Virtue by Default?
Imagine a truck-load of boxes all stuffed with money suddenly hurtling all around with the vehicle eventually turning turtle at a busy bus stand. What will follow? People all around making desperate swoops at the boxes and each outdoing the other in the looting spree. Contemplating any different picture in the context of today's Bangladesh would be difficult. But for once the inevitable did not happen even though a truck did actually meet with an accident at Sherpur bus stand on its way to the Bangladesh Bank branch, Bogra from Sirajganj.
This incident should make us particularly happy and proud. Because judged against the backdrop of frequent petty types of mugging and the occasional dare-devil forays into well-protected buildings for big money this sounds heavenly. But don't get too much carried away. Although six of the 25 policemen and officials accompanying the valuable cargo were injured in the accident, others very much ruffled though they were still stood guard over the boxes. More cogently perhaps people were unaware of the contents of the boxes.
So the people present at Sherpur bus-stand do not earn the compliment, they are given one. But at least the virtue by default can be a beginning of the process. Are we ready to take the message that what is not earned should always be ignored? Haven't we come across stories where the protagonists have exemplarily called in all their energy and talent to be equal to one single good act accomplished by chance? That way too we can throw a challenge to ourselves. Not a bad idea indeed!
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