|| By Dr. Nabila Idris:In 2013, specifically in the grim aftermath of 5 May, I was forced to confront a chilling reality: our society is rife with educated, "progressive" frauds. I use those inverted commas deliberately. In any other corner of the globe, these individuals would be identified accurately as _right-wing fascists._ Yet, for reasons that remain baffling, we shy away from the label, preferring instead to exalt them as our premier intellectuals—reverently bestowing the honorific "chandrabindu" upon their status.By the morning of 6 May, the collective consciousness was heavy with the knowledge that something catastrophic had occurred at Shapla Square the previous night. But before twenty-four hours had even elapsed, the gaslighting began.Whenever the subject was broached, these polished charlatans would emerge to demand: "Where is the proof that 2,500 people died? Rumours, all rumours. Hah!" It was a calculated deflection. By obsessing over the exactitude of the body count, they successfully pivoted the conversation away from the undeniable massacre that had unfolded in the heart of Dhaka, dragging us instead into a hollow debate over statistics.These are the same people who claim to uphold the sanctity of life—those who supposedly "fight to save a single flower." Evidently, that sentiment is conditional. If the victim does not align with their particular brand of ideology, even 2,500 "flowers" are not enough to warrant a conversation. It is, quite simply, unbearable.*About the Author:* Dr. Nabila Idris is a Bangladeshi academic and human rights advocate who served as a _Commissioner_ of the _National Human Rights Commission (NHRC)_ under the interim government led by _Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus._ A scholar of _social protection_ with a PhD from the _University of Cambridge,_ she was previously a member of the _Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances._ In 2025, she was awarded the _Begum Rokeya Padak_ for her contributions to human rights and gender equality in Bangladesh.