Untold Facts

Bonfire of ‘distorted’ books, manuscripts, etc.

On the 20th April morning a retired Justice of the High Court and a senior friend of mine phoned me to let me share his serious worry about a matter. He had four manuscripts accepted quite some time ago and pending for unusually longer time for publication at the Bangladesh Government controlled Islamic Foundation, Dhaka. Earlier in 1980s he had one published by the same organization. Some he had published at his own expense, as well. His fear this time about the pending four manuscripts is that it might be destroyed by the organization. Even he might not get the manuscripts back from there. He got the fear after reading through an article published in a Bengali daily on the day morning that highlighted about bonfire of books by Hitler in the mid last century that the seating PM Hasina of Bangladesh might do here, as well. The article made the hunch that she has already issued office order to remove and possibly burn down all those undesirable ‘distorted’ materials from all schools, colleges, universities, madarasas, public libraries etc. The fear of the old retired honorable Justice is that his manuscripts contained many items that had been critical about the policies like ‘secularism’ of the Awami League not as a political propaganda but, in his view, as contradictory to higher Islamic norms, values and criteria.

His fear is not without basis. Hasina’s agenda by now is amply clear that she is determined romantically to do away with anything serious and fundamental of Islam in the garb of ‘cleansing distortion of history’ just somewhat indecorously eulogize her father, on the one side, and denigration of all other personalities in recent history, on the other. She had undertaken and got some historic documents compiled with serious distortions and published during her first term, and some destroyed projects that went otherwise. She had no shortage of plant historians for money so much so that some of them invented the unimaginable thesis that Bengal Muslim women did practice SATI (History-1: HSC, OU, 1998/2000, Dhaka. P.135) or self immolation at the funeral pyres of dead husband in the past! I shared his fear and hunch but could do nothing more except giving some hope that things would soon get change for better.

Earlier the High Court labeled Hasina as a ‘Wrong headed’ woman. Hitler as well despite his humbug was a wrong headed absolute blood-thirsty dictator who ended up making suicide in a war trench at the Chancellery residence along with his lover Eva Braun (Brockhampton Dictionary of World History, 1997 London edition, p.433). Hitler’s end did not end by itself or of the blood-thirsty dictator, his Propaganda Minister Dr. Paul Joseph Goebbels stayed with him until the last moment. He, as well committed suicide just as Hitler did. The tragedy was that the German people lost their freedom with the end of this blood thirsty Hitler that the German nation took another long haul of a sort of trauma of nearly four and a half decades to overcome, recover and finally re-unified.

Hasina’s father factually turned Bangladesh completely subservient to Delhi that called for the dedicated services of some determined patriots of the army to recover from the all embracing hegemony of Delhi. Hasina put those patriots to gallows in shear vengeance after 35 years that put once again Bangladesh into the position totally subservient and endless ignominy to Delhi. The mode of Hitler being romantically engineered here in Bangladesh by Hasina for irrationally firming up her grip that must have an end sooner than latter could easily be forecasted from the lessons of history. Otherwise no iota of freedom of the people except for the fascist party touts and the sycophants of Hasina would be sustained.

Bonfire of the so called undesirable books and publications ordered by Hasina is a symptom and symbol that Hitler had left for her to further follow possibly to make suicide in her vengeance and in the quenching of blood thirst of her all opponents in politics and otherwise.

Author: HB Khair

Eye Wash!

On April 22 there was a news item in Dhaka dailies that five renowned University Professor- educators have urged the PM Hasina to sever links with the Student League, the student wing of the Awami League, CHATRO LEAUGE. It is appreciable that along with the common people they have been feeling seriously against the misdeeds of the rank and file of organization that they did during the last 15 months or so since Hasina sat on to the power of Bangladesh in the second term. An octogenarian friend of mine phoned me in the morning about the identity of the five professors including their sympathy for the Awami League as also their worry about all vicious deeds of the student members against the people and the country.

The worry and pity is that if the Awami League would even formally sever link as already personally Hasina did, could there be any improvement in the viciousness?

Who are the young persons of the Student League? They are our sons and daughters, brothers and sisters. In some cases my grandson and his friends. How did they turn into rogues and terrorists as soon as they entered the college university campuses? My eldest grandson has already graduated from the BUET, fortunately, he has come out with A grade and as I understood he had not been terrorist, tender snatcher, rent seeker or anything of the sort that the League have earned blame for. How come his other friends/cohorts earned the evil omen?
We knew about student movement and their ideals during both pre 1947 and pre 1971 days. We knew then nothing about what we have been hearing now particularly about the student league. Why the change and drift from idealism to terrorism? Though we have now tougher laws for continuing terrorism, why the same is not applied to the student league terrorists?

Parents and guardians do not send their wards to colleges and universities to take to terrorism, but for learning and studies for higher degrees/diplomas. How could they ignore their main task for studies and instead engage in earning money through terrorism, rent seeking, admission racket, hall seat renting/selling, tender snatching etc. These are all illegal and immoral functions. Had their parents at home been immoral and taught them to be so? That simply can not be believed in normal circumstances. How could then some, not all, take to do all immoral and illegal activities. The answer can be had in either of the two points. One, they are tempted to take to the unethical task by some one, and in all possibility by some senior in line prompted by political party touts. In other case some may have signal effect and be tempted to have political positions in the immediate future at a very young age that might open other immediate fortunes in the money earning process. The net result falls on the dirty and fortune earning politics in the country, one way or the other, no matter how fortune favors in political position. In any case the signaling effect is there all the time. That is what had been particularly the norm, except bits and pieces, during the last four decades in the country.

