Feature

I want it! I want it! I want it!

Nazia Ahmed

The other day a little kid I know tried to pursue his dad to buy him this really expensive toy car. But unfortunately his dad wasn't in a state to afford it. So he started to stomp his feet on the ground while lying down, screaming "I want It! I want it!" going around in circles, afterwards went on a hunger strike for an entire day, eventually got his mom worried sick who made his poor dad go get the car in the end. You think that's manipulation? Turn on your T.V, and try to compare what you are seeing with this spoiled kid. And I don't think anyone would be surprised, because by now, we are pretty much numb to the madness around us.

Classes have been canceled, meetings postponed, projects and presentations withheld, for indefinite period. We don't even know if the semester's going to continue or not, leaving our graduations at stake along with the huge amount of money we put in for our tuition.

Some students somehow manage to look at the "not so" bright side of this situation who haven't been studying for their quizzes. "Are you kidding me? If they can continue this oborodh for another two weeks, I am definitely voting for them!" says a student. Well, our beloved politicians should thank their lucky stars, for we can still try and find humor in this madness they are causing. Because if we snap, then the word democracy will surely lose it's meaning. "Of the people, by the people, for the people".

Our entire future is at stake, yet we need to choose our words wisely and be diplomatic when we complain about these politicians. If that's so, then why aren't they thinking even once before ruining our lives? Who is going to take the responsibility for our losses? What rights do they have to deprive us from our rights? How dare they ask us to bear with them while they continue to stomp their feet on the ground and manipulate the nation?

"Yeeii! We won the Noble prize! Lets celebrate! I don't think Mom will let me out in this oborodh, so lets have the party next week, or well, later," that's how ironic it is.

We have suffered load-shedding every day every night. We have tried to save up while prices of goods hiked to the peak. We are also seeing people beating a man to death and kick his lifeless blood drenched body. And we sit at home worried sick about what will happen to our education.

Even after all these, I still think there is one last option left to make our knights in shining armors come to their senses. On the big screen monitors in Gulshan 2 and Karwan Bazar, films like Munna Bhai Lagey Raho, and Nayak should be played on repeat until our politicians get the point!

Amanat Ahmed

For being a successful nation, it is imperative that the country should possess a sound education system- a system that will create nation builders. Holding the hands of these nation builders, she will ascend to the zenith of prosperity.

But unfortunately for us, our education system is affected by the political unrest and instability in a very harmful manner, whereas it should be free from all types of bad influence. Different public universities are victimized by this dirty action in the worst possible way. The other educational institutions also suffer alongside.

As students we suffer precariously by the unrest caused by the political affairs. The world is moving ahead and it is surging fast. We must keep pace with the rest of the world if we wish to stay afloat. For this, we need an undisturbed student life in a carefree ambiance. But with utter regret, it must be opined that, we are deprived of such atmosphere.

It is greatly surprising, how the people involved in political associations are enchaining our alma maters. Many students become involved in politics and day-by-day the number is increasing. The alarming thing is, politics became their main activity of concern, whereas it should not be more than an extra-curricular activity.

Often the general students suffer because of the ill use of politics. Classes halt as the so-called student leaders call for student strike. Whether the general students accept that or not, the strike must be enforced. We already have 85 days of Govt. holidays and 52 days of weekly holidays. If the strike days are also added, it leaves us with very few working days. Most of the public under-graduate and postgraduate institutions are already stained with unwanted session jams. With the strikes being enforced, the situation is getting only worse.

The political parties lay siege, call strikes (hartal) irrespective of their political affiliation. The only common ground is that they call for this sort of agitation when they are in the opposition party of the parliament. But the question to be asked is, why can't they exclude the educational institutions from their disconcerting activities? As the elder and matured people of our nation, they should be the ones who will discourage students' involvement in mainstream politics.

The message is not that there should not be any student politics. It must be there. But that must be limited and should not be prioritised over studies. It should be for the betterment of the general students not for making them suffer. It must be towards ensuring better environment for studies and student welfare. Besides teachers' active involvement in the politics should also be discouraged. Apart from teachers' and students' limited involvement in politics, the political leaders also have to be careful and conscientious enough to exclude educational institutions from each and every kind of political activities. Let us concentrate in our studies and leap towards building ourselves to be the ideal and well-contributing citizens of our motherland.

Being the students of a Nobel Peace Laureate's country, is it a misdemeanour to plea for a peaceful and healthy educational environment to the respected representatives of the people?

(The writer is the student of the 9th Batch, Dept. of Accounting & Information Systems, DU)

Copyright (R) thedailystar.net 2006