Never has a line of protesters stirred so much passion among social media users. When students of schools and colleges took to the streets to demand punishment of those responsible for reckless driving that killed two teenagers on Airport Road, Bangladesh as a nation relived once more the spirit of the unarmed masses which has brought us we are at the moment – a nation that defied detractors to carve out a solid global spot.

It’s not the guns of the dictator, or the batons of the uniform wearing police acting like political goons or, the threats by those in power which formed the spirit of Bangladesh.

Bangladesh has come this far riding on the collective sentiment of millions who do not carry weapons but a belief that when united, institutions trying to cover up follies will crumble.

Weapons and threat never stopped the masses:

In our history, major social and political changes were triggered by students and not by those blindly obeying orders, without taking a moment to think if it’s moral or not.

When students took to the streets to send home the point about safe roads, they were talking on behalf of the entire nation.

Too many accidents have taken lives simply because there hasn’t been any exemplary punishment for those who were responsible for rash driving.

Only a few days ago, there was a report of a lawmaker’s son, who allegedly ran over a man and then drove into his secured apartment block.

A few men on the roads, or, shall I say a few very simple humans on the road with a sense of ethics, chased the car and followed it till the end.

Reportedly, these people were then surrounded by the acolytes of the person driving the vehicle and ordered to go away with the imperious challenge: you won’t be able to touch me!

We do not know what happened later because taking the chance of people’s short memory, the episode was possibly pushed under the carpet or, the family of the deceased given a large amount to keep quiet.

Paying out to stifle all dissent and buying silence are not new though this does not get rid of the problem, in this case, reckless driving.

Some of the buses which are on Dhaka streets do not even have indicators yet they operate with valid papers.

In the recent accident, the reports suggest that both buses were engaged in a race to reach the passenger spot to get a larger number of people.

As a result of the bid to make more money for the company, there are now two dead youngsters and, a profoundly infuriated nation.

A few months ago, a young man, the sole earning member of his family, lost a hand when he was caught between two rushing vehicles. The man later died in hospital.

As far as we know, the transport companies whose buses were involved were ordered by the court to pay a hefty fine, which the companies have challenged, effectively condemning the process to years of legal wrangling. 

Students’ agitation is not triggered by the accident alone:

It would be wrong to say that the teenagers came on the streets only to demand immediate action against those responsible for the accident; they were outraged by the callous statement of a minister who was smiling as he was talking about the unnatural death of two people.

The minister in question has apologised but he should come and face the students and then say sorry for his insensitivity and not just expect to be exonerated by giving a statement to the media.

Ministers are public servants; in Bangladesh, the humility of these people are only seen prior to the election and then, flouting rules become the norm.

One such culture is driving on the wrong side of the road, using the shrill horn to create a sense of terror among others!

Shouldn’t cars with flag stands be the first to abide by traffic regulations?

The pressure that these VIP motorcades create can easily disorient a person driving another vehicle or, people crossing the road, resulting in accidents.

What is shocking is that following this trend by those in power, some business moguls also move around in motorcades, with bodyguards carrying weapons, flaunting batons, shouting at other road users to move aside.

This ‘road-blitzkrieg’ creates a sense of panic. An ominous thought of a grave tragedy happening in such circumstances has often crossed my mind.

I am compelled to ask: did these business tycoons get government permission to move around with motorcades and, bodyguards, creating an atmosphere of fear?

Spirit of Salam, Rafiq, Barkat mocks the baton-wielding police:  

From TV footage posted on Facebook, we were shocked to see police acting like common thugs, manhandling young boys and threatening girls with batons.

One photo shows a law enforcer holding a teenager by his college uniform, fingers pointed threateningly at the young lad.

Is this the sort of police we want in this country? Sorry, a national debate is essential as to what kind of law enforcers are being commissioned with the taxpayers’ money.

When a group of students were asked about their protest they gave a simple yet touching answer: “we are not to blame, it’s the fault of Salam, Rafiq, Barkat, the immortal language martyrs, and Bangabandhu who taught us to stand up against unjust and the unlawful.”

If the government wants to inculcate the values of these great men into our young then it has to prove that it can act swiftly and without favour in dealing with aberrant acts.

Interestingly, when the masses rose to demand the death sentence of collaborators several years ago, taking over Shahbagh and closing the intersection for days, we did not see law enforcers resorting to brutality.