Cultural activities as antidote to militancy

Had the youngsters with extremists mindset been brought and guided under healthy cultural practices the militancy scenario in Bangladesh could have been very different

Culture makes people understand one another better. Through practice and preservation of it, we deal with life, love, death, birth, disappointments to innumerable aspects of our shared existence, and in today’s’ Bangladesh it can well be the one instrument to eliminate militancy too. So when the State Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives (LGRD) stressed on enhancing cultural activities in order to resist militancy, terrorism and extremism, he must have surely meant to exercise cultural activities for the best of both worlds.  
Most importantly, it’s evident that militancy has a culture in itself too and the best way to fight it is by replacing it with healthy, friendly, civilised and humanitarian cultural practices. The speakers also focused on enriching Bengali culture through strengthening cultural movement, producing more drama artistes and popularising stage and street dramas to establish non-communal spirit in building a peaceful Bangladesh.
We not only appreciate the LGRD minister’s call in this regard, but also believe increased practicing of more cultural activities will also create the perfect platform for harmonious co-existence. In the recent years we have seen tons of books, pamphlets, CD’s and DVD’s and radical literature materials captured from various militant hideouts in Bangladesh. It clearly indicates of a derailed generation misled by an extreme school of thought. Had these youngsters been brought and guided under healthy cultural practices the militancy scenario in Bangladesh could have been very different from today. In fact, besides increasing cultural activities we must also remain extra-ordinarily watchful to prevent the import of misleading and hateful cultural elements. 
Learnt mostly at home and school, the surrounding culture indisputably shapes the mindset of a young person. It’s here where our parents and teachers have a crucial role to play. They must particularly focus on the issue that - to become a true global citizen, one must abandon all notions of 'otherness' and instead embrace 'togetherness'. If a cultural practice anyhow isolates and radicalises a particular community, something must be fundamentally wrong in it. 
Lastly, enhancing of cultural actions must be an all-inclusive one. Having said this, we must integrate our religious institutions too. Thus, convert the culture of militancy to culture of peace and tolerance. It would be wrong to label all madrasas as breeding grounds of extremism as they have existed since time immemorial but the proper understanding and respecting other cultures are widely believed to be taught in their surroundings with much scepticism. 
Practice culture, curb militancy.

 

Cultural activities as antidote to militancy

Had the youngsters with extremists mindset been brought and guided under healthy cultural practices the militancy scenario in Bangladesh could have been very different

Culture makes people understand one another better. Through practice and preservation of it, we deal with life, love, death, birth, disappointments to innumerable aspects of our shared existence, and in todays Bangladesh it can well be the one instrument to eliminate militancy too. So when the State Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives (LGRD) stressed on enhancing cultural activities in order to resist militancy, terrorism and extremism, he must have surely meant to exercise cultural activities for the best of both worlds. Most importantly, its evident that militancy has a culture in itself too and the best way to fight it is by replacing it with healthy, friendly, civilised and humanitarian cultural practices. The speakers also focused on enriching Bengali culture through strengthening cultural movement, producing more drama artistes and popularising stage and street dramas to establish non-communal spirit in building a peaceful Bangladesh. We not only appreciate the LGRD ministers call in this regard, but also believe increased practicing of more cultural activities will also create the perfect platform for harmonious co-existence. In the recent years we have seen tons of books, pamphlets, CDs and DVDs and radical literature materials captured from various militant hideouts in Bangladesh. It clearly indicates of a derailed generation misled by an extreme school of thought. Had these youngsters been brought and guided under healthy cultural practices the militancy scenario in Bangladesh could have been very different from today. In fact, besides increasing cultural activities we must also remain extra-ordinarily watchful to prevent the import of misleading and hateful cultural elements. Learnt mostly at home and school, the surrounding culture indisputably shapes the mindset of a young person. Its here where our parents and teachers have a crucial role to play. They must particularly focus on the issue that - to become a true global citizen, one must abandon all notions of otherness and instead embrace togetherness. If a cultural practice anyhow isolates and radicalises a particular community, something must be fundamentally wrong in it. Lastly, enhancing of cultural actions must be an all-inclusive one. Having said this, we must integrate our religious institutions too. Thus, convert the culture of militancy to culture of peace and tolerance. It would be wrong to label all madrasas as breeding grounds of extremism as they have existed since time immemorial but the proper understanding and respecting other cultures are widely believed to be taught in their surroundings with much scepticism. Practice culture, curb militancy.