Lawmaker breaking the law!

Three major stories in some of yesterday's newspapers were related to the ruling party MP or their wards. One story had to do with an AL legislator surrendering to the police and thereafter sent to jail, having been a longtime absconder in a murder case, while another tells us about an MP's son landing in lockup for extortion. The third, and which is the subject of this editorial, is about a Cox's Bazaar lawmaker obstructing a mobile court from doing its duty.

What the MP and his goons did was prevent government officials from performing their duty, a cognizable offence under the law that should have landed any other person in jail immediately. And the local union council chairman, the MP's henchman, had the temerity to say that the eviction was illegal since the land on which the shops were built was not forest but khas land. As if it is lawful for ruling party cadres to illegally occupy khas land. It is a sad state of affairs when those who make laws violate it without compunction.

None of the stories recounted here can make a party with long political and democratic traditions proud. In fact these three instances are fairly representative of the behaviour of some AL lawmakers and party men during the tenure of office of this government, that includes hogging tender application, interfering with the legal process, illegal occupation of land and generally falling foul of the law. While from time to time some of the errant members were punished, nothing substantive that would deter such activities permanently was done. It was about time the AL looked at its backyard seriously and put its own house in order.