Violence in Bangladesh
It was a sad day for me as I felt ashamed of what happened on DU campus (August 20, 2007). I was ashamed because it's been 35 years we are in control of our destiny and we are still fighting each other. Those who were involved in the incident are part of our body and soul and whom should we blame?
I spent 12 years in a university in Bangladesh 7 years as a student and 5 years as a faculty. Those 7 years were spent under the rule of Ershad and happily I joined BUET in the department of EEE in the so-called democratic and free atmosphere. I participated in the anti-Ershad movement actively and was very happy to see him gone as his rule was based on lies and deceptions.
I am always curious to know the cause and effect of any incident. The incident that happened on the soccer field was not an isolated one, rather it shows the cross-sectional views on the current situation in Bangladesh.
I would prefer to have some self-criticism by all of us I had friends from the army and the navy while I was a student and had numerous army/navy students while I was a teacher. I strictly do not allow any differential treatment based on race, gender, culture or occupation and I believe in professional neutrality and treated my students as such. It hurts when I see differential treatment by different groups in Bangladesh. I faced the situation many times. The officers in the armed forces are our own people and still we have a big gap between us. Why do we have to arrange seminars on improvement of civilian-military relationship after 35 years of independence? This is an irony.
I face questions on every occasion ( abroad) by others who did not see Ershad rule why did we topple Ershad when so-called politicians are doing even worse. The question does not have an easy answer.
I was very optimistic when the present CTG took over on January 11 this year. I was traveling to Bangladesh to take my mother to India for her treatment. I started on January 10 and was supposed to take a flight to India on January 14. I did not have a clue how I would be able to take my mother to the airport as blockades were declared on those days. When I arrived in Dhaka on January 12, I found about the change and felt extremely happy. I was hoping for all sorts of good things for Bangladesh as its people deserve that very much.
The people deserve to know the truth the governance should be based on truth and freedom. I would suggest to people in power now to apply law equally, not selectively. Unrest and movement boils up when people feel justice is not done and laws are different for different people.
I am a keen observer of Bangladesh political, economic, social and other aspects. I see Chinese made ordinary goods in my everyday life and every time I see them I think this can be made in Bangladesh too. Why can't we do it? Why can't we attract investors? Why and how does, even war-torn Vietnam passes Bangladesh? In order to achieve a goal we must have a vision first and it never occurred to me that we had one in the last 35 years.
The biggest disappointment to me is the role of university teachers. They behaved like submissive people and I know they are becoming corrupt too. Because of the widespread financial and moral corruption, they cannot talk straight any more. There are still good teachers with exceptionally high morality but they are becoming a minority.
However, I am an optimistic man and would do anything good for Bangladesh in my capacity, whatever it takes.
***
The recent confrontation between the students of Dhaka University and the law enforcers manifests how a trivial situation erupted into a mayhem. For two days, the students protested on streets, torched vehicles and faced the police. But why did it occur?For some time, students demanded withdrawal of the army camp from the campus gymnasium. There was tension among the students. The tension was translated into action when some army personnel harassed students during a varsity game, ordering them to remove their umbrella as it obstructed their vision. Students lost no second to interpret this as a planned attempt to curb their independence. This culminated in mindless violence.
Without creating turbulence, students should master the art of peaceful demonstration. They seem to take it for granted that vandalism is the only way to achieve their goals. Most importantly, the police must be blamed for exacerbating the predicament by firing teargas shells, charging and beating up the students. How exactly was that supposed to bring the situation under control? The ramification was that students throughout the country engaged in protest in unison against the state of emergency.
The repercussions are delaying of exams, suspension of classes, strikes etc.
Ananya Das, East Basaboo, Dhaka
***
When I was a student of the then Ahsanullah Engineering College, we had the proud privilege of operating the first independent voice transmitter-- broadcasting in Bangla!
Students by nature are volatile; more so in the playing field and that too in their home ground! Trying to be tough and haughty is nothing but a recipe for trouble and conflict. Unfortunately, responsible people ignored the maxim "As you sow, so you reap". To add insult to injury, the police was let loose to teach the students a lesson. The caretakers have failed to take care; when it was most needed.
Counter attack is no solution to cover up misdeeds.
A senior citizen, Dhaka
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