Bangladesh never saw such political bloodshed in the past. The country earlier experienced anti-government movements--hartal, demonstration and procession--but it did not see the instance of brutality of burning people alive.
It did not see killing people throwing bombs in a moving bus and even it did not experience to kill passengers of CNG- Auto Rickshaw by pouring petrol on their body. These scenes are not of Hollywood made horror movies. These are the regular scenes of Bangladesh from the capital to remote villages as if the whole country has gone under damocles’ sword.
Earlier, no other party targeted the innocent people in the name of movement but this time it has happened. The ultra fanatic Jamaat and its student wing Islami Shibir destroyed the tradition of sound politics in Bangladesh and introduced the politics of violence and murder.
They have started walking the path they once walked in 1971. They are attacking the houses, shops and killing people indiscriminately. They are targeting common people, political opponents and the minority communities by arson and looting and the party that opposed the creation of Bangladesh now enjoying bloodsheds.
Jamaat and Shibir again proved themselves that they took birth in terrorism. This is true like day light. From Chittagong to Tetulia, Satkhira to Feni, Chapainababganj to Habiganj, Rangpur to Faridpur, Bogra to Barisal---everywhere the armed Jamaat-Shibir cadres have created a reign of terror through all types of violence using weapons of killing. They are torching trains, uprooting rail lines, digging roads, felling trees for creating obstacles on vehicle movements thereby halting public life. As if some foreign troops have landed in an enemy territory. The armed cadres have taken the country as their ‘enemy country’. Jamaat has now become a terrifying force like ’71. Their political ally Mullahs once declared at Baitul Mokarrom premises that ‘Bangla will be Afganistan’.
With whom their enmity is? Whether on the present political system, or with the government, or on the whole Bangladesh or on the whole people? But finally they will not go unpunished by shedding blood and targeting common people. Because they do not know that it is not possible to win by fighting with shadow.
Meanwhile, the economy of the country has come to a standstill. The supply chain, marketing have been shattered across the country. The price of the commodities has soared upward. The whole education system is at stake. Students are facing uncertainties.
The examinations are badly affected. People are facing hardships as the earnings of the working class have stopped. People are in panicky situation. People cannot come out from their houses. There is apprehension of attack or losing lives. They do not know whether they can come back home if they go outside. What is the offence of the common people?
All industrial units including garments are facing acute problems. The economy of the country has become fragile. Export-Imports have come to a halt. The business people are dumping their goods in their go-downs. There is none to purchase. There is no route to send goods for export or sending to other places. Everything is the victim of the violent politics.
The International communities and BBC, CNN, The Economist and Al-Zaijira media are almost overlooking these violence and ferocious politics of Jamaat. Rather they are transmitting untruth, one sided and wrong news stories. Jamaat has bought the US senators and the media in their favour by spending millions of money. Now this is open secret.
Even BBC-CNN-The Economist media without contacting the concerned people are not broadcasting impartial news and write-ups. They are not following code of journalism and ethics. A few days back BBC Bangla has broadcast such a write-up without contacting the concerned party which was full of one sided propaganda-rather people were forcibly swallowed.
Such type of rashness we have experienced ten years back. At that time about ten thousand people were killed in an earth quack in a hilly Iranian area bordering Afghanistan. BBC suppressed the news of this tremor for few days at a stretch even they did not feel it necessary to broadcast it.
During Iraq War (actually it will be annexation) it was also observed that the western media played partial role. Again the Al-Jazeera TV is in favour of Islamic militancy, it can be judged. We condemn the role of International community as well as the one sided role of the media.
The fundamentalists of Jamaat in this way are getting favours of the International community by spending huge illegally earned money.
Then what type of politics Jamaat is propagating now? Do they want to destroy the country like in ’71. They, in 1971, targeted the innocent people, carried on rape, mass killing and made the country a hell. But they could not become successful. Their accomplices Rajakars–Al Badar AL Sams could not save themselves. The collective resistance of the Bangalees very courageously defeated the soldiers of Tikka Khan- Yahiya Khan. They got the best lesson of history.
But unfortunately Jamaat did not take the lessons of history. This is the greatest tragedy for Jamaat-Shibir. They did not seek apology or express sorry for their misdeeds of 1971. Jamaat did not read the present terrible situations in Pakistan. Still they are following the ultra fanaticism of Mowdudi.
BNP has made this killer as their ally. In 1996 Awami League also made them ally. For this Awami League had to pay price. Though Awami League understood that mistake but that mistake still haunts them.
After observing all these, the party of the ‘freedom fighters’ as claimed by BNP has made Jamaat their political friend. BNP is not only legalizing the political activities of Jamaat, Khaleda Zia’s BNP is legalizing all the activities of Jamaat.
The party founded by freedom fighter Ziaur Rahman does not find any wrong in Jamaat. But the whole nation is observing the violent activities of Jamaat. Everybody is viewing through media particularly through electronic media, only BNP cannot see all these. They have become blind.
Gradually the political character is changing and they are following policy of Jamaat. If not then how Mirza Fakhrul could say the Chatra Dal activists that ‘only burning one or two vehicle cannot build up movement’. Then it becomes crystal clear that BNP is viewing its face through the half dark mirror. This is not a good symptom.
It will be suicidal if BNP as a democratic party chooses the politics of violence like Jamaat-Shibir. It will be disastrous both for BNP as well as the country. It will be very much painful for the large segments of liberal minded, progressive and democratic elements of BNP.
BNP must keep in mind that it should not sacrifice its democratic character for temporary political gain by making Jamaat as friend. There are lots of valiant freedom fighters in BNP its founder was also a valiant freedom fighter. If BNP loses this glory in malice politics of Jamaat then its existence will be at stake one day. As the largest partner of the alliance BNP right now must warn Jamaat to stop this violence. Similarly, a small segment of BNP itself also should be warned to stop this violent politics. Otherwise, there will be painful ending.
We want to tell BNP-Jamaat that there has been enough bloodshed. Enough is enough. People are now at the back of the wall. People will not sit idle if this continues, people will definitely resist it. Now people should rise against this violence.
BDST: 2135 HRS, DEC 15, 2013