Sir Frank Peters

A new Bangladesh, one totally free of corruption, extortion, and other scandalous acts of skullduggery is said to be on the horizon – one that allows the downtrodden among us the opportunity to at least eat well. That’s not a bad start in the evolution of a predicted Sonar Bangla.

Those noble Bengali martyrs of 1971 (especially) must have turned in their graves countless times with abject abhorrence, disappointment, and in total rejection of the Bangladesh for which they had magnanimously sacrificed their lives.

If there was ever an injustice on the soil of Bangladesh, this was it and it wasn’t generated by overseas occupying forces, but by their own flesh and blood they respectfully referred to as “bhai”.

Such shame... such injustice... such dishonour attributed to them by those who survived the 1971 War of Independence. Those, both living and dead, must have asked themselves prior to August 2024, “is it for this Bangladesh so much blood was spilt, so many lives were sacrificed?” Even the weakest in mathematics would conclude it just didn’t quite add up.

There is no greater love any person can give to his nation than his or her own life, but it would be gratifying for them to know in their generous giving, they’re serving a worthwhile cause.

No doubt many who did in 1952 and 1971 have questioned their decision with great pain and remorse in the hereafter and asked themselves why.

Those who died in July-August 2024 must not be subjected to a similar fate.

Change for the good
While indeed there is lots of change – good change – on the horizon, one cannot help but feel it’s somewhat akin to putting the cart before the horse or building exquisite castles on sand.

For far too long Bangladesh has been cursed with corporal punishment. Children have been beaten senseless in schools and madrassahs (especially) and in their homes and other environments, by ignorant and or downright evil people.

If one were to conduct a survey among the members of the Anti-discrimination Students Movement (the Heroes and Heroines of 2024) no doubt... NO DOUBT whatsoever... the majority if not all could relate stories about their miserable encounter with corporal punishment abuse in schools, homes, madrassahs, their feelings towards it, and the society that let it happen.

It wasn’t right for those heroes and heroines, what makes it right for the children now?

Corporal punishment is an ignorant and abhorrent act and when performed on sacred grounds like in a school or madrassa, where teachers and imams are assumed to be more pious, know better, and offer guidance and protection to children, it makes the sordid act even worse.

It is estimated there are over 10,000 religions in the world – Islam, Buddhist, Christian among the forerunners – and not one condones corporal punishment to children. Not one!

How would it be possible for any religion to claim to be loving and in synch with the commands of God if they were beating God’s children – God’s infinite unique creation? It would be like taking a razor blade to a Picasso or Monet painting and slashing frenziedly. Unimaginable!

Cruel, inhuman, degrading
In 2011 Bangladesh Supreme Court justices Md. Imman Ali and Md. Sheikh Hassan Arif, attempted to rid the biliousness in the nation of corporal punishment. They declared it to be "cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment and a clear violation of a child's fundamental right to life, liberty and freedom.”

Our internationally acclaimed son of the soil, locally born Shakespeare, and Noble prize awardee, Rabindranath Tagore (1861-1941) shared with us a pearl when he said: “Discipline means to teach, not to punish”.

When adults make mistakes, they are verbally rebuked. When children make mistakes, they are beaten. Where’s the sense and justice in that?

Corporal punishment has no benefits whatsoever, but can cause untold damage to a child’s physical and mental health. Every child is like an angel’s fingerprint, it’s different. Every child thinks different. Beat one and to him or her it might be like water off a duck’s back. Beat another and it could drive the child to suicide.

There are literally thousands of studies condemning corporal punishment and not one – NOT ONE – advocating its use. That ought to tell you something.

The fuel that has propelled corporal punishment for so long is ignorance and that applies to even the ever-loving mothers who beat their children thinking they’re saving them from the clutches of Satan, when in fact they driving them closer to him.

While there’s been much repetition of headline-grabbing, heart-wrenching, jingoistic phrases like “the children are our future” from ALL previous prime ministers they’ve offered them no protection.

The Anti-discrimination Students Movement have time-travelled and brought “the children are our future” into the now... the present... and the nation is on its knees in gratitude, in prayer, and appreciation as never before.

While little or no effort was made to protect the dignity and wellbeing of the existing members of the now commended Anti-discrimination Students Movement in their early years, let us not repeat the mistakes, end the cruelty, injustice, and abolish corporal punishment to those still in classrooms, madrassahs, homes, other child care environments and protect them. It’s right in the eyes of Allah and in your heart you know it’s right.

No child is safe from physical or mental harm where there’s corporal punishment. Let us not repeat the catastrophic mistakes made since 1971.

Let’s honour and show deep respect to those noble martyrs who gave their lives in 1952, 1971 and 2024 by showing respect, love, admiration, and though positive change, show to the world their demise was not in vain.

The writer is a, former newspaper and magazine publisher and editor, a humanitarian, a royal goodwill ambassador and Honorary Member of the Bangladesh Freedom Fighters and a foreign friend of Bangladesh