Last week’s clash between students and traders at the capital’s New Market area that claimed the lives of two people was an event made all the more unfortunate as it happened during the holy month of Ramadan.
It showed that, when it comes to conflict resolution, violence is still the prevailing method in our society.
However, as more light gets shed on this incident, the worse it looks. Violence and hooliganism, as bad as they are, are one thing. Murder is quite another.
And there is no other word to describe the killing of Nahid Hossain, a courier service worker.
In fact, the death of Morsalin, a New Market shop employee, brings the kill count to two.
At least in the case of Nahid, there is extensive and graphic photographic evidence of those who killed him, the shocking pictures of helmet-wearing youth hacking away at him as he lies unconscious on the ground, having made the rounds on social media and appearing in newspapers.
This kind of criminality cannot stand. There can be no excuse for the guilty not to be brought to book.
For far too long has violence such as this gone unchecked and uninvestigated, with those responsible never being brought to justice. We witnessed similar incidents during the road safety protests four years ago, where masked and helmeted hooligans entered the fray and attacked students, journalists, and anyone else who found themselves within the vicinity.
No one was ever brought to book, no one was prosecuted.
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Law enforcers have reportedly identified 12 individuals who took part in the clashes with sharp weapons and sticks, but this is not enough.
Nahid's killers must be brought to book and they must face the full force of the law.
What kind of a society are we if we let murder go unpunished?
There is ample evidence to suggest the identity of the killers and their membership or connection to the ruling party’s student cadre.
This needs to be followed up and no one should escape justice due to their political connections.
Indeed, if the culprits are politically connected then there is all the more reason that they should be prosecuted. No one can be above the law.
If the guilty once again go unprosecuted and unpunished, the country will draw the obvious conclusion.
