Politics, admin crime infested

The country's politics, economy and administration have been infested with crimes due to absence of the rule of law, National Human Rights Commission Chairman Mizanur Rahman said yesterday.
"We didn't let the rule of law be established. Laws could not run their own courses. Laws were chained often to politics, money and personal vanities. If the rule of law cannot be established, it's not possible to do anything for the people's wellbeing," he said.
What can people expect of a society where an administration official intends to protect self-interests ignoring public interests? he said, addressing a seminar, "Accident-free waterways, strict enforcement of laws and our recommendations", organised by the Safe Water Way Movement at the capital's Jatiya Press Club.
The rights body chief observed that people of different professions were engaged in blame games, but if the rule of law was to be established, everyone would have to perform their own duty properly instead of criticising others.
About communication and transportation, Rahman said it was the state's duty to ensure safe movement of people. He said he would send recommendations to the shipping ministry and other authorities for ensuring passengers' safety ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr.
Presenting the keynote paper, Safe Water Way Movement member secretary Aminur Rasul Babul said at least 9,537 people were killed in launch accidents across the country in the last 39 years. Over this period, the probe bodies formed after the accidents placed over 800 recommendations to check the accidents, but the government is yet to implement these, he said.
Faulty designs, unskilled drivers, overloading, corruption in regulatory bodies, and a lack of awareness among passengers are the main reasons for launch accidents, he added.
Babul placed a 10-point recommendation including increased budget, maintaining navigability, introduction of passengers' insurance, and people's access to weather forecast.