Construction, reconstruction and destruction
In the distant past the 'sardars' of Dhaka City were vested with some functions to maintain discipline in theirmohallas. Some parts of Old Dhaka have still retained the system. No meat seller then would have been allowed to slaughter a young cow/bull. This was a norm. Those days are gone. We now prefer meat of young cows. The policy of sardars had its point. A young cow and bull can come to our use for some further time. Its slaughter deprives us from further service. But an old cow will not come to further use. We need to slaughter it for supply of meat. We have deviated from this principle. We construct roads, culverts, bridges either with our own resources or with external assistance and after lapse of some time, which is not reasonable, we destroy and reconstruct them. We are in a continuous process of construction, destruction and reconstruction. We had so many Baily Bridges. We know that a Baily Bridge has got a minimum of 100 years life span, if maintained properly.
On replacement its scrap value is not unmentionable. The scrap value is almost close to the installation value. So many "Baily Bridges" have been removed for replacing those by concrete bridges with RCC pillars. But we see that these bridges are short lived. We are a poor country. Fifty per cent of our people live under poverty line How can we then engage in a continuous process of construction and reconstruction?
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