāĨ¤ for exampleÂāĻāĻĻāĻžāĻšāĻ°āĻŖ āĻĒÍž
ā§Ŧā§āĨ¤ they have formed a cell ÂāĻ¤āĻžāĻ°āĻž āĻāĻāĻŋāĻ āĻ¸āĻ˛ āĻāĻ āĻ¨ āĻ āĻ° āĻÍž
ā§Ŧā§ŽāĨ¤ to counter the spread of misinformationÂāĻāĻ˛ āĻ¤āĻĨ āĻāĻŋā§ ā§ āĻĻā§āĻž āĻ āĻāĻž āĻ¤/ āĻŽāĻžāĻāĻž āĻŦāĻ˛āĻž
āĻāĻ° āĻ¤Íž
ā§Ŧā§¯āĨ¤ mount āĻžāĻĒāĻ¨ āĻāĻ°āĻžÍž
34. ā§ā§ĻāĨ¤ a massive cleaning campaignÂāĻŋāĻŦāĻļāĻžāĻ˛ āĻĒāĻŋāĻ° āĻ āĻŋāĻāĻ¯āĻžāĻ¨Íž
ā§ā§§āĨ¤ every single household āĻ¤ āĻāĻŋāĻ āĻāĻāĻ āĻĒāĻŋāĻ°āĻŦāĻžāĻ°Íž
ā§ā§¨āĨ¤ howeverÂāĻŋāĻ Íž
ā§ā§ŠāĨ¤ undertakeÂāĻĻāĻžāĻŋā§ āĻāĻžāĻ° āĻšāĻŖ āĻāĻ°āĻžÍž
ā§ā§ĒāĨ¤ the gravity of the situationÂāĻĒāĻŋāĻ°āĻŋ āĻŋāĻ¤āĻ° āĻ¤āĻ° āĻ āĻŦ āĻžÍž
*******āĻāĻŦāĻžāĻ° āĻŽā§
āĻ˛ āĻ¸ āĻžāĻĻāĻā§ā§āĻŋāĻ āĻĒāĻŋā§*******
Public awareness is a must in tackling coronavirus
Make available clear guidelines, daily awareness drives
******************************
The response to the news of coronavirus cases being reported in Bangladesh has
been one of widespread panic. According to a report by The Daily Star, the news
has been greeted with panicÂbuying and hoarding of face masks, hand sanitisers
and antiseptic liquids as protection against a potential spread of the virus, which has
globally infected over 100,000 people and killed at least 4,028 so far. In Dhaka, a
number of pharmacies and superstores have reported a shortage of these items,
thanks to coronavirus fears leading to stockpiling. Even the demand for tissue paper,
which is not known for offering special protection against the virus, has almost
doubled overnight, according to some retailers. The risks associated with such a
buying frenzy are wellÂknown: it can, for one, deprive those who might need them. If
left unchecked, the effects of panicÂbuying and hoarding of such items may
eventually extend to daily essentials resulting in total chaos in the market, which is
anything but desirable at this stage.
Experts have offered some explanations for the panic: that people are resorting to
extremes because of the unpredictability of the disease and the mysteries
surrounding itÍž that they are reacting to the lack of a clear direction as well as the
lack of preparedness from health officials, etc. Whatever the reason, the government
must find a way to address it. Public awareness and clear communication are of the
essence if we want to limit the damage of this pandemic with any degree of success.
There are two sides to the public engagement issue: first, people should be made
aware that responsible behaviour on their part would be of enormous help. This
means, no panicÂbuying. Families of persons coming from abroad, in particular, who
may have passed the initial screening but start showing symptoms later, must report
such cases to the authorities. Those trying to profit from hoarding should be strongly
dealt with. Secondly, health officials and those in charge of tackling the crisis should
make available clear guidelines on what to do and undertake daily awareness
campaigns using electronic, print and social media.
One of the advantages of the coronavirus entering late in Bangladesh is that we can
35. learn from global best practices. In Kerala, for example, they have formed a cell to
counter the spread of misinformation. In Singapore, they have mounted a massive
cleaning campaign and even reportedly employed the army to pack masks in their
millions to be distributed freely to every single household in the country. These are
but a few examples we can learn from. Nothing, however, will be of much use if
citizens do not behave responsibly and the authorities do not undertake programmes
consistent with the gravity of the situation.
