Tanvir Ahmed Rasel: A thirteen-year-old schoolboy is Titash Ghosh. Recently, his family was taking him to Dhaka by ambulance after he was seriously injured in a motorbike accident. At that time, the child Titus Ghosh was fighting to the death. Seeing the terrible  scene of helpless surrender to the death of the child, the family members urged to the officer in charge of the ferry to launch immediately. Though the time was over, the acting authority was waiting for a VIP person and didn’t heed on their request. Eventually, the child  Titash spit out such inhumanity and fell to his death on the ferry.

Another resident of the capital Peyara Khatun is a very ordinary person. Despite all the symptoms of corona, she had to wait two weeks to get schedule for corona testing.

The miseries of Titash Gosh or Peyara Khatun is just two part of figure of common people of Bangladesh. Every day on the screen of television or in the newspaper , such images of inhumane treatment like Titash or Peyara Begum are blocking humanity. Why do they have to be the victims of such behavior as citizens of independent and democratic country ? Because they are the general public, not holding any VIP tags.

VIP is an informal way to refer to someone who is notable in some way and is given special treatment in a particular setting. Individuals involvement  with power or domination have created an unwritten document for their personal interests which is known as VIP (Very Important Person).. VIP is currently a disgusting word that has made the life unsteady of the general  people of the country uneasy. This culture suffering a lot to the people who are coming  to every sector of the country to get services. Even the violence of VIP culture does not stop in  pandemics like Corona.

Despite the ICU crisis across the country, this VIP class is not out of the ICU facilities. When the people of the country come to the government hospital with the severe symptoms of corona, they are not getting a bed even sometimes  do not have a place in the corridor of the hospital. Many VIPs are again receiving treatment at the Combined Military Hospital (CMH) where the entry of general public is almost difficult or no access.

Not just the health sector, there is no sector VIP influence doesn’t exist.In jobs or other appointments where ordinary candidates fighting to fulfill their dreams by passing competitive examinations with their own merits, these meritorious ordinary candidates are being deceived by appointing the preferred candidate of VIPs on the recommendation of VIPs. Not only that, VIP culture is also depriving the general public of justice. When the people of the country seek help to the police after being the victim of any injustice or injustice, under the domination of VIPs the police never file a case or even if they do, the investigation committee formed does not see the light of day year after year.

In traffic system, it is only for the general public to bear the burden of fines for complying with or not complying with the country`s traffic laws. When ministers, MPs, high-ranking officials, journalists and elites walk the streets with VIP signboards, there are no rules, fines or jail  On the contrary, the law enforcement agencies themselves help the VIP class by causing the suffering of the people.Even when the ambulance carrying the patient is stuck in a traffic jam, the VIPs can move through the opposite road.

But we see different scene in other countries of the world that can be easily understood by a recent incident of Bulgaria. Bulgaria`s Prime Minister Boyko Borisov has been fined  174 dollar by  health ministry due to not follow the health laws. Despite being a prime minister, he accepted the sentence without using any VIP tag. He proved that the law is the equal for everyone. This practice should have happened in our country too. Although a bench of the High Court has declared an announcement on the VIP question  that it does not apply to anyone other than the honourable  prime minister and the president.The order is limited to the  of the pen on paper but not as functional still now. From government officials to the concerned authorities are making themselves as the  obedient slaves of the VIPs, they feel comfortable to follow all the irregularities as a rule on VIPs issue.

Power can never be for specific interest . The power that separates people from others can never be real power. Power should be for the country and the people, for the betterment and discipline of the people of the country. Not to make a difference between the ordinary and the extraordinary. Not to exploit the people by possessing VIP tag. How much longer will Bangladesh have to wait to vanish such abuse of power or VIP culture?

Author: Tanvir Ahmed Rasel is the Student, Department of Pharmacy. He is also the Vice President of Comilla University Press Club at Comilla University.