Shudir Baran Mazi

There are articles in newspapers, talk shows on television, discussions and criticisms on social media, and the death of loved ones before our eyes, yet we still don't come to our senses. I lie profusely, I cheat in competition, I cheat on food, I abandon my shame and honor and reach the highest limits of shamelessness and brazenness, taking bribes, taking percentages, committing corruption, looting, forming syndicates to imprison people and increase the prices of goods at will, smuggling money abroad, and defaulting on loans at will.

There is no accountability, no commitment to work, no transparency in work, no rule of law. Bribery, corruption, recruitment trade and percentages have been made mandatory in government institutions without any written code. Therefore, the rule of law is not very visible, the number of defaulters and money laundering is constantly increasing and the amount of black money is increasing in parallel. Social inequality and economic inequality are taking extreme forms. People are losing their sense of justice, constantly covering themselves in the shadow of selfishness. It is as if we are stuck in a dark alley, where morality, responsibility, humanity are all being lost. If we encourage each other in the midst of this misbehavior and immoral activities, will we be able to leave an ideal society for future generations?

Bribery and service, percentages and development do not go together. When the state spends the most on those who are addicted to percentages, then only darkness lies ahead. In our country, although we occasionally hear about the punishment of bribe-takers, we have not heard of any percentage-takers being tried or punished. We tie a thief of one hundred taka or a robber to a tree and torture him, or sometimes beat him to death by mob, but we greet and respect those who loot hundreds of crores or thousands of crores of taka, bribe-takers, corrupt people, percentage-takers, owners of black money, defaulters or smugglers of money abroad as sir.

This is the reality of today. We want not only a change in the individual, but also a change in the system. Otherwise, the gourd will be the pumpkin. The exploitation and oppression of us will continue to increase. Freedom is a special achievement of knowledge, a correct idea of social responsibility and duty based on rules and principles. The owner wants to exploit the worker, the worker wants freedom from exploitation. Traders want syndicates, we want a syndicate-free market. And if the system does not change, liberation will never come. Let us unite to change the system.

Until we get 351 good people, it is not possible to establish good rule of law, improve our fortune, establish a business syndicate, a dynamic economy, establish social and religious harmony, stop bribery, corruption and percentages in all types of government institutions, recover bad loans, prevent money laundering abroad or recover the laundered money. And we all have the direct and immediate responsibility to elect these 351 people. This responsibility is our great duty. But the most sad thing is that we sell these 351 people to those officials for 500-1000 taka during the election and using this opportunity, 351 people do whatever they want with us and the entire country. We are throwing it away. At that time, we look on helplessly, regretting but not learning. They regularly syndicate and increase the prices of daily necessities to unbearable levels, increase the prices of life-saving medicines, increase the prices of educational materials, become the owners of black money, launder money abroad, smuggle talent, create a flood of drugs in every region of the country, and cause extreme deterioration of law and order.

If this continues, one day we will reach a situation where nothing will be able to change. Our own identity and values will be destroyed. There will be no more ideals or morality. In a society where people cannot trust each other, where fraud and corruption become commonplace, humanity will be destroyed. If no one is responsible for their own existence, social unrest and disaster are inevitable.

A dark shadow of injustice and immorality will fall at every level of society. Cheating on each other, corruption, selfishness—these will become part of our daily lives. If such a situation continues, anarchy and lawlessness will increase in society, and people's trust and faith will gradually decrease. We have to change our own mentality and responsibility towards our work. If we are not aware now, one day this situation will engulf us all. If this situation continues, we will lose our dignity and identity. Our society will experience a decline in morals, a disregard for laws and principles, and ultimately we will have to live in an environment where there will only be injustice, unrest, and instability. If we do not take care of our own purity and sense of responsibility now, one day our children may have to grow up in this dark society, where they will only face crises. If this cycle cannot be stopped, we will all be affected. There will be no way out of instability, despair, and broken morality, not only in the state, but also in individual life.

Now is the time to start the change ourselves. In addition to ensuring transparency in work and accountability at all levels, we need to ensure comprehensive reforms in the education system and constitutional guarantees of fundamental rights. The correct history must be presented to the youth and the youth society.

We must restore respect, justice, and responsibility for truth among all administrative personnel. We must come together and walk on the right path—if we are at least a little committed to truth and justice every day, then maybe there will be some positive change in society. Only awareness, unity, and our respect for truth can bring about positive change in society. And if we all maintain respect, compassion, and responsibility for each other, respect for law and human rights, and fulfill our responsibilities, so that we can establish an honest, well-governed, and just society for the future. Then one day a beautiful and just society will be built, a beautiful and desirable Bangladesh without discrimination will be built, a Bangladesh of harmony and harmony will be built.

The writer is a Teacher Haimchar Govt College, Haimchar, Chandpur.