March 12, 2020
The Daily Star Editorial
**************************
āĻĨ āĻŽ āĻļ āĻžāĻĨ āĻŋāĻ˛ āĻ āĻ¨ āĻŋāĻ¨āĻ
=================
ā§§āĨ¤ infernoÂāĻ āĻŋ āĻāĻž Íž
ā§¨āĨ¤ happenÂāĻāĻāĻžÍž
ā§ŠāĨ¤ the homelessÂāĻā§
āĻšāĻšā§āĻ¨Íž
ā§ĒāĨ¤ shockedÂāĻŽāĻŽāĻžāĻšāĻ¤Íž
ā§ĢāĨ¤ a fire that broke out in Rupnagar slum āĻĒāĻ¨āĻāĻ° āĻŦāĻŋ āĻ¤ āĻāĻŋā§ ā§ āĻĒā§āĻž āĻ āĻ¨Íž
ā§ŦāĨ¤ in the city's Mirpur area ÂāĻ°āĻžāĻāĻ§āĻžāĻ¨ā§āĻ° āĻŋāĻŽāĻ°āĻĒā§
āĻ° āĻāĻ˛āĻžāĻāĻžā§Íž
36. ā§āĨ¤ on Wednesday morning ÂāĻāĻ¤ āĻŦā§
āĻ§āĻŦāĻžāĻ° āĻ¸āĻāĻž āĻ˛Íž
ā§ŽāĨ¤ has destroyed āĻāĻ¸/āĻ¨ āĻš ā§ āĻ āĻÍž
ā§¯āĨ¤ at least 200 shantiesÂāĻāĻŽāĻĒā§ ā§¨ā§Ļā§ĻāĻŋāĻ āĻ
ā§
ā§āĻāĻ°Íž
ā§§ā§ĻāĨ¤ leaving hundredsÂāĻļāĻ¤ āĻļāĻ¤ āĻ¤ āĻžāĻ (āĻ āĻ° āĻ)Íž
ā§§ā§§āĨ¤ residents homelessÂāĻŦāĻ¸āĻŦāĻžāĻ¸āĻ°āĻ¤ āĻā§
āĻšāĻšā§āĻ¨Íž
ā§§ā§¨āĨ¤ The fire also spreadÂāĻ āĻ¨ āĻ āĻ°āĻž āĻāĻŋā§ ā§ āĻĒ ā§āĻŋāĻāĻ˛Íž
ā§§ā§ŠāĨ¤ to a nearby sixÂstorey buildingÂāĻĒāĻž āĻŦāĻ¤ āĻā§ āĻ¤āĻ˛āĻž āĻāĻŦ āĻ¨Íž
ā§§ā§ĒāĨ¤ was doused later.ÂāĻĒ āĻ° āĻĒāĻžāĻŋāĻ¨ āĻĸāĻžāĻ˛āĻž āĻš ā§āĻŋāĻāĻ˛Íž
ā§§ā§ĢāĨ¤ douseÂāĻĒāĻžāĻŋāĻ¨ āĻĸāĻžāĻ˛āĻž/āĻŋāĻāĻāĻž āĻ¨āĻžÍž āĻāĻ˛āĻŽ āĻāĻ°āĻžÍž
ā§§ā§ŦāĨ¤ Thankfully āĻ¸ā§āĻāĻžāĻ āĻŽÍž
ā§§ā§āĨ¤ no lives were lost āĻāĻžāĻ¨ āĻžāĻŖāĻšāĻžāĻŋāĻ¨āĻ° āĻāĻāĻ¨āĻž āĻ āĻāĻŋāĻ¨Íž āĻāĻžāĻ¨ āĻā§āĻŦāĻ¨ āĻ¨ āĻšā§āĻŋāĻ¨Íž
ā§§ā§ŽāĨ¤ in the incidentÂāĻāĻāĻ¨āĻžā§Íž
ā§§ā§¯āĨ¤ Frequent fires occurring at the city's slumsÂāĻ¨āĻāĻ°ā§āĻ° āĻŦāĻŋ āĻ¤ āĻ āĻŋ āĻāĻž āĻ° āĻāĻāĻ¨āĻž āĻžā§
/āĻŦāĻžāĻ°āĻŦāĻžāĻ° āĻāĻāĻžÍž
ā§¨ā§ĻāĨ¤ just go to show āĻāĻŦāĻ˛ āĻāĻžāĻļ āĻāĻ° āĻÍž
ā§¨ā§§āĨ¤ our lack of awarenessÂāĻāĻŽāĻž āĻĻāĻ° āĻ¸ āĻāĻ¤āĻ¨āĻ¤āĻžāĻ° āĻ āĻāĻžāĻŦ/āĻāĻžāĻāĻŋāĻ¤Íž
37. ā§¨ā§¨āĨ¤ to the foreÂāĻšāĻž āĻ¤āĻ° āĻāĻž āĻÍž āĻ¤ā§ āĻŖāĻžā§Íž āĻāĻāĻ¨āĻž āĻ˛Íž
ā§¨ā§ŠāĨ¤ illÂpreparedÂāĻŦāĻž āĻ āĻ¤Íž
ā§¨ā§ĒāĨ¤ the authoritiesÂāĻāĻ¤ā§
āĻĒ Íž
ā§¨ā§ĢāĨ¤ in handling such incidentsÂāĻāĻŽāĻ¨ āĻāĻāĻ¨āĻž āĻŽāĻžāĻāĻž āĻŦāĻ˛āĻžā§Íž
ā§¨ā§ŦāĨ¤ In many previous fire incidentsÂāĻĒā§
āĻŦ āĻ āĻŋ āĻāĻž āĻ° āĻ āĻ¨āĻ āĻāĻāĻ¨āĻžā§Íž
ā§¨ā§āĨ¤ one of the main reasons of delay āĻĻāĻŋāĻ°āĻāĻ°āĻžāĻ° āĻ§āĻžāĻ¨ āĻāĻžāĻ°āĻŖ āĻŋāĻ˛āĻ° āĻāĻāĻŋāĻÍž
ā§¨ā§ŽāĨ¤ in controlling the fireÂāĻ āĻ¨ āĻŋāĻ¨ā§ āĻŖÍž
ā§¨ā§¯āĨ¤ the lack of natural water sources āĻžāĻ
ā§
āĻŋāĻ¤āĻ āĻĒāĻžāĻŋāĻ¨ āĻ¸ āĻĻāĻ° āĻāĻžāĻāĻŋāĻ¤Íž
ā§Šā§ĻāĨ¤ ponds or canalsÂāĻĒā§
āĻ
ā§
