White flag rally: Businesses send a message

Masum Billah | Published: December 19, 2013 00:00:00 | Updated: November 30, 2024 06:01:00

White is the symbol for peace. To stop a war white fag is shown. We know the 'red-shirt' and 'yellow shirt' movement and demonstrations in Thailand. But the movement or rally or demonstration with 'white flag' is quite new in our country. The present political turmoil has given rise to this symbolic demonstration attaching huge importance to our national life when the normal movement of citizens, business, trade, commerce is at stake. Economy and law and order are on the verse of collapse although the government continues to say that 'law and order situation' is under its control.
It is an irony indeed. You are not sure when you will be attacked with a 'petrol bomb or 'cocktail' or something like this. Worse than this is law enforcers' interception and arrest fear. You cannot take a necessary bag with you to office as you are to be halted by law enforces on your way. If you forget to take your identity card with (countless people don't have the card as they are not in service) you, you might end up in trouble. You can be arrested or you can face the attack of the picketers or unknown persons. No transport is safe, no time is safe, no place is safe. Countless questions come to our mind. Are we in Afghanistan or Somalia or Palestine? Who will we ask for deliverance? Who will we blame?
In the backdrop of this unprecedented scenario, the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers and Commerce and Industries (FBCCI) organised a 'white flag rally' on December 15 to protest the damage of trade and industrial infrastructure due to frequent hartal and blockade. FBCCI president said this programme was arranged to send message to country's two major political parties. He said, 'We just want to say that business people want peace in the country and sympathy of all parties. If politicians fail to restore peace, the business community will be compelled to announce tougher programmes. The ongoing political deadlock is putting the country's trade and commerce as well as the national economy in jeopardy.'
Dear business leaders, does this cause the slightest of jolt in the minds of the politicians? We suffer, we endure, and again we pay taxes only to endure more of these ills. The business leaders said 'We are observing with great dismay that the ongoing blockades and hartal programmes have become violent and created panic among common people.' Now the valid question is: does this country belong to the common people? Is it their country? The country is for the two parties? We should understand it!  
In the name of peaceful hartal and blockade, political party activists snapped the country's entire communication system and set fire to vehicles.  Simply because they have the licence to do so in the name of politics. May we ask our business leaders: do you have such kind of licence for reckless monstrosity? In the rally, the business leaders said, 'The businessmen only formed a human chain in a peaceful manner today but they will take to the streets if the politicians fail to resolve the ongoing crisis.' My dear business leaders, if you plan to do so, then why so many law enforcers are there? Will they keep twiddling their fingers if you try to take to the streets? They become so much active and patriotic when people dissent. Don't you see what happens to those who try to dissent? The immediate past FBCCI president said the country's banks, insurance companies and readymade garment industries are on the verge of a collapse. So what? The government will impose exorbitant taxes on the people to run its  expenditure. Ways are known to them. Why do you shout?  They need to come to power at any cost. And for that to happen, it is our duty as law abiding, docile citizens to endure endless misery!
Our business leaders are clamouring to stop this kind of politics. Why? We achieved independence to do politics. Why do you want to stop it?  Dead bodies are piling up everyday in many places. Don't you know the more the dead bodies, the happier are the leaders as they believe that through these deaths their movement gains added momentum? So, there is no point in trying to reason out any rationale behind the state of things. Reason and understanding do not matter at all where vandalism is rule of the game.
The writer is programme manager, BRAC Education Programme and vice-president, Bangladesh English Language Teachers Association (BELTA).
masumbillah65@gmail.com