Editorial
Rumours leading to unmitigated violence
This social restiveness must be tackled by all
RESTIVENESS appears to be fast becoming a social reality in the country nowadays. Almost everywhere and in nearly every situation something of the explosive comes into an expression of emotion. The galling part of the story is that all too often it is plain hearsay or simple rumours which set into motion a train of events that finally ends in disaster or even unmitigated tragedy for all of us. We can cite here the case of what happened in Gazipur on Saturday. Acting on a rumour that Rajuk was acquiring land for the purposes of constructing a satellite town in the region, hundreds of local people went on a rampage. In the process, they ended up vandalizing as many as 200 vehicles, torching a garments factory and laying siege to a public highway for hours together. The difficulties which such mob action can put citizens into can only be imagined.
The social scene at this point, let us make it very clear, is of a highly disturbing note. In almost every situation, there seems to be a violent reflex at work without anyone seeming to care whether such action is at all warranted. Rumours lead to attacks on industrial units. Unsubstantiated reports cause violence on the streets. In offices and industrial establishments, even in educational institutions, values have lately been becoming fugitive. Government officers are locked out of their offices by their subordinates; college principals are locked in by students making unreasonable demands. Even in areas where restraint should be the rule, precipitate action often mars the sense of idealism we would still like to nurture in ourselves. Policemen are always in anger mode, as evidenced by recent reports of their involvement in the killings of citizens. Hundreds have died in so-called crossfires, as RAB and the police would have us know. If that is one side of intolerance, there is the other: on television talk shows, many of those invited generally are not inclined to let their fellow guests speak. Extremism of thought and behaviour seems to govern individual and collective behaviour. Matters of a trifling nature end up in unmitigated violence.
There is today clearly a need for serious reflection on such a decline in social behaviour. We believe the time has come for everyone who matters -- political figures, sociologists, educationists, NGO activists, journalists -- to put their heads together and devise the ways and means by which such regressive behaviour can be rolled back. Where possible, as in educational institutions, offices and industrial units, measures for counseling and guidance can be undertaken.
A moral rejuvenation of society is the fundamental need today. That can happen if we care to look deep into the causes behind all this social unrest.
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