IT was really hard to believe as we learnt from the media that the US Federal Drug Administration (FDA) has recently approved the sale-cum-export of some Bangladeshi medicines to the USA. Although Bangladesh exports medicines to a dozen other countries, the drug administration has ordered closure of medicine production by more than a dozen factories.
Quite often the local electronic media covers in details how unscrupulous people are producing fake and contraband cosmetics, lotions, creams, powders etc. in their cow sheds and kitchens.
Fake currency notes particularly of Tk 500 and Tk1000 denominations are printed and some of their activities thereof were covered on TV shows. Since they were never brought to justice and no punishment was awarded by the concerned authorities, they continued their misdeeds unabated.
Adulterated food, fruit, vegetables etc., containing materials which are hazardous to health are often presented in media describing their impacts on human health. These are yet to be brought under control. Magistrates often impose fines on restaurants and sweetmeat shops and even on super markets, but they are of no avail and the process continues.
Law enforcing agencies are at times seen to come down hard on these criminals, but after sometime the situation gets back to where it was a couple of days back. This happens purely due to lack of enforcement of relevant laws in the country.
Rule of law which is often preached by the authorities do not conform to realities of life. While we learn that more than three million court cases are pending, it gives us a clear picture of the state of affairs on our legal front.
The High Court decided that the BGMEA Bhaban, at Hatirjheel-Sonargaon Hotel area be demolished. But the question still arises how and why the design of the building was approved by the concerned authorities. It appears that more than a hundred thousand people around Tongi, Gazipur, Kaliakoir etc., managed to have illegal Titas gas connections but nothing happened to the people involved.
Mass demonstration relating to corruption is going on against South Korean President and Malaysian Prime Minister and it is high time that we did something to the criminals involved in various illegal activities in Bangladesh.
Mohammad Ali
New Eskaton Road, Dhaka
