Yes, it’s the reality in Bangladesh — we don’t pay attention to anything until or unless there’s an accident and it’s deadly.

See what happens with the under-construction flyover at Bahaddarhat in Chittagong City — on Saturday (November 23), three concrete girders of the flyover fell on some people, mostly vegetable vendors at the makeshift kitchen market set up at the site at around 8:00pm. At least 13 people were killed while 50 others were injured in the unfortunate incident, which “can’t be labelled as an accident”.

It’s evidently not an accident since another girder of the same flyover collapsed on June 29 this year injuring one rickshaw-puller.

Flyover probe finds neglect for public security

জেলা প্রশাসনের তদন্ত প্রতিবেদন জমা

বহদ্দারহাট ফ্লাইওভারের নিরাপত্তা বেষ্টনির কাজ শুরু

PM allocates money for victims

CDA chairman among 6 sued

Ctg flyover girder collapses — June 30 paper

Fortunately, casualties was nominal that time, only because the girder — 42 metres long and 2.5 metres tall — collapsed in the weekend during the Zuma prayers and when there were very few people on the road.

The state-owned Chittagong Development Authority (CDA) is supervising the project worth Tk 106 crore. The construction work of the 1.3km four-lane flyover began in December, 2010.

But still, we don’t know what steps were taken after the first incident or whether any measure was actually taken against those responsible for the “fault”.

Meanwhile, we also don’t know the name of the contractor and the consultant since those are yet to be published in mainstream media, not even this time when the casualty is high.

It’s indeed a crime not to publish names of criminals.

However, bdnews24.com mentions of the contractors — Parisa Enterprise and Meer Akter Enterprise.

The government this time has shown much of its “sincerity” (!) and benevolent manner — by forming probe committees, deploying army beside fire fighters and other law enforcing agencies in rescue work, and the PM announcing donations for the victims six days after the fatal incident!!!

The CDA has also suspended three engineers responsible for the project’s construction and appointed a new project director for the project.

It also sounds good to see the Chittagong district administration submitted its probe report Friday citing the reasons behind the incident.

The findings show that the builders and the CDA neglected public security during the construction. Moreover, there was lack of coordination among the all three bodies –- the contracting and consulting firms and the CDA.

The most-shocking outcome of the probe is: there was technical shortfall too.

But what is going to happen to those responsible officials for “killing 13 people”? As far we see, nothing but (temporary) suspension and a media bashing.

The CDA and the Ministry of Housing and Public Works have formed two other investigation bodies.

Hah! In our country, these days, forming probe bodies immediately after an incident has become a common phenomenon if it is exposed to public through media. The government forms investigation panels, and says out loud that “none will be spared”.

Meanwhile, a case was filed on Thursday (November 29) against six people including the CDA chairman and director of the flyover project.

Unfortunately (but it’s natural), it’s not the government who filed the case, but a lawyer Jadob Chandra Shil, who is also general secretary of Bangladesh Nagorik Odhiker Foundation, with the Metropolitan Magistrate’s Court in Chittagong.

Social division, a rational consequence?

আমাদের পূর্বপ্রস্তুতি নেই, অনেক ব্যাপারেই!