Around one-and-half decades back the government slapped a ban on the media adverts extolling quacks and other pseudo medical practitioners. It has been heartening to see the ban taking effect immediately. Years have passed. But no print or electronic media outlets have entertained these advertisements. The prohibition is still in force. Yet there is a flipside. Despite the media publicity being off-limits to quackery of all sorts, the practice of the trade has been going on in full swing. Many in the vast rural areas still rush to the practitioners of herbal treatment, faith healers or witchdoctors for complicated ailments. Those range from paralysis, stammering, states of being possessed to many common and outwardly unexplainable diseases. Qualified doctors term most of these ailments as having roots in psychological disorders. The quacks drag the so-called treatment to an indefinite period in order to fleece their patients.
It's true the practice of herbal medicine was once recognised as a respected profession. Called 'Kabiraj' or 'Hekims', these simple-living rural healers had the necessary skill to cure a lot of illnesses. The land was filled with jungles and bushes of myriad types of plants and trees used in different curative stages. It's the mindless clearing of herbal trees and plants which chiefly has prompted the age-old traditional healers to fall on hard times. Many left the profession, conceding defeat to the modern allopathic treatment. A limited few have allegedly resorted to defrauding innocent people.
Many of us may recall the sensational episode of a child 'pir' (holy person), who overnight became a centre of reverence and attraction to thousands of people. He was said to have been blessed with miraculous power obtained in his dream. With the power he could allegedly cure any disease. A mere touch of the body of the ill person or drinking the water the 'pir' blew on would do the trick. In 2 to 3 days, the child became a holy celebrity in the surrounding villages. A large village fair similar to a Bangla New Year's Mela sprouted at the place in the same period. People from far-away villages were seen standing on queues for hours along with their patients of all ages. The catch was the 'pir' showered his blessings on the patients for free. However, his 'disciples' won't hesitate to accept little 'hadias' humbly offered by the patients or their companions. In a week news spread that many of the patients became fully cured upon taking the treatment offered by the 'pir'. Frenzied jostles to remain on the queues followed leading to injuries. With rumours of the impending arrival of police the crowd dispersed. The rowdy elements guarding the 'pir' and those engaged in extortion at the fair were found nowhere. The cute-looking child 'pir' vanished into thin air.
These incidents have been occurring in Bangladesh through the ages. It is also true, genuine 'pirs' once guided people to the path of truth and wisdom. In time, fake 'pirs' and faith healers, phony herbal practitioners were found calling the shots in rural society. Hundreds of poverty-stricken, illiterate people were maimed for life, many lost their sight or made mentally deranged by the terrible treatment methods applied by 'kabirajes' to their patients. These so-called herbal or faith healers are still active in many remote villages.
Against this backdrop, the print media photographs of two women 'kabirajes' engaged in applying their healing skill to a male patient in a busy street in Dhaka appear tinged with incredulity. But they are true, because they occurred in broad daylight. Maybe, it's a matter of time when simpletons will be seen surrendering themselves to these fake healers after contracting deadly viruses. All this warrants instilling the teachings of science into the common people.
