How soon is "now?"

We find our elected leaders regularly making promises like "it shall be done immediately!" And we do not mind their pointless promises. Actually, we are very used to with it. This was a common phenomenon until the present government fulfilled some of their major promises made during the election campaign -- introduction of the speedy trial tribunal, actions against the criminals through Operation Clean Heart, banning polythene shopping bags, withdrawing two-stroke three wheelers from the city roads, and the latest a bill to set up independent anti­corruption commission.

The common people at least appreciated the idea that the government did something for the betterment of the existing problems. But if you had followed the news related to the transportation, then you would have noticed that the communication minister promised to adjust the train fair between Dhaka­Sylhet and Dhaka­Ch-ittagong, he said categorically that Dhaka­Sylhet train fair would be lowered immediately. He indicated that the train fare would go down within a week. But nothing has happened to "adjust" the "promised" fare.

The other news item was more assuring. Dhaka cantonment to allow vehicular transportation through cantonment area between 7 AM to 11 PM every day without any hindrance, to ease the already suffering citizens, until the Mohakhali flyover is completed in 2004. It also mentioned that the cantonment authority would implement this programme immediately. Since the cantonment authority usually implements any decision of the government without any delay, rather in "shock and awe" I must say that nothing has been done so far. Another example of a broken promise.

So, naturally a question comes up in our mind; how soon is "now"? In both the cases, nothing happened "immediately" as was promised. We would like to know if the PMO has any authority to check the non-compliance of its direction by the cantonment authority? We also would like to know if the communication minister is aware of the fact that the train fares are not adjusted yet? We hope, considering the suffering of the citizens the government will take some immediate actions.