Dhaka, February 26, 2013
Along the main thoroughfare of Panthapath in central Dhaka, across the giant Infinity Mega Mall – where last Friday ambulances zipped by carrying those injured in clashes with the police – a billboard advertising the ATM services of the Islami Bank Bangladesh Ltd carries a marker-scrawl at the bottom: ‘Bank of the rajakars’ referring to the collaborators with Pakistan in the 1971 liberation war.
There is no doubt that across the country, Jamaat-e-Islami leaders are scared. An overwhelming number of those under trial, accused of war crimes in 1971 are from this party and the Awami League government is only too happy to let ‘the people’ vent their collective ire against an important ally of the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party.
Conflated with the Shahbagh protestors’ demand for a ban on the ‘Pakistani party’ and their leaders be punished with death for war crimes is their wish that Bangladesh be rid of religious fundamentalism. The past and the present combine in this demand to not become ‘another Pakistan’.
Over a plate brimming with rice and what seems like a nursery of hilsa cooked in mustard, I listen to Neamat Imam, playwright and author of The Black Coat, his forthcoming novel that deals with an ‘unpleasant truth’ of Bangladeshi history dealing with the rule of the country’s ‘founding father’ Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Imam is certainly no apologist of the Jamaat or religion-based politics. Pointing at his Chinese wife sitting next to him, he says, “I certainly don’t want her to be covered from head to toe in a hijab and looking out of a slit every time we come to Bangladesh!”
Jamat-i-Islami leaders and supporters should apply for Pakistani citizenship.
If they want Pakistan so bad, why not walk the talk and stop their futile effort to turn Bangladesh into Pakistan. They need to come to the understanding that Bangladesh wanted to be independent nation of secular democracy and gave sacrifice with her blood to turn that dream into a reality. Any traitors who have perpetrated crimes against innocent citizen of this nation should be met with exemplary punishment!
Categories: Asia, Bangladesh, Human Rights, Pakistan
It is a great moment in the history of Bangladesh. For the first time after liberation, a legitimate free elected government managed to conduct the war crime trial of alleged conspirators of genocide in 1971. The opposition parties continue to question the validity of the court, given that the ruling Awami league also partnered up with the Jamat e Islami party in the near past.
After the independence of Bangladesh, the founder of the Nation, Sheikh Muzibur Rahman vowed to pursue and prosecute the Razakars. However, amnesty was later given to the accused and later on, change of power by military coups marginalized the efforts to bring the war criminals to justice. During the reign of Military rulers Zia ur Rahman and General Ershad, Jamat was fully pardoned and allowed to enter politics and as such, in the struggle to restore democracy the two major political parties BNP and Awami League formed coalition with Jamat e Islami to contest in elections and eventually form coalition government.
The formation of Bangladesh was deeply based on people’s desire of freedom, equality, separation of religion and State, and the right to uphold their language and culture. A country with an age of 40 plus years, that essence is still freshly ingrained. Most of the freedom fighters who gave their all to free the country are either dead or in their most senior years. However, this Shahbag movement proves, the first generation of this nation is well versed in its history and the founding principle of their elders. It is only expected as people forget, the war in 1971 turned in favor of Bangladesh because the entire nation was involved in the freedom movement. There is hardly any family in Bangladesh today, that do not have a compelling story to tell regarding the war.
It brings the question of – why now? Student movement has been a very active of all political parties in Bangladesh since day one. Every large political element has a student organization including BNP, Jamat, and Awami League. Why did it take so long for a right minded generation to wake up and demand justice?
The answer to the question really lies in the development of free and fair government with open elections, albeit imperfect, that spurred a true democracy in Bangladesh. Although it has gone through only a few iteration of power change, the system has somehow survived and created checks and balances. It is quite nascent, however creation of independent agencies like the Anti corruption commission, ICT, and somewhat freedom of press boosted the power of the people.
Rapid development of the information technology and telecommunication sector also enabled rich, poor, under privileged with access to quick information and a global connection. It is no longer naive to consider the affects of Arab spring in the young generation of Bangladesh. In the past, young people of the nation had very few outlets to express their grievances without repercussion. With Facebook, Twitter and ubiquitous text messaging, ideas spread free and faster than fire. Just like the Arab spring, an online blog started a movement that gave re birth of a nation’s true self. It has galvanized the old, and the young on a common purpose. Recent declassified information from US Government also provided a clear glimpse of behind the scene activities during the war and exposed facts supporting the accusations against the war criminals.
The students in particular are deeply cognizant of politics in Bangladesh and possess a deep sense of nationalistic pride. It was the students protesting against Jinnah in 1952 fighting for Bangla Language. It was again students who shouted ‘No’ during Bhutto’s speech in Dhaka in 1968(?) which is known as Bhutto’s infamous “go-to-hell” speech. It is a great testament of overwhelming good sense and moral solidarity of the first generation of Bangladeshis post liberation, that they rose up to side with justice, freedom and truth.
Unfortunately, political parties continue to take advantage of this youth power in recruiting efforts in various colleges and university campuses. Jamat e Islami in particular, has always been aggressive in recruiting students with a wink and a nod of acceptance in engaging them violence and civil disorder. This is where Islamic radicals are created. This is quite apparent today in threats, target killings, and nation wide Hartal campaigns organized by Jamat e Islami.
It remains to be seen whether the current government will have the political will to carry out the punishment given from the ICT regarding Mr. Sayeedi. These verdicts are a new chapter in the Bangladesh history with no frame of reference. If internet blogs and the people who continue to gather at Shahbag, are any representation of public sentiment, it does indicate a momentum that may push the current government to oblige. However, it also runs the risk of more civil unrest political turmoil, and loss of innocent lives.
Political parties based on religious bias are a relic of the past. There is no room for them in the 21st century. Based on disinformation, intolerance, hypocrisy, unislamic principles, and a nack for manipulation of simple minded people with religious weekness, these parties create a disturbing divide in a nation where they do not belong. Religious belief is an individual choice and not to be used as a bargaining chip to hold an office. And no, these politicians don’t need to overly protect the sentiment of Muslim people, specially in a country, where Muslims are already the majority. If they understand anything about Islam, they should instead try to protect the rights of minority, Hindus, Buddhists and Christians of Bangladesh.