We cannot allow Bangladesh to succumb to the clutches of communal hatred.
The recent incident that occurred in Narail’s Digholia Village is yet another startling reminder of just how much of a blight communal hatred has proven itself for our nation -- a nation that was founded on the principles of democracy, equality, and secularism and one that shunned the retrograde communalistic philosophy of the Pakistani regime it earned its independence from.
For a certain segment of our own populace to exhibit that same philosophy is, simply put, unacceptable.
The events which led up to the violence in Narail are nothing new: Rumours of a social media post which hurt the majoritarian religious sentiments is a recurring ignition point for acts of vandalism being committed against minority communities.
Merits of such social media posts aside, there is no excuse for such a brutal response, one that exposes the deep-rooted intolerance that still exists among some of us and further widens the divide between people of different faiths, cultures, and ethnicities.
However, the failure here is that of law enforcement. These incidents need to be probed into as soon as possible, and without prompt, independent investigations, the instigators might as well be allowed to go free even after their potential detainment.
The erosion of secular values in Bangladesh in recent years has been alarming in their frequency and intensity. We will never forget the brutality witnessed a decade ago in Ramu, when an old Buddhist temple was razed to the ground over similar rumours. While to know that 4,000 reported incidents of violence committed against Hindu communities in the last nine years is a frightening prospect in and of itself.
It is not enough to be tolerant and secular in principle only. Swift and decisive actions need to be taken, and any excuses in failing to ensure that needs to be considered an obstruction of justice.
In an age of increasing divisiveness and hostility it is essential that we look up to the founding principles of our country and say “no” to communal hatred. Regardless of our race, creed, or gender, at the end of the day we are all Bangladeshis.
Those who refuse to understand this have no place here.
