Has Khaleda lost her destination?

| by Swadesh Roy

( March 28, 2013, Dhaka, Sri Lanka Guardian) Now it is a big question of Bangladesh politics, what is the destination of Khaleda, the main opposition leader of Bangladesh? Is she doing her own party politics? Her party is mass people’s party. It has a huge number of supporters in all over the country. She and her party would maintain a moderate Muslim values and in economic policy her party upholds a conservative economic role. So, anybody could say that, it is a religious based conservative party. But last thirteen to fourteen years she maintain an ally with the Islamic terrorist and the fundamentalist like Jammat-E-Islami Bangladesh, Islamic Oikyo Jote, which has a connection with the Taliban of Afghanistan. However, she was maintaining the ally with these types of extremist Islamic parties but people have a faith on her that, ultimately she will maintain her own politics because her party is much people based. But, people of Bangladesh have seen that, when she was in power with her these allies she could not behave all the sector as an religious conservative party, her economic sector maintain a conservative economy policy but in the society and in the politics her government did help to breed the terrorism in Bangladesh. In her tenure, Bangladesh became a safe ground for the arms smuggling by the terrorist of the inland and the world as well. It was also a safe home for the Indian, Pakistani and the terrorist group of Afghanistan. Even in her time by the help of her son and the then home minister a terrorist group attacked with grenade to assassinate Sheikh Hasina,the opposition leader of that time . She was saved but sacrifices her leaders and workers lives; they made a human shield to save her life. At least 50 of her workers gave their lives for saving the life of their leader. Besides, in her regime, Islamic terrorist exploded bombs at 527 places in 63 districts out of 64 districts of Bangladesh. Even then, a terrorist who belongs to Jamat, ruled a parts of the northern area of Bangladesh for a long time. In spite of that, a huge number of people of Bangladesh believe that, Khaleda and her Party BNP will try to uphold a moderate Muslim party values. 

Last four years she was upholding more or less, as a moderate Muslim party values though she was not clear about the war crime trial. Here is to mention that, after 34 years of independent, Bangladesh government has started the war crime trial again, which was stopped by the military ruler Ziaur Rahman in 1975. The present government of Bangladesh bound to do it for the demand of the people of the country. In last election, huge number of people cast their votes in favor of this government party for this reason they will do the trial of the war criminal. In the very beginning of the trial, Khaleda’s stand was that, she and her party want the trial but trial should be free and fair. Bangladesh government has set up a tribunal for the trial of the accused war criminals, whose name is international war crime against humanity tribunal (ICT). It is a domestic tribunal but this tribunal is trialing that crime, which is international war crime so, they have given the name international war crime tribunal. However, it is more fair than the other war crime tribunal of the world, because it is open to all, and here is a provision that accused and the victims can appeal to the Supreme Court of Bangladesh.

The leaders of the main ally of Khaleda are accused of this tribunal and they are facing the trial. It is obvious, because her main ally Jammat-E-Islami was collaborator of Pakistan army in 1971 at the time of independence war. They fought against the freedom fighters of Bangladesh and they committed murder, rape, arson, looting even they are the part of the planning murder of Bengali intellectuals. Their party formally formed helping militant group for this reason. So, they are facing the trial now. One year ago, for the first time Khaleda changed her voice, she demanded to the government to release the accused war criminals. She demanded it in a public rally. However, there was a coincident, when Khaleda demanded the release of the war criminals then in Bangladesh a conspiracy was on going for making a plot for an army intervention in power. The army of Bangladesh successfully spoiled that conspiracy and they started a trial of some accused. After the failure of that conspiracy, Khaleda did not demand the release of the war criminal. However, in the mean time one year has passed. ICT has given three verdicts. Two verdicts is sentenced to death and one is lifetime jail. 

Lifetime Jail verdict was the second verdict of the ICT. The war criminal who was given lifetime jail, his name is Kader Mollah. In 1971, he was known as butcher Kader. He committed 352 murders, he killed a renowned female poet even he himself raped a teenage girl. One murder is enough to give a capital punishment but ICT gave him lifetime. However, that verdict has changed the politics of Bangladesh. After this verdict, under the leadership of some online activists a non-partisan youth uprising was happened in Bangladesh. Within three days, that uprising becomes a human sea. Their demand was that, all the accused war criminals should be given capital punishment and the war criminal party Jammat has to be banned immediately besides country should be run to uphold the spirit of independence. In the first stage of the uprising, BNP was not disfavor of them but they were silent. When the uprising was going then the third verdict of the ICT came. It was capital punishment. After this verdict, the Jamat workers have started to destroy and give arson the government property including electricity plant. They attacked many police stations and killed seven police officers. Besides, they attacked on the minority Hindu people of the country. 

Then Khaleda was in Singapore. Within three days, government could manage to decrease the violence. But returning from Singapore, Khaleda made a statement to the journalist and she said that, her party is going for one issue with Jammat that government has to be stepped down, the ICT verdict is not fair and government should pull down the ICT. After the change of her position, Jammat gets refuel. Then Jammat and BNP men made an unbelievable violence in Bogra, a northern district of Bangladesh. In the mean time Khaleda joined a rally in Munshiganj which is near to Dhaka, in that rally she told that, those youth joined the uprising are all spoiled youth and they are atheist. In that way she totally disowned the youth uprising and their values to uphold the independence movement spirit of Bangladesh. She is now totally in favor of the spirit of Jammat. Nevertheless, within one week another mysterious thing has happened. On 24th March, Khaleda joined a rally in Bogra, in that rally she said in favor of the military rule in Bangladesh. In that rally, she said that, “Army can’t sit idle, would play role in due time.” Khaleda’s this speech is totally a provocation for the army to take power. But, now the question arise, why she is doing this? She has ruled the country twice, she knows about the military rule. Does she think that, if Military comes to the power, the war criminal will be freed? She knows better, it is now impossible to free the war criminals by any one in Bangladesh. If anyone wants to do it then he or she should keep it in their mind that it is the uprising of the youth. However, it should be noticed carefully that one year ago, Khaleda demanded the release of the war criminals then a conspiracy of army intervention in politics happened so this time her that speech should not go without arising any questions. Government and people of Bangladesh should be cautious regarding this speech of Khaleda. But it is true that all the activities of her proved that she has lost her destination. 

Swadesh Roy, Executive Editor, The Daily Janakantha, Dhaka, Bangladesh he can be reached at swadeshroy@gmail.com