DURING clashes between two groups of Chhatra League on 23 July in Magura, the expectant mother Najma Begum was shot. The bullet entered her womb and hit the unborn child. The mother’s uncle-in-law was also injured in the shooting and a bomb explosion was there. He later succumbed to his injuries and died.
The incident took place when pro-ruling party activists Azibar Sheikh and Mohammad Ali along with several of their followers attacked Kamrul Bhuiyan and his relatives who too belong to a pro-ruling group. Police and local sources said there is a long-standing feud between Kamrul and Azibar. Living in Doyarpar area in Magura town, both are involved in Jubo League politics at the district level, police said. Nazma is wife of Kamrul’s elder brother Bachchu Bhuiyan.
This act of depravity is nothing new in our political culture-many instances abound of more heinous crimes being committed – there was the infamous case of a notorious goon who used to wash in milk after he cut and killed his political opponents. But it is nonetheless shocking to those of us who have refined sensibilities and believe that the act is a violation of all norms of basic human decency. The very act of shooting at a woman who is very obviously pregnant is unheard of in peacetime – this is not Europe in World War 2.
The fact that such a situation can testify to the fact that the law of the jungle remains very much alive and well in our body politic. In previous times, such savagery used to occur between people of different parties and ideologies but now it is occurring between people who ostensibly are ideologically in the same camp and in power.
Of course, this has nothing to do with ideology but with the exercise of power. Rivalries exist when groups of people compete for dominance – and in a situation like this there can be only one victor. The anger or hatred felt by the loser or contender is acted upon in an orgy of violence. It is the mindset of a beast – but animals don’t kill for fun – as has been recorded countless times.
Stopping this culture of impunity is very easy – bring the people to book and try them under due process of law. Two of the sixteen accused are already under arrest – but all of them must be tried and brought under the harshest penalty. The guilty must not harass the innocent – as in this case when the prime accused are giving the victims threats over the phone. The law must be allowed to go its own course.
