Value of life

Bangladesh is passing through a political, social and moral crisis. The breeze of materialism has disrupted the easy-going life of the past, as the cities develop vertically. This rise in the vertical density level (human and material) is also affecting values, however indirectly. Politics now is very much linked with easy earning. Patience and tolerance have reached alarmingly low levels. The race to materialism is to the swift, but the innocent suffer.

In this IT age the politicians are not happy with the revival of interest in religion (in the US or in S Asia). There is now a universal trend to delve into the source of original creation, as money cannot solve or resolve the deeper meanings of life. It is a basic human need, which acts as a depository of faith. It is a basic human need, which acts as depository of faith. Hedonism (almost naked) is now easily carried in the satellite television channels even in S Asia.

The evils of consumerism (goods and ideas, styles, or waves) have now penetrated into the under-developed pockets in the LDCs, as migratory ad immigration patterns change (with the economic and communication levels). Money has to roll, whether it is black, white, or grey; and the middle and lower classes (and the fixed income groups) feel helpless and cornered, and they are being pushed on to the gallery from the playing field.

This is perturbing, as the middle class is the mental reservoir of the playing field.

This is perturbing, as the middle class is the mental reservoir of the society. But its power to influence is being diminished as black money speaks louder than moral aphorism. Thinking as a tool is loaded with potentiality, but it has to deliver during periods of crisis, which are now more frequent in this turbulent society.

How much the top society of today is prepared for mental confrontations? Politicians under-act rather than overact; and the police are not acting as effectively as it is supposed to do. The goal of politics is confrontation or peace and harmony? Late regulatory actions develop left-overs. Irritating the politicians in or out of power.

Bangladesh is becoming more and more exposed to fundamentalist propaganda from all around; and in these changing times, the mode of thinking is also changing. The politicians have found a handy alibi; the country is in danger; Change is loaded, whether stuffed with good or evil. Change is like a shadow, and a shadow cannot live in isolation.

In Bangladesh, the passions are being roused through vested propaganda. What is at stake? Not the existence of the country, but the cherished values of life. These established values are eroding due to an overdose of capitalistic materialism, and the cult of godlessness has revived religious movements all over the world. This normal reaction has been compounded with the infiltration into politics, at local and global levels.

Since temptation is half the religion, it is difficult to resist it. And, since the other half of religion is tolerance, it is also too difficult to display it. Today an eroding and mentally weak civilisation is struggling in a tough, changing world. There are reasons for being trigger-happy.

The values of life affect three main areas: religion, morality, and education (only one examinee out of every four passes out at the final exams at the school or tertiary level). Today all the three areas are in a mess, because the areas are inter-dependent.

The religious content in education has become an indirect issue today. The Bangladeshis have to sort out this secular issue, but the majority of the citizens are not mentally equipped with the proper tools, due to high level illiteracy (which encourages closed mentality), and low level of economic security. Erosion (in any sector) needs corrective measures in the form of moral embankments and diversion paths to reach the right path.

The national education policy is a foundation of national, public and private life, containing all the essential signals on the highway of life, and nutritive elements to sustain the pilgrims' progress. Therefore its transparency has to be distilled and purified several times over, as it will affect the lives of future generations. Our progress in the implementation of this task is not gathering momentum, as political leadership have no time outside of politics.

We are passing through a phase of ad hocism. Each decade brings more changes at faster rate. It is futile to impede change; but adaptability has to be ensured to maintain the flow and not choke up any system. How far the oscillating political culture is geared to fine-tune change in the lives of people at each strata of life?

This is the hidden agenda in any political manifesto. The political ideas have to carry more transparency.