What is needed is a total departure from the viciousness now as it is deeply embedded into the fabric of the student organizations Majority students are not with those rogues, rowdies and immoral touts. It’s the administration that could do it provided there is absence of political prompting or back up on the on side and law enforcement agencies taking independent role free of political party power interference in combating them all.
Unless these basic conditions are met at the topmost administrative level, it is useless to make statement by the stalwarts but only as an eye wash to hoodwink the people.

Author: BK Din
Kellabund, Rangpur

BDR Massacre Trials: Fries being punished: What about the Big Shots?

Small fries punished
Small fries of the BDR are being tried and punished, so far in four outside courts, few acquitted, most of them convicted to punishments from 3 months to maximum of 7 years imprisonment. Doubts about hush up of putting into trial the big shots are mounting. Questions are being rightly asked about big hush up about the inquiry made by the army finished rather quite smartly. Questions are also being asked about possible manipulations going on for saving the big shots of the party in power and the alleged external commando links? Why at this stage the BDR Chief replaced just in about one year of his service there so soon after his appointment following the February 2009 massacre? Why not the Indian BSF stopped killing the Bangladeshis in border areas despite such words given by them at the topmost levels? Will at all the 57 army officers of the brilliant category viciously killed and their bodies defiled in full knowledge and information of the PM Hasina right at the moments during the inhuman occurrence get the fair justice?

Confusion making on
Curiously nothing of any substantive is seen except some confusing words heard at times from Hasina herself and some of her cronies about the targeted killing of the 57 senior officers of the army. Such on going matters can not but raise serious doubts in any inquisitive mind. Lately she stated that of the 30 or so of the 57 had been their own men whom they wished to give in appointment in important positions! Given the state of her habitually telling lies, the matter is hardly credible. First, they are not alive to prove her assertion. Secondly, she engineered division in the rank and file of the army that she has targeted to size up. Third, she keeps on adding confusion in the matter of the massacre for calculatedly isolate and save her own men involved in the massacre. Fourth, she added further point to hush up the real facts and behind the scene big actors.

Time taken further
Of the three inquiries, two had already had their findings. But they have so far given damn as to public knowledge into the facts are concerned. Now the government has given new hope that the third inquiry report by the CID is to be finished and charge sheet would be ready in October 2010, six months from now on. This is possibly the fourth time extension to finish the inquiry.

New item
A news report in a national English language daily, The New Age, reported on the 20th April that the CID findings are taking more time to make some intelligence gathering of the Opposition Leader in the Parliament Khaleda Zia. Hasina was reported stating about Khaleda’s hiding at some secret location for ‘three days’ just before the BDR February massacre! The evil intent had two points to seriously ponder about. First, she wants her to be implicated in the mayhem. And secondly, she has clearly put pressure on the inquiry officers to implicate her in the mayhem by hook or crook. Both are credible for Hasina as she is notoriously ever known to avenge against political opponents in the meanest possible way. Once the first powerful opponent Col(R) Farook gone forever, Ershad neutralized to the point of no return, lone Khaleda remains helplessly in the run against Hasina.

Hasina got she wanted
The BDR massacre had two ends for Hasina to attain. First, to size up the regular army that she took for granted had not only been against her father but also against herself. Secondly, she proved to Delhi her vulnerability and have got in return guarantee that she had only survival hope in Delhi’s protection and none else’s. She had already attained both. The morale of the army though is nearly finished that gave Delhi 100% confidence not only to defend her in the eastern border with Bangladesh but also from any threat whatsoever as they had some times had, say, in Baraibari and Padua border clashes in April 2001 wherein they lost a lot of the BSF and lost the fight in the border clash with the BDR men.

Indicting Khaleda
It is now more than clear that she is on to size up the BNP and Khaleda through implicating some of the top leaders in the BDR massacre. Well, if Khaleda or any other of the BNP men is in any way involved, there is nothing to save them. Let them be indicted, but in no way through vengeance and made up and engineered facts.

Hasina’s own men spared
The crucial matter is that who else of her own party involved? Are Taposh, Azam, Nanak, Torab etc among Hasina’s party stalwarts innocent in the matter? How about herself? Who did the scores she talked to and mediated with in hooded dress up in her office on the 25th February afternoon when the killings had been going on? How could the bodies of the dead dozens being hurriedly buried in mass graves and some other disposed off indecorously into the sewer drains soon after they made compromise parley in full knowledge of the Army Chief Moin, Home Minister Sahara etc. along with Hasina? How about the Indian commando attack involvement that Pronab, their Bangali Foreign Minister, had hinted little earlier not exactly expressly saying for the BDR mayhem but for Hasina’s security?

Outsiders
How did the alleged commandoes had had safely left Bangladesh as they did on other occasions in the lifting in late 2009 of their ULFA leaders stayed hidden in Dhaka?

Credibility
Men and women with deeply inquiring mind would not get satisfied unless and until the crucial matters of the big shots of the party in power involved in the 2009 BDR mayhem are credibly addressed that appears far fetched by the CID inquiry chief being Hasina’s own person taken in from retirement to do the job understandably just only for her vengeful satisfaction.

Author: H B Khair

Hasina cleansed many and doing now the rest for Dynastic Permanence

Cleansing

So far in the 15 months she has been in the second term of the PM of Bangladesh, and has already cleansed a lot for her dynastic goal and permanence.

