How can Gulshan-like killing be prevented from reoccurring?

Gulshan killing tarnished our image as a nation. We are normally considered as a peace loving moderate nation. If this type of atrocity continues to occur, it may pose a question in future as to how we continue to work as a peace keeper of the nations by being employed as peace keeping force by the UN.  As such this unprecedented horrific atrocity got to be prevented from reoccurring.

 To address the concerns raised in the social medias, answers should be given by the state as to where is that gunman who was captured by the commando force as nation was told by our prime minister. This gunman and other suspects have to be produced before the court and trial must be held to punish them.  At trial there will have opportunity for prosecution and defence lawyers to examine the suspects by way of examination- in- chief and cross-examination and by this way truth will be elicited.

Where is  Hasnat Karim, a teacher of North South University and Tahmid Khan who witnessed the gunmen alive and their barbaric acts  in the holey artisan bakery?.  They were taken by the detectives for interrogations.  Home ministry initially said they were released later, but their family members say they did not return home?.  now home ministry is saying that Hasnat Karim is in police custody. It is not clear which statement should be relied upon. If their whereabouts are unknown and all suspects are no longer alive, then how actual truth will be adduced? How investigatory team will proceed without any clue being left for them?

It was transpired that one of the killed persons was chef of the holey artisan bakery whereas he was initially claimed as one of the attackers and assistant chef of the bakery was recused alive and report suggests he is now dead as well.

 Also a clarification is needed as to why a prolong delay was made to start rescue operation. Why the experience of delayed operation in philkhana carnage was not used in holey bakery operation? The mass people deserve an explanation to be convinced that these attackers are pure extremist/ jongi and to restore trust and confidence of the mass people, the state should clarify the matter. Mass people are curious. They did not get any information from an independent source. Media did not witness the whole episode. Media had to remain satisfied with whatever information they were given by the state

The importance of preventing recurrence of such atrocity is huge. If it continues to occur, our country may turn into Syria,  Libya, Afghanistan, Iraq and Pakistan soon. Your well known place, where you grew up, played, feel attached to, may turn into dangerous place and you might wish to flee it, like Syrian and Afghan people who are getting drowned in the Mediterranean Sea when they attempt to cross this sea to reach Europe for their life.

Following measures could be considered to be undertaken to prevent such atrocity:

• The rise of Jongi has to be marked as a national problem. All political parties are to be united to tackle/solve this problem. Political parties should not blame each other. If political leaders can not sit together due to political strategy, cross party advisers/policy makers should sit together to find solution to this serious problem.

• Might/ force alone cannot solve this problem. You need an ideology to defeat another ideology. Educational institutions should have a curriculum containing the real message of Islam. If religious study is forbidden/discouraged in the educational institutions, pupils may have increased attractions to it as forbidden items always attract attention and pupils would be misguided by the jongi. Islamic study should expose the real face of ISIS. There should be no sympathy in the back of the mind for ISIS which is a creation of the international politics. ISIS can not be a representor of Islam.

• There should be opportunities for everyone in the society. Deprivation/inequality pushes to the extremism. Deprived people are exploited by Jongi.

• People should be allowed to express their opinions/ views and hold assembly. Suppression cannot vanish out an ideology for ever. Rather, it contributes to the rise of extremism.

• The Government has to come with clean hands. So called cross fires have to be stopped. Killings by law enforcing agencies encourages extremist to carry out atrocities. Normal people get used to seeing killings and take it easily. The colour of blood of all peoples are same. Every killing by law enforcing agencies should be accounted to.

• Mass people got to be engaged. The culture of blaming government for everything should  be abandoned. In every family such discussions should be held and evil side of jongi should be depicted at family meeting. Mass people should do so for their own safety. It is mass people who will be affected most if our country turn into Syria, Iraq etc. politicians always have safe exit and bank balance outside county. Mass people should not get trapped in party politics. They should rescue themselves by not endorsing and arguing for everything a political party does. To create own sound/developed generation a neutral and unbiased mind is essential, because your generation will be influenced by you.

• Free and fair election should be held at the end of the tenure of a government ensuring all parties’ participation. Election should be held under a neutral government. Recent Union Parishad and Pourashava elections prove that free and fair election can not be held under an incumbent government. For the greater interest of the country, political parties should start working on how to form a neutral government for general election to be held under, keeping in mind the ruling of the appellate division on care taker government. If all parties can not participate in the election, then unrest will start and jongi will take the opportunity.

• Getting all imams/ preachers spoken out in a single tone showing evil side of jongi

• All intellectuals/heavyweight think tanks should be engaged and consulted with to find a way out.

              Written by barrister Jahirul Islam

                  citycourtchamber@gmail.com