Hossain Zillur Rahman
Howsoever one tries to explain it, the death of Dia and Rajib, the two students of Shaheed Ramiz Uddin Cantonment College, on the Airport Road ten or so fateful days ago, can never be called an “accident”. Accidents are accidental. This, in Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s metaphor, was more of a “death foretold”—a tragic finale to a grisly chain of impunity and mis-governance that is blighting our roads and road transportation and indeed our collective future. For a country aspiring to Middle Income status, it is shocking how backward the state of road governance is and the types of impunity and mis-governance tolerated, no indeed, spawned by the system.
The road transport sector has seen phenomenal growth over the forty-five plus years of our existence but has done so without the benefit of any sound and credible legal and governance system. Roads and transports have multiplied. So have potholes, injuries, inconveniences and corruption. We have endured the road anarchy sometimes in anger but mostly in silence, but our concerns and agonies have mattered little to those who matter. As economists, we have celebrated our resilience, but on the roads, resilience has increasingly felt like an empty word covering up the true state of affairs which is helplessness.
For five extraordinary days, driven by the wanton deaths of their peers, young girls and boys from all types of educational institutions through their spontaneous “classes” of civic governance on the roads broke through the corrosive mood of helplessness and resignation. They created an exhilarating spectacle of holding authority and people alike to account. Demanding traffic discipline from vehicles and pedestrians, checking licenses, handing defaulters both mighty and commoner to standby police, creating emergency lanes, assisting the elderly—it was as if a veil had been lifted on what was possible. The series of placards the students spontaneously made up to sustain their “classes” of civic governance exhibited astonishing creativity and vision. The immediate focus was on road governance but the larger focus was on correcting the impunity and mis-governance that has made the road anarchy an inevitability.
Alas, it was not to last. The “authorities” were initially responsive to the upfront demand for road safety but became increasingly uneasy with the deeper demand of systemic reforms that would strike at the impunity and mis-governance underpinning road anarchy. The political leaders within and outside the government controlling the associations of owners and workers struck back first by imposing an unjust and unwarranted transport “strike” on the people and the economy. The excuse they cited—lack of security—was transparently unfounded. Their aim instead was more transparent—to thwart the demand for an end to impunity by inconveniencing the people and businesses without an end in sight. The government sadly found no cause to act against such economic anarchy. Nor did it find it necessary to undertake any initiatives or measures that would reassure and convince a sceptical student community and a sceptical public that their deeper anguish had been understood, heard and respected.
All civic movements pass through “moments” when the phase of moral innocence is either heard and steered towards a win-win outcome or begins to be seen as a power-play, and zero-sum political calculations trump all other considerations. At this crucial turning point, the wisdom required for a win-win outcome was found severely wanting. Instead, the arrogance and intolerance of power and the murky machinations of zero-sum politics established its brutal and shocking sway on the streets. After five fateful days of a liberating moral mission, the shocked students found themselves on the receiving end of street thugs and police action. Senior peers of the students, those from universities public and private, stung by the completely unjust turn of events, responded with solidarity but they too faced the wrath of police and, allegedly, affiliated bodies of the ruling party. The belligerent police action and threatening attitude of the authorities continue.
For its part, the government contended that its political opponents had infiltrated the student movement with malafide intentions. That is for the government to prove and prove convincingly. But some facts and timelines are overwhelmingly established by virtue of first-person accounts both from the media and from the public. Journalists covering the crackdown on the students on August 5 and 6 were brutally assaulted by helmet-wearing gangs, allegedly from ruling party affiliated bodies, acting visibly alongside the police. On those nights and days, Dhaka in 2018 faced the unthinkable reality where to be a stude
I truly wanted to compose a remark so as to appreciate you for all of the amazing recommendations you are placing here. My extended internet search has at the end been paid with pleasant suggestions to exchange with my friends and classmates. I ‘d say that we website visitors are unquestionably fortunate to dwell in a notable network with so many lovely professionals with great concepts. I feel pretty blessed to have used your entire web site and look forward to some more brilliant minutes reading here. Thanks a lot once more for everything.
Needed to send you that very small remark to help give many thanks as before for your gorgeous advice you’ve provided on this website. This is really incredibly open-handed with you to give publicly all that numerous people would’ve made available for an ebook to end up making some profit on their own, even more so considering that you could have tried it in the event you considered necessary. The basics likewise acted to become great way to realize that some people have a similar passion like my very own to see good deal more when it comes to this condition. Certainly there are millions of more pleasurable situations ahead for people who view your site.
