Militancy, not the only malady

Our country and society has never been free of problems. The degree just varies. The problems of one particular period can be very different from the problems of other times.

The people, through their tireless efforts, tackle these problems and solve them. Some problems are natural and others are manmade. It takes just a handful of degenerate persons to create problems that affect everyone.
No one has control over natural calamities, but people have managed to overcome many harsh cruelties of nature. There was a time when village after village would be wiped out by cholera or smallpox. Even before that there was the plague. All of that is in the past now. Many haven’t even heard of these diseases.
Social maladies are diseases too. These maladies affect not just individuals, but society as a whole. Such illness require physicians too, physicians of a different ilk.
There are those persons who sacrifice personal comforts and happiness, and dedicate themselves to establishing peace and harmony in society. They find joy in providing the light that dispels the darkness within man.
Hindu belief says that both positive and negative forces reside within man. Islam sees the positive forces as good deeds and urges man to continually practice these good deeds. Other religions too call for man to do good. But reality is that the negative forces exist too. This is the darkness within.
Our society has produced a multitude of meritorious people, activists, scientists, academics, saints and spiritual leaders. In modern times we hear inspiring words of big leaders. We read the invaluable words of our writers and poets. Yet with the exception of perhaps Lalon Shah, none of these wise persons have really touched our hearts.
A sage must give up all worldly wants and make great sacrifices. He must dedicate himself to building a society of love, justice and logic. These are the pathfinders of society, the great teachers. We have no such teacher to show us the way.
We have not been able to perceive what our duty is towards our country, what a citizen’s responsibility is towards the society, what is duty, what is work, what is sacrifice. If we do anything for the country, we want so much in return. If a man carries a disabled beggar across the road and then accepts five taka from the grateful beggar, then the good deed amounts to nothing. Nothing should be taken in return for serving the country.
The Bengali nation is a talented one and has many qualities, but has a propensity towards indulgence rather than sacrifice. There is sacrifice, but followed by the expectation of reciprocation. This was very overt after independence. Those who strove to liberate the land, wanted repayment and reward from the country. The state discriminated in meting out the rewards. Only those of the government were given two increments and two years’ seniority. The others were deprived. It would have been best if no one was given anything, or everyone received the reward.
Those who took part in the war of liberation were mostly young men of lower middle class and middle class families as well as from landless and poor farmer families. They had no expectations of return. They were not in government service, so increment or seniority meant nothing. But today the greater part of society feels deprived when they see a certain section of people desperately grabbing benefits in the name of freedom fighters. When a person who knows his father or grandfather asked for nothing in return for his sacrifices for the country, sees others getting rewarded for nothing, it is only naturally that they feel deprived and angry. This anger can lead to a sense of vengeance. The outcome may be manifest in militancy.
When supporters move away from the ideologies of those who founded the state and go in a completely opposite direction, mistrust emerges. Nowadays there are people who so easily speak of implementing Bangabandhu’s ideals. Many of them haven’t even seen his shadow. Those of us who had the rare fortune of being in close proximity to him, of travelling with him, understand his vision of life. The way a person dresses and his eating habits, reveal a lot about him. Bangabandhu would wear simple cotton panjabis and pajamas with a black Mujib coat, but that gave him such a towering appearance. When I see his followers today donned in expensive outfits, his image comes before me. I have eaten many meals with him, typical East Bengali middle-class fare. He loved his rice and fish and till death lived in his own house. Nowadays ministers can hardly wait to be sworn in before they rush to take up abode in Minto Road or Bailey Road.
Consumerism has grasped our present-day society so tight that a costly item has more value than a respectable human being. I went to the wedding ceremony of a rich person in Old Dhaka the other day. A man stood receiving the gifts, microphone in hand. A guest came up with a servant carrying a TV set on his shoulders. Immediately the speakers boomed, “So-and-so has brought a TV set!” He was followed by another guest with a small gift-wrapped box. The announcer called out, “So-and-so has given a lamp or some such thing…”. While the guest walked on, head bowed, the announcements went on, “A dinner set”, “six cups and saucers”, etc, etc. You are judged by your money in this society. A wealthy muscleman is accorded more respect in such gatherings than an engineer, teacher or a social worker.
Disrespect is a type of crime. In the past, politicians would criticize each other, but not display disrespect. Insulting one in public amounts to murdering him, figuratively.
IS-induced fear is only a recent phenomenon. We were not free of militancy in the past. Non-Islamic militancy is just as alarming as Islamic militancy. The 21 August grenade attack was brutal militancy. The attack on Sheikh Hasina’s rally in Chittagong in 1988 during General Ershad’s rule was also a militant attack. When Freedom Party men attacked her in 1989, that too was militancy. The attack on the CPB rally in Paltan was also a militant act. Our political, social and cultural organizations were not as vehement in their protest about these acts as they should have been.
Many more ailments afflict our society. It will be possible to eliminate the Zika virus as it was to erase smallpox and cholera. Militancy will be uprooted too. No harmful tendencies remain under covers. But there are certain particular traits that linger on for ages. Unless a nation is freed of these harmful traits, removing militancy alone will not bring peace.
No single civil, military or semi-military force is responsible for the predicament that Bangladesh finds itself in today. Everyone is responsible, even us common people. It was not really our fault because there was no one to show us the way. As a developing nation state, we will not go far by focusing on infrastructural development alone. Unless we can bring about changes in mindset and behavior, our achievements will amount to nothing.
Syed Abul Maksud is a writer and researcher.