Thugs in the Making?

We're deeply alarmed by the manner in which young students are increasingly getting involved in violent activities. On Sunday, students of Ideal College and Dhaka College, together with City College, clashed on the streets. As a result, a number of students were injured while traffic was held up for several hours near the Science Lab and Green Road areas, causing huge public suffering. Earlier, on Thursday, students from the same colleges also clashed, again closing off nearby roads. Two incidents taking place within the space of a week indicate a certain degree of animosity between these closely located institutions. But this goes beyond simple college rivalry, with students in many other tertiary and pre-tertiary institutions showing a similar penchant for violence.

The question is, why is this happening? Why are young men increasingly adopting violent tactics to resolve their disputes? Often, it is seen that violence flares up on the flimsiest of excuses. In case of the two recent clashes, as per a report by Prothom Alo, it started after a group of students of Dhaka College apparently hackled their Ideal College peers by calling them "farm chickens", leading to the latter vandalising a bus of Dhaka College. In retribution, DC students took away the nameplate of Ideal College. Attacks and counterattacks followed. The picture that emerges from this is of a deeply troubling educational landscape where there is little disciple. It's worrying how easily young men are set off these days, and how quickly it escalates into violence.

It's easy to blame these students. After all, as young adults, they should be able to make better choices, and be held responsible for the consequences of their action. But to suggest the blame lies squarely with them will be unwise. They are but the product of a time when intolerance is being encouraged from the highest seats of power, when democratic institutions are falling apart because of lack of accountability and rule of law, when criminals are getting away with heinous crimes, when thuggery is incentivised and merit deprioritised. Add to that politicisation of colleges and universities, which are being used as training/stomping grounds for future recruits of the ruling establishment. This is also a failure of our educational policy. It no longer promotes pursuit of enlightenment – only material development – leading to the crumbling of social values.   

In such a situation, students, without proper role models and a proper learning environment, are at risk of getting derailed off their path, which doesn't bode well for our future. Over the years, we have seen how far the rot has spread. Even in schools you hear of children getting involved in crimes and violence. We must stop and reverse this trend. We urge the authorities to critically examine the state of our education sector and fix it, so that it can produce the kind of citizens and leaders we need going forward.