Competitors eliminated

The first was the main heroes of the 15th August 1975 revolution who she has already removed in late January 2010 from the contest forever. For the same end she had engineered ferociously to kill 57 brilliant army officers at the BDR HQ campus in February 2009 in the brutal mayhem that went on for two days and two dark nights out of electricity in full knowledge of Hasina! Could one think of any reason outside her involvement and liability as the PM through her own close associates NANAK, AZAM, TAPOSH, TORAB ALI etc? That further on, she has been scrapping off from the pages of history Army President General Ziaur Rahman. The remnant of the army as her competitor left was former General and President Ershad who she has been on to remove permanently from the scene. No wonder that Ershad has to end up in the prison the rest of his life during Hasina’s on going scheme during the rest period of this tenure and further on as she had already planned, albeit, with Indian intelligence R&AW’s advance planning.

Hatred

The reason and rationale for the cleansing is not far to seek. She had the deepest of hatred and grudge for the regular army of the country. In fact, she misconstrued the army not only as the ‘killer’ and removal of her father from the political scene but also kept the Awami League away from political power for 21 years at a stretch from mid August 1975 to late June 1996. Her father, as well, had all hatred for the army naively though about the most essential institution for safeguarding the sovereignty of the country that also his Militia Force for East Pakistan in the six point program for autonomy in late 1960s indicated. Keeping with the mode he got the extra constitutional Para military force, not exactly in appellation the Militia Force but little differently in post independent Bangladesh as then euphemistically termed as the RAKHSMI Bahini for his security-both personal and in enjoying absolute power, albeit, had been planned in advance by the Indian intelligence, the R&AW. This force was being expanded so that in few years the need for the regular army would have gone, and so ultimately abandoned. The silly presumption was that Bangladesh had no external enemy to fight with any that needed the regular army.

Bongoshotru

The patriots and the patriotic army took the silly presumption to be grossly wrong not only in terms of the sovereignty of the country but also for their own existence. That was the main rationale in toppling Hasina’s father in the army coup that had been jubilantly welcomed by the people on the one side and spat at the fallen political leader on the other. Many renowned journalists like British Anthony Mascarenhas labeled her father as falling from the high position of BONGOBONDHU TO BONGOSHOTRU or the enemy of Bangla. The post 15th August government of Khondoker Moustaque immediately disbanded that and merged with the regular army. The notoriously killer Rakhsmi Bahini by then had killed with impunity nearly 40,000 of imaginary political opponents. Her father being a ‘democrat’ took away peoples’ basic freedoms of thought, conscience, belief and expression through banning almost all except four newspapers that also under his direct control and arbitrarily imposing the ONE PARTY STATE BKSAL in early 1975 that the people were amazingly given back by the army men! I don’t have all praise for army ideas and attitudes, but what must be stated about truth was that except some negative or anti-democratic actions particularly during Ershad’s illegal regime (I suffered imprisonment without any formal charge during late Ershad’s rule for three months under the 1974 Special Powers Act) people enjoyed better freedom in 21 years (Mid August1975-lateJune 1996) than what they had during Hasina’s father’s rule (1972-1975) and also of Hasina’s in late 1990s and now going on in all forms of inhuman repression against peace loving pro-democratic people.

Kept Ershad in good mood

It is known from media report that until the hanging of the five lauded heroes to death on the darkest night of the 27-28 January Hasina kept Ershad in amusement. But soon the orchestration finished, Hasina turned on him blaming him for rehabilitating the 15th August victorious mutineers. The fact was that they had indemnity inherent and provided by the post August 1975 legitimate government that she arbitrarily scraped off flouting the basic principles of jurisprudence that indemnity once given could not have been taken away, much less with retrospective effect. Ershad’s support is irrelevant to Hasina now. She can totally ignore his support. She had used him as the paper cup not once but on several opportune times to throw off now into the dustbin. And if he decides to go against, he would be caught and put to the prison that remained duly hanging on his head since 1996. The recent High Court ruling likely to declare illegal the 7th Amendment of the Constitution made for him to secure legitimacy in power following his army led take over might well be used against him by Hasina as an act of treason and punished for at least life term in prison, if not death penalty.

Housewife

One may usefully recall back the facts that had there been no 15th August revolutionary change she would end up in the kitchen of Dr Wazed Mia. Except for President Zia’s magnanimity Hasina would have to stay on in Delhi, albeit, under India’s secure R&AW protection possibly one can imagine in one’s own perception until when beyond six years from August 1975 to May 1981. But for Ershad’s opportune favor to her she would not be rehabilitated in politics and would wonder here and there. Her long/love drive with Ershad before the 1986 election and ‘betrayal’ as she previously termed must not be forgotten by all those who keep track of own conscience. In brief, for her rise to political power she owed to the heroes of the 15th August who opened avenues for her from kitchen to politics, to Zia from obscurity to forefront, though Zia’s killing in many minds in May 1981 had been R&AW’s orchestration not isolated from Hasina’s knowledge and involvement. Possibly Ershad provided her the best internal closeness, albeit, through the well known R&AW game plan in Bangladesh politics towards subordination and subservience leading to full assimilation into what the Indian politician Balraj Modak termed as Indianization.

