We are moving backwards

Freedom of speech without any limitation or reservation is a prerequisite to democracy. Over the years, the freedom of expression has been systematically curtailed. The serial killings of Razib, Jagatjyoti, Avijit, Neeloy and Dipon and the attacks on Tareq, Randipam, and Tutul are direct consequences of that. 

Neither the state nor the society has done enough to promote religious and cultural pluralism. The educational institutions and the text books hardly encourage or promote respect for different opinions. We have already sacrificed our patriotism for narrowly-defined nationalism. 

We need to find out why we are gradually moving toward a homogeneous society. Is this why the War of Liberation was fought? Why do we now have less than 9 percent Hindu population where as it used be almost 28 percent during the partition? The growing intolerance and hate have to be stopped and it has to be done by the state and the society. The state cannot just shrug off this responsibility. We see countries around the world where the separation of religion and state has firmly been established and as a result of that, how they are moving forward drawing strength from their diversity of population. On the contrary, we are moving backward in this aspect. The liberal voices are being silenced one after another while the state is doing nothing to protect them. 

We all have to be united to protect all voices before we lose our own. 

Faisal Adnan
Poet, activist