Monday’s deadly train accident in Kishoreganj, which saw at least 17 dead and dozens injured, once again brought to light the sheer negligence and disregard that has seeped into each and every facet of the nation - and one that people are paying for, literally, with their lives.
Once again, we have seen the usual reactions: Committees formed to get to the root of the matter, families of those affected (rightfully) receiving compensation, and finger pointing across different stakeholders about who it is that is to blame for such a tragedy.
In the midst of it all are those lost lives, with negligence and disregard being the primary culprits of an entirely avoidable tragedy.
While it is imperative that justice be served and any and all responsible for this accident be held accountable, what is unfortunate is that we have seen this before.
This is not the first time sheer negligence has resulted in the loss of Bangladeshi lives, and unfortunately, given what we have continuously seen, it will not be the last. The fact that this editorial can so candidly make this point is extremely disheartening.
We speak of our progress, of becoming a “Smart Bangladesh” and of becoming a prosperous nation. Yet, we remain a nation where lives are lost with alarming frequency to accidents that have negligence and disregard to blame.
Before we become a developed nation, we must become a nation which learns to value lives. That will require a different sort of political will on the part of our authorities, one that prioritizes capacity building in areas such as empathy and care. Only then will we truly become a nation that every Bangladeshi can be proud to call home.