More than six months have passed since the interim government took charge, yet the streets of the capital are dangerous as ever with reports of sexual violence, mugging, extortion, and criminals running rampant.
The subsequent chaos has seen people losing their trust in the government, with many calling for the resignation of Jahangir Alam Chowdhury, the Ministry of Home Affairs advisor. After a less-than-inspiring press briefing, people of the country are still left unconvinced and insecure about their safety. So, the question arises: what can the interim government do to make the country safer?
Build roads
To be honest, I didn’t anticipate this solution when I spoke with Dr. Shakil Ahmed, an Associate Professor at the Department of Government and Politics at Jahangirnagar University. He said, “During the Great Depression of the 1930s, John Maynard Keynes advised the United States government to take on more social works, such as building roads to increase government spending. By doing so, you increase circulation in the economy and create more jobs, giving the poor an opportunity to earn an honest wage.
You need to build roads because in the short term, it will create these day jobs, and in the long run, the country benefits by having better communication.”
Following John Maynard Keynes’ theories, the United States managed to navigate the Great Depression. Bangladesh is currently going through a similar economic regression with low levels of foreign reserves and even lower foreign investment. The ongoing situation, if left unchecked, will only pile more misery on the already fragile economy, creating more instability.
Government intervention in the economy is frowned upon by most, but in these dire times, strong measures need to be taken to save the crime-swathed, sinking streets of Dhaka.
Question the sickness
However, the question regarding the increasing sexual violence stands. How can we stop the alarming number of rapes? The answer to this is tricky because the only cause of rape is rapists. No amount of awareness programs, no level of education, can stop the plague of sexual violence because rapists are not misguided individuals or people suffering from crippling poverty; they are rapists.
So, what do we do? How do you deal with something so inherently evil as rape and the people who cause it?
Experts around the world insist that ending the inherent patriarchal mentality of society is the way forward when it comes to preventing sexual violence. Renowned legal advisor and activist Dr. Catharine MacKinnon said, “Rape is not about sex. It is about power, control, and domination.”
Dr. Jackson Katz, the creator of the ‘Bystander Approach,’ backs this statement and says, “Rape is not a women’s issue. It is a men’s issue too. Men need to step up, speak out, and hold each other accountable.”
Going back to Bangladesh, the interim government needs to be more involved in teaching the masses about rape and its consequences and moreover, start the discourse about questioning the toxic masculine mindset of the population.
Mandatory classes starting from the primary level should be introduced so that the younger generation can learn about consent, toxic masculinity, victim blaming, and other issues. The interim government should resolve the problem from its roots, create a safer future, and present.
Mobilise the Masses
The country went through a similar phase of increased criminal activity right after the Awami League government fell, and with no visible police force, it was the neighbourhood watches that provided safety to their local communities. The ministry ignored the cry for formalised neighbourhood watch committees, promising a better future.
But on the back of those broken promises, the general people have started to take matters into their own hands once again. And so far, the results have been favourable. An article published by the US Department of Justice has shown that
“Neighbourhood watch was associated with a reduction in crime of between 16 percent and 26 percent.”
The interim government should provide the tools needed to create effective neighbourhood watch committees that will ensure safety and, moreover, improve the morale of the people.
Moreover, awareness about self-defence should be a priority. The interim government should provide women with adequate self-defence instruments such as pepper spray, especially for those who can’t afford them.
Anglo-Irish politician Edmund Burke once said, “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”
The interim government can take all the steps necessary to reduce violence, but it will all be ineffective if the people of the country do not band together and support their communities. Too many times, a passerby has been the victim of violence while everyone else stood there just watching. Now is the time to come together and fight together to end sexual and street violence once and for all.