|
|
Shahriar Kabir transformed
into Dhrubo Tara or cynosure!
By Shiraj Uddin Shopon
New York City, NY, USA
Readers of this web-based forum are well aware that
Bangladesh?s renowned minority rights and pro-liberation activist Shahriar
Kabir fell under the wrath of the fundamentalist Jamaat-i-Islami a long time
ago. He is paying for his support and activism for the Ghatak Dalal Nirmul
Committe, which was formed to press the demand for the trial of the
killers of 1971. While he was the editor of weekly Bichitra, he wrote
many articles against the evil deeds of Jamaat and their patrons. He showed
his courage in writing against Jamaat while he was an editor of a government
weekly magazine too. However, sad as it may sound, he was not able to sustain
his work against the Jamaati killers. The BNP came to power with the support
of the Jamaat in 1991. The Neo Muslim League government of BNP fired salvo at
him. He was removed from his job as the editor of Bichitra. His only crime was
that he worked with Jahanara Imam for the trial of the 1971 killers.
Nevertheless, Shahriar Kabir did not keep quiet against the vile axis of
Jamaat and BNP. He did not bow down to the pressure of the razakar-al-Badar
axis in Bangladesh. He stayed on the policy of his demand for the trial of the
war criminals. In fact, the Jamaat and BNP warned before the election of
October 1, 2001, to punish him severely once they get back to power in
Bangladesh.
Readers may recall that under the blueprint of the trio
Latif-Shahab-Syed, the vile razakar axis has returned to power with full
strength of Jamaat-i-Islami. The war criminals of Jamaat have become powerful
ministers and close partners of Madam Prime Minister Khaleda Zia. Razakar par
excellence Motiur Rahman Nizami and ex-al-Badar chief Maulana Mujahid are
constantly exploiting the government power to torture all - who knows the
criminal records of killing people and intellectuals by al-Shams, al-Badar
gang. This is why the razakar government of Nizami-Khaleda is torturing the
renowned journalists and intellectuals. The torture on Shahriar Kabir was high
in the aftermath of his recent arrest. He was detained with criminals, moved
from prison to prison, denied giving even food and water, and forced to drink
water from the bathroom. He was left in a small room in cold December and
January nights. The mosquitoes sucked his blood at nights because he was not
given a simple mosquito net. The condition of Prof. Muntasir Mamun was not a
whole lot better. However, Shahriar Kabir paid too much price for his bold
writings against the vile groups such as razakars, al-Badars, and al-Shams.
Much kudos to him for his defiant role against the fascist razakar and killer
government of Nizami-Khaleda.
This great journalist and freedom fighter finally came out
of the torture cell of razakars. He went straight to the Shaheed Minar
in Chittagong city and characteristically gave a bold speech against the
repressive regime of the killer Nizami-Mujahid dominated government. Readers
may want to know that he described the condition of the country under razakari
system as no better than a jail. He said he has come out of a small jail
to a larger jail - which is now the whole Bangladesh. The allusion was made
that under the hands of the razakar government, Bangladesh has become indeed a
big jail. In fact, he has come out of a small torture cell into a big torture
cell. Bangladesh has become a big torture cell where free speech, demand for
trial of the killers and criticism of the razakari system is forbidden
by the government through torture and intimidation. It is appropriate to
remind the readers at this critical juncture about the recent indemnity
ordinance that has given impunity to the army killers by the Nizami-Khaleda
government. Some of the diehard cadres of the razakar government such as MAC
is haunting for a critical observer like me. I bet that if I were in
Bangladesh, he would have led a cadre operation against me for my pieces
against the razakari torture on Shahriar Kabir or Muntasir Mamun. He would
have put me in custody under whatever is left of operation clean heart. His
sweeper-class language reveals only his razakari-al-badari mindset. He has
accused an innocent editor of NFB for my columns in reader's opinion of NFB. I
have read his low-class language in e-mail from the victim of his
disinformation campaign. To be honest with you, the situation in Bangladesh is
no different from what it was during the 9-month period in 1971. Every unarmed
Muslim League or Jamaat-i-Islami member was a terror in 1971. Someone could
have been threatened and sent to the cantonment for a bit criticism of the
Pakistani brutalities. The situation is almost the same now. Myopic supporters
of the razakar government like MAC have become the unarmed cadres. We are
lucky to be here in the US. The ?cardiac arrest? for which Bangladesh has
earned a big name as "Borbor Jaati" will not reach here in
this country of freedom now forever. In an odd razakari system, Shahriar Kabir
and other brave fellows are keeping their head and moral strength high and
upright. Dear expatriate Bangladeshis, do not maintain silence; be supportive
of the moral and strengths of a freedom fighter such as Shahriar Kabir. We
also cannot afford to lose him. Because, we cannot have any more Shariar Kabir
from Zia generation. It takes a lot of guts to have leaders such as Sheikh
Mujibur Rahman and Shahriar Kabir in a country that produced Fifth Columnists
such as Nurul Amin, Monem Khan, Kh. Mustaque Ahmed, and many more whose name
would feel this web page.
Shahriar Kabir is like a star that we call in Bengali a Dhrubo
Tara. He is a shining example of what a upright person ought to be. He
already paid very dearly for his moral stance. We have to watch very carefully
what lies ahead for him and other fearless Bangladeshis. The evil gang of
Khaleda-Nizami would practise what they believe in, that is, torturing the
opponents. Through these acts of violence, the Khaleda-Nizami government is
revealing their rage and hate for anything that is decent. I urge readers to
write more in unequivocal language the tyranny of this pseudo democratic
government. Is there any way to reform this vile politicians?
|
|
|