by F R Chowdhury
Ever since she came to power, Sheikh Hasina has achieved lot of success. She arranged for hanging of most of those connected with the killing of her father Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. She successfully evicted Begum Khaleda Zia, the leader of the opposition from a house given to her by a previous Government. She changed the name of the Zia International Airport, Dhaka in such a way so that the name of late president Ziaur Rahman is removed. She took full help of the judiciary to get a verdict in favour of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman as the one to have declared the independence of Bangladesh. She also made it a punishable offence for anyone to mention any other name as the announcer of our independence. To convince the people that her father alone was responsible for everything necessary for liberation of Bangladesh, she even gave posthumous award to some one for having announced it on instruction of Sheikh Mujib. She had to teach a lesson to Jamat-e-Islami for forging political alliance with Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) by way of war crime trials by ICT. The Jamat-e-Islami previously had similar political alliance with Bangladesh Awami League (BAL) and at that time they were not war criminals. Sheikh Hasina was very angry with the decision of the Nobel Peace Committee for their award of the peace prize to Dr. Yunus. Having agreed a peace deal for Chittagong Hill Tract, she was confident of getting Nobel Peace Prize. She unleashed a campaign of hatred against Dr. Yunus and got him removed from his position as head of the Grameen Bank (joint recipient of the award). Finally she utilised the 2/3rd majority in the parliament to amend the constitution and remove the provision of holding general election under non-party care-taker Government so that she can manipulate the election to perpetuate her rule. Mean time she started a programme of naming roads, bridges and other institutions and establishments after the name of her father. For the last five years as the head of the Government she engaged herself in a programme to get rid of those civil servants who in her opinion were not loyal to her party. In the process the civil administration, police, armed forces, judiciary and all other machineries of the Government have been turned into extended part of her political party in addition to having Chatra League, Jubo League, Sramik League etc. She remembered very well the mistakes made by her father by killing democracy and making Bangladesh a one-party state. She carefully refrained officially calling a one-party state even though she turned it into a police state – virtually a one-party state. Eventually she got what she wanted; she became the prime minister for a third term. All these achievements by Sheikh Hasina bear a testimony of hatred, revenge, vendetta and vengeance. But she was adamant and she accomplished her desire and wishes.
2/3rd majority is not always a good thing. We have seen it during her father’s reign. We have seen it with Margaret Thatcher in UK and Indira Gandhi in India. It is sad and shocking that after taking the oath to uphold the constitution, the ruling party amended the constitution for personal gain – to win elections through unfair means and perpetuate their hold on the power. Such a matter should have been put in a referendum. Without the mandate of the people the constitution should not have been altered. She talked so much about constitution yet, it is she who amended the constitution for personal gains. The elections should have been conducted under the constitution as it existed before the amendment.
The people of Bangladesh love human rights and democracy and they would not like to see one-party state again. They realised the conspiracy and resisted. The opposition party Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) headed by Khaleda Zia provided the leadership to this peaceful movement. They threatened to boycott the election unless it is done under a non-political care-taker Government. In order to tarnish the image of BNP, the Government engaged its party thugs to resort into violence including burning and killing. While the BAL was having gathering of party workers every day in front of its office, BNP office was locked and sealed by police and kept under siege. On 29th December, 2013 when Khaleda was supposed to address a rally, she was kept under house arrest and BAL leader Maya led party thugs with sticks in their hands roaming all over Dhaka. The BAL along with Police beat-up people (including lawyers and journalists) trying to reach the planned rally and arrested almost all first tier leaders of BNP.
The Secretary General of the United Nations sent his representative to persuade the Government to listen to the will of the people and arrange for an inclusive election to be participated by all parties. Many other foreign dignitaries also carried out similar mission. Sheikh Hasina still remained adamant that she would hold the election her way. The EU, Commonwealth, USA, Canada, Australia and even India refused to send any observer for the election. Each and every BAL leader went all out in support of the prime minister and was eager to show their loyalty to her. Some of them were talking total rubbish. Sheikh Selim said that Khaleda Zia would be sent back to Pakistan. Later he went one step more to say that all foreign diplomats in Dhaka would be sent to Pakistan. His sudden love for Pakistan was very confusing. Anyhow as the time for election came closer, Khaleda was kept under house arrest, Ershad was kept confined in CMH and hundreds of leaders and workers were jailed. People indeed boycotted the election. The ruling party won the majority even before the election as 153 of their candidates were elected unopposed. What an election! The rest happened as planned before. In the process Bangladesh lost hundreds of lives and billions in losses. To her, her own decision and determination was more important. She won the so-called election but Bangladesh and democracy both lost the election.
Contrary to common international practice and procedure, not a single country congratulated the prime minister on her election victory. The election and its results have not been accepted by the people; and surprisingly not even by the international community. The non-cooperation continues. Nobody knows the future.
In the mean time, to divert public attention from continuous non-cooperation, the BAL attacked certain Hindu localities and has been trying to blame BNP for same. BNP has no reason to resort to such activities as they already enjoy a big public support for their non-cooperation movement.
The Government is in a serious mess. They want a party to join their cabinet at the same time want its leader to be the Leader of the opposition in the Parliament. Something never heard of in parliamentary democracy. Under BAL Government, everything is possible. Bangladesh cannot afford to have this drama every time when the general election is due. There must be a permanent solution. Otherwise the nation loses all the progress it makes between the elections. The solution is non-political care-taker Government for the election. This suits our culture and has been time tested. The Constitution should have a clear provision for the Government to resign three months prior to the end of its term whereupon the President would appoint a care-taker Government to conduct the election. Such cabinet may include retired judges, services chiefs, secretaries or other person of repute who had never been in active politics and would not compete in the election. All persons should participate in the election as equal citizens. No person should receive any special privilege or protection for any reason. It is not necessary that all parliamentary systems must be identical. We can have the one best suited for Bangladesh.
