Dipu deserved better than a death-by-disregard

After around 10 years, I finally found Dipu again. A video of her dying after being struck by a fallen brick chip, while walking by an under-construction building, is going viral on our news feeds. Usually, when such news comes up, we tend to scroll by it quickly. Only this time, the pedestrian has a significant designation. She was a senior assistant director at Bangladesh Bank. She is, or I should say was, my dear friend Dipu Sana.

Dipu was a student of sociology at Dhaka University. A sharp, simple girl, with a tremendous sense of humour. Like me, she used to tutor a student of Class 5. We became close by exchanging notes and suggestions for both of our students. Dipu was very dedicated to her students, even though the honorarium she received was a lot less than what was normal back then. The reason behind this was that she never asked for more. That was Dipu: she didn't ask for anything, didn't complain about anything. Yet, she was quite aware and observant.

Eventually, I was able to find a better tuition offer for her. The student was the daughter of a Dhaka University faculty member. I gave her a detailed lesson on how to ask for a specific salary and be firmer about the total time she would spend tutoring each month. But Dipu being Dipu, didn't say a word. The teacher's wife called me, "Morsaline, what is with this girl? She seems to be okay with everything!"

The student's entire family became a fan of Dipu's within a very short period of time, thanks to her dedication and hard work. The DU professor called me a year later. He had noticed that Dipu had become a bit absent-minded. In reality, she was frustrated for not being able to land a job and also due to some family issues. The teacher offered to help Dipu in her quest for a job. But again, Dipu never asked for anyone's help.

It was in her character to notice the needs of others. Dipu came into my life when I needed a friend. I was judged, misunderstood, and cornered in my department. Dipu, without ever judging me or asking any questions, supported me through and through. We used to talk about our dreams, hurdles, and more. I'd always wanted to study and live abroad. Dipu never wanted to leave this country. She always told me, "Duita kotha kowar keu nai, apon manush nai, jeye ki hobe?" ("There'll be no one to talk to, no one to call my own. What will I gain from going abroad?")

As proud as I was seeing her at public service, my heart bleeds now seeing how this country failed her. Torun Da (her husband) perhaps would always think that Dipu could be alive today if they had gone through with moving to Canada. Often, we talk about brain drain in Bangladesh. But what are the causes behind brain drain? And why is it that someone as innocent as one can be has to breathe their last like Dipu did, while simply going about her day and walking back to her three-year-old son? Was it a death by accident? What qualifies a death to be an accident, really? An accident is an unfortunate and unexpected event that could not be avoided even after taking necessary precautions. It is expected that someone could accidentally drop a brick while working on a multi-storied construction site. However, it is not an accident that there were no safety measures taken by those leading the construction to prevent that brick from falling down on a living, breathing person. It is not only intentional but also shows a sheer disrespect of human lives and disregard for minimum safety standards.

People are killed in the strangest ways in Bangladesh. for which no one is punished. The way Dipu's death happened is not unique; it is common. A 10-year-old boy in 2017, a construction worker in 2019, a ready-made garment worker in 2021, and a shopkeeper in 2022 died in similar ways. We are callous and such deaths barely touch us anymore. At most, we would tell our close ones to be careful near construction sites. It is time for us to question what we are doing to make this country safe for ourselves and for our close ones. This time, it was my friend. The next incident could claim your life or that of a loved one unless we start doing things differently.

Morsaline Mojid is a PhD student at the Department of Sociology in University of Hawaii, US.

Views expressed in the article are the author's own.

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