A win-win idea for all
In an article published in the daily Prothom Alo in 2005, the author Humayun Ahmed had expressed deep frustration about the rise of fundamentalism in Bangladesh. He was lamenting how we could explain to the young students of madrasas that sculptures and deities are not the same thing. He appealed to the intellectuals, particularly experts on Islam, to join the effort. Likewise, I have sunk into deep depression having witnessed recent events, marked by unprecedented violence. Today reading the departed writer's piece, I was wondering, “What can we do today? How can we persuade these religious people that violence is not the means to a win-win solution?”
Then it dawned on me that we could use the occasion of Pahela Baishakh to implement my plan. We must ensure that Baishakhi events are peaceful and non-violent. Let us not deprive the aggrieved nation of the fun of this festival.
We could deliver a 'single' message toward achieving two goals --- non-violent protest to the government or to any authority for any issue or demand as well as celebration of any national or cultural event, such as Baishakh, if all the media --- newspapers, TV channels --- work in a coordinated fashion. We could launch a series of Public Service Announcements (PSA), of course non-partisan. Can we not bring together renowned personalities from different fields? Then we ask them to do a PSA, either individually or as a team. These personalities could be actors or educators, or artists or business persons or experts in theology (Muslim and/or non-Muslim). The PSAs do not have to be long 30 seconds to one minute, maybe. The primary goal is to broadcast them simultaneously on all the TV channels and publish them in the leading dailies.
Certainly, this massive effort will require money. However, money should not be an impediment if we all volunteer to play their part. Speakers will devote their time; TV channels will offer a few time slots; newspapers will allot one column each; the directors will invest their time, talent, and energy all for free. Can we not do it? Then the business community could step forward and donate some money to meet the incidental expenses. Would this not be a win-win situation for all?
If we cannot do it by the first day of Baishakh, still we can do it as soon as possible. We cannot just sit idle and give ourselves to melancholy at this critical juncture of the nation. We must stem this bleeding. We must not allow violence any longer that takes away food from the very poor people on whose shoulders the larger portion of the national production rests. Procrastination now will leave us feeling guilty forever.
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