Control reckless youths

For several years now, it has been observed that some wealthy youths in the capital, Dhaka, and district towns of Bangladesh have become increasingly reckless. Lacking moral education, they are leading a kind of unruly lifestyle. They race on open roads at night with cars and motorcycles, often under the influence of drugs, and in doing so, they not only endanger their own lives but also bring unexpected danger to pedestrians. One such tragic incident occurred last Thursday night.

According to reports in the media, three friends — Mohtasim Masud, Mehedi Hasan Khan, and Amit Saha — went for a ride on a motorcycle on the 300-ft road of Rupganj upazila in Narayanganj. All three were students at the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET). On their way back at night, they encountered a police checkpost in front of the passenger shade at Balu Bridge. At that moment, a reckless speeding private car crashed through the checkpoint and ran over the three motorcyclists. They were rescued in a critical condition and taken to Kurmitola General Hospital, where doctors declared Mohtasim dead. Mehedi is receiving treatment at Square Hospital in the capital, and Amit is being treated at Dhaka Medical College Hospital.

The police have reported that on the day of the incident, Mobin was driving the private car. After the accident, the police could not find his driving license. The car was registered in the name of Mobin’s father, Abdullah Al Mamun, a former army officer. An empty bottle of liquor and a can of beer were found in the car. To confirm whether the arrested individuals were drunk, a dope test was conducted at Narayanganj General Hospital (Victoria) at noon.

Many pedestrians have been victims of accidents due to reckless driving under the influence of alcohol in the past. So, what is the reason behind the recklessness of this particular group of youth? Undoubtedly, sociological research is needed to understand this. It seems that the children of wealthy families are the ones becoming increasingly reckless. There is no control from their families. They don’t seem to care about society, the country, or the state. With their wealth, they are constantly engaged in showing off their power. Lacking any life ideals, philosophy, values, or ethics, they are gradually becoming more unruly.

Recently, our country witnessed an unforgettable mass uprising led by the youth. The majority of the young people involved in this movement came from middle-class or lower-middle-class families, much like during our liberation war. When children from middle or lower-middle-class families are caught up in the struggle for survival, some rowdy children from wealthy families are busy living reckless lives.

But this issue requires an immediate solution. While children of wealthy families have always led somewhat reckless lives across all times and countries, there have been instances where many children of wealthy families have devoted themselves to arts, literature, and science. However, we rarely see this among the children of wealthy families in our country. The reason behind this is that cultural pursuits have not been developed in many wealthy families in our country. Their lives end up being consumed by indulgence, luxury, and showmanship.
Parents must ensure that their children do not roam around late at night with cars and motorcycles, hanging out with friends. This is something that must be addressed within the family. At the same time, law enforcement agencies need to be vigilant on this issue. It is no secret to the police that such incidents often occur in specific areas of Dhaka. Many children of influential people get away with committing crimes, which encourages the increase of such offenses. We want a thorough investigation into Thursday night's incident. Regardless of how influential the perpetrator's family may be, if the crime is proven, they must be provided exemplary punishment.