Freedom First

People would prefer civilian democratic running the country. But what Hasina’s father did and she has been doing is no democracy but shear fascism arbitrarily led by lone unenlightened person’s absolute rule of Bangladesh. On top of everything she has been pursuing clearly the path leading further to her dynastic rule- Joy, Rehana, Taposh waiting in the succession line by eliminating all other, particularly, the possible competitors almost all removed from the scene and the only one left on is aging Ershad. Once the 15th August victorious coup made a simple killing matter and the ‘killers’ as scapegoats eliminated, BNP, much less Khaleda, stands as no powerful competitor, at least, in moral terms, against Hasina’s dynastic goal in Bangladesh. Whether essential basic freedoms for the common people as free citizens would at all be left even in bits and pieces in such vicious cycle of autocracy, HUQQA HUA Parliament (The term was coined by me with pleasure and gratitude from the London based retired journalist Serajur Rahman) and all encompassing fascism must be the matter of serious concern for the freedom loving people. Anything short of democratic values and norms democracy in the 21st century Bangladesh under Hasina’s irrational cleansing drive at the terminal end must remain a big cruel joke. What a pity for all patriots who wish to live in basic freedoms ensured at all levels. Further apathy in the matter of the real patriots would only bring in damn and hanging to death through judicial murder of the patriots both civilian and of the army themselves by the Fifth Columnist Hasina to rule long being under the fully protective cover of Delhi’s ever ready ‘commando’ attack as many had hunched in the BDR mayhem of February 2009 against the 57 patriotic army officers of Bangladesh, in particular. Needless to repeat is that such cleansing fits quite well both Hasina’s perpetuation in power and of Indian design for hegemony in the region.

Author: KB Khair

Eve teasing not western construct

Who says ‘Eve teasing is western construct’? Never ever that is so. Those who say so, have grossly misunderstood western norms about sex and sexuality. Of late eve teasing has no place in the West. What they have ‘freedom’ of sex and sexuality between two consenting adults, be they heterosexuals or homosexuals.

The West had been as conservative about sex and sexuality as we are used to. The practice changed only recently. To be specific, this change followed the industrial revolution and consequent shortage of industrial labor when women started to take up jobs in industries, businesses etc. outside their traditional homes; many issues about sex and sexuality went for other outlets beyond lawfully married husbands and wives. Enfranchisement of women in early 20th century along with giving them all freedom like men found additional ‘freedom’ in sex matters, as well. The secularization of society or making society unattached to religious beliefs, particularly isolating morality from religious norms in matters of sex and sexuality made a ‘revolution’ in this world of their ‘freedom’.

Thus we see three main issues that made, in their term, ‘sex revolution’ in the western democracies. They are, one, adult women must go out of home for work and earning. Two, they need freedom like men folks enjoy to go out and work outside home. Three, for working freedom they needed sexuality freedom, as well.

These three basic developments created another social need. The need for free mixing between adult sexes and in the process they felt and went gradually to practice sexual relations as they individually wished to do. The parents and the society had no way out but to accept the changed behavior in matters of sex and sexuality. Thus it is in the West, boys and girls reaching the age of 16 are free to go with their opposite sex partner. In fact, parents get worried if their 16 plus boys/girls have no sex partner in the social term boy/ girl friend. Where there is such openness and unrestricted freedom of sex and sexuality at the age 16 plus, one may easily imagine that there is no need for boys going for eve teasing. After all eve teasing is a matter as we see lately in Bangladesh somewhat as epidemic is limited to teens and not to elderly men and women.

It’s true to say that in the competitive world and in rat race of economic pursuits, girls and women have to work outside in Bangladesh, a poverty ridden and one of the poorest countries of the world. Here our outlook to sex morality is attached to religious norms and values. There is little scope to change the norms and values as it has been in the West. What then can we do to make a balance of preservation of religious sex morality and going out of girls and women to work?

Stricter law and application of legal punishment could a deterrent. But that might be a drop of water in the ocean of likely problems. What is more needed is to come out from the vicious idea of secularism in education that of late has taken a big toll in the matter for both young boys and girls. The point may not be palatable to some, but to remove the fatal cancer, resorting back to strictly religious moral and ethical learning, practice and education has no satisfactory alternative. The family and educational institutions must take this matter of great utility learning with an immediate emergency call. Have the overt secularists an alternative?

Author: BK Din
Kellabund, Rangpur

Hasina for Israel’s formal Recognition!

There is media coverage in Dhaka lately that impressed upon PM Hasina to formally recognize the State of Israel. One prime reason given for favor of recognition was that Israel alone was the first country which accorded recognition on the 28th April 1971 to independent Bangladesh. That was just only 11 days after the formation of the Bangladesh Government in Exile in Calcutta (now Kolkata) on the 17th April 1971 under Tajuddin as the Prime Minister.

Israel’s huge clandestine help for dismemberment their arch enemy Pakistan had been a boost for the Exile government and for particularly many elite refugees from Bangladesh to India. The aids had been clandestine for the simple reason that Israel was not certain about the mind of Mujib in the game.

Although to many the pursuance may appear new, in fact, that is not so. It was always in the agenda but advanced afresh to PM Hasina from a certain quarter. Possibly they considered it the most opportune moment. She is the most anti-Muslim, anti-Islam and anti Muslim solidarity. Her last 15 months second term rule of Bangladesh has already made it abundantly clear her true color in the garb of political GHOMTA or worn Sari edge put on as head gear. Her bluffing the Muslim psyche all over the Muslim world is clearly open. The MOSSAD, the Israeli intelligence operatives working in and around so did not make any mistake about her credibility not only as pro-Delhi but also pro-Israel person in the saddle of power ever of Bangladesh. The media fatly paid somewhat indirectly though and the equally fatly paid lobby is there as usual to get the recognition done this time by Hasina. Their argument is that two other Muslim countries, Turkey and Egypt, have long ago accorded recognition to Israel. The opposite argument remained there that nearly sixty other Muslim countries have not yet accord recognition not because of their religious attachment to Judaism, a great revealed religion and otherwise brotherly too with Islam, but for the fact that Israel had been artificially created in mid last century by the Christian big powers out of shear jealousy against Islam and the Muslims. Further than that, the land of the State of Israel was forcibly occupied from the Palestinians through driving them out. The forcible driving out of the Palestinians from small pockets there has still been continuing each day in and out. The status of Israel is thus a seriously illegal and immoral question to all Muslims now one fourth of the total humanity in this world. With likely change of government in Egypt from being lackey of USA, the recognition accorded by Egypt might end. The recent trend of Turkey’s fresh goal from being western to Islamic might set a new possibility of her relation with Israel. If the OIC could be more pro Islam, Israel would be more isolated from the Muslim countries. Bangladesh can not be any exception like the two other countries mentioned as the people are overwhelmingly conscious Muslims so much so that they have not in six decades past now recognized the State of Israel as the issue is closely attached to the question of basic faith and need for having solidarity with the suffering Palestinian brothers.

