The River Rojot Rekha: A Tale of Peace, Conflict and Unsocial Sociability (an Empirical Evidence)

১৫ ই জুন, ২০২৪ রাত ৮:৫৭

Today I will tell you a story before going to the discussion of Peace and
Conflict.
The story of the river.
This river divides the Mollakandi Union of Munshiganj Sadar Upazila
into two parts.
The name of the river is Rajat Rekha.
The politics of this union revolves around the Rojot Rekha, sometimes the Mullahs of the West Bank are in political power, and sometimes the Shikdars of the East Bank are in control. Between the two groups lies another relatively less powerful group, the Maliks. They change position conveniently. Politics on both sides of this Rojot Rekha has seriously affected this union's social, economic, and family life. If one party becomes the chairman, the men of the other party leave the village.
There is no such thing as national politics, there is village politics, the deadly kind. The power struggle continues with the spread of domination and occupation of the area here and there. The fight continues. Almost every day in winter, the people on both sides wake up to the sound of
cocktail bombs. Both groups show their power by cracking cocktail bombs. Worth millions of rupees. Sometimes in the early hours of the morning, the ousted groups carry out armed raids from village to village to take over the area, with weapons, machetes, spears, etc. Unarmed people and unprepared groups descend on the ground. Houses were destroyed. Robbed of women's gold ornaments. He broke the cupboard and looted the money. The group that landed on the field prepared and
counter attacked in the meantime. The group that wins in arms and muscle power stays in the area. The rest leave the area via various alternative routes. After going like this for a few days, the outcast group attacked again. Thus the conflict continues.
In the rainy season, when the Rojot Rekha is filled with water, all the lands are flooded, and since there is an access road to all the villages and the occupants are guarded day and night, the other side can't attack. So the UP Chairman's group has the area during the monsoons.
Other groups remain without areas. When the group is in the area, the group is in charge of drug trade, extortion, commission, illegal arms trade, silver line sand trade, excavator trade, etc.
This union is green because of the Rojot Rekha. Potato is the main crop. The ruling class also plundered the potatoes of the marginalized group. Many people leave the land uncultivated due to lack of area. Picking up and marrying a rival's teenage daughter is common here. A few days ago, school-going girls and expatriates' wives used to be victims of structural violence at the hands of juvenile gangs. Chairman group people are in charge of managing the committee of the school.
The president is illiterate but owns a lot of money. And if the president is a member of the ostracized group, move elsewhere. Then the Upazila Nirbahi Officer took care of teachers' salaries and other matters.
Poor families are prime victims of power, aggression, revenge, and political entertainment. Many have been killed, many maimed, many blinded while making cocktails. Again, many are in jail in the case of illegal weapons and murder. But the wealthy are out of touch, trading in Dhaka/Chittagong or trading in Qatar. It is said that only children of poor families.
From weddings to festivals, religious ceremonies, and relationships are
determined here based on political considerations. There are few examples of tolerance of dissent and killing for petty reasons is a minor issue here.
It should be noted that the expelled group conducted the conflict from Qatar, Kuwait and various European countries. They hire staff and pay monthly salaries. Gives huge money on cocktails and weapons.
Dominance is in their blood. The traditions of the ancients. This trend has been going on since ancient times. Over time, the nature of conflict has changed and become more violent. AK-47 has replaced
the old weapon.
Clan pride, personality conflict, hegemony, Mahajan culture (business of interest), trying to uphold the glory of the clan by becoming a chairman, and forcibly registering the land of the weak at a low price are the main drivers of structural and direct violence.
Causes of conflict
1. Proximity, interpersonal factors, social factors, unsocial sociability
2. Intergroup conflict and mutual distrust
3. Influence and drug trade in the area
4. The wealthy have a mentality of holding on to clan traditions and
power
5. Financial solvency and terrorist financing
6. Political entertainment
This is where Johan Galtong's Conflict Triangle comes in handy.
Now let's talk about the peace process.
The administration and the educated people, the civil society, and the moderate Malliks have taken various initiatives for the peace process. Prominent people of the area, District Commissioner,
Superintendent of Police, Upazila Nirbahi Officer, Officer-in-Charge, RAB-11, and Headmaster of Mollakandi High School, Sudhijan, stationed in Dhaka, were active in the peace process at various times. But after going to the district and agreeing to the peace process, the two groups got involved in violence the next day. The peace process was fitted against individual and group interests. Some days peace, sometimes conflict. Peace again, conflict. A lasting peace has never been seen. Even before the last national elections, conflict, and killings were unique features of the conflict. Of course, the political masters preferred to keep the conflict alive for political reasons.
At present Shikdars are in power. Although the mullahs were expelled in the previous five years, after the current parliamentary elections, a highly educated, popular, humane, peace-loving person from Dhaka University alumnae was elected as an honorable member of parliament.
He started the peace process. First, he, along with all the UP chairmen and members of the district administration, police department, civil society, and members of the three groups, held a meeting in the district commissioner's office. This happened in February 2024. Secondly: He then held a meeting with the people and political personalities of the area and the prominent people of the three clans and the Union Parishad at Mollakandi Eidgah Maidan. He portrays various unpleasant aspects of conflict and violence, portraying the horrors of drugs. The imam of the mosque and the president of the union imam association
also shed light in favor of peace. But no matter what, it is very difficult to ignore the active peace process of the Hon'ble Member of Parliament, the son of a traditional and popular political family. He did not use force, he did not force. Tried to establish peace through a peaceful process. Thirdly: When all the conflicting groups gave him verbal consent to establish peace, he constituted the Mollakandi Union Peace Establishing Committee with all the groups, civil society, the UP Chairman, and appropriate representatives. Beat gave the responsibility to the police to monitor the activities of the said committee. Later he announced the date of sitting in the office of Superintendent of Police
and departed.
The constituted committee held several meetings prepared the draft of the outline of peace and met the Honorable Member of Parliament several times. When the outline is finalized, a peace meeting was held at the office of the Superintendent of Police with the participation of all parties and representatives. After extensive and detailed discussion, the outline was passed and the meeting concluded with the distribution of sweets. An unprecedented scene begins with mutual chatter. Applause erupted all around.
In the afternoon of the same day, the Hon'ble Member of Parliament and Superintendent of Police held a large public meeting at Mollakandi Eidgah Maidan as per the outline of the peace process and respectfully released the expelled group to the area. Upazila Nirbahi Officer and Officer in Charge, Munshiganj Sadar Thana ordered to include the matter in the Upazila Law and Order Committee to review the peace process and peace situation of the area every month to see the peace
process. As per the outline, the vigilance of the Beat Police has been increased and special posts have been set up at important places. The UP Chairman was directed to regularly report the overall law and order situation of the Union. Besides, a breach of peace or tendency to disturb peace is warned of legal action.
At present there is peace in the Mollakandi Union - an eerie silence all around. Fraternal relations now with conflicting groups.
Various activities have been and are being undertaken to make peace sustainable.
So people on both sides of the river taught us
1. Peace is possible
2. Conflict is inevitable
3. Sometimes conflict is inevitable for peace.
Unsocial Sociability
Historically, Shikdar, Mullah, and Mallik clans were united for the sake of society. Clans or gotras like Sikhs, Mullahs, Malliks, etc. were formed to collect tribute from the British rulers. They continued to improve and each clan became increasingly dominant. It's time to show influence.
Hostile behavior of one person with another begins. Political and social distance is created. Clashes became inevitable. However, Peace comes again. Reunited in the urge to survive, bonds of kinship are formed. This chain continues. Unsocial Sociability turned into sociability. In the words of Johann Galton, that is unsocial sociality.

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