Muhammad Quamrul Islam :
Four people were killed and several others injured in a clash between police and local people in Bhola following the derogatory remarks about Prophet Mohammad (SM) on the Facebook by a youth on Sunday, reports national dailies of Bangladesh on October 21, 2019. After the clash at Burhanuddin upazila town of Bhola district, which has been reportedin national TV channels and print media and followed up, the situation has now cooled down, but little bit tensed, reports said.
Inquiry Committee formed by District Administration has submitted its report, which has since been forwarded to the concerned authority. Inquiry Committee of Police Administration looking into the matter will also submit its report soon.
Awami League President PM Sheikh Hasina dealt this matter in a meeting with Jubo League in the evening of October 20, 2019 reported on the following day. She said whoever had made the remarks against our Prophet severe actions will be taken against him according to law. She called on the people to cooperate, have patience in the ongoing progress of the country and sent warning to those who want to fish in the troubled water.
Thankfully she had shown her zero tolerance about Jubo League as revealed in her actions in relieving some and directives in constituting preparatory committee for next National Congress fixing the upper age limit at55 years in consultation with those present after initially tabling limit at 45 years. She expressed annoyance nobody told her about corruptions before she took actions although they had access to Ganobhavan. People were amazed to learn Jubo League tops of more than 70 years age and Vice Chancellor of Jagannath University wished to become Chairman of Jubo League of which he is the senior presidium member! As it is where our educational system and values is, which Sheikh Hasina is striving to revive to traditional base?
On the occurrence of clash between police-local people Burhanuddin Thana Sub-Inspector has lodged a case accusing unidentified four to five thousand persons at dead of night on that day. A separate case has also been lodged under digital safety law against Biplab Chandra Shuva, hacker of Shuva’s Facebook Eman and Sharif alias Shakil. These three persons have been arrested and Court proceedings are going on. It is further reported four persons were killed and one hundred and fifty persons were injured, another two persons were arrested for clash between police and local people and produced before the Court. The Facebook authority at Singapore has given the details of hacking to Bangladesh Government has asked for.
Very pertinent question is why and how the youth in the age group of 18-25 years were involved in it? Shuva is 25 years; Eman and Shakil are 18 years old; reported in media. It is now learnt Biplab Chandra is a student of Bhola Government College. Eman is a student of 1st year HSC in Burhanuddin Abdul Jabbar College and Shakil is a security guard of Bhola electric power center whose academic background is yet to be known. The report to date shows hacker called over mobile Shuva pay taka 20 thousand or else such posts will be given that will be harmful to him, who led to their arrest in Police station, now under investigation at different levels and Court proceedings are going on. What is troubling the mind of the guardians which was echoed by the PM reported in media how Muslim boys could write such derogatory remarks!
It is felt by commoners that prevailing education system could not change the mindset of youth portraying the religion in true spirit and not hatred. It is not enough to give Taka 5 lakh each to those killed, but delve why it happened. After all human life cannot be bartered with money.
However, should ministries of education, religion and liberation war affairs react without rhetoric? Is this strange coincidence or some evil forces hatching it from behind? That is the question to be tackled at root – educationally, culturally and politically, not deploying law enforcement agencies only. Frankly speaking, this was not expected in Bangladesh which was born in huge sacrifices in 1971 in the spirit of Bengali nationalism. But led to neo-wealthy elite, their children and progeny settled in developed western countries and they are enjoying power and pelf at home, no matter Communist or Islamist or Hindu or so communal at the cost of suffering millions of the multitude.
(Muhammad Quamrul Islam, economist, advocate and columnist; e-mail: [email protected])