āĻ° āĻ āĻĨāĻŦāĻž āĻāĻžāĻ˛Íž
ā§Šā§§āĨ¤ in the respective areasÂāĻ¸āĻāĻŋ āĻāĻ˛āĻžāĻāĻžā§
ā§Šā§¨āĨ¤ fireÂfighters struggled to bring waterÂāĻĢāĻžā§āĻžāĻ° āĻ¸āĻžāĻŋāĻāĻ¸ āĻāĻŽ āĻ°āĻž āĻĒāĻžāĻŋāĻ¨ āĻāĻ¨ āĻ¤ āĻ āĻž/āĻ¸āĻ āĻžāĻŽ
āĻ āĻ° āĻāĻ¨Íž
ā§Šā§ŠāĨ¤ to douse the fireÂāĻ āĻ¨ āĻĒāĻžāĻŋāĻ¨ āĻŋāĻāĻāĻž āĻ¨āĻžāĻ° āĻāĻ¨ Íž
ā§Šā§ĒāĨ¤ scarcity of waterÂāĻĒāĻžāĻŋāĻ¨āĻ° āĻāĻžāĻāĻŋāĻ¤Íž
ā§Šā§ĢāĨ¤ in this congested cityÂāĻāĻ āĻāĻ¨āĻŦ āĻ˛ āĻ¨āĻāĻ°ā§ āĻ¤Íž
ā§Šā§ŦāĨ¤ the required preparation ā§āĻžāĻāĻ¨ā§ā§ āĻŋāĻ¤Íž
38. ā§Šā§āĨ¤ the narrow roadsÂāĻ¸ /āĻ¸āĻāĻā§āĻŖ āĻ°āĻž āĻžÍž
ā§Šā§ŽāĨ¤ a constant reality in DhakaÂāĻĸāĻžāĻāĻžā§ āĻŋāĻ¨āĻ¤ /āĻŦāĻžāĻ°āĻŦāĻžāĻ° āĻāĻ āĻ āĻāĻŽāĻ¨ āĻŦāĻž āĻŦāĻ¤āĻžÍž
ā§Šā§¯āĨ¤ procure the necessary equipment  ā§āĻžāĻāĻ¨ā§ā§ āĻāĻĒāĻāĻ°āĻŖ āĻ¸āĻ āĻš āĻāĻ°āĻžÍž
ā§Ēā§ĻāĨ¤ navigateÂāĻĒāĻŋāĻ°āĻāĻžāĻ˛āĻ¨āĻž āĻāĻ°āĻžÍž
ā§Ēā§§āĨ¤ SometimesÂāĻŽāĻž āĻ āĻŽāĻž āĻÍž
ā§Ēā§¨āĨ¤ a fire in a slumÂāĻŦāĻŋ āĻ¤ āĻ āĻŋ āĻāĻž Íž
ā§Ēā§ŠāĨ¤ the exact reason behindÂāĻŋāĻĒāĻ āĻ¨āĻ° āĻāĻ¸āĻ˛ āĻāĻžāĻ°āĻŖÍž
ā§Ēā§ĒāĨ¤ ascertainÂāĻŋāĻ¨āĻŋ āĻ¤ āĻāĻ°āĻžÍž
ā§Ēā§ĢāĨ¤ are identifiedÂāĻŋāĻāĻŋ āĻ¤Íž
ā§Ēā§ŦāĨ¤ a faulty electric line  āĻŋāĻāĻĒā§
āĻŖ āĻŋāĻŦāĻĻā§
ā§ āĻ˛āĻžāĻāĻ¨Íž
ā§Ēā§āĨ¤ a leaked gas pipeÂāĻŋāĻ āĻ¯ā§ āĻ āĻžāĻ¸ āĻĒāĻžāĻāĻĒÍž
ā§Ēā§ŽāĨ¤ corrective stepsÂāĻ¸āĻ āĻļāĻžāĻ§ āĻ¨āĻ° āĻŦ āĻŦ āĻžÍž
ā§Ēā§¯āĨ¤ form to ascertainÂāĻŋāĻ¨āĻ§āĻžāĻ°āĻŖ āĻāĻ° āĻ¤ āĻāĻ āĻ¨ āĻāĻ°āĻžÍž
ā§Ģā§ĻāĨ¤ come up withÂāĻ¨āĻžāĻāĻžāĻ˛ āĻ§āĻ°āĻžÍž
ā§Ģā§§āĨ¤ conclusive answerÂāĻā§āĻž āĻāĻŦāĻžāĻŦÍž
39. ā§Ģā§¨āĨ¤ go into oblivion with timeÂāĻ¸āĻŽ ā§āĻ° āĻ¸āĻž āĻĨ āĻšāĻžāĻŋāĻ° ā§ āĻ¯āĻžāĻā§āĻžÍž āĻŋāĻŦ ā§
āĻŋāĻ¤ āĻš ā§ āĻ¯āĻžāĻā§āĻžÍž
ā§Ģā§ŠāĨ¤ we hopeÂāĻāĻŽāĻ°āĻž āĻāĻļāĻžāĻāĻŋāĻ°Íž
ā§Ģā§ĒāĨ¤ would be identified soon āĻ¤ āĻŋāĻāĻŋ āĻ¤/āĻ¸āĻ¨āĻž āĻš āĻŦÍž
ā§Ģā§ĢāĨ¤ affected by ÂāĻ āĻž Íž
ā§Ģā§ŦāĨ¤ will be rehabilitated immediatelyÂāĻ āĻŋāĻŦāĻ˛ āĻĒā§
āĻ¨āĻŦāĻžāĻŋāĻ¸āĻ¤ āĻāĻ°āĻž āĻš āĻŦÍž
ā§Ģā§āĨ¤ the lowÂincome peopleÂāĻŋāĻ¨ āĻ ā§āĻ° āĻāĻ¨āĻāĻ¨Íž
ā§Ģā§ŽāĨ¤ so that ÂāĻ¯āĻž āĻ¤Íž
ā§Ģā§¯āĨ¤ face the dangers of livingÂāĻā§āĻŋāĻŦāĻāĻžāĻ° āĻŋāĻŦāĻĒ āĻĻāĻ° āĻ¸ ā§
āĻā§āĻ¨ āĻšāĻā§āĻžÍž
ā§Ŧā§ĻāĨ¤ go to sleep every night āĻŋāĻ¤ āĻ°āĻž āĻ¤ āĻā§
āĻŽāĻž āĻ¤ āĻ¯āĻžāĻā§āĻžÍž
********āĻāĻŦāĻžāĻ° āĻŽā§
āĻ˛ āĻ¸ āĻžāĻĻāĻā§ā§āĻŋāĻ āĻĒāĻŋā§*****
Rupnagarâs inferno
What will happen to the homeless?
