By Shudirr Baran Mazi

Let's change it. How long will this continue? Every day, some incident happens. Some make us angry, some
disappoint us, some shake our conscience. Some also give us hope. But one thing becomes clear in these
incidents—these are not just isolated incidents; rather, they are real pictures of our decline in
responsibility. The incidents seem to be pointing their fingers at us every day—where we stand.

Somewhere there is disobedience to the law, somewhere there is abuse of power, somewhere there is
bribery and corruption, somewhere there is fraud, somewhere there is extremism in the name of religion,
somewhere there is intolerance and indifference among the youth, somewhere there is spreading rumors
and hatred on social media. Again, somewhere, it is seen that people are standing against injustice,
standing by the people in danger, and showing the courage to reveal the truth. The deeper the lack of
responsibility, the more extreme the social chaos is becoming. Between these two contrasting images lies
the current reality of our society—on one side, decline, on the other side resistance; on one side, darkness,
on the other, a faint line of light.

We talk about new laws, harsh punishments, administrative measures or political initiatives as solutions to
almost every social problem. But the question is—is it possible to eliminate the moral crisis of society with
law alone? Responsibility is not just a matter of obeying the law; it is the name of morality, conscience,
values and being aware of one's own responsibilities. When a citizen avoids his or her responsibilities,
when an official expects bribes in exchange for his or her duties, when a powerful person condones
injustice, when a young person becomes indifferent to society and the state, or when extremism and
hatred are spread in the name of religion—then the same crisis is essentially manifested: the crisis of
responsibility.

A public representative should not misuse public money—this is a matter of law; but the moral lesson of
not considering public wealth as one's own comes from a sense of responsibility. A teacher should not only
teach textbooks, but also be responsible for the future of the student. A journalist should not only publish
news, but also be responsible for the truth and public interest. A religious leader should not only give
religious speeches, but should create a sense of tolerance, humanity and peace among people. A citizen
should not only demand his rights, but also fulfill his responsibilities. This is where our big crisis lies. We are
as vocal about rights as we are about responsibilities. As eager to see the mistakes of others, we are
equally unwilling to admit our own mistakes.

If a few isolated people in a society are irresponsible, it is not a big crisis. The crisis deepens when
irresponsibility gradually becomes a social culture. ‘Everyone is doing it’, ‘What’s in it for me’, ‘It won’t
work unless I pay a little bribe’, ‘There’s no point in dealing with the powerful’, ‘What’s the use of telling
the truth’—when such a mentality takes root in the minds of the common people, then social degradation
is not only caused by the criminal; silent spectators and patrons also become part of it. A corrupt person
does not commit corruption alone; an environment helps him—some bribe, some take, some know, some
see, some keep quiet. This silence strengthens corruption. Similarly, ignorance, intolerance, hatred,
misinterpretation, political or social interests, and silent patronage create an environment of extremism.
The greatest strength of any country is its young society. But if a section of the youth becomes indifferent
to social and state realities, it is a dangerous signal for the future. The youth must ask questions, think
logically, stand against injustice and dream of social change. Loving the country does not only mean
hoisting the flag on National Day; not doing injustice, protesting injustice, protecting public property,
respecting dissent and standing by the truth is also patriotism. The first institution to create these
responsible citizens is the family, and the second important institution is the educational institution. But in
our education system, as much importance is given to exam results, certificates and job preparation, as
much importance is given to character, morality, social responsibility and civic values.

If education only makes people skilled but not moral, then that skill can sometimes be dangerous for
society. If a talented person knows the tricks of corruption, if a technologist uses technology to deceive, if
an educated person spreads hatred, or if a powerful person abuses the law—then the question may arise,
have we really been able to create an educated society? The purpose of education is not just to earn a
living; it is to create people. Therefore, the responsibility of families, teachers, and educational institutions
is not only to impart knowledge, but also to create responsible and humane citizens.

We often see bribery and corruption as administrative problems. But it is essentially a moral and social
problem. When a person takes a bribe, he does not only break the law; he also denies his responsibility to
an institution, the state and the common people. Corruption causes economic damage to the state,
destroys the effectiveness of institutions and violates the rights of citizens. But what is worse is that it
destroys people's trust. When people start thinking, 'nothing gets done with honesty', then corruption
does not only stay in the office; it also takes a place in the people's mentality. Then honesty becomes
stupidity, and dishonesty becomes 'smartness'. If this mentality cannot be changed, it is difficult to
eradicate corruption by simply threatening punishment. Religion shows the way to the moral and spiritual
development of people. But when religion is used as a tool of hatred, malice, division or violence, its
original human purpose is damaged. In a civilized society, everyone needs to have respect for their
religious beliefs and opinions. Imposing one's beliefs on others, treating people with different opinions as
enemies, or resorting to violence in the name of religion is never acceptable. The true beauty of religion is
revealed only when it makes people respectful, tolerant, and humane towards others.

Despite all this despair, there is reason to be optimistic—the truth still lives. Every day, we see people who
stand up against injustice; we see journalists who present the truth even under pressure; we see teachers
who think about the future of students beyond their own interests; we see young people who dream of
changing society; we see ordinary people who stand by strangers in danger. These people may be few in
number. But the history of change is not always written in the silence of the majority; sometimes change
begins with a few brave people standing up for the truth. Truth is not just the accuracy of information;
truth is freedom of conscience, the courage not to bow down to injustice, and the honesty to admit one's
mistakes. This truth, conscience, and humanity are our greatest source of hope.

The responsibility of building a culture of responsibility lies not only with the state; individuals, families,
educational institutions, administration, political leadership, media and social leadership—everyone. The
state must ensure the rule of law and hold the administration accountable. Visible and effective measures
must be taken against corruption. Morality, civic values and social responsibility must be given importance
in the education system. Young people must be involved in creative and social activities. Religious and
social leadership must take a strong role in favor of tolerance and humanity. The media must be
responsible for truth, justice and public interest. However, along with changing the state system, individual
self-examination is also important. Are we only teaching our children to be successful, or are we also
teaching them to be good people? Are we only questioning the corruption and injustice of others, or are
we also questioning our own behavior? The most difficult place to change is to change ourselves. Because
society is not an abstract thing—society means us. The sum of our behavior, values and decisions creates
the character of society.

Social degradation, crisis of values, corruption, intolerance, extremism, fraud and irresponsibility – all of
these together raise the question, where are we heading? The answer to this question cannot be found
only in the state or anyone else. The answer must be found within ourselves. We need not only to
prosecute crimes; we need to create a social environment where people will fear doing wrong and have
the courage to speak the truth. Where fulfilling responsibilities will be an honor, honesty will be a strength
and humanity will be the main criterion of human identity. We need to create a new culture of
responsibility – where power means responsibility, freedom means responsibility, rights mean a balance
with duty, education means humanity, religion means compassion and citizenship means not just identity
but responsibility. Only truthful people create the power to establish justice. And in a society based on
justice, people can live safely, with dignity and beautifully. Truth is beautiful. People are beautiful. And
when people stand on the path of truth, justice and humanity – only then does society become beautiful.

Shudirr Baran Mazi, Teacher Haimchar Government College, Haimchar, Chandpur.