Dhaka is burning again! In Sutrapur, Shah Ali, Dhanmondi, one bus after another has gone up in flames. Miscreants disguised as passengers are setting fire to vehicles, people are panicking, and the city stands still. This scene is not new to us. From 2013 to 2015 – during those terrible years – fire, destruction and death were the daily part of politics across the country. Today, a decade later, we are witnessing the same nightmare being repeated.

The question arises, who is setting all these fires, and why? The government, the opposition or “unidentified miscreants”? Every time, the blame is shifted to someone else. But the truth is, the politics of fire has now become an accepted weapon. Fire breeds fear, and fear breeds control. Whoever can spread fear takes control of the streets, controls public opinion and, at times, influences the course of justice.

In the current context, this wave of fire is not isolated at all. As the nation awaits the verdict in the much-discussed genocide case against Sheikh Hasina and the national elections near, anarchy, explosions and arson are spreading again. Leaked videos and threatening speeches by political leaders point to the reactivation of this dangerous playbook, the purpose of which is to create panic, spread confusion, weaken the judicial process and delay elections.

The truth is that our politics is now trapped in a brutal psychological prison, where violence has become synonymous with power. Young people are taught that to defeat the enemy, blood must be shed; to prove party loyalty, fear must be created. This education is giving birth to a new generation of political terrorists. The state too bears responsibility. Especially, the biased behaviour of the law enforcement agencies and the political influence over them have eroded the trust of the people.

To get rid of the situation, the political parties should take, in the true sense, a zero-tolerance stance against violence. Moreover, the police, administration and courts must be completely depoliticised. Finally, instead of being weaponised for partisan ends, young people must engage themselves in civic initiatives, community service and democratic dialogue.

It is really a shame for us, as a nation, that even after 50 years of independence, our politics is marked by the smell of fire and blood. So, stakeholders must come to the sense that democracy does not mean just voting but tolerance of dissent, dialogue and the practice of humanity. And the parties should practise not the politics of fire but the politics of restraint.