***************************
We are shocked that a fire that broke out in Rupnagar slum in the city's Mirpur area
on Wednesday morning has destroyed at least 200 shanties, leaving hundreds of its
residents homeless. The fire also spread to a nearby sixÂstorey building which was
doused later. Thankfully, no lives were lost in the incident. Frequent fires occurring
at the city's slums just go to show our lack of awareness, among other things, and
40. the time it takes for the fire service to douse the fire brings to the fore how illÂ
prepared the authorities are in handling such incidents.
In many previous fire incidents in the city, including those in the slums, one of the
main reasons of delay in controlling the fire has been the lack of natural water
sources like ponds or canals in the respective areas. The situation was the same
this time as fireÂfighters struggled to bring water to douse the fire. Since scarcity of
water has always been and will always be an issue in this congested city, shouldn't
the fire service have the required preparation for that? Also, the narrow roads and
lanes being a constant reality in Dhaka, shouldn't they procure the necessary
equipment to navigate through these areas?
Sometimes when there is a fire in a slum, we are told that the exact reason behind it
couldn't be ascertained. And in cases where the reasons are identifiedâwhere fire
either originates from a faulty electric line or a leaked gas pipeâno corrective steps
are taken. The committees formed to ascertain the reasons hardly come up with any
conclusive answer, as the incidents go into oblivion with time.
This time, we hope the reasons for the Rupnagar fire would be identified soon and
acted upon, and those affected by it will be rehabilitated immediately by the
government. Also, the government should come up with a functional housing policy
for the lowÂincome people in the city so that they do not have to face the dangers of
living in slums, fearing for their lives as they go to sleep every night.
March 13, 2020
The Daily Star Editorial
**************************
āĻĨ āĻŽ āĻļ āĻžāĻĨ āĻŋāĻ˛ āĻ āĻ¨ āĻŋāĻ¨āĻ
==================
ā§§āĨ¤ Give kidney patients āĻ°āĻžāĻā§ āĻĻāĻ° āĻŋāĻāĻĄāĻ¨ā§ āĻĻā§āĻžÍž