Thanks a lot for providing individuals with remarkably marvellous possiblity to discover important secrets from this web site. It is always so enjoyable and full of a good time for me and my office fellow workers to search your site particularly 3 times weekly to see the new things you have. And of course, I’m always satisfied with the terrific secrets you serve. Certain two points in this posting are clearly the simplest we have all ever had.
I in addition to my friends have already been checking out the great tips and tricks located on your web site while the sudden came up with an awful feeling I never thanked the web blog owner for those secrets. Those ladies happened to be for that reason passionate to read through all of them and have now surely been using these things. Appreciation for getting really helpful and then for picking out such quality subject matter most people are really desperate to be aware of. Our own honest regret for not expressing appreciation to you sooner.
I would like to show my admiration for your kind-heartedness in support of folks that must have help with the question. Your very own commitment to getting the message all through was pretty advantageous and have usually enabled men and women like me to achieve their pursuits. Your new helpful report denotes much a person like me and somewhat more to my office workers. Thank you; from each one of us.
I actually wanted to write a quick message to appreciate you for the stunning guides you are giving out on this site. My extended internet look up has at the end of the day been rewarded with awesome ideas to exchange with my guests. I ‘d assert that most of us visitors are unquestionably lucky to dwell in a useful network with so many lovely professionals with useful opinions. I feel truly fortunate to have seen your webpages and look forward to plenty of more thrilling moments reading here. Thanks again for a lot of things.
I precisely wished to say thanks all over again. I am not sure the things I would have implemented in the absence of the actual techniques contributed by you directly on this topic. It seemed to be a real depressing situation in my opinion, but being able to see your specialised manner you solved that took me to jump over joy. I am grateful for this work and have high hopes you really know what an amazing job you are always carrying out teaching people through the use of your websites. Most probably you’ve never got to know any of us.
A lot of thanks for all your effort on this blog. My mother take interest in conducting investigation and it’s simple to grasp why. A lot of people learn all concerning the compelling manner you produce insightful techniques through this blog and strongly encourage response from other people about this point and our own simple princess is being taught a great deal. Enjoy the rest of the new year. You are carrying out a terrific job.
Thanks so much for providing individuals with a very memorable chance to read critical reviews from this web site. It can be so awesome and also stuffed with fun for me personally and my office mates to search your web site not less than thrice weekly to find out the latest secrets you will have. And of course, I’m certainly amazed for the very good secrets you give. Some 1 areas in this posting are completely the most beneficial we’ve had.
I am also writing to make you understand what a awesome experience our girl gained reading your site. She picked up lots of details, with the inclusion of what it is like to have an awesome helping style to have other individuals without difficulty have an understanding of selected impossible issues. You really did more than people’s expectations. I appreciate you for imparting those informative, trusted, educational and cool thoughts on this topic to Gloria.
I simply wished to appreciate you once more. I am not sure the things that I would have sorted out without these ways discussed by you directly on such a problem. Completely was an absolute difficult matter for me, however , observing the skilled avenue you treated that made me to weep with gladness. Extremely thankful for the support and wish you really know what a great job you happen to be carrying out teaching most people using your website. I am certain you’ve never encountered any of us.
I as well as my pals appeared to be digesting the best secrets found on the website and so the sudden developed a terrible suspicion I had not thanked the web site owner for those secrets. All the guys were definitely for that reason passionate to read all of them and have now pretty much been loving those things. We appreciate you indeed being so kind as well as for obtaining this kind of cool themes millions of individuals are really desirous to be informed on. My honest regret for not saying thanks to you sooner.
A lot of thanks for every one of your effort on this website. My niece takes pleasure in setting aside time for investigations and it’s easy to understand why. All of us know all relating to the compelling medium you give valuable secrets via this web blog and therefore attract response from other individuals on that idea then our girl is without question understanding a whole lot. Take advantage of the rest of the new year. You are carrying out a really great job.
I’m just writing to make you understand what a perfect discovery our princess had visiting your web page. She realized some pieces, with the inclusion of what it’s like to possess an incredible giving character to let the rest with no trouble grasp a number of tricky subject areas. You truly exceeded our desires. Thanks for displaying these powerful, dependable, explanatory and even fun tips about that topic to Ethel.
