Editorial Comment: Death of a Brilliant Scientist; National Sycophancy and an Opportunity Missed

The death of Mr. Wajed Ali Miah, the husband of the Prime Minister was sad news. He was a brilliant student. In his days, to secure a First Class First in Physics in both the Honours and Master’s examinations from Dhaka University were something that only the exceptionally bright and gifted could achieve. He was also elected the Vice President of Fazlul Huq Hall of Dhaka University that was also an exceptional feat because the best students of that period used to reside there.

These credentials and the fact that he was the husband of the Prime Minister are enough reasons for his death to be mourned nationally. In addition, as has been revealed in the floodgate of information that has come to the media following his death, he was also a brilliant professional and a kind and considerate man.

But his life and his credentials faded in the way his death was “mourned”. The way the doctor “cried” while announcing the death news, the wave of people who turned up in his funeral rites; the editorials and articles written on him; the number of talk shows held on his life; and the advertisements by the banks and commercial houses mourning his death reflected the type of a nation we are; sycophantic to the point of being ridiculous.

In the wave of national sycophancy, we have missed on the most important thing that happened surrounding this sad event. It was the embrace of the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition. The decision of Khaleda Zia to visit Sudha Bhavan and for the Prime Minister to give her nod of approval to it was unexpected but one that should have been the thread that our media should have picked to give it a positive spin for the sake of the nation. Instead, the papers and the media sidelined this news and instead opted to join the floodgate of sycophantic news coverage, editorials, talk shows etc, etc. In those brief moments of the embrace, the two ladies wept and their tears were perhaps the few genuine tears that were shed over the death together with those of the immediate family and friends of the departed scientist. The rest of the tears was no better and no worse than “crocodile tears”.