I recall an incident occurred in early 1972. The incident was told to me in London in mid 1980s by renowned journalist now late Fazlur Rahman, the Chittagong Bureau Chief of the Dhaka based Pakistan Observer, renamed as Bangladesh Observer soon after 1971 independence of Bangladesh. Mr. M.R. Siddiqui the well known business magnet of Chittagong staying in Dhaka intercontinental Hotel (now Sheraton) asked for Fazlur Rahman staying then at Dhaka to meet him there at the Hotel lobby early in one morning. On entering and approaching the table Siddiqui occupying with another guest, he marked something fishy. Siddiqui was asking the other person to hush up. Even in the hush up short space of time he over heard something the other guest had been making a request. The request was something like this: “We helped your freedom fighters abundantly and with all our energies that you are well aware of, you could tell now your leader all those things and request on our behalf for according our country the formal recognition”. He did not hear anything else because, the guest was hushed up by Siddiqui. He was so close to Fazlur Rahman for quite long time in Chittagong that he disclosed the identity of the guest making the request. He was a big boss possibly an intelligence operative of the State of Israel.

It was then in 1972 here a vicious atmosphere of deep hatred running against Islam, Muslims and Pakistan. The Israeli lobby tried to take full advantage of the situation and did not leave any stone unturned for having formal recognition from Dhaka, but as was known the then top leader refused to do so. What would now his daughter PM do?

Author: BK Din

Judicial Murder: From Joan of Arc to ZA Bhutto to Col (R) Farook, Col (R) Shahriar, etc.

Possibility
On the 31st anniversary of the hanging to death of the then Pakistan PM ZA Bhutto in April 1979 the seating PM of Pakistan Syed Yusuf Reza Gilani a few days go has publicly reiterated that the PPP government under his leadership is going to reopen the case of judicial murder of Z. A. Bhutto. He did not say when and how they are going to reopen the case, but one can presume both difficulties and possibilities that there are causes for action in the court of law.

ZA Bhutto Issue
ZA Bhutto deposed from power by army coup in 1977 was put on trial for a murder charge that many considered controversial. The then Army Chief General Ziaul Haq led the coup against him, then took over as the President, made a controversial murder charge, and the pliant court gave him death sentence and so was he hanged to death on 4th April 1979. General Ziaul Haq engineered successfully to stay in power until late 1988 when he was killed in a mysterious air crash. The election held right after the Pakistan Peoples Party established by ZA Bhutto won and Bhutto’s Oxford educated daughter Benazir formed the government. She became the PM, first woman PM in any Muslim/Islamic country on December 2 1988. She stayed in power this term for about two years and was dismissed by the President for corruption. During the two year period in power, she did not do anything openly of her pains of losing father in a controversial court decision and execution to death that is being now termed possibly rightly so as the judicial murder. She became once again the PM in October 1993 but even at the second turn she remained almost silent about her father’s tragic demise in the judicial murder. How come then the issue is now picked up not only 31 years after but also at a time when none of Bhutto’s progeny is alive; his two sons were mysteriously killed and passed away, and his only daughter Benazir, as well, got killed in terrorist attack in December 2007 that is yet to be traced out who were responsible for her killing. In the backdrop of ongoing Pakistani politics, whether the judicial murder case of ZA Bhutto would have any useful redress is to be seen.

Judicial Murder Case of Joan of Arc
Judicial murder of important personalities in the history of other nations is on record. One such was in France in the early 15th century. Joan of Arc for her valor as a young soldier and commander had driven out the Englishmen who kept in occupation North of France and secured freedom for her nation except regaining Paris, the capital. Unfortunately, instead of rewarding her with prize and credit, she had been given death sentence and burnt to death as a ‘witch’ in 1431 A.D. Those who ordained for her punishment to death were all French ecclesiastics enticed and supported by the English ecclesiastics from the other side of the English Channel. The English churches had the prompting for the fact that the English people had to face defeat at the war effort of young commander Joan. For nearly five centuries, in the rise and fall of the French nation since then, her position remained in obscurity and then was reopened for consideration as a likely case of judicial murder. In early 20th century in 1920 after 489 years of her burning to death in 1431 A.D., she was not only freed from the charge of being a witch but also awarded by the French church the highest award as the SAINT and recognized by France as the great patriot.

