EVERY year around this time authorities give out blazing outlines about how law and order shall be maintained during Eid festivities. And practically every year we see a deficit in implementation. Precisely how this year it will be different is something to be seen. The usual promises have been made regarding prevention of extortion of cattle traders coming to Dhaka. Yet only yesterday, the lead item in a national Bangla daily has pointed out that the bulk of the contracts for setting up these markets have been awarded to ruling party elements.

We cannot help but be somewhat sceptical of the concerned ministry's claims that proper precautions have been taken to provide security during the festival. Again, the installation of fake currency detectors has been promised to prevent counterfeit currency being transacted at the cattle markets. If the quality of these detectors is as good as those used to check cases of formalin in the less-than-successful drive against adulterated foods, we wonder what positive results they will bring. Highway police are going to be given binoculars so that may see from afar what extortion is taking place on the roads leading to Dhaka. Where some in the same outfit have been allegedly associated with toll collections in the past, precisely how binoculars will help is a mystery! If authorities are truly serious about cracking down on illegal activities that occur every year around Eid, they must be professional about tackling issues instead of being addicted to the phrase “zero tolerance”.