Journo Couple Murder
Analysts fear long term impacts
Journalists of Maasranga TV form a human chain before their office at Banani in the city yesterday, demanding immediate arrest of the murderers of the couple -- the channel's news editor Sagar Sarowar and ATN Bangla senior reporter Meherun Runi.Photo: STAR
The trauma created after the gruesome murders of journalist couple Sagar Sarowar and Meherun Runi will have long-term impacts on the people, observe social analysts. They suggest unearthing the facts behind the murders and ensuring exemplary punishment to the culprits to help remove the fear factor and sheer sense of insecurity from the public. "The killings have generated a fear factor among public mind. It's difficult to remove it soon," said Prof Dr ASM Amanullah of sociology at Dhaka University. He suggested that the law-enforcers let the public know the facts as soon as possible. He said the political parties must not do politics out of the sensational murders. "Both the government and the opposition should be sympathetic to the public and not make any irresponsible comments," he told The Daily Star. According to the sociologist, such gruesome incidents happen in a society that is passing through a transition. "Institutions like family and educational institutions are breaking down. These are not being able to inject values to children anymore," Prof Amanullah said, adding, this happens in the transitional society. People, especially residents of urban areas, are competing relentlessly in a rat race. They are trying to be rich overnight, paying little attention to their children, he observed. At such a crossroad, the political leadership will have to come up with visionary policies for making the society stable, he suggested. Serajul Islam Choudhury, an emeritus professor of DU, thinks rampant violence and instances of escaping punishment after committing crimes are making the society gradually insecure. "Now people are not safe in or outside their home," commented the senior professor. "Everybody is now busy in their own business and nobody cares about their responsibility to others. That's why one kills other or hires killers to do the job," he said, adding, "We are getting unsocial day by day." Prof Choudhury thinks the government under this situation should make it certain that offenders are handed down due punishment and within the shortest possible time. Prof Dr Shahed Hasan of anthropology at DU said the society is suffering from an ethical crisis. This happens when technologies advance, but morality remains at the back. "Today, property has become a liability, not asset. It is because relatives and even siblings are ruining their relationships, and even killing each other, for property," he said, adding that family values or bond must improve in the society. Dr Hasan said the trauma created in the society would prolong if the killers are not arrested and punished. Rights activist Sultana Kamal believes the increased level of alienation among the people is one of the reasons behind the rise in crimes. "The sense of safety is vanishing gradually and we are becoming alienated day by day. And the killers take the advantage of this alienation," she told The Daily Star. The killings of the journalist couple weaken the sense of insecurity among the people, she added. Crimes will continue to be committed unless the culture of impunity is broken, Sultana observed. "We don't see frequently that people committing serious crimes are being punished," she said, suggesting that trial of such crimes will have to be made within a logical timeframe so that people realise that criminals can't escape the law. Kamal Uddin Ahmed Chowdhury, associate professor of clinical psychology at Dhaka University, said the killings of journalist duo put tremendous pressure on people's psyche as it left them panicked and increased their sense of insecurity. "We return home from our workplace for safety and if we are not safe at our very house, where would we go?" he asked. The common people expect that the government will ensure justice. But if the criminals get away or come out on bail, it makes the people feel helpless, he added. The surviving kid of the journalist couple has already suffered extreme mental shock, he said, suggesting immediate mental health service for him; otherwise his normal growth might be hampered.
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