In search of truth
Sunday, 21 November 2010
Shamsher Chowdhury
Since the beginning of the modern-day civilization one of the most frequently made statements by politicians and civil society members alike has been, "Truth shall prevail". But to be truthful, for decades now, truth has been a major victim in all societies of the East and the West, including that of Bangladesh. But in recent years the lone superpower exceeded them all. Recall the extensive lies and twisting of facts that it resorted to prior to the invasion of Iraq. One might, however, say now that the truth has finally prevailed with the exposition of the facts from the originally recorded US files on Iraq by Wikileaks, an international media agency.
In Bangladesh, too, in the past few years or so, truth has been victimized in all conceivable ways. Distortion of truth even at the state level has become a regular practice. A large section of our traders and members of the business community are either resorting to deception or withholding the truth. Traders are either hiding the truth or indulging in blatant lies. Media too is often engaged in toying and tossing with truth, politicians are routinely using and abusing the truth for their partisan and selfish gains. Rulers are feeding the people with all kinds of misinformation; they are often engaged in turning a truth into a lie or a lie into a truth.
To be truthful, we shall no longer see or experience truth the way our forefathers taught us. It appears that lies have become endemic in all spheres of our lives. Yet we should continue with our struggle to give truth a "chance". Admittedly, truth in totality can never be restored but certainly can be institutionalized to a great extent through an effective and committed judiciary and revamping of other cardinal institutions of the state.
In this business of dealing with the truth the media is one of the key sources for the public. Here too truth seems to grove in the dark. Today pick up as many as five or six leading dailies of the country, go through them word by word yet you are far from the truth. In this, however, both parties are to blame, the authorities that regulate the media and the owners including the respective editors. One of the major problems in protecting and advancing truth is that even the traditional defenders and the custodians of truth have chosen the easy way-out by keeping quiet when an injustice is committed or a blatant lie is told. William Hamilton, a Scottish philosopher once said, "Truth like a torch, the more it is shook it shines:" Our march for truth, therefore, must never cease. Sometimes there may emerge a compulsive need to tell a truth even if it sends one to the gallows. There is a popular saying, ""Charity begins at home". Let us inculcate this culture of indulging in truth right from the family level. Let the parents speak the truth to their offspring and teach them the value and essence of truth right from their childhood. Also spread it amongst all good men and women across the country, irrespective of their caste, creed or colour, no matter how hard or tedious a job it may be.
Despite the fact that today the idea of truth itself is considered irrelevant, we must not forget that it not only has a universal appeal but also is enduring at all times and under all circumstances. Truth is as enduring as birth, death and life itself. People who believe in any of these eventualities cannot be too far from truth. But here in this country, our political gurus or those entrusted with the management of the state continue to distort truth in all conceivable ways. It is high time we woke up to the call of truth. Our salvation lies in holding on to truth in all spheres of our life.
It is high time for us to decide which path we should follow -- one that is bumpy and hard that leads us to "truth" or one that is full of lies and deception and easy to trudge along. While the first will lead us to truth and ensure a life of dignity, honour and humility, the second may for a while help us to gain pecuniary gains. The choice is ours to make.
E-mail: chowdhury.shamsher@yahoo.com
Since the beginning of the modern-day civilization one of the most frequently made statements by politicians and civil society members alike has been, "Truth shall prevail". But to be truthful, for decades now, truth has been a major victim in all societies of the East and the West, including that of Bangladesh. But in recent years the lone superpower exceeded them all. Recall the extensive lies and twisting of facts that it resorted to prior to the invasion of Iraq. One might, however, say now that the truth has finally prevailed with the exposition of the facts from the originally recorded US files on Iraq by Wikileaks, an international media agency.
In Bangladesh, too, in the past few years or so, truth has been victimized in all conceivable ways. Distortion of truth even at the state level has become a regular practice. A large section of our traders and members of the business community are either resorting to deception or withholding the truth. Traders are either hiding the truth or indulging in blatant lies. Media too is often engaged in toying and tossing with truth, politicians are routinely using and abusing the truth for their partisan and selfish gains. Rulers are feeding the people with all kinds of misinformation; they are often engaged in turning a truth into a lie or a lie into a truth.
To be truthful, we shall no longer see or experience truth the way our forefathers taught us. It appears that lies have become endemic in all spheres of our lives. Yet we should continue with our struggle to give truth a "chance". Admittedly, truth in totality can never be restored but certainly can be institutionalized to a great extent through an effective and committed judiciary and revamping of other cardinal institutions of the state.
In this business of dealing with the truth the media is one of the key sources for the public. Here too truth seems to grove in the dark. Today pick up as many as five or six leading dailies of the country, go through them word by word yet you are far from the truth. In this, however, both parties are to blame, the authorities that regulate the media and the owners including the respective editors. One of the major problems in protecting and advancing truth is that even the traditional defenders and the custodians of truth have chosen the easy way-out by keeping quiet when an injustice is committed or a blatant lie is told. William Hamilton, a Scottish philosopher once said, "Truth like a torch, the more it is shook it shines:" Our march for truth, therefore, must never cease. Sometimes there may emerge a compulsive need to tell a truth even if it sends one to the gallows. There is a popular saying, ""Charity begins at home". Let us inculcate this culture of indulging in truth right from the family level. Let the parents speak the truth to their offspring and teach them the value and essence of truth right from their childhood. Also spread it amongst all good men and women across the country, irrespective of their caste, creed or colour, no matter how hard or tedious a job it may be.
Despite the fact that today the idea of truth itself is considered irrelevant, we must not forget that it not only has a universal appeal but also is enduring at all times and under all circumstances. Truth is as enduring as birth, death and life itself. People who believe in any of these eventualities cannot be too far from truth. But here in this country, our political gurus or those entrusted with the management of the state continue to distort truth in all conceivable ways. It is high time we woke up to the call of truth. Our salvation lies in holding on to truth in all spheres of our life.
It is high time for us to decide which path we should follow -- one that is bumpy and hard that leads us to "truth" or one that is full of lies and deception and easy to trudge along. While the first will lead us to truth and ensure a life of dignity, honour and humility, the second may for a while help us to gain pecuniary gains. The choice is ours to make.
E-mail: chowdhury.shamsher@yahoo.com