Shell-shocked by death of 10 devotees
We are aghast at the deaths of 10 devotees due to a stampede during a bathing ritual for Hindu pilgrims in Narayanganj. The bath in the Brahmaputra River at Lalgalbagh is a century-old sacrosanct ceremony, drawing around 10 lakh Hindu devotees from around the country, even from neighbouring West Bengal, each year. Reportedly, a rumour that an overcrowded bridge leading to the most revered ghat at the site was collapsing triggered panic amongst the crowd, causing the stampede.
Witnesses state that had it not been for failure on the part of organisers, administration and law enforcers, the catastrophe could have been avoided and lives spared. With inadequate deployment of police in disciplining the crowd, questions arise as to whether the authorities were at all cognizant of the magnitude of the event, and of the need to ensure the safety and security of those participating in the ancient ritual. What measures, if any, were taken, to prevent an untoward incident in what was a major event for Hindu devotees, attended by tens of thousands? Furthermore, if there was even an inkling that miscreants might cause chaos at the site, as claimed by some leaders, why did law enforcers not take adequate steps to deter such mischief?
Illegal makeshift business establishments along the river had narrowed down the festival, hindering the mobility of devotees along a crowded site. Why, we ask, did authorities not take steps to clear the area, ensuring safe passage of people?
We condemn such mismanagement and huge security unpreparedness that all but made an avoidable tragedy inevitable. We condole the deaths demand that those responsible for the catastrophe be held accountable.
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