ā§¨āĨ¤ the right to save their livesÂāĻ¤āĻž āĻĻāĻ° āĻā§āĻŦāĻ¨ āĻ° āĻžāĻ° āĻ āĻŋāĻ§āĻāĻžāĻ°Íž
ā§ŠāĨ¤ The law ÂāĻāĻāĻ¨āĻŋāĻÍž
ā§ĒāĨ¤ stopÂāĻŦ āĻāĻ°āĻžÍž
ā§ĢāĨ¤ from receiving transplantsÂāĻļāĻ°ā§ āĻ°āĻ° āĻ āĻ¤ āĻāĻ āĻĻāĻš āĻĨ āĻ āĻ āĻ¨ āĻĻ āĻš āĻŋāĻ¤ āĻžāĻĒāĻ¨ āĻšāĻŖ
āĻĨ āĻ
ā§ŦāĨ¤ According toÂāĻ āĻ¨ā§
āĻ¸āĻž āĻ°Íž āĻ āĻ¨ā§
āĻ¯āĻžā§ā§Íž
ā§āĨ¤ estimatedÂāĻāĻ¨ā§
āĻŽāĻžāĻŋāĻ¨āĻ (āĻŋāĻšāĻ¸āĻžāĻŦ)Íž
ā§ŽāĨ¤ in the country  āĻĻ āĻļÍž
41. ā§¯āĨ¤ suffer from āĻŋāĻ¤ āĻšāĻā§āĻžÍž
ā§§ā§ĻāĨ¤ kidney diseaseÂāĻŋāĻāĻĄāĻ¨ā§ āĻ°āĻžāĻÍž
ā§§ā§§āĨ¤ every year  āĻŋāĻ¤ āĻŦāĻāĻ°Íž
ā§§ā§¨āĨ¤ AlthoughÂāĻ¯āĻŋāĻĻāĻÍž
ā§§ā§ŠāĨ¤ the annual demand for kidney transplant ÂāĻŋāĻāĻĄāĻ¨ā§ āĻŋāĻ¤ āĻžāĻĒ āĻ¨āĻ° āĻŦāĻžā§āĻ¸āĻŋāĻ°āĻ āĻāĻžāĻŋāĻšāĻĻāĻžÍž
ā§§ā§ĒāĨ¤ renalÂāĻŽā§
āĻžāĻļā§ āĻ¸ ā§ā§Íž
ā§§ā§ĢāĨ¤ undergo āĻāĻžāĻ āĻāĻ°āĻžÍž
ā§§ā§ŦāĨ¤ the thousands of patientsÂāĻšāĻžāĻāĻžāĻ° āĻšāĻžāĻāĻžāĻ° āĻ°āĻžāĻā§Íž
ā§§ā§āĨ¤ receive a kidney transplantÂāĻŋāĻāĻĄāĻ¨ā§ āĻŋāĻ¤ āĻžāĻĒāĻ¨ āĻšāĻŖ āĻāĻ°āĻžÍž
ā§§ā§ŽāĨ¤ the first blind lawyer of Faridpur Bar AssociationÂāĻĢāĻŋāĻ°āĻĻāĻĒā§
āĻ° āĻāĻāĻ¨āĻā§āĻŦā§ āĻ¸āĻŋāĻŽāĻŋāĻ¤āĻ°
āĻĨāĻŽ āĻ āĻāĻāĻ¨āĻā§āĻŦā§Íž
ā§§ā§¯āĨ¤ recipient  āĻšāĻŖāĻāĻžāĻ°ā§Íž
ā§¨ā§ĻāĨ¤ no eligible āĻ¯āĻžāĻ āĻ¨ā§Íž
ā§¨ā§§āĨ¤ immediate and extended familyÂāĻāĻ¸ āĻāĻŦāĻ āĻ¯ā§āĻĨ āĻĒāĻŋāĻ°āĻŦāĻžāĻ°Íž
ā§¨ā§¨āĨ¤ difficultÂāĻāĻŋāĻ āĻ¨Íž
ā§¨ā§ŠāĨ¤ because of ÂāĻāĻžāĻ° āĻŖÍž
ā§¨ā§ĒāĨ¤ the social tabooÂāĻ¸āĻžāĻŽāĻžāĻŋāĻāĻ āĻŋāĻ¨āĻŋāĻˇ Íž
ā§¨ā§ĢāĨ¤ removing organs from the bodyÂāĻļāĻ°ā§āĻ° āĻĨ āĻ āĻ āĻ¤ āĻ¸āĻ°āĻž āĻ¨āĻžÍž
ā§¨ā§ŦāĨ¤ dead patientÂāĻŽā§
āĻ¤ āĻ°āĻžāĻā§Íž
ā§¨ā§āĨ¤ unlessÂāĻ¯āĻŋāĻĻāĻ¨āĻžÍž
ā§¨ā§ŽāĨ¤ the Organ Transplantation Act 1999ÂāĻŽāĻžāĻ¨āĻŦ āĻĻāĻš āĻ āĻ¤ āĻ¸āĻ āĻ¯āĻžāĻāĻ¨ āĻāĻāĻ¨, ā§§ā§¯ā§¯ā§¯
ā§¨ā§¯āĨ¤ voluntary kidney donations āĻžā§ āĻŋāĻāĻĄāĻ¨ā§ āĻĻāĻžāĻ¨Íž
ā§Šā§ĻāĨ¤ Last DecemberÂāĻāĻ¤ āĻŦāĻ āĻ°āĻ° āĻŋāĻĄ āĻ¸ āĻ°Íž
ā§Šā§§āĨ¤ the High Court even ordered the governmentÂāĻāĻŽāĻ¨āĻŋāĻ āĻšāĻžāĻ āĻāĻžāĻ āĻ¸āĻ°āĻāĻžāĻ° āĻ āĻŋāĻ¨ āĻĻāĻļ
āĻŋāĻĻ ā§ āĻāĻ¨Íž
ā§Šā§¨āĨ¤ to make such an amendment ÂāĻāĻŽāĻ¨ āĻ¸āĻ āĻļāĻžāĻ§āĻ¨ āĻāĻ° āĻ¤Íž
ā§Šā§ŠāĨ¤ within six monthsÂāĻā§ āĻŽāĻž āĻ¸āĻ° āĻŽ āĻ§ Íž
ā§Šā§ĒāĨ¤ UnfortunatelyÂāĻĻā§
:āĻāĻāĻ¨āĻ āĻŦ āĻžāĻĒāĻžāĻ° āĻš āĻ˛āĻžÍž
ā§Šā§ĢāĨ¤ the drafting of the amendmentÂāĻ¸āĻ āĻļāĻžāĻ§āĻ¨ā§āĻ° āĻāĻ¸ā§āĻžÍž
ā§Šā§ŦāĨ¤ at its primary stage āĻžāĻĨāĻŋāĻŽāĻ āĻĒāĻ¯āĻž ā§ (āĻ āĻ)Íž
