[vinnomot] All of us failed to match our dreams of perfection

Saturday, June 7, 2008

[vinnomot] All of us failed to match our dreams of perfection

Competitive identity politics in Bangladesh has taken yet another ugly turn. In the process, it has chipped away, again, at Bangladesh's liberal, democratic foundations.

It's a valid question, and as a freelance writer, I have the right to raise it. Indeed, any other citizen could have asked the same. Freedom of expression is every Bangladesh's fundamental right.Successive administrations of other political dispensations, instead of countering this regressive brand of politics, have adopted it. This is result of appeasement politics adopted by politicians for far too long. Any sane advice with even a hint of name/cause hijacked by a particular group to further itself gives a chance to these hooligans to portray themselves as the only champions for that particular reason to cash in on a particular votebank. You can find ample examples of these in every nook & corner of the country. Only if media in particular & public in general stops highlighting/responding to acts of them, such hooligans can be stopped in their tracks. Media should stop reporting such acts of hooliganism on a trial basis for a limited period & see if it has any impact on such miscreants. I feel devoid of free publicity, these elements will stop or at least think before indulging in such activities. Whether the media can bite this bullet is a million dollar question. Also it is important to note that no political leadership has the courage to take on these elements for fear of loosing a particular vote bank. And politicised the way it is, it is foolhardy to expect any thing from the law enforcers against such elements.

In their crude attempts to gain political capital by presenting themselves as protectors of nation's legacy, political parties in Bangladesh are impoverishing Bangladesh's liberal tradition at the last minute of destruction. But this is a dangerous move. It could have damaging consequences for not just journalists but all citizens. Freedom of expression, which includes the freedom of the press, is vital to a healthy democracy, which protects individual and collective rights.

Increasingly, in one way or another, we seem to be fighting a losing battle against those who have little regard or respect for the liberal values on which this nation was founded. All of us failed to match our dreams of perfection. So I rate us on the basis of our splendid failure to do the impossible.

Gopal Sengupta

Canada

gopalsengupta@aol.com

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