Blame Games and Covid-19 | Dhaka Tribune

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Why do we target the most vulnerable when a problem arises?

It is not a novel idea to blame the victims. Historically speaking, this stigma worsens in the midst of epidemics and often only invokes pure racist hatred – as in the case of the term ‘Spanish flu’. This name generally refers to an influenza epidemic in 1918. Although naming an epidemic with a specific country is not ipso facto a stigma, it could have negative impacts on its people.

A century later, we encountered the same situation when former US President Donald Trump called Covid-19 a “Chinese virus”. Recent charts show the Covid-19 infection rate is declining across the world, but the wounds created by such stigma will not be healed anytime soon. During the high rate Covid infection, in most parts of the world, minorities have been stigmatized and blamed for the spread of Covid. We argue that in Bangladesh, interestingly enough, ordinary people, whether majority or minority, have been blamed. While many aspects of Covid-19 and its impacts on the economy, society and much more are explored, the stigma of the majority people of the lower economic class remains unnoticed.

Refugees and immigrants have been accused of being “carriers of the disease”, according to a history professor. However, because they live in crowded places, their living conditions are a major factor in contracting the disease. But the question of why immigrants and refugees have to live in such conditions is unanswered. WHO has studied the impacts of Covid-19 on refugees. At least 30% of those questioned felt that they were treated less well because of their “origin”.

The situation was similar in India, where a group of Tablighi Jamaat was accused and dubbed “virus super-spreaders”. Tablighi Jamaat had organized his congregation more than a week before the Indian government imposed a nationwide lockdown. Instead of accusing the government of not taking quick action, right-wing Hindutva activists vilified Tabligh Jamaat by calling Covid-19 a ‘Tablighi virus’, and strangely, the pandemic turned out to be a wave Islamophobic, in which the entire Muslim community was blamed for the spread of the disease, and this was further spread by mainstream media as if the virus had a religion.

Bangladesh experienced a slightly different scenario. Despite the government’s best efforts, such as locking down local areas and closing offices (both public and private), the question of how day laborers and low-income people would live during this critical time remained. In addition, there were few health facilities and no proper guidelines, including no certainty of receiving food, medicine or other essentials during the period of confinement for the poor and marginalized. In addition, a limited number of tests, human resources, research funds, lack of oxygen supply and intensive care beds were evident.

Low-income people have been blamed for going out in search of livelihoods, and many have been arrested, penalized and humiliated on social media for failing to maintain social distancing and Covid guidelines. Some cases need to be addressed in this regard to understand the seriousness of such stigma. In the early days of Covid, a burqa-clad boy went viral on media and social media and was portrayed by mainstream media as a lockbreaker for recreational purposes. It was later discovered that he was traveling from Savar to Jatrabari on foot to join a job and that he dressed in such a way as to avoid police lynching. An executive magistrate “punished” two elderly men – a vegetable seller and a van driver – by asking them to hold their ears with their hands in public so as not to wear masks. What was more derogatory was that she captured the incident via her phone.

After an outcry on social media, the said officer was suspended. Questions may arise as to whether the executive could not force the public to stay home and maintain health guidelines. The answer is not a simple yes or no. Before punishing someone for not being home, policymakers should monitor that person’s economic situation. In addition, while the economic situation is good, British police observed four E’s, and the last resort was to impose a fine, not humiliation.

It cannot be denied that some people went outside for recreational purposes only. But the vast majority looked for their daily meals, not entertainment. During a pandemic, pointing out scapegoats and blaming marginalized people would cause them psychological damage, which does not go away like a virus. This blame game encourages “otherness” which ultimately leads to discrimination.

Ummul Khayer Fatema is an anthropology student. Saleh Uddin Sifat is a law student.

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