ā§Šā§āĨ¤ as this newspaper reported yesterdayÂāĻāĻ¤āĻāĻžāĻ˛ āĻāĻ āĻĒāĻŋ āĻāĻžā§ āĻāĻžāĻŋāĻļāĻ¤ āĻŋāĻ¤ āĻŦāĻĻāĻ¨
āĻ āĻ¨ā§
āĻ¯āĻžā§ā§Íž
42. ā§Šā§ŽāĨ¤ the law prohibits ÂāĻāĻāĻ¨ āĻŦāĻžāĻ§āĻž āĻĻā§Íž
ā§Šā§¯āĨ¤ voluntary kidney donations āĻžāĻ
ā§
āĻ¤ āĻŋāĻāĻĄāĻ¨ā§ āĻĻāĻž āĻ¨Íž
ā§Ēā§ĻāĨ¤ hundreds of BangladeshisÂāĻļāĻ¤āĻļāĻ¤ āĻŦāĻžāĻāĻ˛āĻž āĻĻāĻŋāĻļÍž
ā§Ēā§§āĨ¤ are forced to travel abroadÂāĻŋāĻŦ āĻĻāĻļ āĻ¯ āĻ¤ āĻŦāĻžāĻ§ āĻš (āĻšā§)Íž
ā§Ēā§¨āĨ¤ in search of a lifeÂsaving kidney transplantÂāĻā§āĻŦāĻ¨ āĻ° āĻžāĻāĻžāĻ°ā§ āĻŋāĻāĻĄāĻ¨ā§ āĻŋāĻ¤ āĻžāĻĒāĻ¨
āĻ āĻˇ āĻŖÍž
ā§Ēā§ŠāĨ¤ resort to ÂāĻ ā§ āĻ¨ā§āĻž āĻŦāĻž āĻ āĻŦāĻ˛ āĻ¨ āĻāĻ°āĻžÍž
ā§Ēā§ĒāĨ¤ middlemenÂāĻĻāĻžāĻ˛āĻžāĻ˛Íž
ā§Ēā§ĢāĨ¤ the black marketÂāĻāĻž āĻ˛āĻžāĻŦāĻžāĻāĻžāĻŋāĻ°Íž
ā§Ēā§ŦāĨ¤ convince ÂāĻāĻžāĻ āĻ āĻŦāĻžāĻāĻž āĻ¨āĻžÍž
ā§Ēā§āĨ¤ the economically poorÂāĻāĻŋāĻĨāĻāĻāĻž āĻŦ/āĻ āĻĨ āĻ¨āĻŋāĻ¤āĻāĻāĻž āĻŦ āĻāĻŋāĻ°āĻŦÍž
ā§Ēā§ŽāĨ¤ become donors āĻĄāĻžāĻ¨āĻžāĻ° āĻŦāĻž āĻĻāĻžāĻ¤āĻž āĻšāĻā§āĻžÍž
ā§Ēā§¯āĨ¤ take advantage ofÂāĻ¸ā§
āĻ¯āĻžāĻ āĻšāĻŖ āĻāĻ°āĻžÍž
ā§Ģā§ĻāĨ¤ hefty sums of moneyÂāĻŦā§ āĻ āĻ āĻāĻ° āĻ āĻĨ/āĻāĻžāĻāĻžÍž
ā§Ģā§§āĨ¤ heftyÂāĻ¤āĻžāĻā§āĻžÍž āĻĒā§
Íž
ā§Ģā§¨āĨ¤ promising livesÂāĻ¸ āĻžāĻŦāĻ¨āĻžāĻŽā§ āĻā§āĻŦāĻ¨Íž
ā§Ģā§ŠāĨ¤ are lost every year āĻŋāĻ¤ āĻŦāĻāĻ° āĻšāĻžāĻ°āĻž Íž
ā§Ģā§ĒāĨ¤ due toÂāĻāĻžāĻ° āĻŖÍž
ā§Ģā§ĢāĨ¤ roadblocksÂāĻŦ āĻžāĻŋāĻ° āĻāĻĄÍž āĻĒāĻĨ āĻ°āĻžāĻĻÍž
ā§Ģā§ŦāĨ¤ staggerÂāĻŋāĻŦāĻļā§āĻ˛āĻāĻž āĻŦ āĻšāĻžāĻ āĻ¤ āĻŦāĻžāĻ§ āĻāĻ°āĻžÍž
ā§Ģā§āĨ¤ removeÂāĻ¸āĻ°āĻž āĻ¨āĻžÍž
ā§Ģā§ŽāĨ¤ unacceptable.ÂāĻ āĻšāĻŖ āĻ¯āĻžāĻ Íž
ā§Ģā§¯āĨ¤ indefinitelyÂāĻ āĻŋāĻ¨āĻŋāĻĻ āĻāĻž āĻŦÍž
ā§Ŧā§ĻāĨ¤ for the governmentÂāĻ¸āĻ°āĻāĻž āĻ°āĻ° āĻāĻ¨ Íž āĻ¸āĻ°āĻāĻž āĻ°āĻ°Íž
ā§Ŧā§§āĨ¤ slowlyÂāĻ§ā§āĻ°āĻāĻŋāĻ¤ āĻ¤Íž
ā§Ŧā§¨āĨ¤ able to get  āĻĒ āĻ¤ āĻ¸ āĻŽÍž
ā§Ŧā§ŠāĨ¤ procedureÂāĻāĻžāĻ¯ āĻŖāĻžāĻ˛ā§Íž āĻŋ ā§āĻžÍž
ā§Ŧā§ĒāĨ¤ needs to urgently amendÂāĻ āĻŋāĻ° āĻŋāĻāĻŋ āĻ¤/āĻ āĻŋāĻŦāĻ˛ āĻ¸āĻ āĻļāĻžāĻ§āĻ¨ āĻāĻ°āĻž āĻĻāĻ°āĻāĻžāĻ°Íž
ā§Ŧā§ĢāĨ¤ as per the High Court's directiveÂāĻšāĻžāĻ āĻāĻž āĻāĻ° āĻŋāĻ¨ āĻĻāĻļāĻ¨āĻž āĻ āĻ¨ā§
āĻ¯āĻžā§ā§Íž
ā§Ŧā§ŦāĨ¤ launch an awareness campaignÂāĻ¸ āĻāĻ¤āĻ¨āĻ¤āĻž āĻāĻžāĻ°āĻžāĻŋāĻāĻ¯āĻžāĻ¨ āĻāĻ°āĻžÍž
ā§Ŧā§āĨ¤ feasibleÂāĻāĻžāĻ¯āĻāĻ°Íž
43. ******āĻāĻŦāĻžāĻ° āĻŽā§
āĻ˛ āĻ¸ āĻžāĻĻāĻā§ā§āĻŋāĻ āĻĒāĻŋā§******
Give kidney patients the right to save their lives!
