The young adults of Dhaka are now probably the country’s most distressed generation, suffering from their very own boiling frog syndrome.
The agony of adjusting our hope, the irony of limiting our expectations and minimum living standards, has become the only way to survive another day in this city, our beloved Dhaka.
By getting used to living with the fear of being smashed on the road or being burnt or even hanging on the wire as part of our little effort to buy some time, we are now too exhausted to pull ourselves out -- just like the boiling frog. And believe us, this powerlessness is anathema for a not-so-old generation.
In this sycophantic society, when democracy seems to be squeaking away every day with economic development, we continue to lose young hearts on the road, but find an entire generation ready to let their voices be known. The movement for road safety bestowed us with heroes who did not wear capes but kept afloat our audacity to hope.
It was magical to see how the whole of Bangladesh synced, how everyone felt their unheard voices resonate in every slogan. Those teenagers heralded our frustration resulting from being stuck on the roads for hours while some self-recognized VIPs allowed to get away with privileged treatment. We found a voice, a hope that this movement was going to bring a wind of change.
But the last nail in the coffin came in the form of the decision of designating “someone” to bring back discipline on the road who, lo and behold, actually infuriated the entire nation with his rhetorical comments.
And, unfortunately, this botched recipe continues. On March 19, our social media platforms were once again bloodied, with another news of a road accident where we lost Abrar Ahmed Chowdhury, a young BUP student. This time, our newly elected mayor comes in with the brutish idea of establishing a foot over-bridge, named after deceased student, to placate the agitated crowd.
The prescribed remedy appeared utterly nonsensical and a mockery towards our loss. If such is the solution, the city is going to be full of foot over-bridges named after our loved and dear ones who continue to lose their lives.
Speaking of solutions, when we are referring to using this foot over-bridge, are we considering the efficacy in terms of our senior citizens and people with special needs’ perspectives. On the other hand, why can’t we just make the best use of our existing structure?
What’s the point of having expensive traffic signal panels if they serve no purpose on the roads? This simple solution won’t be applied because if traffic signals start working then our self-proclaimed VIPs won’t be able to access the roads on their own terms. We can recognize the dilemma of the decision makers, and hence, we feel powerless.
Dhaka is now a city of approximately 20 million people. And yet, we feel numb and void. We walk alone, with fear, of any bus capable of smashing into us. Even on the footpath. We ride alone, always with the trauma of getting thrashed on the roads. We understand that every fatality can’t be prevented but how our policy-makers respond to these calamities help us to be vocal, righteous, and empowered to step up against all odds.
Dhaka has undoubtedly become an unlivable city but it’s still home to many of us. It’s still a place where we find the warmth of love, friendship, compassion, and empathy every day. Hence, people are still ready to keep their faith in policy-makers and do their bit to help the city.
We are ready to take the leap of faith. Please don’t let the frog die.
Md Naibur Rahman is an Education Consultant at The World Bank.
