Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina may have ruled out the possibility of declaring a state of emergency but what people are encountering right at this moment is hardly any better than any such rule. They have in reality forced to regulate their lives with a self-imposed restriction on civil liberty. Many of their regular programmes involving free movement on roads and highways had to be curtailed lest they fall victim to arson and bomb attacks. People try to avoid commuting or travelling after evening because the bomb throwers take advantage of darkness to carry on their criminal activities.
A large number of people have been compelled to opt for makeshift arrangement in order to avoid travelling in constant fear. Most educational institutions observe unofficial holidays during hartals (general strikes) only to keep them open on Fridays and Saturdays in order to make up for the academic loss. But there are a handful which, because of their locations in secured areas, allow no such flexibility and students from outside have to stay nearby either in a hostel or under some temporary arrangement. Similarly, employees who were used to travelling to their duty stations a few kilometres from their residence feel the dire need of staying close by so that they do not have to take the risky journey daily.
Call it adaptation to the situation if you like, but the hard truth is that the constant fear at work in people's bosoms has forced them to opt for this alternative arrangement. This is curtailing everyone's independence in some way or other. The horrific sight of burnt bodies and face haunt every commuter or traveller in this land. Only those travelling protected by heavy armed escorts may be spared of this dark apprehension.
Where civil liberty gets so compromised, the worst victims are perhaps the young ones. They cannot go to school, take part in games and sports simply because their parents would not allow them to get out of their homes. During the nine months of Pakistan army's occupation, the inhabitants of the capital suffered similar or more psychological torture. But at least they harboured the hope of driving out the marauding army and become a free people. Today, there is no such hope because now the nation is at war with itself. What a shame that it is proving its own disqualification to be a dignified nation!
Are we becoming a nation of pygmies where members of society are at each other's throat? No, that would be an oversimplification. The vast majority of this nation want to be left alone and lead a life unhindered and in peace. Only those craving for or retaining power are driven by intriguing equations of their own. Let it be realised that this nation deserves better because it gained independence at the cost of martyrdom of three millions of its sons and daughters and indignity of 0.3 million women.
A rabid tussle over power may have suited a very small fraction of people but the rest are indignant at such nasty politics. Politics ought to be for people but instead it is getting polarised in order to serve coterie interests. Consequently, the overwhelming majority who hate such stupidity feel they are being held hostage to an ugly political manoeuvring. Their best of intentions and aspirations are thus being undermined. A bleak future and a stunted national growth is all that can be expected of in a situation like this.  Â
A severe blow to civil liberty
Neil Ray | Published: February 09, 2015 00:00:00 | Updated: November 30, 2024 06:01:00
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