After Thirty Five Years In Bangladesh Ripan Kumar Biswas

After Thirty Five Years In Bangladesh

Ripan Kumar Biswas

Published on December 16, 2006

Genocide is defined as the deliberate and systematic destruction of a racial, political, or cultural group. The world has suffered much genocide in human history and, despite progress of civilization; their scope and enormity have not decreased. Genocide is one of the worst crimes against humanity.

The mass killings in Bangladesh (then East Pakistan) in 1971 are the most concentrated act of genocide in the twentieth century. In an attempt to crush forces seeking independence for East Pakistan, the West Pakistani military regime unleashed a systematic campaign of mass murder which aimed at killing millions of Bengalis, and likely succeeded in doing so.

There is no denying that things in Bangladesh today are not as they ought to be, let alone what they promised to be. After the bloody war of independence which in 1971 secured an independent state from rule by Pakistan, the nation's first top two executivesï¿½ Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Ziaur Rahman ï¿½ were assassinated. Between 1974 and 1990 the country was governed largely under states of emergency or martial law. But is Bangladesh now out of autocracy or enjoying fruit of independence after thirty five years!

The political parties in Bangladesh have put the country across an unsurmountable political divide while Bangladesh is celebrating its thirty five victory day on December 16, 2006. They use government institutions and officials, law enforcement agencies, or even the court for the volatile political practices. They donï¿½t care any human rights.

After thirty five years, people of Bangladesh are really facing a mortal challenge while they are remembering the soul-lifting sacrifices and gallantry of the countryï¿½s bravest and enlightened sons on December 14, 2006. The nine-month-long genocide ended with the killing of teachers, writers, journalists, professionals, and social thinkers which was the last part of the Yahya-Tikka-Niazi blueprint.

But till now, is Bangladesh free from any blueprint? Secularism, democracy, even tolerance, and communal harmony are being thrown overboard today.

The same question had been raised at The Heritage Foundation's Lehrman Auditorium, Washington, U.S.A on December 14, 2006, under the title, ï¿½Elections in Bangladesh: A Critical Moment for the Country's Future.ï¿½ As a key speaker, Mr. Richard Boucher, assistant secretary of state for South and Central Asia, described his recent visit to Bangladesh. He mentioned that the incidents of extremist violence and volatile political practices over the last couple of years have begun to tear at the fabric of its moderate and pluralistic society.

Meanwhile on the same day (December 14, 2006), Secretary of the United State Condoleezza Rice announced some new initiatives to defend the defenders. According to her declaration to strengthen the impact of democratic movement, human rights initiative, and other policies supporting those that work for freedom and liberty, United States always takes initiatives to institutionalize those freedom agenda.

The reason is to mention these initiatives to which people of Bangladesh need to defend? People who are fighting for democracy, human rights, freedom and liberty, or those who are busy to destroy everything?

The latest example of using the court for political purpose is the high-court verdict of former president of Bangladesh and chairman of Jatiyo Party Hussain Mohamad Ershad. The High Court of Bangladesh passed the order dismissing his appeal against the trial-court verdict that had sentenced him to three years in prison with a fine of Tk 10,000. As Mr. Ershad has a big influence in the next general election, the judgment was given from the political point of view. The High Court upheld the trial court's judgment but commuted the jail term by a year, which means he will have to suffer in jail for two years.

According to the spokesman Brad Adams of U.S based Human Rights Watch; Bangladeshï¿½s Rapid Action Battalion has become a government death squad. Human Rights Watch warned in a report released on December 14, 2006 that Bangladeshï¿½s elite anti-crime and anti-terrorism security force could be used for political purposes prior to elections slated for January 23, 2007. They are already responsible for widespread torture and killing more than 350 suspects in custody. Itï¿½s all similar like the attitude of Pakistan Government in 1971.

What difference if Bangladesh has independence and the incident of rape of destitute Hindu Minority women still continues like the time of liberation war in 1971!

Human Rights Congress for Bangladesh Minorities (HRCBM) and Global Human Rights Defense (GHRD) put forward to the Caretaker Government a 15-point recommendation, including formation of a Minority Human Rights Commission, to prevent torture against the religious minority in a press conference on Friday, December 9, 2006. The leaders urged that the government should start speedy trial of the fundamentalists and terrorists give exemplary punishment to the rapists and hand over the property of minorities to the real owners. According to HRCBM and GHRD, a total of 62 incidents of repression on minorities took place in the month of November, 2006.

In addition, Bangladesh is experiencing a significant rise in militant Islam in recent years just like 1971. Since 1999, attacks by Islamist militants have been increasing. They have targeted opposition politicians, scholars, journalists, members of the judiciary, and religious minorities.

About 3,279 people were killed in different incidents across the country in 11 months from January to November, 2006. About 9.69 persons were killed everyday on an average, said a survey report, reports UNB. The number of injured included 167 journalists, 96 in acid attack, 46 for dowry, four for fatwa and 124 fell victims of traffickers.

After taking over, President-cum-chief adviser Professor Iazuddin Ahmed immediately appointed ten other advisors as required by the constitution. From the very beginning, he is pushing the country towards confrontation and uncertainty by keeping the advisers in the dark and turning the Bangabhaban (Presidentï¿½s office cum residence) into one place of power generating. Then resignation of the four advisers and appointment of new advisers according to the choice of President is an example of autocracy. He always prefers to address the nations at late night. No body knows why?

Freedom fighters are not getting any favor from the Government. Very often they are found to suffer due to foods, shelters, and other minimum level of livings. Whereas, they should be highly treated from the state. But the whole picture is different.

Thirty-five years is perhaps a short time in the life of a nation to resolve its identity issues, but it cannot be denied that Bangladesh is at a crossroads and must act before it is too late. Nationalism is like Proteus, the Greek sea god, who was able to take any shape he wished but changed only to prevent change. For Bangladesh, the challenge is to bring about change that is conducive to its growth and stability.

December 15, 2006 New York, U.S.A

Ripan Kumar Biswas was an intern at The Seoul Times and a freelance writer based in New York. E-mail : [email protected]