IN BANGLADESH, we have a really dedicated and devoted minister, as described in an article published in a local English-language daily on June 9. His loyalty seems to be pledged to his vote bank where he possibly holds a life-term fixed deposit of votes. Can anyone beat that?
The minister seems to be driven by the desires of the drivers, whose loyalty he publicly and proudly accepts. Hence, their desires, be it for forged driving licence, no driving tests, and whenever and wherever possible, no punishment for any injury or death to pedestrians caused by them, whatever the reasons for it be. The police authorities are not to question why. This seems to be his solemn pledge to them, forget about all others.
His logic seems to be simple: it is the drivers of motorised public transport and their group who ensure his ministerial chair — not you and I, whose safety on roads is not for him to bother about.
He is a true and a totally voter-dedicated politician, whose voters are organised and sustained by public vehicle drivers. The question then comes up: how will he carry on if and when the BNP government comes? His approach is likely to be simple. He cannot win over the BNP, then as an opposition person, he will have a strong, organised and vocal band of people for whom he will ask for all sorts of benefits and demands; that will naturally attract his group of drivers and other related supporters!
For now, he is a true minister; totally and without question, devoted to the interests and desires of the motorized public carrier driver's interests; like it or not!
A disgusted citizen
Dhaka