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Hasina’s call to reduce food prices comes during the holy month of Ramadan. But outside the Secretariat where the meeting was held, the scene was anything but holy, as her words failed to move even the leaders of her own party.
The Directorate of Food, next door, was the scene of clashes between leaders of the Bangladesh Awami Jubo League and the Bangladesh Chattra League – the youth and student wings of the ruling Awami League – who were blocking bidders hoping to capture contracts worth 28 million takas (US$407,000).
During the violence a number of vehicles were damaged, causing panic among commuters and traffic congestion in the area. People from both groups sustained injures, as law-enforcement officers swung into action to diffuse the crisis. However, no legal or political action was taken against any of the perpetrators.
The director general of food, Peus Costa, told the media that everything was fine when he was in his office at 11 a.m. He said he didn’t know what had caused the incident, as he had already left his office when it occurred.
This is not an isolated incident. Bangladesh’s business industry is notorious for “musclemanship.” On days when bids for publicly tendered contracts take place, it is common for fights to occur between groups belonging to the ruling party, trying to protect the interests of certain companies they are connected with.
Responsible officials like the director general of food perform their duties in ignorance, while law-enforcement officers turn a blind eye to offenders from the ruling political party. Such offenders forget that blocking a public bidding process is a crime. And law enforcers seem to forget their professional obligation to uphold the laws of the land.
As a result, political musclemen earn huge amounts of money by abusing their power and connections with the ruling party. Several killings have been reported during this unruly hijacking of public contract bids. The state seems to have patronized the practice for decades, as the income only fattens the pockets of those in the ruling party.
On Sunday the month of Ramadan began. For Muslims it is a holy month when one observes self-control and purification through various practices including fasting, which is part of their religious obligation. Every adult Muslim in good health and of sound mind begins the fast before dawn and ends it after sunset. During the fasting time, it is obligatory to abstain from food, drinks and sexual activities.
The purpose of fasting is to learn how to transcend physical necessities and overcome greedy desires. Muslims also offer “fitra,” or financial help to the poor, and practice "zakat," or donating food and clothes to needy Muslims, as part of their religious practices. Completing all such religious obligations brings many benefits to a Muslim from the Almighty, according to the Koran and the Hadith, or oral tradition.
But tradition in Bangladesh differs from the directives of the Holy Koran. During Ramadan the prices of commodities rise beyond the reach of ordinary buyers. Everybody competes to make money. So it is no surprise that the country’s prime minister and other high-ranking officials have to make pleas to curb price inflation on essential commodities.
The people of Bangladesh have failed to learn the true significance of Ramadan and government officials have failed to motivate the business community to play a more sincere role for the sake of the common people. There is a famous saying, "Charity begins at home." Unfortunately this is not followed by Bangladesh’s political parties.
Hasina can order law enforcement authorities to prosecute those who indulge in violence and obstruct the legal process of bidding for contracts with the Directorate of Food. As head of the ruling political party she can take stern action against perpetrators whose identities are published in the media. Law enforcers also deserve punishment for neglecting their professional duties. But ironically, that has not happened.
If Hasina, as head of a Muslim majority state, wants to reduce the suffering of people during the holy month of Ramadan, she should start with her own political party. She should form an independent commission to probes crimes committed by those in her own party.
If anyone in her party is found guilty and prosecuted, it will send a strong message to the people that the government is committed to the welfare of society. Law enforcers will also get the message that the government is assertive in establishing the rule of law.
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(Rater Zonaki is the pseudonym of a human rights defender based in Hong Kong, working at the Asian Human Rights Commission. He is a Bangladeshi national who has worked as a journalist and human rights activist in his country for more than a decade, and as editor of publications on human rights and socio-cultural issues.)
