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Modern Lathlals

"Weare Neutral Political Workers, not Mastans"

by KR Zakmmi
LAST year, a countrywide half day hartal was called by a religion-based political party on 30th June. The strike was vehemently opposed by other parties, and they threatened to 'teach them a lesson' Some clashes in Dhaka were also reported before the proposed hartal day, between the workers of the said religionbased party and its oppo-
nents. Major clashes were witnessed throughout the country , especially in cities and towns. This strike-call was made into a matter of -honour.
On 30th June, I left my house just after morning prayer with a small camera to observe the expected scenario in Khulna My own expecta
from time from time political parties to work as processionists shouting slogans vigorously, terrorising shopkeepers, attacking transport and threatening the general public so that the strikes are successful. "We get instructions from the parties to burn a few vehicles etc and create very dangerous situations Some of us are experts in " They stopped suddenly, aware of
tion was that that the party which bad called the strike would retreat. But to my utter amazement I found, for the first time, mostly young and educated youths in identical uniform armed with strong sticks and iron rods in their hands, (and most probably fire arms kept hidden near their places of gatherings.)
I could see that those volunteers of the party which had called the strike were in a mood of ‘do or die' to crush all those who would resist the hartal. But this is not the real point which I wish to. make.
I recognised many of them, and after 2 pm, i.e after the end of the half-day, mostly successful strike. I met some of'the boys and discussed the matter in a v^ry cordial atmosphere.
All of them said the same thing: “We are unemployed, educated youths; some of us are still students: some are exstudents. A few are illiterate aspirant' mastans. Most of us do not get pocket expenses from guardians for even a cup of tea. We do not have any jobs. The fault does not lie with us, but after finishing our studies and remaining unemployed for years, we are humiliated by the members of our families."
Now, they get casual jobs
me.
During the chit chat they entertained me with some light refreshments, and continued:
"But uncle, we are not muggers or hijackers. We simply work as temporary political workers'. For sometime a mysterious silence prevailed, and then the main spokesman of those volunteers said to me.
“We are very neutral; we works for all the parties: national or antinational; secular or religious. Any party may hire us on payment. The rate varies as per requirement Usually we get Tk 100/- for procession and shouting slo-gans. Those who remain in the middle get Tk 50/,- and underaged boys and old men get from Tk 20/- to 35/- for a few hours, with some refreshment at the end. That's all. This service does not affect our own political views and ideology." I patted them and praised their zeal to earn something by hard labour
It is after all the responsibility of all the political parties to make a list of "DO'S" and "DO NOTS" about using youths for politics, which is now being termed as the "business of the scoundrels' by the majority of people in poor and underdeveloped countries.