Savar has shamed us all. But it has brought about a much needed sense of courage and unity at a time when most are pitted against each other. It has shown exemplary courage, bravery, unity and even leadership from the common man.
Regrettably, and as always, the witch hunt has begun and the air resonates with the newly coined phraseology which abounds: “To the gallows.” The air permeates too with the smell of the corpses. Gallows for a few will not bring back the hundreds who have lost their lives.
Against the backdrop what can we disseminate? Does it matter who the owner is, of the building, and the factories in question? How deep do we dig, as did the brave rescuers, before we find a body battered, but alive or a hundred corpses? But dig we relentlessly must, so that tragedies as such, are not repeated.
The blame squarely lies with us. In the historical chain of bribing the corrupt who approve such buildings in the first place, of permitting expansion to buildings already at fault, of not inspecting them regularly, of allowing hundreds of machines to operate on each floor, of permitting heavy generators on the roof, of …. The list can go on and on.
Rana Plaza is your ordinary building next door, if you care to look for it. We need to identify these and not be silent observers any further. The economy, which thrives and revolves around the misfits, the shams, the bribery and the empty promises, needs to be realigned.
Confidence has been eroded and the usual “findings” of an investigation committee will very soon gather dust, as in the past, or, till another tragedy strikes. Too many sickening questions, so where do we start?
We start at level zero! There are no short cuts. Painstakingly, we need to restore confidence in law, order, regulations and all the related authorities who have singularly and collectively failed in upholding the welfare and safety of the common man. Stricter laws, exemplary punishment, adequate compensation and above all, preparedness for coping with disasters need urgent re-evaluation.
Response and management from quarters we look up to has been lackluster and confusing. Reportedly, assistance offered by foreign disaster management teams was declined.
Questions that will plague us are how can we have an investigating committee when scores lie buried in the rubble? What is our priority? Have we done the victims a service or disservice? Can we deny that friends who offered expert assistance are better equipped at disaster management than we are? Were we trying to cover up facts till the sheer enormity forced us to face up to reality? Are we afraid to admit the numbers who have perished?
Locally, the combination of berets, creases and starch could not offer as much as the t-shirts and lungis did, in terms of delivering instinctive and immediate assistance.
Safety helmets were sighted much later, breathing apparatus sets, never, despite the depletion of oxygen in confined spaces. There was no need to explain repeatedly whether the cranes standing by, were “hydraulic”(nothing less is expected). The survivors did not expect sniffer dogs but a disaster of such magnitude required a thoroughly professional, trained, experienced and sensitive leadership.
Whether this was available will be subject to many a debate in various forums. The fact that there were no casualties from amongst the rescuers is a miracle in itself. The corpse field was mismanaged with stricken family members running to check if the bodies being laid out were their loved ones. Digital Bangladesh? All that was needed was the ID card to be photographed and flashed on a giant screen or a good PA system.
Hundreds lining up to view a dead body for identification is nothing short of folly. Here too, were the tricksters claiming the body as “theirs” and trying to pocket the Tk20,000 which was offered for burial expenses. What greater shame could be possible?
Does this imply that it was all a sham? Was this a disaster, in managing a disaster? No. On the contrary, it is an acceptance of the fact that all tried to the best of his or her ability.
Whether this was to acceptable standards should remain on our individual consciences. Gratitude is due to all the unsung heroes who contributed and toiled without looking for accolades.
This is an attempt to improve upon the forthcoming epitaph, the rituals and the obituaries, which are bound to follow. It is an attempt to silence the needless round table talks and conferences which abound late night on TV shows yearning for the truth, but being part of a bigger lie.
Even Shakespeare would have failed in trying to classify the banal altercations or exchanges as comedy or tragedy.
In the interim, one is finally left to wonder what would be an appropriate elegy to those who perished, a meaningful symbolic tombstone, to draw strength from.
As a start, let the plaza be razed to the ground, ground zero! Let there be an 18-storeyed building, twice as high, defiant, state of the art, built with all safety features, as a mark of respect to those who lost their lives.
Let this be managed by a committee who will responsibly distribute the earnings amongst the widows, the orphans and the family members who were dependent on those who died, for days to come.
And finally, let the phoenix rise, at Savar and elsewhere. It is about time we rise from the ashes with grit and determination.
When there is tragedy, there is bound to be controversy and criticism. Greatness lies in accepting constructive criticism, not reacting in anger and scheming retribution. We must learn from tragedies and realise that both providence and destiny takes its own course.
Despite what the mighty may think, the destiny of this country, despite its numerous drawbacks, rests squarely on the very common man who clawed through the debris at Savar, as well as the spirit of those who lose their lives prematurely.
Ghulam Hussain is a freelance contributor.
