When the whole world was busy celebrating the arrival of year 2024, Bangladesh saw some disturbing images that once again proved the country is going through an era of fear and bifurcation amidst the lack of democracy.
Celebrating the New Year’s Day is one of the biggest occasions for modern people as they wish to reinvigorate their lives with new hopes. But what we saw throughout the internet was very somber yet at the same time destructive images.
Like previous years, it was seen that huge amount of police were deployed to restrict people celebrating at the midnight. People’s movements were curtailed and the authority asked to refrain them from doing anything ‘excessive.’
This is the general tendency of a state which fails to keep faith on the maturity of its people and keeps a relationship of hegemony rather than co-operation. The state, which is responsible to safeguard and ensure normal life of its people, tries to shift the blame on citizens rather than fulfilling its duty.
Indeed, there may be some odd situations and that is exactly the police and all other law enforcing agents are kept with the taxpayers’ money. They just cannot shut down a festival in the name of security.
The consequence is horrible. In a society that is deeply bifurcated, thanks mainly to lack of justice and accountability, the problem is even greater. The privileged people are not affected with the above mentioned shut down while the have nots, who rarely gets a chance to celebrate, face the sternest music.
Celebration is a human trait and as the people are barred, they try to find different avenues. Over the last few years, we have seen Dhaka people, especially the youth, are celebrating the auspicious day on their respective rooftops. From the arm’s length of the law-enforcing agents they blast sound crackers and float fire ballons.
It is also observed that these celebrations in the residential areas may wreak havoc on children, ailing people and the other animals who are scared of these light and sound show.
Some people rightly lampooned this sort of celebration throughout social media and spread the awareness from abstaining from such actions.
But the problem is more profound and political. In a sense these well-aware people are dancing to the tune of the rulers. They are shifting the blame to people and the youth who must be given space and right to celebrate. When state don’t believe on them, don’t pave the way for their maturity and even don’t care their feelings, they remain immature and continue doing nuisances.
In a proper democracy where ruler is elected with people’s verdict the state is obliged to care its citizens. The law-enforcing agencies help people celebrate an unrelented and joyous New Year Day.
Only a proper democracy can salvage our festival.
The Boxer: The author is one of the indefatigable working-class Bangladeshis who have been trying to change the fate of the nation but were betrayed by the ruling elites and autocrats. The name is inspired by a character in George Orwell's 1945 novel Animal Farm.