In Wrong Headed Hasina’s Bangladesh
In Bangladesh we have similar case of the latest judicial murder. On the 27th January 2010 five former brilliant army officers were given death sentence and were immediately hanged to death on the night of 27-28 January as simple murderer under Cr.P.C. That they had been victorious mutineers with indemnity inherent and not ordinary murderers was rightly echoed by many as clear Political Trial (The Economist, 27 November 2009) out of vengeance of the PM Hasina for her father’s blood. She thus eliminated the only hard line enemies she had in Bangladesh politics that chilled Delhi’s spine as well. The spineless judges failed to rise above collusive executive interference for petty personal gains that in fairness all sensible ones duly expected the judges to stand firmly for that they had not been ordinary killers but heroes of successful mutiny that in it enjoyed indemnity for bloodletting during coup proper. That was why many advanced democratic countries and well known humanitarian organizations raised their voices in protest against the execution to death. Whether the judicial murder perpetrated here in Dhaka in late January would be taken up for due redress in future by some patriotic souls in government replacing the vengeful fifth columnist wrong headed woman (Earlier the freer High Court so judged her as wrong headed) Hasina, no matter if that would take 35 years as she took in her blood thirst remains to be seen for the future progeny.

Unity of Inner Voice
From the available information from authentic sources there seemed to have had curious unity of ‘Inner Voice’ that inspired both Joan and Farook for the task they had undertaken in driving out particular anti-national oppressors of their own times and places. Farook, etc. had no remorse but pride as was well known for the heroically noble job undertaken on the 15th August 1975 just as Joan of France did have no remorse but pride in her driving out the occupier Englishmen. During her so-called partisan trial in Paris in 1931 youthful Joan of Arc stated very firmly: “Everything that I have done that was good I did by command of my voices” (Brockhampton, Dictionary of World History, London edition 1997, p.321). In their unity of inner voices it was clearly established that they were spiritually elevated souls and have undoubtedly become the great SHAHIDS or martyrs.

Author: BK Din

Bangladesh – Ripe for Revolution

While watching the scenes of violence in Kyrgyzstan where a despotic government was recently overthrown I could not help but feel that such scenes of public outrage could repeat itself in Bangladesh with Awami Leaguers being rounded up, beaten-up and shot for their arrogant misuse of power and the utter criminality and shamelessness of their supporters. The Kyrgyzstan revolution is said to have been orchestrated by Russia to undermine US penetration of the country and to bring the Central Asian region back within Moscow’s sphere of influence and control. I doubt such external stimulus will be required to enrage the population of Bangladesh against the Awami League government who has managed in 15 months to make every citizen of the country – who is not a fanatic Awami Leaguer - a sworn enemy. We have, of course, been here before during the misrule of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman where a two-thirds majority in Parliament was no guarantor of longevity. The
crimes of the Mujib regime are well known and we are again relearning the meaning of oppression and despotism through his daughter who could suffer the same fact as her father and many believe justifiably so.

When walking through the streets of Dhaka the scent of revolution may still not be quite so perceptible but the feeling that something is in the air waiting to be born from violence and bloodshed is certainly there. The anger and frustration against this government is building –up. Lists are being drawn up and meetings held through out the length and breadth of the country on how to remove this sick and disgraceful excuse of a government. The offences of this government are numerous and include murder, rape torture, massive corruption and nepotism while the supporters of the AL are engaged in forcible takeover of private property and businesses and they have turned our universities and colleges into battlefields.

One need not mention the atrocities committed at Pilkhana to understand the seething hatred within the hearts of every Bangladeshi (who is not an Awami Leaguer) against this government. The use of the judiciary as an instrument of political oppression is a new crime which was not even within the contemplation of the original Baksalites of 74-75. Now no one can be sure of obtaining justice in our courts. We worry unnecessarily about the fairness of the War Crimes trials but what about the ordinary cases coming to our courts. Can the ordinary people expect fair and neutral justice from our courts run by corrupt AL judges? Why are we so concerned about the fate of a few alleged war criminals when the mass of the people can no longer get justice? Are these not the issues from which revolution is born? The instruments of government oppression – the police- will be also dealt with harshly for their corruption and incompetence. Police officers found assisting
this government in its nefarious designs will be identified and their end is very near.

A few years ago Eliza Griswold warned of an imminent Islamist revolution in Bangladesh but this prediction was both premature and its premise mistaken. There will not be an Islamist revolution instead there will be a rising up of the masses against this government as they demand water, power, freedom, justice and security. The defense of Islam will be an important if not crucial factor in the coming fight but Bangladesh will not be allowed to become another Afghanistan or Pakistan. We do not want a Taliban State we want a just and legitimate government. This government was brought in through conspiracy of India and its stooge Gen. Moin U Ahmed. In gratitude for this immense favour the AL is slowly selling this country to our hegemonic neighbour. This cannot be allowed to happen and must be resisted in order to defend our sovereignty and national integrity.

This is not a program for revolution but only an indication of its coming. The planners and organizers of this revolution are already hard at work inspiring the masses to rise and remove this illegitimate government.

Source: Internet

Hasina’s Vengeful Political Trials: For Credibility Do it in the International Court of Justice at The Hague.

Trial with Fairness?
There are suggestions around from responsible intellectuals that the ensuing trial of the alleged war crimes or crimes against humanity must be fair, neutral and must meet international standards. The suggestion is just and to meet the basic requirements of the due process for credibly upholding the rule of law. Should any sensible and rational soul expect that the trial be fair, neutral and free from interference? Let us examine the expectation from some relevant experience so far the sensible men and women had from Hasina’s entering into politics and then particularly running the administration as the PM irrationally and egoistically with tunnel vision hardly for common welfare of the people but driven solely by her personal vengeance.

