FOR many years, Dec 16 remained a day of special significance in our household. These included the years of incarceration that my father underwent as a prisoner of war in India and since then he would write articles in newspapers, narrating the events that led to the fall of Dhaka and also remind us of that day every year.

He died on Oct 15 this year and there seems to be nobody to remind us of the dark day anymore. I have not forgotten the day since this day has assumed another significance with the carnage of little schoolchildren and their teachers on the same dark day of Dec 16. This time the tragedy took place in Peshawar.

The events of Peshawar unfolded on Dec 16 with the usual sequel of reactive response of shock, then grief followed by anger. There was no surprise in what followed.

The response from the media, the blogs and discussion panels was all so predictable. What also was predictable was the analysis and the possible remedies.

The role of corruption in society, the influence of religious ideologies, the all-pervasive presence of the army and its links with militias, the lack of education have all been lamented.

All this is no consolation to 142 households who mourn the devastation of their kith and kin. They like me will forever remember Dec 16.

My last comment would be that if the events of Dec 16, 1971, could not shake us into the path of redemption, I despair whether the events of Dec 16, 2014, would.

Dr Asif Hasan

Newcastle upon Tyne, UK

Published in Dawn, December 28th, 2014