Without any further loss of life or property let us resolve the matter the way people want it. If necessary, a referendum may be held. But for Heaven’s sake let us avoid whims and vendetta. Bangladesh belongs to all Bangladeshis and we must not allow any vested personal interest to destroy our future.
London, 11-January-2014 <[email protected]>
This Capt. Chowdhury should be declared “Persona non grata” in Bangladesh. How he dares to criticize Jano Netri, the daughter of Banga-Banduk, the creator of Baksal), the announcer of Bangladesh in such a disgraceful way? All this Jano-Netri does is for the best of the country and all those who disagree should be jailed if not hanged. I suggest Bangladesh shall be re-named and the appropriate name should be “Mujibdesh” and the new capital should be “Tungipara”.
I whole heartedly support it. Joy Mujibdesh but Zinabad Tungipara.
People like you are fully responsible for Awami League’s fiasco today.
Perhaps Mr. Chowdhury has hidden relation with those criminals, otherwise how he could say that Awami League people has attacked the poor Hindus and blamed on BNP people. Mr. Chowdhury might be forgotten, a criminal always leaves some evidence and he does the same. He asks the prime minster to resign immediately but surprising doesn’t ask Madam Zia to stop the violence over the country which BNP has been continuing over a month. Mr. Chowdhury, living in London and being a blind supporter of BNP, you people can never realize our pain and sufferings. And one day people like Mr. Chowdhury must try to reunite Bangladesh with your beloved country Pakistan. What a shame for the Bangladeshi nations!!!
People like Shayla Ahmed seem never to see the truth face to face. While a veteran Awami Leaguer Professor Abu Sayeed narrated how his antagonist State Minister for Home Mr. Tuku’s goons attacked and ransacked the minority people’s homes and hearths in his constituency (such criminal assault was made on the minority months ago also), while the victims said how the ruling party activists attacked and brutally beaten them at Narail, Avoynagar, Patgram etc, she beats the burst drums for the ruling party. Why didn’t the govt instituted a judicial inquiry into the notrious acts in Ramu and a few other places as per the BNP’s demand? The reason is obvious. Notwithstanding the fact that Jamat-Shibir also played this dirty game, blaming only one side is a despicable ‘dalbazi’. But this has been a trend on the part of a section of so-called educated and ‘shushil’ (?) class. Pity on them!
Shayla Ahmed should immediately fly to Singapore and have a brain scan & if lucky you may even catch up with our president who is also a frequent flyer there for treatment paid by the government. Shayla Ahmed living in a dream world and she needs to take a look at the country & it’s current situation. Criticising a person who is only fighting for the progression of our nation is not justified. Perhaps you are to think deeply before jumping on the keyboard.
Adding to what Bonguu bondhuu zamil advises Shayla Ahmed that “you are to think deeply before jumping on the keyboard” may I suggest that she also research a bit more before jumping to a conclusion. Ms. Ahmed ought to know that even the Deputy Commissioners (the district administrators) who are appointees of Hasina government reported that it was mostly the AL goons and Jamat that have perpetrated these despicable acts.
It is now a common knowledge that every time AL hits the shit it plays either the ‘minority’ or the ‘jongi’ card or both to divert attention and most importantly, to intensify its repressive measures against its opponents..
After having been utterly frustrated by the AL government’s consistent attempts to implicate Jamat for minority attacks and thus make political gains, the latter has now appealed to the United Nations to hold an independent probe into these incidents and identify and bring to justice the real culprits. As Jamat has little faith in government’s capacity nor willingness to protect the minority and also as AL regards minority as a political card that they willfully use every now and then, have also asked the UN to engage peace keeping forces to protect minority community from all attacks.
To every beginning there has to be an end. About this ‘end’ only Allah (SWT) Alone knows how it is going to end up- either with a good note or a bad note, and the histrory will take note (if there be real history!) of all these drama of this struggling nation. Let the people see & hear things with his own eyes & ears and be rationale and be true to himself without being biased. Let us all unite & pray for a strong & glorious nation.
I suppose people like Safi, Bonguu bondhuu zamil, and ADK have criticized Ms. Ahmed severely because they are also not ready to face the real truth what is happening with the minority group in Bangladesh. Moreover, I strongly believe they have alliance with BNP and Jamat, cherishing a deep hatred towards the poor Hindus living in Bangladesh. You people might forget that many Hindus ssacrificed their lives and honor in the liberation war of Bangladesh. Local Rajakars were accompanied the Pakistani military to search out the Hindu girls to rape them in 1971. The same incident took place after the 5th January election in Jamaat-dominated Hazrail area in Jessore’s Monirampur where Awami League is banned by Islami Chhatra Shibir and Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami. All the victimized areas are dominated by Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami what you try to overlook deliberately just to condemn Awami League and Sheikh Hasina, don’t you? Ms. Ahmed simply stands for the poor Hindus in this land and asks Mr. Chowdhury the reason not to request Khaleda Zia to stop the violence over the country. The reactions show that Ms. Ahmed has pointed out the right issue that all you Jamaaties become so violent and I suppose, you would get her at this moment you should rape her and tear her in to several pieces. So, you Jamaaties, go back to your Pakistan and don’t make poisonous the air of our motherland Bangladesh anymore, which belong to Hindus’ as well.