Low IQ:
One knowing background facts of Hasina’s entering into politics must have marked few facts. First, she was not groomed to take the profession for her father Mujib considered her unfit for the job and so gave her in marriage in her teen. One source confirmed that she had very low IQ so much so that she failed in Civics in high school class Nine Examination for her to earn rebuke from the political leader Mujib. Second, Mujib groomed for successive leadership his two sons Kamal and Jamal, albeit, in conjunction with Fazlul Haq Moni, his close nephew. That Mujib was brought up in a lower middle class Muslim family ideas and values, he had despise for any of woman, much less his daughter, taking up political leadership. Hasina was not given in marriage in any political family either but arranged in a middle class rural farming family in which Hasina’s husband being the only brilliant young man happened to be a trained nuclear scientist. He had no political acumen but in his own subject area, though a strong value laden good and virtuous person for being conditioned from the religious family.

Origin of deep vengeance:
Hasina and her husband Dr Wazed had a short conjugal life when they had only two issues. On loosing her father in a victorious army coup in August 1975, at that time she was with her husband in Germany, was picked up from there by Indian PM Indira’s special secret and security men and flown to Delhi along with her husband and two kids. Naturally she was psychologically disturbed at the worst for she not only lost her father but also some other relations in the Army coup. There was nothing for her to enter into active politics then. But for the six years she stayed on there until mid May 1981 under special care and protection of Indian security and intelligence, she was groomed to take up mental preparation to take up politics at some opportune moment. The security and protection provided by Delhi along with her brainwashing for the long period in midst of her psychological ailments of loosing dear ones gave her the golden chance to enter into Bangladesh politics.

R&AW got her into Politics:
By mid May 1981 she broke some deal certainly through the R&AW with Dhaka authorities then topped by President Ziaur Rahman, and returned to Dhaka from Delhi as the victorious warrior and almost overnight tipped to the position of the President of the Awami League. Curiously enough, President Zia was killed by the R&AW agents and operatives on the 30th May, 1981 (Indian media disclosed later on the involvement of killing Zia by the organized plan of the R&AW and their agents under Indian PM Indira’s direct surveillance) just two weeks after Hasina’s return from Delhi. Not only that. She was then trying to flee from Bangladesh to India again and was caught unaware by the Bangladesh security persons at the Akhaura border in the east of the country.

Confusion followed Zia’s Assassination:
In utter confusion due to Zia’s assassination, though Justice Sattar, the Vice President took over, he was soon removed by another R&AW man General Ershad in March 24 1982. Ershad rehabilitated with R&AW’s full blessings (Ershad’s R&AW connection: M.T. Hussain, Patriot Traitor Question: Bangladesh Syndrome, 2005) Hasina into Bangladesh politics. Hasina also in return provided legitimacy to Ershad’s illegal army take over. It was then for her to count days for reprisal in her verbatim: “AMI RAJNITI GHRINA KORI KINTU PITRI HOTYAR PROTISHODH NEER JONYAI RAJNITITE ESHECHI” – I hated politics but took it up to avenge the blood of my father (daily Naya Diganta, 24 March 2009).

She missed the target in 1991:
She was sure with full backing of the R&AW that she would win the election in the downfall of army Prsident Ershad in 1990. But the people decided otherwise not to give her power of the State but rather to novice Khaleda and her husband Zia’s party BNP. Although BNP stayed in power for the full five year term, organizationally BNP lost ground and the Awami League gained strength. The election held on schedule in February 1996 though won by the BNP, it had to give in for Awami League’s engineering total anarchy for a curious Caretaker Government for three months to hold fresh election.

Hasina hoodwinked simple folks:
This time Hasina took to some crucially innovative tactics just to hoodwink the simple minded religious people with millions of poster herself clad in BORKA praying with two hands up towards sky in front of the holy KABA. Naturally this poster distributed in millions and pasted on walls, trains, buses, trucks etc. played a lot for her to do better in the 1996 June election. Not only this; she had another set of millions of posters in which she appealed to the people to forgive all past mistakes of the Awami League for once and vote for the party to win the election. The party did better but not enough to form the government. She then bargained with Ershad who had been in prison for over five years then on longer sentences for corruption to support her to make majority and form the government. The bargain struck was that Ershad’s party elected members would support Awami League in the parliament in exchange for Ershad’s release from prison by the incoming Hasina’s government. The deal worked and Hasina formed the government for the first time after 21 years since the Awmi League ended in 1975 mid August.

Promises forgotten:
Soon after she formed the government she forgot all previous promises of a good Muslim- forgiveness, broadness of mind, higher humane values, etc that mattered in running a country with tolerance, fellow feelings, consideration for others in building a welfare society in midst of resource constraints and millions of people living under grinding poverty. She started to fall on all opposition elements by unleashing her vengeful cadres on the one side and using the administration, police, Judiciary etc. in her own political advantage. The most unexpected one was her swoop on the 1975 August 15 heroes- Col® Farook, Major® Huda, Col® Shahreer, Major® Mohiuddin etc. who had been in the country and did not think of staying out like some other heroes of the 15th August did for fear of reprisal.

Indemnity violated:
To make the long story short she kept her total administration and cadres fully engaged during 1996-2001 for five years in having a verdict of death penalty in the framed up murder case in vengeance of her father’s blood. Not only that the due process of law had been interfered with to get a death penalty verdict but also that her political cadres took out huge processions led by Home Minister Nasim to mortally intimidate the judges of the High Court to get the death sentence made in the lower court confirmed. Thus the three stages of the due process passed five years, her term expired in office. The fresh election was due. She had to quit but appealed to the electorate to vote for her and her party again to win so that she could hang the ‘killers’ of her father in her own hand!. Note the vengeful psyche and her animally instinctive egoistic driving force for taking the lives of the accused (12) whereas the 15th August occurrence in Dhaka for change of political hands had in no way been a simple murder case but a successful army coup d’ etat having immunity for any bloodletting by itself.