I and my pals have already been studying the best things located on the website while immediately developed a terrible feeling I never thanked the site owner for those secrets. The young men had been as a consequence joyful to see them and have simply been making the most of them. I appreciate you for actually being considerably considerate and also for using such notable subjects most people are really wanting to know about. Our own sincere regret for not expressing gratitude to you sooner.
I’m just commenting to make you know what a extraordinary discovery my cousin’s child enjoyed studying your web site. She realized lots of pieces, which included how it is like to possess an excellent coaching mindset to have men and women very easily understand a variety of impossible things. You undoubtedly exceeded her desires. Thank you for coming up with those precious, trustworthy, informative and unique guidance on this topic to Emily.
I definitely wanted to compose a brief message to be able to thank you for all of the great solutions you are placing here. My extensive internet look up has now been compensated with professional concept to share with my pals. I ‘d admit that most of us site visitors actually are undeniably lucky to exist in a fabulous network with very many outstanding professionals with beneficial pointers. I feel rather fortunate to have seen your entire weblog and look forward to many more fun minutes reading here. Thank you once again for all the details.
I needed to send you the bit of word to thank you very much yet again regarding the precious views you’ve discussed at this time. It is certainly wonderfully generous of people like you to present unreservedly precisely what numerous people could have sold as an electronic book in making some dough for their own end, notably since you might have tried it if you ever decided. Those guidelines also served to become a good way to know that many people have a similar fervor like mine to learn way more with regard to this matter. I am certain there are a lot more pleasant opportunities in the future for individuals that read your website.
I really wanted to post a small message to thank you for those marvelous recommendations you are giving at this site. My incredibly long internet search has finally been compensated with sensible insight to talk about with my family members. I ‘d assert that we website visitors actually are rather endowed to exist in a very good place with very many lovely individuals with insightful advice. I feel very fortunate to have encountered your web pages and look forward to some more thrilling minutes reading here. Thanks again for a lot of things.
I wish to express my thanks to you for bailing me out of this type of instance. After researching through the world wide web and coming across views which were not beneficial, I believed my life was well over. Being alive without the presence of strategies to the issues you have solved all through your main write-up is a serious case, and those which may have negatively affected my career if I had not noticed your blog. Your own knowledge and kindness in playing with everything was vital. I’m not sure what I would’ve done if I had not encountered such a thing like this. I can at this moment look forward to my future. Thanks so much for this skilled and results-oriented help. I won’t be reluctant to refer your web sites to any individual who should receive recommendations on this subject matter.
I and also my pals were found to be following the good points from your web site while quickly developed an awful suspicion I never expressed respect to the site owner for them. The ladies had been absolutely thrilled to read through them and already have truly been using those things. Thanks for truly being so accommodating as well as for finding certain brilliant information millions of individuals are really desirous to be aware of. My personal sincere apologies for not expressing gratitude to you sooner.
I want to voice my affection for your kind-heartedness in support of individuals who require help with this important theme. Your real dedication to passing the solution around had become exceptionally functional and has really helped guys and women like me to attain their objectives. Your amazing invaluable instruction entails a lot to me and even more to my office colleagues. With thanks; from all of us.
Thank you a lot for giving everyone remarkably pleasant opportunity to read critical reviews from this web site. It can be so ideal and also jam-packed with amusement for me and my office peers to search your blog at a minimum three times in 7 days to learn the newest tips you have. And of course, I’m so actually impressed with all the terrific solutions you serve. Some two ideas in this article are essentially the very best we have all ever had.
Thank you so much for providing individuals with an exceptionally superb opportunity to read articles and blog posts from this site. It really is very amazing and full of amusement for me and my office friends to visit your site no less than three times every week to see the new secrets you have got. And indeed, I’m also at all times satisfied with all the unbelievable points served by you. Some 1 points on this page are particularly the most beneficial we have ever had.
I have to show my gratitude for your kind-heartedness for those individuals that need guidance on in this niche. Your very own dedication to getting the message up and down became especially invaluable and have continually helped those just like me to achieve their goals. Your entire informative help signifies so much a person like me and a whole lot more to my fellow workers. Best wishes; from all of us.
I precisely needed to thank you so much again. I’m not certain the things I might have used without the actual tricks revealed by you relating to my area. Previously it was a very intimidating case in my view, however , taking note of the very specialised way you treated that took me to weep over fulfillment. Now i’m grateful for your guidance and then pray you recognize what a great job your are carrying out instructing other individuals by way of your web page. More than likely you have never met all of us.