EDITORIAL : THE DAILY STAR, BANGLADESH

            

 

The inflationary pressure

Expand distribution network

Unlike in the previous years, the just presented budget did not affect prices in the market except those of sugar and edible oil, which had been on an upward curve before the budget.

The opposition-enforced 36-hour hartal has left its adverse impact on food prices, especially vegetables and fish. Obviously, it was the dislocation in transport movement that caused this price hike. But what is of concern is that given the capricious price regime, price hike of any food item has the propensity to have a knock-on effect on other food items. Other contributing factors to price hike including rise in the fuel prices have pushed the fares of land and water transportation upwards. So, this is another depressing signal for the food price market.

Despite the budget's not raising the inflationary expectations, there are cogent reasons for worry for the general consumers on the longer term.

The Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) data as reflected in the budget show that the overall inflationary trend has risen from 10.49 per cent in March 2011 to 10.67 per cent in April, 2011.

Admittedly, food-related inflation had its contribution to the overall inflationary trend. And in the rural areas where the largest swathe of the population and the majority of the poor live, the food-induced inflation was at its highest at 15.38 per cent in April. This is around 3.34 per cent more than what was in the urban areas in the same period.

This calls for adopting concrete and failsafe measures from the government to protect the general consumers as well as the poor from the shock of unrelenting volatility in the food market. The consumers and growers of the food items are equally at the mercy of the middlemen or farias, the wholesalers and retailers alike.

So, the government should further expand and strengthen its distribution networks to supply food grains, build more storing facilities for food grains and continue with the operation of Open Marker Sale (OMS) of food grains and other essentials. If the government is able to effectively countervail the tyranny of the market manipulators with these and other innovative measures, rather than interfering with the market forces then stability in the food price market will finally be restored.

Relics from ancient times

Take care of our treasure-trove

The High Court has ordered status quo on construction of structures in and around Bhitorgarh Fort in Panchagarh. This was in response to a writ filed by Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh (HRPB) on the reported construction activity by two private companies in the perimeter of the archeological site.

The higher judiciary, true to its heritage-friendly activism has also issued a rule requiring the government to explain why the Bhitorgarh Fort site wouldn't be declared 'protected antiquity', accompanied by publication of a gazette notification in this behalf.

What we have gathered from the archeology directorate is that on this historical site a reputed archeologist has found traces of what might turn out to be one of the biggest fort cities dating back to sixth century AD. The ministry of culture and archeology department has taken note of the initial discovery. It might involve up to ten years of excavation to unearth the full extent of the fort city.

A gazette notification would mean recognising the site and government taking the responsibility of its protection. Basically, according to the pre-existing antiquity law of the land, once notified through the gazette no construction or human habitation would be permissible within certain earmarked perimeter of the site.

That is how it's protected as an antiquity. But, of course, there is much more to the undertaking. This relates to further probe, excavation, reworking, putting the pieces of puzzles together and, above all, maintenance under designated authorities.

Here we recall the shredding the bricks off the famous Mahastangarh site and using these for construction purposes. Even farming was reportedly going on in the vicinity. Such vandalism must be replaced by a culture of respect and responsibility for historical relics.

At the archeological level, there needs to be a campaign aided by government and private sectors to bring to the fore many unrecognised and yet valuable historical sites for the hoary past.