e_Paper, Monday, May 15, 2017

14
MONDAY, MAY 15, 2017
DT
Opinion
The dark side of Dhaka
The ingrained belief that wealth can solve all problems is what leads to youth’s corrupt behaviour
SERPENT
IN EDEN
• Towheed Feroze
The recent Banani rape
case seems to have
opened a can of worms,
so to speak. Reportedly,
the alleged perpetrators have said
that they used to hold raves quite
often.
The fact is right before our
eyes: Dhaka’s nightlife has seen a
disreputable transition in the last
decade, where rather innocuous
and loud sessions at a local bar
have been taken over by all-night
euphoria parties, with heavy usage
of drugs.
The drug at the centre of it
all is none other than yaba, the
methamphetamine-based tablet,
which, in local lingo, is called
“baba” or the “pink pinik.”
I read almost all the reports
related to the Banani incident
and in one, a line struck me.
Reportedly, the alleged had
confessed to the girls that, since
they were high on yaba, they did
not have any control over their
senses.
Materialism plus a deadly drug
These are the words which
everyone should be taking
seriously -- the drug provides
The tale of these two young
men and the unfortunate women
is not an isolated one. In this
city, after dark, rave sessions
happen almost regularly. With
plenty of disposable cash, young
people from affluent backgrounds
organise exclusive parties where
admission is restricted.
Under the protection of
reputable hotels, inside closed
doors, hedonism with all its
deviant forms, is unleashed.
The young becoming vicious
Regrettably, a lot of young women
attend these gatherings fully
knowing that drugs will flow
freely.
We come back once more to a
vicious youth culture, triggered by
a desire for instant gratification,
which has developed insidiously
in the last decade.
“Living life” is what this is
called among the young. They
flout social norms because
they have grown up seeing the
unassailable power of political
influence supported by money.
To ferret out the causes of the
Banani incident and the rape of
the village girl, we have to go back
to our social credo which has, over
the years, solidified a belief that
once there is power and wealth,
immunity is almost guaranteed.
Purists are slamming social
degradation but let’s be more
specific here: How many times
have we seen people in authority
Is Dhaka’s party culture giving way to something more sinister?
BIGSTOCK
We do accept that with hard-core materialism setting in, society in
general has become somewhat vacuous. However, in directing our
wrath against a decadent outlook, one of the real causes fueling
such extreme ideology often remains untouched
instant adrenaline plus a sense
of invincibility, leading takers to
venture into risky escapades.
There is an outcry underlining
the decay of moral values all
around, not only due to this rape,
but after the shattering suicide of
a father and daughter, when the
girl’s violators were roaming about
freely despite a complaint lodged
with the police.
We do accept that with hardcore
materialism setting in, society
in general has become somewhat
vacuous. However, in directing our
wrath against a decadent outlook,
one of the real causes fueling such
extreme ideology often remains
untouched.
facing corruption charges brought
to justice?
Subconsciously, the social
zeitgeist teaches us to be
courteous to the political party
student leader, irrespective of the
allegations of extortion against
them. At the same time, we
become servile to those in power,
desperately hoping to exploit
possible links to authority to
advance one’s own social position.
Questionable family values
Dhor, maar, kha (grab, exploit,
and enjoy), is the unwritten social
mantra. Some coat it with pseudo
morals and platitudes, whereas
others are too brazen to resort to
any facades.
In this toxic sub-culture that
has impacted a large section of
urban youth, amorality is the
guiding force. This is the case
because a lot of young people have
seen exactly this sort of unethical
convictions nurtured within the
family circle.
Many parents wave aside the
all-night parties, calling them
“young people having fun.”
Nothing wrong in having a good
time though with the presence of
yaba at almost all levels of society,
there has to be some vigilance over
such social gatherings.
In many such all-night
extravaganzas, substance abuse is
done as an act of bravado. Women
are also involved, because in
the trade of this drug, they have
proven to be the best medium.
Countless young women,
peddling the drug, later became
addicts themselves. Caught in the
vicious circle of yaba, traditional
restrictions about sexual intimacy
crumble, leading to a murky world
of abuse.
Permissive attitude of parents,
a ferocious belief that “money
is king” propagated within the
family circles, plus an ingrained
conviction that wealth can solve
all problems are the culprits here.
Youth sub-cultures to be
monitored
Like I said earlier; having fun
is not a problem. Young people
will have some wild moments,
try something unorthodox. This
happens everywhere in the world.
The attention needs to be
given when drugs are becoming
a normal ingredient in a youthful
gathering.
Young members of influential
families are often in the news,
either they have beaten somebody
up, or opened fire at a public
space, or drove recklessly. Over
time, we get a feeling that these
youngsters are never reprimanded
by their families, which acts as a
covert go-ahead.
Common sense states, when
we see elders mocking values
and becoming nonchalant about
bending laws or exploiting a
situation, youngsters won’t learn
much.
The alleged rapists are now in
custody. However, one feels that
their guardians also need to be
questioned thoroughly as to how
they brought up their children.
What we have seen so far is
frantic attempts by the families to
safeguard their sons.
This is normal behaviour, but
if the case of rape is proven, then
they need to come forward and
condemn the acts, accept the
sentence.
That way, they will have set an
example. •
Towheed Feroze is a journalist working
in the development sector.