For any people freedom is the most glorious and prized possession. The nation celebrated with due honour last week the 43rd Victory Day which marked the fruition of the nine-month war against the marauding hordes of Pakistan Army which swooped upon the unarmed civilian population with ferocious brutality and perpetrated genocide in the wake of which millions were killed, thousands were violated and dwelling houses were burnt to ashes in that manmade catastrophe.
“Martyrdom is much better than slavery; regard the sword as greater than the badge or medal of an orderly” — so said our National Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam over eighty-five years ago. Where there is unity there is always victory, and the 75 million Bangladeshis collectively fought the enemy until the ignominious defeat and surrender of the Pakistani forces’ commander Lt. Gen. Niazi in Dhaka to the joint command of Bangladesh and India headed by Lt. Gen. Jagjit Singh Aurora; though the big question remains hitherto unanswered by Awami League and India, which helped us much, why General M.A.G. Osmany, C-in-C of the Bangladesh Armed Forces and of the Liberation Forces, was not allowed to be present there.
Importantly, we deeply condemn the brazen misdemeanour of the Pakistan National Assembly which made adverse comment on a war criminal’s capital punishment. Sheikh Hasina’s government has convicted the members of an auxiliary force but is still mute over the trial of the main culprits of the Pakistan Army, numbering 195 military officers. She should forthwith approach The International Court of Justice which settles legal disputes submitted to it by States on legal questions referred to it by authorised United Nations organs.
Our Republic’s Constitution pledges that it shall be a fundamental aim of the State to realise through democratic process a society in which the rule of law, fundamental human rights and freedom, equality and justice, political, economic and social, will be secured for all citizens. This Constitution has been described as the solemn expression of the will of the people. Then where is the popular will of 90 per cent Bangladeshis who favour the general election under Caretaker Government (a settled matter, unsettled by the incumbent regime) —- and not under ruling Awami League (AL) government headed by PM Sheikh Hasina? On this point she is not only obdurate, she is hell bent on a poll without the main Opposition BNP headed by Khaleda Zia who was elected Prime Minister for three terms. The most ludicrous part of it is: in voter-less fraudulent selection the AL has already secured victory (!) in 127 of the 154 uncontested seats 19 days ahead of the scheduled date of January 5, according to the emasculated Election Commission headed by its spineless chairman.
In today’s Bangladesh law and order situation is horrendous, incarceration as well as brutal torture and enforced disappearance of opposition political leaders and workers are rife, big corruption cases have stunned the people many of whom lost their life’s savings owing to stock market scam and what not. Alas after long 43 years of independence Bangladesh is bleeding and burning, and death toll is mounting every day following people’s clash with police, RAB and other law enforcing agencies as BNP-led 18 party opposition has launched movement of blockade demanding rigging-free, fair and credible election under a neutral, non-party poll-time government.
The situation obtaining in the so-called democratic Bangladesh —- which for all practical purposes can, at best, be described as ruthless dictatorship ala fascist Adolf Hitler’s universally despised government —- has found expression in an open letter to the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon by the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC). Titled ‘UN should act immediately to save Bangladeshi lives’ signed by its executive director Bijo Francis, it brings to Ban’s attention “the alarming reality in Bangladesh. In the lead up to the 5 January 2014general election, citizens, identified by the incumbent government as supporters of the political opposition, are being extra-judicially executed, daily, by state agents.” (Please see detail in Sadeq Khan’s P-1 story).
In sum, Bangladesh is in turmoil: her future is dreadfully uncertain.
Source: Weekly Holiday
