Thoughts of a disabled in a wheelchair

I am both angry and sad. I am angry because I do most sincerely believe that a good deal of today's chaos, indiscipline and violence on the streets, including the most recent dastardly acts by religious extremist groups, are and were avoidable. What has most certainly jammed our power of right thinking and right action is a shameless greed for power on the part of both our present lawmakers and the mainstream opposition.

Just consider this: the honourable PM cuts short her state visit and returns home in order to deal with the crisis, meets some of her top aides who advise her not to crack down extensively in view of the forthcoming elections. I am sad that I now very clearly visualise the gathering of the clouds on the horizon for our future generation.

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Do our present and the coming generation have a future in this country? Do they have anything to hope for? I am sad when I think of the inhuman way my brother, one of the most illustrious sons of the soil, was kidnapped and brutally murdered by the infamous collaborators of the occupation forces. Had he been alive today he would weep to see the state of our beloved country.

I have talked to a number of civil servants who are continually producing excuses, like RAW has done it, or some such foreign elements, etc. They are busy analysing who did what to whom. Empty rhetoric and slogans, but no action. We all know the results of the diagnosis, but no one is putting forward the prescription for a cure. Even if one is recommending, he or she is recommending analgesics where a major surgery is called for.

Can anyone honestly tell me as to who has the character and the required leadership qualities capable of steering this country out of this mess today? The educated (the degree holders) and the powerful have concentrated their energies to the fullest in gaining access to more power and greater acquisition of material wealth, whereas the so-called middle class and others already living around the poverty line and below are struggling to keep themselves barely alive.

I am angry again. I fail to understand as to why no stern action was taken against the likes of Bangla Bhai when they were found indulging in unlawful and extremist activities some months ago. Now that they have gone into hiding (have they really?) the administration has begun a hunt for them. Did the administration think, that, like in many other similar issues of their failures, this matter too would " pass" and be forgotten? It was not to be so.

This legacy of these hyenas in the garb of humans time and again returns to haunt not only the ruling coalition and BNP, but also the entire nation for decades to come. There is no point in hiding the fact that maddrassahs are the breeding grounds for these religious extremists. There is no point in mere "keeping a watch" over these cluster of educational dens, some real strategic actions have to be taken.

I am aware of the acute nature of the madrssahs including the organisational capacities of those who financially or otherwise help run these places, but one also has to remember that, unlike Pakistan or Saudi Arabia, given the present state of affairs, majority of the Bangladeshis continue to be moderate in their religious beliefs and practices. The administration therefore has to act here and now and deal with matters with an iron hand. Any further loss of time may prove fatal. Catch the leaders and the financiers, punish them, the rest can be dealt with through regular monitoring and strict application of the statutory laws of the land.

Last year my daughter returned from the US after completing her university education. She is currently engaged in teaching at one of the Private Universities. She seemed to have "accepted and adjusted herself well with steadily deteriorating environment" but for the recent incidents of the kind described above. Nowadays we do meet, but there is but little meaningful communication that takes place between the two. She appears to be nurturing a silent anger within because of the existing state of affairs in her country. I must confess, to me it looks as though Bangladesh is heading for even worse times.

The truth of it all is that I feel both helpless and hopeless. Where are we heading? Many of our children and grandchildren (second and third generations) slowly and surely are being purged out from US, UK, and other developed countries of the West. How will Bangladesh cope with them? Will there be enough jobs commensurate with their skill? Will they become social outcasts and misfits? But then is there any one amongst political planners and thinkers of this country who really care?

Notwithstanding the various miscarriages of justice by the ruling coalition, the mainstream opposition is not helping the situation either. The August 17 incident in its totality and broader perspective is indeed an attack on the very foundation of Bangladesh. It should therefore call for national consensus and come forward with concrete suggested measures and offer to work together with the ruling coalition. After all, the scourge of it all will not disappear overnight, on the contrary with the passing of time may gather greater momentum when today's opposition will be in the seat of power and have to deal with similar situations.

Anger aside, my mind is also agitated thinking about the hopeless state of our intelligence agencies. They have proved themselves to be not only corrupt, but also highly inefficient. A senior official of the administration told me the other day that of all the agencies responsible for law and order including national security, the various intelligence agencies are the most privileged and have considerable freedom of operations. Their failures therefore appear unpardonable.

Just recall how the intelligence agencies of the most powerful nation in the world misguided and manipulated the entire government machinery and its political leadership with disastrous consequences.

It is unfortunate that, whenever an official of one of the numerous intelligence agencies of Bangladesh is found negligent or involved in any crime all that is handed down by way of punishment; either the concerned individual is "closed" or transferred to some other agency or organisation of the administration. This is ridiculous.

Shamsher Chowdhury is a freelence writer.