It’s not unexpected. Everyone is suddenly vocal in their demands for reform. So unfolds the tragedy that has been allowed to undo vestiges of equality, and manifest it deep into the fabric of everything, be it governance, society, or business. Just as obvious is that no one quite has a clue where to begin.
For far too long politicians have been guilty of not harnessing the finest minds to assist governance rising above political ideals; as if personal beliefs in some way come between political agenda. The wake-up call is clear. All political parties big or small, wrapped up in their views have become distant from what the general public have been clamouring for. The conversations in tea stalls and roadside cafes were the only outlets for such conversations as the hammer came down on more recognized platforms.
That it took so many lives in unacceptable violence by the very groups entrusted with ensuring safety and supporting basic rights -- such as that of speech and protest -- left anyone humane enough feeling sick to their stomachs. What is worse for political parties is that in general, the unofficial right of selecting an overseeing government passed hands to students. And that has been in spite of some parties joining the student movement late in the day.
That the visual graffiti of major parties’ symbols being inked over by cross marks has sent a message of no confidence, one that the general public has not protested by and large. Survey after survey told us the new generation was fed up with politics the way it has been doled out over the years. Similar surveys have brought to light that the majority of this same generation would leave the country the first chance they got.
None of these are positive signs for democracy and it further enhances the need for parties to reform their entities and be more people inclusive. They must decide whether to follow their gut or actually listen and take on board the popular thinking on the streets, not what sycophants would have them believe.
Those little and big ‘things’ that were allowed to impact lives, livelihoods, and feelings have congealed into a powerful form of outrage that even bullets could not suppress
Behind the rhetoric and conspiracy theories soul searching is required. “Things fall apart, the centre cannot hold” was YB Yeats’ philosophy that seems so cruelly apt for these times. Those little and big “things” that were allowed to impact lives, livelihoods, and feelings have congealed into a powerful form of outrage that even bullets could not suppress. The viral video of a police officer remarking how one protester was shot but the others refused to back off is indicative of peoples’ spirits once backs were to the wall.
It’s not yet clear how the new government intends to proceed. Matching students’ demands alongside pushing for reform are interlinked and again somewhat opposite in nature. The cycle is a vicious one supported by corruption that hasn’t just permeated every layer of society, it has also become part of daily life. So much so that even if one wants to be free of it, it becomes close to impossible.
Sector by sector approach will take time and must be inclusive. From the occupation of footpaths by vendors to the murky corridors where businesses and individuals have been allowed unbridled capital flight and more, the question is whether every individual is willing not to bend and break rules and do some honest naval gazing. As William Shakespeare said “The fault lies not in the stars Horatio (read people) but in ourselves.”
Mahmudur Rahman is a writer, columnist, broadcaster, and communications specialist.