The law shouldnât stop patients from receiving transplants
*********************
According to the High Court, an estimated 20 million people in the country suffer
from some form of kidney disease every year and about 35,000Â45,000 of them die
of kidney failure. Although the annual demand for kidney transplant is somewhere
between 5,000Â9,000, only about 120Â130 endÂstage renal failure patients can find
healthy donors and undergo kidney transplant per year.
Among the thousands of patients hoping to receive a kidney transplant is the first
blind lawyer of Faridpur Bar Association and a recipient of The Daily Star and IPDC
Finance's Unsung Women Nation Builders Awards 2020, Marjia Rabbani Shoshi.
Marjia has no eligible and willing donor in her immediate and extended family, which
means her only option is a nonrelative donor or a cadaveric one. The latter is
difficult because of the social taboo about removing organs from the body of a brainÂ
dead patient, while the former cannot be done unless the Organ Transplantation Act
1999 is amended to allow voluntary kidney donations. Last December, the High
Court even ordered the government to make such an amendment within six months.
Unfortunately, the drafting of the amendment is still only at its primary stage, as this
newspaper reported yesterday.
Because the law prohibits voluntary kidney donations, hundreds of Bangladeshis are
forced to travel abroad in search of a lifeÂsaving kidney transplant. Others have to
resort to middlemen and the black market, who convince the economically poor to
become donors and take advantage of them, while charging the patients hefty sums
of money.
The number of promising lives that are lost every year due to such roadblocks is
staggering. And the fact that the government isn't moving quicker to remove them is
unacceptable. People like Marjia should not have to wait around indefinitely for the
government to slowly reframe the law. They should be able to get a procedure that
could save their lives done immediately.
The government needs to urgently amend the Organ Transplantation Act 1999, as
per the High Court's directive. It should also launch an awareness campaign so that
it becomes more feasible for kidney patients to receive transplants from cadaveric
donors.
March 14, 2020
The Daily Star Editorial
**************************
āĻĨ āĻŽ āĻļ āĻžāĻĨ āĻŋāĻ˛ āĻ āĻ¨ āĻŋāĻ¨āĻ
==================
ā§§āĨ¤ Reading and planting treesÂāĻŦāĻ āĻĒā§āĻž āĻāĻŦāĻ āĻāĻžāĻ āĻ˛āĻžāĻāĻž āĻ¨āĻžÍž
44. ā§¨āĨ¤ as punishmentÂāĻļāĻžāĻŋ āĻŋāĻš āĻ¸ āĻŦÍž
