The government’s ongoing drive against brokers, cheat and touts who humiliate, harass and even assault people at government hospitals, passport offices, BRTA and other government offices will create a pleasant atmosphere for the service seekers. We hope the nationwide drive against brokers will be strengthened further in line with the government’s election pledges as well as ‘zero tolerance policy’ against any sort of irregularities, mismanagement and misdeeds at public service-oriented sectors.
Since long an unholy nexus of brokers and a section of unscrupulous physicians, officials and staffs have turned the government service-oriented organisations into places of harassment and humiliations instead of providing service to the people across the country. And these organised gangs comprising brokers, thugs, muscleman, goons, and above all, political activists under the patronage of godfathers rule the government service sectors in many ways.
We hope the nationwide drive against brokers will be
strengthened further in line with the government’s
‘zero tolerance policy’ against irregularities
at public service-oriented sectors
Special squads of elite force Rapid Action Battalion on Sunday raided at public hospitals, passport offices, BRTA offices and other government offices in different districts including capital Dhaka and held 500 brokers. Of them, 249 were sentenced to different jail terms while 248 more were fined Tk 9 lakh by mobile courts during the drives. People are compelled to pay bribes to brokers linked with officials at the offices and the rate increases manifold depending on the nature of the services. When people go to hospitals for taking treatment, these brokers bar them receiving healthcare services and take them to different private and unauthorised hospitals assuring them of better service there.
Apart from hospitals, service seekers are also being harassed by the organised brokers at BRTA. No new license is issued or renewed without the assistance of brokers. Besides, the thugs are also very active at the passport offices across the country. As soon as people arrive at passport offices, the brokers surround them and start alluring with the assurance of quick delivery of the passports in exchange of money. And most of the time, people fall prey to the thugs, who resort to various tricks to realise more money and later humiliate the service seekers in many ways.
It has been noticed that despite repeated drives, such grim scenario is prevailing at every government service sector providers. Therefore, this drive will make the service-oriented organisations accountable and transparent alongside ensuring people’s security by putting an end to all misdeeds and irregularities.
However, we think the government must continue drive so that people get rid of the harassment and humiliations committed by the organised racket. Apart from these, government physicians, officials and other staffs will also have to be committed to serve the people with a desire to make the country a suitable abode for the next generation.