Hasina termed President Shahabuddin as betrayer:
Her failure in 2001 October election made her like a mad dog so much so that she rebuked the President of the Care Taker Government Justice Shahabuddin she had earlier made him agree to be the President, a well known honest person of integrity, as ‘betrayer’ (The Independent 5th January 2002) for he did neither ensure her win nor agreed to cancel the election result and hold fresh election in which the BNP won with over two third majority!.

Madness for Judicial murders:
Her madness went on and on until she could make the deal in 2007 11 January change and the managed election under close planning of the R&AW, etc. to win in the December 2008 election. This win gave her absolute power in bigger way with more than two third majorities. The government she formed on the 6th January 2009 made her crazier. She managed through executive interference and collusion the historic judicial murders of the five heroes in unusual haste taking also advantage of the generation gap and information gap of 35 years giving her father a new angelic image whereas 35 years ago he fell as the most despised one (Anthony Mascarenhas’s term, BONGOSHOTRU) so much so that none was known to have lamented the fall but were jubilant. She did the heinous judicial murder of the five deeply patriotic army officers of the brilliant categories through the ‘POLITICAL TRIAL’ (The Economist, 27 November 2009) despite appeals for their lives from many advanced democracies and humanitarian organizations. She did not get her father notorious PHARAOH back to life but met well her animal blood thirst she had been having in her psyche for over 35 years, albeit, in line with the design for GREAT GAME regional policy of the Brahministic Delhi and the R&AW.

Further quenching of blood thirst:
And further on she looks set, in full conformity with Delhi, to make another bigger set of similar judicial murders of some particular ‘accused’ through mockery of justice in the so-called case of crimes against humanity calculatedly leaving off the mass murder of the Biharies etc. in 1971 (See, the late Italian journalist Oriana Fallaci’s eye witness account in late December 1971) who stood for the preservation of federation in 1971. The process set on clearly signalled that they are the prosecutors, the juries and the judges, apart from the crucial fact that the term ‘war’, its extent and legitimacy have all been ignored, in addition to arbitrarily setting new format for evidences and code for prosecutors ignoring the existing ones in the Cr.P.C. that would suit their or VICTORS’ JUSTICE just as they arbitrarily did many serious deviations and undue unethical and immoral executive manipulations in the so-called murder case of the 15th August 1975 heroes.

Prosecute in the ICJ at The Hague:
What is at stake that under the vengeful ‘Wrong Headed’ (Earlier High Court observations) Hasina there is no scope for any fairness, neutrality and justice free from undue and immoral interference of the executive except for punishing some scapegoats of one side, not all those who had, in fact, been engaged from both sides of the divide. For fairness both sides must be brought to justice following what the Chief Prosecutor of the Nuremberg Trial Justice Robert H Jackson stated long before: “If certain acts and actions of treaties are crimes, they are crimes whether the United States does or whether Germany does them, we are not prepared to lay down a rule of criminal conduct against others which we would not be willing to invoked against us” (See, Russel Tribunal document of mid last century). Thus the prosecution, if any such to be done, must be made at the International Court of Justice (ICC) at The Hague just as some other being in due process there in regard to human rights violations in Bosnia in early 1990s by the Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic for credibility and not in any way in Dhaka in the partisan Tribunal formed on the 25th March 2010.

Author: H B Khair

New polarization in Bangladeshi politics

The two-year semi-military rule, spanning from the end of the BNP-Jamaat government in 2006 and the assumption of power by the Awami League and a number of other allied parties in 2008, was an intervening period that facilitated a new polarization in Bangladeshi politics. In the Bangladeshi political culture of the last quarter of the twentieth century, politicians made dividends on two demons: anti-liberation forces and the military autocratic regime of General Ershad. However, using his political card, the despotic, tyrannical Ershad has now been able to erase the astounding and atrocious record of corruption and misuse of office. He has been graciously embraced by Awami League, which gives him the credit of a kingmaker.

Since a big chunk of the media is generally generous to Awami League, this marriage between it and Ershad’s Jatia Party has been taken for granted, for which Awami League has not had to pay any political price at all. However, BNP was not forgiven. An all-out attack has been on the party for making an alliance with Jamaat, commonly branded as an anti-liberation political force in Bangladesh.

Interestingly, since Awami League came to power this time, its usual anti-Jamaat stance has had an added dimension. Government ministers and Awami intellectuals have now been increasingly distrustful of all Islamic elements including people regular in mosques. This becomes more obvious when we see the Awami purists become wary and suspicious of the Islamic people in the rank and file of the party. They tend to launch purging operations to get rid of elements that refuse to comply with its new vision and strategy.

This new vision and strategy of Awami League is highly influenced by two overarching considerations: loyalty to India and cultural syncreticism which espouses inclusion of Hindu cultural values in the name of sub-continental indigenous traditions. Eventually, among the Awami affiliates, people who find it inconceivable to bow down to Indian political, economic and cultural hegemony and to embrace Hindu cultural values will feel misfit within the party. Until that happens, I anticipate tensions within the Awami League, as the historical experiences of the Muslims of this region will forbid many members and sympathizers of Awami League to comply with its pro-India and pro-Hindu leanings. Beyond the rim of the internal politics of Awami League, Bangladesh is at a crossroads, as despite all protestations of politicians it now struggles to remain an independent country in the true sense of the term.

Author: Shimul Chaudhury