ā§ŠāĨ¤ Magura courtâs novel ideaÂāĻŽāĻž āĻ°āĻž āĻāĻĻāĻžāĻ˛ āĻ¤āĻ° āĻ āĻŋāĻāĻ¨āĻŦ āĻŋāĻ āĻžÍž
ā§ĒāĨ¤ of correcting young offendersÂāĻŋāĻ āĻļāĻžāĻ° āĻ āĻĒāĻ°āĻžāĻ§ā§ āĻĻāĻ° āĻ¸āĻ āĻļāĻžāĻ§ āĻ¨āĻ°Íž
ā§ĢāĨ¤ commendable āĻļāĻāĻ¸āĻ¨ā§ā§Íž
ā§ŦāĨ¤ pleasantly surprised to learn āĻ āĻ¨ āĻŽ āĻ¨āĻžāĻ°āĻŽāĻāĻž āĻŦ āĻŋāĻŦāĻŋ āĻ¤Íž
ā§āĨ¤ from a Prothom Alo report that āĻĨāĻŽ āĻ āĻ˛āĻž āĻĒāĻŋ āĻāĻžāĻ° āĻāĻāĻŋāĻ āĻŋāĻ¤ āĻŦāĻĻāĻ¨ āĻĨ āĻÍž
ā§ŽāĨ¤ rather thanÂāĻŦāĻ°āĻÍž
ā§¯āĨ¤ sentencing nine youthsÂāĻ¨ā§ āĻ¯ā§
āĻŦ āĻāĻ° āĻļāĻžāĻŋ Íž
ā§§ā§ĻāĨ¤ aged between 19 and 24ÂāĻ¯āĻž āĻĻāĻ° āĻŦā§āĻ¸ ā§§ā§¯ āĻĨ āĻ ā§¨ā§Ē āĻŦāĻāĻ°Íž
ā§§ā§§āĨ¤ three months imprisonment Âā§Š āĻŽāĻž āĻ¸āĻ° āĻāĻžāĻ°āĻžāĻĻ Íž
ā§§ā§¨āĨ¤ in a drug abuse case filed against themÂāĻ¤āĻž āĻĻāĻ° āĻŋāĻŦ āĻĻāĻž ā§āĻ°āĻ
ā§
āĻ¤ āĻŽāĻžāĻĻāĻ āĻŽāĻžāĻŽāĻ˛āĻžā§Íž
ā§§ā§ŠāĨ¤ a regular sentence in such casesÂāĻāĻŽāĻ¨ āĻŽāĻžāĻŽāĻ˛āĻžā§ āĻ¸āĻžāĻ§āĻžāĻ°āĻŖ āĻļāĻžāĻŋ Íž
ā§§ā§ĒāĨ¤ a Magura court has put these youths under probationÂāĻŽāĻž āĻ°āĻžāĻ° āĻāĻāĻŋāĻ āĻāĻĻāĻžāĻ˛āĻ¤
āĻāĻ¸āĻŦ āĻ¯ā§
āĻŦāĻ āĻ āĻŦāĻļ āĻ¨āĻ° āĻ āĻ§ā§ āĻ¨ āĻŋāĻĻ ā§ āĻāĻ¨Íž
ā§§ā§ĢāĨ¤ and directed themÂāĻāĻŦāĻ āĻ¤āĻž āĻĻāĻ° āĻ āĻŋāĻ¨ āĻĻāĻļ āĻŋāĻĻ ā§ āĻāĻ¨Íž
ā§§ā§ŦāĨ¤ to read booksÂāĻŦāĻ āĻĒā§ āĻ¤Íž
ā§§ā§āĨ¤ watch films ÂāĻŋāĻ¸ āĻ¨āĻŽāĻž āĻĻāĻ āĻ¤Íž
ā§§ā§ŽāĨ¤ and plant treesÂāĻāĻŦāĻ āĻāĻžāĻ āĻ˛āĻžāĻāĻž āĻ¤Íž
ā§§ā§¯āĨ¤ According to the court verdictÂāĻāĻĻāĻžāĻ˛ āĻ¤āĻ° āĻ°āĻžā§ āĻĨ āĻ āĻāĻžāĻ¨āĻž āĻ¯āĻžā§Íž
ā§¨ā§ĻāĨ¤ under the supervision of a probation officer  āĻŦāĻļāĻ¨ āĻāĻŽāĻāĻ¤āĻžāĻ° āĻžāĻŦāĻ§āĻž āĻ¨Íž
ā§¨ā§§āĨ¤ of the local social welfare office āĻžāĻ¨ā§ā§ āĻ¸āĻŽāĻžāĻ āĻ ā§āĻ¨ āĻ āĻŋāĻĢ āĻ¸āĻ°Íž
ā§¨ā§¨āĨ¤ for one yearÂāĻāĻ āĻŦāĻ āĻ°āĻ° āĻāĻ¨ Íž
ā§¨ā§ŠāĨ¤ if they break any of the conditions ÂāĻ¤āĻžāĻ°āĻž āĻ¯āĻŋāĻĻ āĻāĻžāĻ¨ āĻļāĻ¤ āĻ āĻ āĻ°Íž
ā§¨ā§ĒāĨ¤ and engage in any kind of criminal activityÂāĻāĻŦāĻ āĻāĻžāĻ¨ āĻāĻžāĻ° āĻ āĻĒāĻ°āĻžāĻ§āĻŽā§
āĻ˛āĻ āĻāĻŽāĻāĻž
āĻāĻŋā§āĻ¤ āĻšā§Íž
ā§¨ā§ĢāĨ¤ during this timeÂāĻāĻ āĻ¸āĻŽ ā§Íž
ā§¨ā§ŦāĨ¤ they will then be given threeÂmonths imprisonmentÂāĻ¤āĻāĻ¨ āĻ¤āĻž āĻĻāĻ° āĻ ā§Š āĻŽāĻž āĻ¸āĻ°
āĻāĻžāĻ°āĻžāĻĻ āĻĻā§āĻž āĻš āĻŦ/ā§Š āĻŽāĻž āĻ¸āĻ° āĻāĻžāĻ°āĻžāĻĻ āĻ¤āĻāĻ¨ āĻ¤āĻžāĻ°āĻž āĻāĻžāĻ āĻāĻ° āĻŦÍž
ā§¨ā§āĨ¤ The court deserves our appreciation ÂāĻāĻĻāĻžāĻ˛āĻ¤ āĻāĻŽāĻž āĻĻāĻ° āĻļāĻāĻ¸āĻž āĻĒāĻžāĻā§āĻž āĻ¯āĻžāĻ Íž
ā§¨ā§ŽāĨ¤ for implementing such a novel idea of punishmentÂāĻļāĻžāĻŋ āĻ° āĻāĻŽāĻ¨ āĻ āĻŋāĻāĻ¨āĻŦ āĻ§āĻžāĻ°āĻŖāĻž
āĻŦāĻž āĻŦāĻžā§āĻ¨ āĻāĻ°āĻžāĻ° āĻāĻ¨ Íž
ā§¨ā§¯āĨ¤ Taking corrective measuresÂāĻ¸āĻ āĻļāĻžāĻ§āĻ¨āĻŽā§
āĻ˛āĻ āĻŦ āĻŦ āĻž āĻ¨ā§āĻžÍž
ā§Šā§ĻāĨ¤ against young offendersÂāĻŋāĻ āĻļāĻžāĻ° āĻ āĻĒāĻ°āĻžāĻ§ā§ āĻĻāĻ° āĻŋāĻŦ Íž