Gas Burning….. No, burning our independence.
Muhammad Shamim Akhter, 14 December, 2010:
I can not make someone abstained from enjoying any legitimate utility as I do. Instead of it, I should support others what is justified to be supported for me. ‘Gas' is one of the utility we, basically the dwellers of Dhaka are benefited with it for cooking, boiling water and regarding industrial usage, it brings manifold prospects. The experts concerning geological issue, assured in different times that Bangladesh is floating over gas and near about 50 years, Bangladesh may walk with this resource. However, we, the Dhaka dwellers are frustrated to the ongoing gas crisis during cooking time there is no gas and after few hours, gas comes having huge pressure seems that it would burn everything in the kitchen! Where is the check valve?
To make an instance, I shall mention the circumstance of my temporary locality: Palllabi. Erratic phenomenon of gas supply has been started since the last year of the 4-party GOB. During Ramadan at that time, when my mother started to cook iftar at 2 PM, she used to complain that pressure of gas was much lower than regular flow. At that time, I started to be alarmed being assured that the demon had been supposed to be stepped their footsteps on the head of the sector and that has been realized in the new era of Din Bodol in full swing instead of turning a positive. Being not supplied gas of early 3 to 4 hours, we are not getting gas at the national level declaring that no new gas line would be possible to be connected!!! The sum and substance is that we are deprived of being supplied gas and the normal life is in fact going into tougher than ever.
A tool may be used to divide the nations who are beneficial to this irregularity. One of my relative lives at Faridpur District who one day grafted her satisfaction that it was a good consequence ( Gas crisis in Dhaka) since Dhakaia burns gas cooker for a long in order to save a match-stick. In the midst of an investigation regarding her psychology, I found that such a remark was her mental bliss since she could not manage to live in Dhaka ! These tricks might be a tool to be desisted someone from time being, but in case of looking ins and outs of the root of the problem, it is very frustrating that such divide and rule is burying the truth. Months after months are being delayed to build Padma Bridge and consequently many areas of southern regions are not being supplied gas. Other than this, with the aid of Paksi Bridge or through the underground of the Padma River no arrangement has yet to take to distribute gas there. Furthermore, the case of Northern region is same. Many experts say that through proper exploration with our patriotic scientists, we may find new gas field which may pacify the entire population supplied by gas. We see a little and in fact nothing progress in this sector within two years. Why?
Now I will mention about the misusage of gas. If you see the statistics provided in the GOB report, you may find a huge quantity of gas is used for producing electricity and urea fertilizer. These two polices are suicidal and recent studies show that organic fertilizer instead of chemical fertilizer is beneficial to our agriculture. Ridoya Mati o Manush of Channel I reported on 11 December 2010 that at Norshingdi, farmers are producing more harvest using organic fertilizer than chemical fertilizer. An integrated cattle and agricultural management is enough to reduce the dependability on GAS which may be easily diverted to household gas supply. Regarding gas driven electricity project, we request to renewable energy project for instance hydro electricity, tidal electricity, wind and solar etc. Although heaps of words are bloomed in the chair of seminar the concerned decision makers finally hitting the axe on the feet of the nation and the gourd is remaining as it was a low (a green colored fruit produced in winter) while decision is finally approved at Cabinet, seen in last two years. In fine, the intensity of such a common civic problem is graving that the overall national development is diverting reversely instead of upwards while such irregularity has made few millionaires who are in fact be called ‘ brokers or collaborators.'
Other reasons for crisis of gas may be pronounced forthwith. Corruption in the gas sector is one of the reasons which is not a callous disposal of few citizen, it is the prearranged options of the civil servants who have made the GAS sector inherent ladders to climb up to the sky kicking at the face of the Bangladeshis. Have you read the news about the quantum of wealth of 126 TITAS Employees who had 400 crore of illegal property which I compared about the wealth of 140696 general citizens of Bangladesh during CG n the news paper. They confessed to their guilt made it clear that corruption is not only encircling with tendering, employing, since the perpetrators had not been desisted from doing corruption and since irregular service is delivered under the freedom of ‘ Herors of Din Bodol' , it is easily be understood that the line of corruption has been staged in this sector now which may be comparable to the act of any foreign ‘ Hanadar'.
Now I should catch the attention of the readers about the misuse of GAS which is worthy mentionable. Have you gone Suarawardi Park and Dhaka Cantonment? If so, you will find that two cookers are burning gas all days and nights. When I used to study at Adamjee Cantonment College , I visited and embarrassed with that. However when I saw a nice mosque having a vast lawn just opposite to that gas burner I could not but pleased and tried to pray there. When I see that our freedom fighters during English era and in 1971 having beard, cap I am to say that it is conflicting to the aspiration of our freedom to have gas burner wasting gas at Surwardi Uddayan. History suggests that when the Last and Great Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (SA) was born, the burner of Persia was lit off. It is very incompatible to our society to have such gas burner which would be burnt when lots of people are to suffer from gas crisis.
In fine, we must follow such a pragmatic approach which may eliminate our gas crisis and make, side by side, the sense of freedom. When gas would be run out, what shall be the option other than to compromise with our freedom since bargaining with such an element may be a risky and tougher job? We should be inclined to a safer mood, shouldn't it?
