The ruling Awami League and the opposition BNP have been holding programmes almost everyday in the lead-up to the 12th national election. In a democratic society, any political party or organisation can hold meetings and rallies to present their policy and plans to the people. However, they must keep in mind that normal life should not be disrupted due to these meetings and rallies.
Traffic congestion is a persistent issue in Dhaka, a city with a population of 150 million. When the two major parties hold rallies on the same day, the situation worsens, and the people have been suffering for the last couple of months. Rallies and meetings are occurring almost every day. Professional bodies have also taken to the streets to assert their demands. Moreover, the movements of VIPs have exacerbated the situation.
Offices, educational institutions, factories, and private organizations remain open on working days, with thousands of people from these organizations commuting to and from work. In normal circumstances, they already have to endure several hours of waiting on the streets. Given this situation, it's easy to grasp the worsening scenario when large rallies take place in Dhaka.
Employees from various offices start their journey home in the afternoon and often arrive home late into the night due to the traffic. Despite the recent opening of a segment of the elevated expressway to traffic, a certain side of the city is experiencing stagnation instead of a reduction in traffic congestion.
The political parties engage in politics for the people. The leaders, in their speeches, talk about their sympathy and their responsibility for the people. Have they thought at least once that the people are suffering for their programs? A responsible political leadership cannot do this. Despite that, they are holding city dwellers hostage regularly in the name of 'democratic rights,' which is taking a heavy toll on the people. Their such 'democratic rights' are intensifying the sufferings of the people.
The affected city residents outright feel that their suffering worsens when VIPs and VVIPs are on the move. Entire streets are kept closed for hours, creating a ripple effect across the city. Alternatives to this situation must be carefully considered.
In any city, having large grounds is essential to host meetings and rallies, but this is lacking in Dhaka. Consequently, political parties organise their programmes on busy roads. In the past, if a political party announced a schedule of meetings and rallies, other parties would usually avoid holding similar programmes. However, breaking from this tradition, they now hold rallies at both ends of the city or nearby locations on the same day. This not only exacerbates the suffering of the people but also hinders the pace of the economy.
Thousands of working hours of the people are being lost.
In a democratic society, resolving any problem through dialogue is essential. If programmes are to be held, they should be scheduled for the weekend. We hope that both the ruling party and the opposition will refrain from organising any events that would worsen the suffering of the people and disrupt the livelihoods of marginalised individuals.