Source: ET
Shahbag Square — where’s that? Abdul Kader Mullah — who’s he?
A bunch of university students in Islamabad, with whom I was informally conversing yesterday, hadn’t heard of either. Of course, they knew of Tahrir Square and Afzal Guru’s recent execution. But they showed little interest upon learning that Shahbag Square was in Dhaka and that, as we spoke, the city was seething with protest. Between 100,000 to 500,000 Bengalis had converged to Shahbag to sing patriotic songs, recite poems and read out episodes from Bangladesh’s history of the Liberation War. At the centre of the protesters’ demands was Abdul Kader Mullah’s fate.
On February 5, the Bangladesh International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) found Mullah guilty in five out of the six charges against him. Known as Mirpurer Koshai (Butcher of Mirpur) because of his atrocities against citizens in the Mirpur area of Dhaka, he was charged with beheading a poet, raping an 11-year-old girl and murdering 344 people. The ICT sentenced Mullah, presently assistant secretary general of the Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, to life in prison. For the protesters in Shahbag Square, this isn’t enough — they want Mullah hanged. On the other side, the Jamaat-e-Islami protested violently and also took out demonstrations. But its efforts to influence global opinion foundered in spite of a well-funded effort.
Curiously enough, Mullah’s case has been taken up by the government of Turkey. President Abdullah Gül sent a letter last month to the president of Bangladesh requesting clemency for all those accused of mass murder. Fortunately, Turkey’s president appears to be an exception and much of the world has shown little regard for genocidal killers.
Pakistan has shown zero interest in Mullah’s fate. The media is silent and the Foreign Office has not issued any statement. This is quite ironical because, like the forgotten Biharis of East Pakistan, Mullah has been abandoned although he subscribed to the Two-Nation Theory and had fought alongside the Pakistan Army for a united Pakistan. In 1971, local political and religious militia groups like Razakar, Al-Badr and Al-Shams assisted Pakistani soldiers in the mass killings of Bengalis, often singling out Hindus. Many militia members were also members of the Jamaat-e-Islami.
Categories: Asia, Bangladesh, Pakistan
Not all the contents agreed. One must admit absence of absolute justice and fair dealings were amongst the main causes of 1971 debacle. Discrimination on the basis of colour, religion and race also contributed. Assurance of equal rights to all the citizens curb the flourishing of hatred amongst masses. Its absence paved the way for Indians to exploit the Bengalis. One should also admit Bengalis are more bold and courageous to express their anger on atrocities committed either on the name of religion or any other menace. Here in Pakistan bigger mascare have taken place on many points but nation preferred to remain silent spectator. So is the difference between these two nations.
Thanks God, that somebody has taken notice of what happens in Dhaka.
Demonstrations are very peacefully there and run by old and young, modern and conservative people.
The demonstraters show lot of creativity in there protest. It is very unusal for a country with majority Muslims.
The comment about Turkeys prasident is clear, Turkish HAVE NOT SOLVED their problems conected with regard for genocidal killers in Turkey at the Kurd nation.
Respect to the Bangladesh nation!
In the comment by Mr. Zubair Khan, I think he means, Pakistan to exploit the then Bengalis. There is no known history of exploitation of Bengalis by Indians.
There has been ongoing dispute on water rights and control of the flood gates created by India for major rivers entering Bangladesh. The Farakka Dam for one, has been a major problem for flooding during rainy season and cause of drought during the summer. Defying international law, India built that Dam in 1975 and despite some agreement in 1996, the issue still persists.
Mr. Parvez has very rightfully highlighted some of the key sensitive issues around the relation between these two countries. Racism for one, was and even now, a lingering sentiment still prevalent. I still get asked by my good friends of how Bangalees are able to sort out meat and fish bone with magical movement in their mouth or colonial era Hindu customs still followed in Bengali wedding, etc. The ignorance comes from the poor knowledge of Bengali history and culture which is not taught or encouraged in Pakistani text books.
Despite poverty, perennial flood, being over crowded, and of course short and dark, Bangalees have proven with this movement that once more, their National conscience is still alive.