Editorial
Stamping out stalking
Community and administration need to act as one to combat it
After dozens of girls took their own lives to escape the indignity of being persistently harassed and abused and after other victims the bullies themselves had finished off, the High Court (HC) has finally come up with its orders to the government to frame policy guidelines to tackle the grave menace to society.
What the government has been doing so far to root out the social menace hardly measured up to the utterances the administration high-ups and leaders made from time to time. As a result, the stalkers were further emboldened to go on with their crimes. Things have come to such a pass that, the stalkers have now turned against guardians of the victims who dared to protest the crime.
Meanwhile, a father committed suicide, as he was unable to protect his daughter from being regularly persecuted, while a teacher was murdered---in both cases it was the stalkers who had a hand in those sad endings.
In fact, the HC's order is a ringing confirmation of the scale, intensity and pervasiveness of the crime of stalking and its consequences. Going to a great length, the HC directives issued to the government provide a detailed outline for the different tiers of the government and the ministries to go into action against the stalkers. As for example, the deputy commissioners, the police superintendents and those at the top like the Inspector General of police (IGP), the home secretary, and the law secretary have been separately asked to do their parts.
The tragic incidents of bullying and stalking of girls do not take place overnight. The tormenting of the victim girls goes on for a long time before it comes to the knowledge of the family, the neighbourhood and the community at large. And for the victim girl and her family to face the tormentors with courage, the neighbourhood and the community must have to stand to behind them. For the purpose, the local elders, UP members, ward commissioners and the youths regardless of their party affiliations need also to be involved. And the entire exercise should take on the character of a fully-fledged social movement. Alongside social resistance, the local administration should form local vigilance teams involving the police, Ansars and VDPs in order to eradicate the bane.
Now the big question is, will the HC orders to check the crime of stalking be duly translated into action? In the present case, one would be looking forward to befitting government steps to galvanise the administration and society into launching a successful campaign against the crime of stalking.
We end on a note of asking: How many stalkers have been convicted and punished so far with a deterrent effect, lest any one else should dare it again?
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. 
Related News
An alarming report on children’s exposure to climate risks
6 hour(s) ago
Editorial
Why is safe water inaccessible for millions despite rising spending?
19 June 2026, 08:00 AM
Editorial
BB must confront bad loans’ true scale
18 June 2026, 18:38 PM
Editorial
Dolphin deaths must be investigated
18 June 2026, 08:00 AM
Editorial
Weak policing fuelling rise in crimes
17 June 2026, 18:18 PM
Editorial
Comments