Accidental outlaws: Living by laws we never learned

A few days ago, a content creator posted a video on social media showing himself holding a dead dolphin over his head. Within a few hours, he was arrested under Sections 37 and 41 of the Wildlife Conservation Act.

Hold on!

Is there a Wildlife Conservation Act? I did not even know such an act existed. Did you?

Personally, I would never want to hold a dead dolphin, or any dead animal, over my head for a social media post, not because of the act itself, but because I have watched National Geographic documentaries and learned about endangered species.

These laws are designed to protect wildlife and their habitats, maintain the balance of the ecosystem and biodiversity, and encourage the sustainable use of natural resources. However, if people are unaware of the rules, how can we expect them to follow them?

We have grown up memorising the dates of birth and death of poets, kings, and explorers. But we rarely learn the acts and laws that shape our civic responsibilities.

We know who wrote "Amar Shonar Bangla," but we do not understand what the Wildlife Conservation Act, the Forest Act, or the Noise Pollution Control Rules actually prohibit. We can recite patriotic poems, but we do not know the penalties for polluting a river or harming endangered animals.

Isn't that a failure of our education system and our national priorities? Somehow, our education system prepares us to pass exams rather than to navigate life responsibly.

It is often said, 'Ignorance of the law is no excuse'. But in a country where legal literacy is almost non-existent, how fair is that statement? How can we expect people to follow rules they have never been taught to understand? This should justify why legal literacy is not just a privilege but a shared responsibility.

That may be why many of us end up unintentionally violating laws, not out of defiance but out of pure unawareness. We honk endlessly, litter casually, pollute rivers freely, or post photos of captivated animals proudly—not realising some of these acts are crimes, not quirks.

Imagine if every school had a short course called 'Life Laws 101' - a practical guide on how not to break the law without even realising it. This is not a crash course in courtroom jargon, but a basic understanding of why dumping waste in drains harms everyone, why noise pollution is punishable, and why certain animals are protected by law. 

These are the lessons that define how responsibly we live, not just how well we perform on exams. This is the kind of education that can truly enlighten us and make us more aware of our civic responsibilities.

The truth is, most of us encounter the law only when something goes wrong: when we get fined, detained, or caught up in a bureaucratic maze. Until then, the law feels distant, complicated, and reserved for "legal professionals". That distance is dangerous. It fosters ignorance, which often leads to unintentional wrongdoing.

The man with the dolphin likely thought he was doing something impressive, not illegal. And that is exactly why this conversation matters.

It is time we rethink what we teach and what we value as "knowledge." Memorising poetry feeds our cultural identity, but understanding our laws defines our moral values.

Because a society that does not know its own laws does not just break them — it slowly forgets why they exist in the first place. This is a concerning trend that we must all work together to change.

Shafiq R Bhuiyan writes on how communication, culture, and corporate social responsibility (CSR) converge to shape a more conscious and compassionate society.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and views of The Business Standard.