Untold Facts

Gossip of ‘Mummies’ and the Vicious Memories of BAKSAL of the 25th January

That immediately after the left out old guards of the Awami League off the January 6 Ministry formation by the party Chief Sheikh Hasina, they have, as reported in a Dhaka weekly, let their wish known that their bodies would better be mummified and sent for preservation that way and for public exhibition at the Egypt Museum, there are other gossips, as well, in the air in regard to the scenario to surface, may be sooner than latter.
In terms of geographical area Bangladesh is one of the smallest country, population strength wise is not a small unit but a big one of 150 million people having eighth position in the world, riddled with problems of over-population thickly congested in the small area, one obvious issue being that the people are closely known. Gossips and rumors thus spread, at times, like wildfire.

The gossip in regard to ‘Mummies’ has gained momentum in air for quite a few main reasons. One is that the cabinet formed was not only of almost all new faces but also of the members’ one hundred guaranteed allegiance as has already been manifested through clear proofs of sycophancy to the absolutely powerful boss who by her mode of behavior of primary head teacher effectively using cane rather than any slight dissent. The other fact is that the inaugural session of the Parliament has been called to meet on the 25th January, 2009, the most notorious day for Bangladesh’s democratic history, not one day earlier or one day latter. In addition, one may keep in mind the brute majority of the 2009 parliament that is exactly similar to the January 25 session scenario of 1975 that older generation should recall back well of the brute majority in the then parliament following the shamelessly and notoriously rigged election of 1973.

Democracy loving people of Bangladesh are very allergic to the very date in January. This is simply because, on the same day, 34 years ago, the then leader well known previously as the great ‘lover of democracy’ engineered a constitutional civilian coup that scrapped off the otherwise democratic constitution of 1972 and established lone party dictatorial state, the top boss himself turning into a civilian dictator for life through abolishing the multi-party system as had been initially provided therein in the 1972 Constitution. The civilian coup thus engineered followed no formal debate in the floor of the House, much less any bill placed and passed but by a sort of unique dictate of the leader taking only 13 minutes to finish up everything of plural democracy. The only courageous exceptions had been only two members who walked out of the floor of the parliament and then resigned. The rest of the 325 members have not only nodded calmly to the civilian coup but also joined in line to pick up perks and privileges.

Unfortunately, however, the dictator though stayed in power for life, he met tragic fall not long after but within about eight months in mid August 1975. Fortunately the tragic fall of the top boss ushered new hope through abolition of the most oppressive BAKSAL and re-institution of the multi-party democracy in Bangladesh.

Having thus experienced the trend of happenings in the past two weeks as they have surfaced up until now, one may quite reasonably suspect evil omen in the country. Let God help us preserve our multi-party and plural democracy.

– Dr. M.T.Hussain