Cops vs Judge

I am glad that the confrontation between the Inspector General of the Police (IGP) and a Judge has now come to a logical end. I choose to perceive the dismissal of the IGP as punishment for insubordination. As I recall, this is based around the matter of whether a police vehicle should have the right of way over that of a Judge in a traffic jam. Common sense dictates that if a police car is responding to an emergency, it should have the right of way. On the other hand, if there was no emergency involved, then normal rules should prevail and any vehicle -- regardless of its owner -- should have equal right of way in the interest of smooth flow of traffic. In fact, for an emergency vehicle to invoke its emergency status without any real cause is not a rule.

From what I have read, it was the latter. Emergency response could make a difference between life and death ­ playing games with it is immoral. The IGP should have investigated the incident and punished all those involved from members of his staff for abusing their authority. On the other hand, if the IGP could prove that his men were responding to an emergency, I would support exactly how he responded ­- even if it were the Prime Minister's car that had been stopped. Which brings another issue to the fore. Why do Judges need to have "Flag Cars"? Do our judges expect to get ahead of ordinary traffic -- if so, under what logical basis? Is it because Bangladesh is a country obsessed to the core with "image" issues? May I then humbly ask the honourable judge what material losses he incurred by being over taken by a police vehicle? Clearly, from a legal point of view, he was right all along, but as someone who holds not only a position of high authority but also high respect and reverence, he could have been a bit more gracious.

That being said, I am somewhat sad to see this incident dragged to this bitter end where two leaders of society have behaved like children to fight a duel. We need good leaders in sections of our society; let's not hurt each other for the sake of our egos.