Saving the youths from this ICU

Frustration and depression are mounting high in the minds of youths in this country.  Every day whenever we check the newspaper, turn on the television or tune into the radio, we see news of violence and aggravation. News of murders, mass murders, mob violence, extortions, rapes, gang rapes, mob molestations and many more unwanted incidents makes us feel sad.

Why are people getting involved in such activities? Why are people engaged in a full phase battle over mere issues? Why are our women being portrayed and looked into as a 'source of entertainment'? The answers of such questions are more or less known to us. Out of many issues that our youths are affected with, some of the key ones are described below.

Addiction to Indian television channels: Indian cultural aggression is everywhere now. Those who are born in the early 90s have experienced a better version of the Indian dramas, documentaries and films. But unfortunately today's youths experience a completely different Indian television contents than before. These are extremely vulgar, uncanny and dim-witted. Censor board in India has set down to somewhere we have no clue and sexually explicit contents have come into being. Indians themselves are facing the adverse effects of such activities endorsed by their filmmakers and artists. They are approving the explicit and unwanted scenes and they are standing against the rapists and molesters which is a hypocrisy. They are making people monsters and setting a double standard by opposing their activities.

As the mighty neighbour India is facing a major cultural shift, we are bound to be hit. This is because after independence, no government of Bangladesh has been able to safeguard our own culture against the Indian open intrusion. As the early damage has been done, we need to start from the scratch. We need to speak up and filter Indian television contents which promote adultery, family collisions, extra marital unlawful affairs and many more discarded matters. Time has come to act at once.

Toxic in the politics: Politics in Bangladesh has been slowly poisoned since long. Several military interventions in the march of democracy, handing over arms to student political activists, the tendency of hiding party misdeeds and saving convicted party leaders and activists have made Bangladesh a country of absolute mockery.

We hardly see the brilliant students of renowned universities engage themselves in politics and debate on national crucial issues. The venomous visage of today's politics never magnetises them. Rather the men who can kill for no reason, who can steal for no reason, the men with limited rational knowledge are taking the front seats and hence finding limited options, parties are getting bound to place them in important decisional points. As a chain effect they are promoting the thug activities and degrading politics which is eventually bringing the entire nation to its knees as the good governance is witnessing a havoc.

New participants who are entering into politics are being encouraged to involve themselves in all sorts of malpractices. These are leading to a social catastrophe.

Encouragement of unjust activities: Why do we see a 13- year old lad getting harshly beaten to death? Why did we see innocent Biswajit being hacked to death? Why do we see reckless fanatic men stabbing bloggers and intellectuals to death? Why guiltless Tuhin Mollas are brutally murdered only for loving someone? The tragedy is, these incidents are repeating at an alarming rate only for the lack of prompt judgment and the encouragement of unjust.

If we particularly examine the Rajon murder case that shook the entire nation, we will see that most of the criminals were caught and handed over to the enforcers by the general mass. The disturbing fact is police was involved in letting one criminal flee for bribe. It seems like re-adjusted pay grade is not helping them much. When this police department is like this then how can the people rely on them?

This practice of letting the criminals flee or making prejudiced judgments are making the general mass impulsive and fuming.

 Lack of entertainment for the youth: This is the nucleus crisis, we believe. Playgrounds are being filled to give room for shopping malls and housing estates. None are interested in investing in indoor gaming facilities. Government itself is facing intricacy in dealing with other problems and this is not allowing them to look into this matter with care. Scarcity of constructive entertainments are allowing a part of youths to get spoiled over drugs, arms and other forms of misdemeanor. Also many are consuming fatty foods and allowing obesity taking over them.

If we closely look at the youth of abroad or developed countries we will see that they have all the facilities to keep themselves busy. Some impose mandatory combat and non combat trainings to make the youth fit and healthy where some compel the youth to take part in any sort of sport they like to participate in. For example, both the UK and the USA ask their youths to take the basic military trainings to stay prepared and remain healthy and string. China is investing heavily on sports infrastructure development and youth development so that they can get the maximum out of it and keep their youths busy against any odds. The results are in front of us. China is unbeaten in Olympic format sports and all their hard work paid off.

The government of Bangladesh, pool of intellectuals, policy makers, business conglomerates--- all need to participate in an open discussion where they will figure out certain plans to keep the youth busy in constructive works and help them from getting derailed. In absence of these, innocent souls like Rajon and Tuhin will die, our women will face harassment and all the mayhem may upset our development.

Filtration of Indian television contents, innovation in our own television contents, purifying our politics, the practice of ensuring justice, guaranteeing stern punishment for the lawbreakers inclusive of enforcers and politicians and establishing sport infrastructures will shield our youths from getting wrecked. We want to foresee a positive violence free Bangladesh.

The writer is an MBA student at University of Dhaka.

[email protected]