Alternative way of survival must be found

Mohammad Angkon: We are passing through such a time; we can see the current situation of the country at a glance just by stepping out of the house. Do you ride a rickshaw to go to the office? You will see in the morning; the overnight fare has doubled. If you protest, you have to walk to the office, even though it is beneficial for your health! Given the situation, rickshaw was not an option, so I walked; But we have to look, why has the rickshaw driver increased the fare? Surely the prices of the goods, which the rickshaw pullers come to work on a daily basis, have gone up overnight. If the income does not make it possible to support his family on a daily basis, then he has no choice but to increase the rent! Surely the rickshaw owner has also increased the amount of money deposited daily.

Not only rickshaws, but the same picture is noticeable when looking at public transport. However, there are gaps in it, there is extreme violence and arbitrariness of the gangs. When the price of fuel increases in the country, then all the public transport in the country runs on oil. Writes on the car ‘It is diesel powered’. And when gas prices go up, all public transportation runs on gas. Then put a sticker printed ‘It’s gas powered’ on the car again. The transport owners listen to the workers in such a way that the transport workers don’t even talk about charging less fare than the general passengers. For the sake of the situation, the pocket of the general people is cut and the belly of the owner is filled. Their fortunes do not improve. Not even supposed to happen. There is no question that the workers who sell themselves and follow the words of the rich will be well-off.

The organized circle of the transport sector is giving a double-triple increase in public transport fares, I remember the people who are fed up with this, who commute to and from work by public transport every day, tears come to my eyes. Even if the amount of remuneration in the job is not increased, the syndicate circle faces a miserable life by increasing the rent. Ignoring public transport or not having alternative means of daily protest of commuters is of no avail. Rather day by day the wounds of the general people are drying up. How many days and the driver-conductor can be quarrelled with the rent! So people started getting ready to take a pinch of salt on this fork again, when will the rent increase again. Besides, there is nothing for the general people to do. Rather, the general people can find a way to hide the injustice and oppression of the country by thickening the skin of their body.

In the interest of the overall development of the country, it is natural that the price of everything will gradually increase in the wind of change. Twenty years ago, we used to buy rice for 10 takas per kg, now it is definitely not possible to buy it for 10 takas per kg. But it is not possible to buy even 80-90 taka per kg. Twenty years is too short a time, in which time there has been no industrial revolution, no improvement in the standard of living of the people, that the price will rise tenfold in one leap. It is natural that the price of everything will rise to a tolerable level. But no, when the government adjusts the price of one or two essential products in the country, then the business syndicates outside the control of the government increase the price of everything at their fabricated rates. When the government adjusted the price of fuel oil with the global market price for the sake of importing, processing and marketing the country’s oil, exploiting this issue, the syndicate clique increased the prices of everything according to their own and put a delicate situation in the face of the country and this practice is repeated again and again. But the government is unable to do anything about them. Because those gangs are out of reach of the government or those business gangs are politically privileged and under the umbrella of some political leaders in this country. Some political leaders are the ‘elder brothers’ of business syndicates; Those who have entrusted all the responsibilities in the hands of ‘younger brothers’ and have kept themselves media-oriented. They do not hesitate to make the country a paradise without seeing anything on the surface, without observing the overall situation of the country.

If the price of any item in the country increases, whether it is related to other items or not, the price of all items must increase, this is the business motto of the business syndicate circle. If they do not take advantage of the country’s fragile situation, they will have no excuse; If they don’t get an excuse, they can’t increase the price of the product. Therefore, increasing the price on the spot is the ‘critical technique’ of their business. First raise the prices, the rest will be seen by the leaders of the business organizations who have grown up under the shadow of the banyan tree. They have great ‘links’ with the government. And some leaders are closely involved with various sectors including businessmen and transport. 57 percent of the parliamentarians of the country are involved in business and politics, but they do not feel the need to see the interests of the general people. In fact, they do not always have time to look after the interests of the people. This will lead to losses in the four-way business. Election season is the only time to look at people’s interests.

As we poor people are not able to cope with any sector, we must think of alternative ways to survive. Let’s talk about the food that is needed to survive. If the things that we need less in our daily life or have the opportunity to use other things instead of those things, if the skyrocketed price of those things or if we realize that the price has been unfairly increased, oppression is being imposed, to buy and use those goods or goods even for a temporary period, should be avoided. In this, the business syndicate circle will not be able to sell these. Without being able to store food, it will automatically control the price and sell it. Every time this silent protest goes on, it will be seen that the buyers will be taken by the hand and say, ‘Take it at the previous price, brother. Selling is not being done to increase the price, the red light has been lit in the business.’

It is very surprising when I hear that the prices of the products produced in the country have gone up overnight and have gone beyond the reach of people. Look, the price of eggs has skyrocketed recently. All of a sudden, dozens of eggs have become 150 takas, is this the price announced by the government? Businessmen wanted, increased. Why did they increase? I want to know from the businessmen. They will answer easily; the price of fuel has increased! Does egg production require fuel oil? Then they will say, the cost of transportation has increased. Using this formula, the price of all products produced from eggs has already increased. The fact that these business circles are always looking for opportunities can be understood by looking at their decisions during the fragile situation of the country. Then they feel very helpless thinking that they could never raise their prices.

General people need more or less eggs in their daily diet. As the egg traders’ syndicate has raised the price of eggs excessively, everyone should stop buying eggs for a week. This is my calling. And see what happens to illegal traders! We can buy other less expensive vegetables, fish instead of eggs for a week or two. Our little protest can bring the market under control. In this way, why only the egg market, any unethical and anti-public decision of the country, on whose behalf we have to strongly protest. Frankly speaking, in the current situation of the country, people with low income have no option to protest. Because, in the existing situation, no one will come forward if you or I do not eat. Everyone’s situation is very bad. Only the situation is good for the business syndicate circle and some people who are puffed up with political advantages and who are managing the important sectors of the country as they wish and are constantly making the country face destruction. Our protest should be against them. The government is also embarrassed because of them, but is unable to take any measures.

Freelance writer, Dhaka

Shortly: Mohammed Angkon

Poet & Young writer.
Number of published books: 14
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