The other burning incident of historical proportion took place in Rome during the reign of Nero, one of the most corrupt and debauched emperors Rome ever had. Nero paid dearly, with his dear life to be precise, at the end of his short-lived rule as a tyrant, but not before he and his corrupt family and friends had weakened the foundation of Rome.

Let us now turn our eyes to the happenings in the present time around us. The people of Golden Bengal are setting things on fire to rescue electricity from the clutches of the many Ravanas who have rendered the sector dysfunctional through large-scale corruption.

The ten-headed (Dashanan) Ravanas of Golden Bengal have gobbled up almost everything that came near their ravenous mouths. Along with most other, they have eaten up the electricity sector as well, and are now offering bullets and tear-gas shells to the people for demanding electricity during the month of Ramadan when it is most needed.

But the people do not want bullets. They want electricity. It's as simple as that. It's either electricity or fire. What a predicament staring in the face of the Ravanas in Golden Bengal! After failing abysmally to keep the situation under control for the last five years they now have a real situation in hand.

So, it's time to call the man who is supposedly an expert in "looking for shatrus." Though he does not have electricity to offer, he has an electrifying hoonkar (roar) to chill the hearts of the "saboteurs" who are playing with fire like some crazy pyromaniacs. How dare they? He calls his men in uniform to do what they can do best -- beat the life out of the citizens of the country. The images of the baton-charge are all caught on tape to be shown as example of good governance.

We, however, do not know whether a Nero is hiding in some lofty castle playing on his flute as fire rages through the country on one side and the police beat the brains out of people on the other.

Two burning issues
The following analogy or correlation is worth pondering. We see the markets of essential commodities are on fire too. This fire is being fanned by the syndicates of importers and traders to make windfall profits. But where are the police with their guns and batons to charge against the syndicate members who have started this particular fire? Where is the hoonkar of the high and mighty to chill the hearts of the syndicate dons? Where are the saboteurs in this case?

It is only common sense that the fire in the markets affects almost the entire population and the fallout is more dismal and pervasive than the burning of a few tires or tree branches on the roads. The market price index affects every person on a daily basis and this can be used as a barometer to gauge the popularity of the government in power.

If a Gallup poll could be done in the country at the moment the poll results would look downright scary to the rulers. So, what steps are being taken by them to bring down the spiraling prices? None, whatsoever. We do not see the same enthusiasm in the rulers in apprehending those behind the fire in the kitchen markets as we see when it comes to shooting down people for demanding electricity.

And yet, to our utter amazement, while fire rages on in every sector like ready-made garments, electricity, fuel, food-grains, fertiliser, transport, law and order, and so on, our rulers travel to remote areas to beg for votes to the same people who are seeing mustard flower in their eyes (neck-deep in trouble).

In their own uncouth ways the ruling party politicians are asking the people to vote them to power once again! They have more promises to offer. They have more stories to tell about the opposition. They have more carrots to dangle before the nose of the people.

The present money-driven system of electing public representatives has enchained the nation from all sides. The vicious system has to be broken and the nation unchained.

Unless the endeavour to create awareness among the common people to be able to reject offers of black money from corrupt men and women becomes successful, the nation will go deeper into the abyss of misfortune. The onus rests on everyone.

Shahnoor Wahid is a Senior Assistant Editor of The Daily Star.