Editorial
The holy month gets underway
Time for moral and spiritual renewal
LIKE Muslims the world over, the faithful in Bangladesh begin their month-long abstinence today. Fasting is observed from dawn to dusk as a way of self-purification bodily and mentally. It goes far beyond giving up food, water and personal pleasure encompassing a wider realisation of the pangs of hunger and deprivation suffered by the poor. A Muslim renews pledge to be virtuous, to abstain from sins and purge the heart of hate and ill will against others in society. It also involves engaging in charity to benefit those less fortunate.
Spiritually, the holy month is a gift for the faithful to seek communion with the Creator and reflect on the reason and purpose of existence in this world through utter supplication of body and mind before the Almighty.
We find a section of people gleefully committed to devious means to achieve equally immoral ends. Food is adulterated at will, and prices of food and other essentials artificially raised to make windfall profits. Where Ramadan represents the spirit of abstinence and restraint, we watch helplessly on as traders show lack of social commitment and authorities turn a blind eye to the jacking up of prices.
One may hope that the true spirit of Ramadan is embraced by political forces to curb divisiveness and take the first steps to engage in a dialogue to end the political stalemate.
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