MP killing, brutal society and the love of Manik, Sunil

Naem Nizam

Writer and teacher Humayun Azad wrote, “I may die for a very small thing / for a very small dream / for a very small sorrow / I may die in someone's sleep / for a small sigh / for a drop of beauty.” At present, the number of dreamers is decreasing in politics, economy, and socio-culture. Dreamers are disappearing from the society. They are being defeated by the unbearable dirtiness. Sick cynics survive in a world of jealousy. Abnormalities are increasing in every sector of the society. The world is moving forward based on technology. Humanity is ending in the world of TikTok. I was surprised to watch the surrounding environment. The mind is filled with disappointment. The cruelty in the human being is increasing day by day. The killing of MP Anar revealed the horror of human beings. There may be a conflict of opinion among the people. There may be a distance of mind about business. There will be competition in politics. Will people kill people so brutally for these reasons? Is the word humanity disappearing forever? I have read many thrilling stories of the world. I saw many horror movies. What was done to disappear MP Anar's body is unprecedented. Cruelty has its limits in human civilization. Brutality has also an end. I can’t accept the abnormality of Anna's murder.

Does anyone remember the story of Munir-Khuku? Munir, the son of a doctor's family, brutally murdered his wife Rima. The brutal killing on the Dhaka-Chittagong highway made the whole nation sad. Humanity was defeated by barbarism. Not only Munir-Khuku, but people also read the news of the Azimpur China Building killing and Rajshahi’s Nihar Banu murder and wiped their tears. Now nothing touches us like before. The gruesome murders do not shake the society. Everyone forgot the murder of journalist couple Sagar Sarowar and Meherun Runi. I recruited Meherun Runi to ATN Bangla. She worked at Channel i. Later, Runi left ATN Bangla and went to Germany. Sagar left Ittefaq and joined Deutsche Welle. This journalist couple was very well in Germany. They came back to Dhaka from Germany with their son Megh. The office of Bangladesh Pratidin was situated at Moghbazar at that time. One day the couple came to me. I wanted to know when they would return to Germany. In response, they said, they won’t go again. I told Sagar to join Bangladesh Pratidin. Sagar replied, “Brother, I was in print media for a long time. This time I want to work in electronic media. I want a new experience. I looked at Runi. She said, “Brother, I respect you. What do you say? I said, go straight to Mahfuz Bhai. Join us at your former house ATN Bangla. Their life started again in Dhaka. Sagar joined Maasranga Television and Runi at ATN Bangla. Everything was fine. They were happy with little Megh. Suddenly a mysterious storm ends everything. The journalist couple Sagar-Runi was brutally murdered at midnight. Police and RAB launched separate investigations. The then-home minister said that the killers will be identified within 48 hours. Everything ends in an announcement. Those 48 hours have not passed yet. Even today, the mystery of Sagar-Runi's murder has not been revealed. Who killed them and why? Everything remained a mystery.

I watched the Hindi film ‘Justice For Jessica. Jessica was murdered at a function. Jessica and one of her friends arranged the party. When the party ends, the nephew of an influential minister comes to the bartender and asks for liquor. But Jessica refused to sell liquor as per the rules of the function. Later, she was shot for not selling alcohol to the minister's nephew. The girl was killed in front of the big fishes of the society who came to the event. The minister influenced the police investigation. None of the big fish confessed the incident to the police. Everyone said that no one saw anything. Even Jessica's friend said she didn't know anything. Actress Vidya Balan was the sister of Jessica in that film. She could not accept everything at all. She went door to door with court, police, and witnesses seeking justice for her sister's murder. But nobody helped her. She got tired. Jessica's parents became sick. The murderers were acquitted due to the lack of witnesses. At that time, a woman journalist started working on this issue. Rani Mukerji played the role of the journalist. She started publishing investigative reports on television about court verdicts and murder. Besides, she made public opinion on the issue. The president of the country ordered to re-investigate the case after being informed the public opinion. I also watched such an English film. The story was that no one killed the heroine of the film.

We don't want to see any more horror incidents like MP Anar. We want to see the normality of society and culture. Social media has increased brutality in the society. Filthy content has become the source of entertainment. Now we hear the argument on behalf of the killers. Nobody sings the song of life. None fight to bring back a healthy culture. In the past, district and upazila administration used to organize agricultural fairs. Street dramas, puppet shows, and circuses were regular media of those fairs. Now there is no existence of these. Boishakhi fairs are obstructed in villages and towns. Village youths don’t play at the playground. They bring social media gambling to their afternoon chat. Through cashless gambling transactions, the country's money goes abroad. Their parents shed tears in silence. None wants to see this situation.

Writer Manik Bandyopadhyay in his novel Putul Nacher Itikatha described the rural scene in that era. In his Putul Nacher Itikatha novel, Manik created a beautiful chemistry of love. The dialogue “Love can change the human being and separation can bring creativity” is unmemorable to us.

Poet Rudra Mohammad Shahidullah’s ‘Akasher Thikanay Chithi’ and Sunil Gangopadhyay’s ‘Aksho Atte Nill Padma’ remind us of the story of beauty and love. Unfortunately, this love is absent in our society. Social media has taken away our emotions, conscience, and normality. None wants to understand that abnormality can give nothing to society and the state. A healthy life can make the world better.

Writer: Editor, Bangladesh Pratidin

@ The article was published on print and online versions of The Bangladesh Pratidin on June 16, 2024, and has been rewritten in English by Golam Rosul.