Comilla was going through a massive urbanization. In Dhaka, many of us heard of a word “Comilla Body” in discussions regarding rickshaw. This name “Comilla Body” means a specialized version of rickshaw that is built in Comilla and this is special for its comparatively wider seats than others. As Comilla is one of major production places, Comilla herself is a place well-filled up by rickshaws. Though all of these, Comilla was near to be a town with better traffic system. After the Municipality election in 2005, Comilla’s city life was started to be reconstructed in multiple dimensions. A massive upgrade was planned and the implementation was going on in a good speed. After all Comilla’s people were convinced very much that they are now going to get something which their fellow ministers never could or tried to provide. Every cabinet since liberation contained with one or more ministers from constituencies of Comilla. But the major reformation was started in 2005-06 timeline. Plans to upgrade sewerage system, traffic systems were made and started to work. Major areas & comparatively gloomy areas of the town, ultimately the whole town was started changing face. Sidewalks, squares, the court area and other governmental establishments, started appearing in excellent look with gardens and plantations. Other areas like Jail Road, Court Road and even Chakbazar were brought under beautification plans, which Comilla people have never seen before. All of these development efforts have been well driven up to January 11 of 2007.
Manirul Haque Shakku is one of those who have been black-listed on this regime’s first hour purge (?) after 1/11. But Shakku however slipped of the raid as well as the arrest, somehow made it to get out of Bangladesh. Like many other of BNP & Awami League leaders, residence of Manirul Haque Shakku was ravaged by the raid of security forces. But Shakku was nowhere there. This regime fortunately or unfortunately missed Shakku. The job they did on Qaiyum Commissioner, but couldn’t do it on Shakku. I don’t know where he lives now. Rumors almost forthright, says that Shakku now lives in a place near Indo-Bangladesh border, definitely on Indian territory. You will be surprised, the massive city reformation or upgrade or development whatever you say, was initiated by Comilla’s Municipality Chairman Manirul Haque Shakku. As Manirul Haque Shakku has left the scene, Comilla’s development work is apparently closed.
Right this time, Comilla people have nobody to reach for their problems to be heard. No municipality chairman, no MP, no BNP or Awami League’s top leaders there are now reachable. I could not find a single person who is capable of being an active & effective listener of public when they will come with problems. People are exhausted with rocketing price hike, especially rice price. Rickshaw pullers say,
“We can buy the rice that costs Tk.34, but this ain’t worthy to eat. Now we have to buy the rice that costs Tk.42, that we cannot afford to buy for both of meals in the day…”, “…we cannot afford for children to eat rice two times for school. They have to eat either before the school, or after the school…”, “…coming days are going to be harder & harsher, we don’t know what to do then”.
Another group of people have been found, who lost their living after this regime started wrecking illegal establishments. Their shops were under those roofs and for fault of the landlord, they are now one of them who keep walking around different NGOs and other organizations, if there is any job or any scheme to get a loan & start afresh. But no hope is found. Their faces remain gloomy. Eventually those faces get gloomier when they find that their families have to remain unfed/half-fed for one more day.
A Bangladesh cricket fan at a moment asked a very clever question. He was eagerly keeping eyes on TV, watching Bangladesh South Africa test match. He found that Chief Advisor Dr. Fakhruddin Ahmed, his Press Secretary Fahim Munaim & Election Commissioner Brig.Gen. Sakhawat Hussain are seating inside the hospitality box. They were enjoying the match. This was Brig. Sakhawat who was talking to Dr. Fakhruddin with a wide smile, and Dr. Fakhruddin’s reactions let us know they were talking about amazing six that Ashraful hit to the gallery. The question was, as the Chief Advisor are enjoying the test match with his Press Secretary & Election Commissioner, it’s very easy to assume that there is at least peace in Bangladesh right this moment. There is fury, depression & may be anger inside people but that still is kept inside and no sign of bursting out is seen yet. There is also no threat by any foreign power to attack Bangladesh in near future. So, why still there is the State of Emergency? What is the reason of this now? The only logic this regime can show to validate their stance with SOE, that Bangladesh is still not calm & quiet. If so, if still Bangladesh ain’t calm & quiet, how a Chief Advisor desires to enjoy a test match? There is nothing wrong if a man desires some amusement. But at least admit that there is yet nothing violently wrong! At least lift the SOE up!
I guess Gen. Matin somehow guessed that a blogger today is writing on their stance with SOE. So he made a speech. That off course is not about lifting up emergency orders, rather Mr. Matin wanted to know whether there is any legal barrier to hold the election amid State of Emergency, if there is no, what’s wrong if they hold the election amid SOE ?!?
I am waiting for Barrister Rafiqul Haque to say something and some other bloggers to write further on it. Because I am in completely “mukher bhasha hariye felechhi” situation. I can’t say anything.
