EDITORIAL : THE DAILY STAR, BANGLADESH

        

 

Land grabbed with impunity

Enforce law strictly

While we get to hear, courtesy the media, about big chunks of land being illegally grabbed by big-scale land-grabbers, hardly do we come by news exposing small timers in this regard commandeering small pieces of land that do not belong to them. One such incident has recently come to our knowledge from a report in this newspaper. In this instance a substantial portion of 1.75 acre of public land belonging to government health complex in Patuakhali has been occupied illegally, ostensibly for the purpose of constructing markets.

What surprises us is not only the display of arrogance but also the scant respect for the law that these people have demonstrated, and that perhaps because they are linked to the politically powerful. Two of three alleged grabbers, reportedly, belong to the Awami League. They have pulled down the wall of the complex that houses the health complex staff, dismissing even the need for obtaining official sanction allotting them not only that piece of khas land but also the permission to construct markets there.

We are even more surprised at the reaction of the police who did not take action on grounds of technicality, that the health complex authorities filed a GD only and not a case accusing anyone. One wonders whether the police cannot take suo moto cognizance of a case that involves demolition of structures and illegal occupation of a piece of khas land.

The attitude that all that belongs to the government belongs to me automatically has influenced the psyche of some cadres of the ruling party. And regrettably, the administration seems either unable or is unwilling to act as per law fearing political wrath. While the local administration should proceed under the law against these land-grabbers, the party must prevail on its workers to desist from activities that undermine party and government credibility.

Road safety in a tumble

Broad-based approach needed

In line with the United Nations Decade of Action on Road Safety 2011-2022, 18 ministries of the government are to work in tandem to reduce road collision casualties within the next 10 years. The initiative, prompted by a foreign body, comes better late than never.

The frequency as well as fatality rate of road accidents have seen a steady rise in Bangladesh over the last several years. The government statistic is 5,000 deaths per year and a cost to the nation of Tk. 3,800 crore annually. The causes identified are manifold, ranging from poorly planned urbanisation and roads and a rapid increase in the number of motorised vehicles, to poor traffic-control law enforcement and inadequate post-crash response. The number of recommendations is even greater and include speed reduction, use of seat belts, child seats in cars, helmets for motorbike riders, etc.

The battle against road accidents is not a new one. The National Road Safety Council established in 1995 and the Road Safety Strategic Plan of 1997, among other programmes, however, have yielded few results. The key, as is often the case, remains in the proper implementation of programmes and strict enforcement of laws.

Where injury and death are not strong enough deterrents, however, the law in itself cannot be the only solution. A holistic approach is necessary for raising awareness about road safety where responsibility lies not only with the government for providing safe vehicles, safe roads, medical care, etc., but where drivers and passengers must also be made aware of their role on the roads, calling for a comprehensive media/communication campaign. The UN-led programme involving multiple wings of the government including the home, health, education and information ministries, seems to be such a broad-based approach and we hope that it will be an effective means of reducing preventable injuries and deaths on the road.