Revenge killing spree taking a dreadful turn

True, once in a while death of such ghastly nature becomes a matter of more than personal grief. It gives an indication of the social disruption arising out of change in life style, lust for power, wealth and influence in the society and last of all widening gap between the haves and the havenots. Dhaka city's Mirpur area has seen a spate of such killings of ward commissioners and businessmen in the last few months. It is not that events of this kind have never happened before. But in a media-driven environment, private distress of such horrific nature is often catapulted into the public arena. While these cases may hardly affect the mightier matters of state, they certainly reflect the brazenness with which powerful people belonging to either politics or business or even law enforcement machinery feel they can use clout to subvert law and justice and buy everything in their favour.

Reports of gruesome murders published in the newspapers in the recent past quoting Police and Human Rights Organisations reinforce our belief about the horrendous crime situation in the country. These sources indicate that in July last 322 murders were committed in the country as against 314 in June. After a thorough analysis of the violent nature of the problem that are often reported in the newspapers, one is led to believe that young men in the age group 16-30 are involved in such grotesque nature of criminal activities and their behaviour is largely influenced by the environment. In the case of Shahidullah murder, the killer group numbering about three and all of them young in age gunned down him with about eight bullets ensuring his death and as his eldest son Prince, a second year HSC student of Dhanmondi Ideal College, came out of the mosque to save his father, the three shot him in the abdomen wounding him critically.

With extortion, abduction and murder being committed almost every day at different places, the country has turned out to be a killing field. The dastardly killing of a businessman, his wife and their young son at Brahmanbaria early last month in their house at dead of night by some unidentified assailants with no apparent enmity is another pathetic reminder that people are not safe in their houses, too.

The growing concern in all these cases of bomb blast, extortion, robbery, arson and killing is that youngsters are involved and unexplained questions remain as to why they slipped into such vile trade. In most cases it is about the lifestyle enjoyed by the urban, young and well-heeled people in the country. They are children of globalisation, cable TV and guilt free consumerism. What is now clear is that their lifestyle has produced its share of pressures and unhappiness. It is high time we identified the trends in society and traced the tensions that lie beneath. Understandably, in the country today the cocktail of wealth, power and privilege is a lethal one.

Lured by the fabulous offer of money and assurance of recognition in the political circle by self-seeking politicians and greedy business people, young men, unemployed and in dire need of money, are slipping into crime wave without any pricking of conscience, remorse or consideration of consequences. Astoundingly true, there are about 15 million unemployed youth within 16-25 age group in the country who are profoundly unhappy about the societal conditions and apathy of the government towards creating a situation that helps them rise above the condition they are now living in. These vibrant youth full of vigour and work spirit, languishing in poverty are easy prey to wealth and money they are offered to perform the most vile work like killing a person or wipe out a whole family.

Incredible as it may seem but it is true that these killings in different parts of the country were , perhaps orchestrated by self-seeking politicians or business rivals in a large number of cases and in other cases by the extortionists targeting the individuals for their inability to yield to their demands. It seems big cities like Dhaka and Chittagong are now perforated societies steeped in hate, greed and ill-gotten money. How could these young men moderately educated in most cases and apparently sensible be killing so dispassionately? The most common factor is: the present generation is going through one of those plastic moments in history where old known value systems have crumbled and new ones have not formed.

Unfortunately, the pleasures, comfort and luxuries of modern life and acquisition of uncounted wealth by a section of people in the society and the dazzling display of that extravaganza have permeated into our lifestyle and the idealism that once illuminated the educated and even rustic rural life has taken a severe knock. Undeniably true, the youngsters those born in the late 70s and right through 80s grew up in a world full of scams and corruption. They are not interested to know what happens to others when they want to change their own lifestyles fast. They want ready success, ready money, unbridled life with all the comfort and luxuries and they believe they can use any means to get it. Inspired by the ostentatious living they see next to their door, most youngsters today prowl tirelessly for a better deal that will free them from the restraints and deprivation that their parents faced or face.

Ambitions soar and the image of making it big constantly play on the mind but when failure strikes most can't handle it and take the most dreaded path. Sadly true, many of these young men are drawn to crime these days for reasons that are our own making. It occurs when even after going through all the struggles and securing a university degree and technical qualifications most desirable for a job when he moves from door to door for a job, and lack of opportunity and political connection frustrate him.

Soon the tremendous pressure to survive and succeed builds up anger and he goes astray. Sanity blinks and so to say totally evaporates. The result becomes disastrous if in the meantime he has drifted into drug addiction and drug trade..

There is something sinister in the air around. Hardly the cry and protest to nab the killers of Haji Shahidullah in Mirpur could die down, another gruesome murder of a landlady at Mirpur living in a tin shed measuring about one katha land perpetrated through a hired killer engaged by her tenant Akhtar has sent shivers among the citizenry. The entire nation has been traumatised and feels outraged at the savagery perpetrated one after another mostly on helpless men and women at different parts of the country. What these barbaric acts have made clear is that armed goons and mastans are having their field day right under the nose of the law enforcers while innocent people continue to suffer in the hands of the authority mandated to protect them.

Unhappily, coupled with these dastardly incidents that are coming up with unfailing regularity, economic situation in the country is perhaps heading towards a chaotic turn, with no apparent signs of a redeeming future for the people at large. Precisely true, most of the countryside where 70/75 per cent of the population lives remains as poor as ever. The lower middle class, farmers, rickshaw pullers, day labourers, weavers and fishermen all belonging to this soil just couldn't share the country's economic growth. Sadly enough, a difficult time seem to be winding down well for all of us. As political impasse lingers, reform measures stall, economic woes mount, more and more people with education or no education try to flee the country with little success. As it appears, the government has failed to deliver on its tall promises. What is needed is probity on the part of our leaders and a tough and consistent enforcement of laws. Such measures would reassure investors from within and without who have been fulminating in the hope that the system of kickback flourishing relentlessly would end.

To be more precise, the benefits of economic growth must be distributed evenly. With a big focus on the modernisation of madrassa education tinged with science bias, the country's school curriculum has to be restructured to create equal employment opportunities for all sections of young population having schooling either in a madrassa or a school. The poor who constitute more than 50 per cent of the country's 140 million people must be provided access to educational, employment, and business opportunities in a bid to prevent them from going astray. It must be brought home to all of us entrusted with the gigantic task of planning and drawing future strategy of the country that nearly 40 per cent of the country's population is under 25 years old. These cohorts of disgruntled and disillusioned youth folk can be explosive mix blocking the little bit of reform and structural reorganisation that are taking place here and there.

What does it take to commit a violent crime like murdering a person in crowded street full of witnesses and then walk away unpunished? It is simply the ability to manipulate a creaking criminal investigation system. Plus cash, muscle power and a few political connections. At least that's what the number of high profile, unresolved cases starting from Jamaluddin abduction in Chittagong to Haji Shahidullah murder in Mirpur, Dhaka or Mirpur Commerce College student Kamrul Islam Momin murder seem to indicate. Momin's killing coming barely a month after the bizarre killing of Haji Shahidullah has heightened the cynicism about our criminal investigation machinery. Street wisdom says, even if the Motijheel Thana O.C. alleged to be linked with the Momin murder case over a property feud has been closed at the moment, he will evade punishment. Indeed, as a reputed lawyer in the country says, "Crime today is a low risk, high return business. With more than 90 per cent chance that one will not be convicted, it's no wonder that youngsters don't think twice before committing a crime."

Md Asadullah Khan is a former teacher and Controller of Examinations, BUET.