The Victims of Impunity

Throughout this year Bangladesh has been in a spell of targeted killings and assassinations, one after the other, has shocked its people and the world as well. While law enforcers are still in the dark about the killing of the atheist bloggers, two foreign nationals have recently been killed. The victims are Caesure Tavella, an Italian citizen and the project manager of ICCO, the Interchurch organisation for development cooperation, and Kunio Hoshi, a Japanese citizen who was researching on a new breed of grass in a remote area of Bangladesh. It is very unfortunate that these people have been killed in the country where they had come to serve its people.

Following these brutal murders, some of the world's most renowned security analysts have apprehended that Bangladesh has become a breeding ground of much feared militant organisations, like Islamic State (IS) and Al Qaeda, although Bangladesh has been firmly denying such claim. 

Upon this apprehension, many of the foreign missions in Bangladesh have issued security alert for their citizens staying in Bangladesh. Recently 17 foreigners have been taken to Dhaka from Jessore in fear of similar kinds of attacks, and the Australian Cricket Team has also withdrawn its Bangladesh tour. When the country is panic stricken, our Prime Minister commented, "The US government didn't announce red alert when two Bangladeshi nationals were killed in New York a few years ago. Other diplomatic missions also didn't issue any such alert for their citizens. I don't know why some diplomatic missions in Dhaka did this," according to a report published in The Daily Star   

Again, H T Imam, political adviser to Bangladesh's Prime Minister commented, "The killed citizen is not Japanese, and he is a Bangladeshi potato merchant," according to a report by Deutsche Welle Bengali Service. It is needless to say that these kinds of irresponsible comments from such national figures irreparably damage our country's image and can also have adverse impacts on diplomatic relations.

The government must take immediate steps to arrest and try the assailants. Italy and Japan are two countries that are among Bangladesh's most cooperative developmental partners. Italy has been one of the most significant buyers of Bangladeshi products such as leather goods, readymade garments, agro products etc. Recently, the bilateral trade between Bangladesh and Italy has increased up to 200 percent. Italy has also been running a wide range of development activities in Bangladesh. It is shameful for us that a citizen from such a friendly country had to die in Bangladesh due to lack of proper safety measures in one of country's most secured area.

Japan's cooperation and contribution for Bangladesh's economic growth is also remarkable. According to a report by Bangladesh's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Japan is the 11the largest export market of Bangladesh and the exports make up 26 percent of all Japanese import from the least developed countries. Japan is also the one of the largest donors and investors in Bangladeshi development projects.

Irresponsible comments regarding these unfortunate incidents and the negligence in arresting and trying the criminals can certainly damage such significant bilateral relationships, which will be very harmful for our country's development. Recently Japan's top spokesperson has expressed outrage over the killing of its citizen in Bangladesh. However, it is we; the Bangladeshis, who should be outraged for our government's inaction and should be ashamed of such unfortunate incidents. Till now, October 6, 2015, the law enforcers have failed to arrest any of the assailants and could not make any progress in the investigation. The political leaders are blaming each other and making ridiculous comments on such globally significant issues, making our nation a laughing stock.

This cannot be continued. We must stop this culture of impunity where criminals can always find a safe route after committing crimes no matter how heinous it is. This notorious tendency has destroyed our law and order and has given us a society of injustice and indifference. We should remember the classical quote, "To stand by silence and indifference is the greatest crime of all."