When the State patronizes terror

Armed hooligans chased the car of Dhaka´s front ranking editor, Nurul Kabir, couple of days back and tried to stop the vehicle at a highway connecting the international airport. What was the motive behind? Many people may argue the matter as mere actions of some criminals, but, my own experience says something else. This was a clean case of state patronized terror!

Now, let me bring the case of attack on me and my newspaper office 14 days back. A group of thugs claiming to be ruling party activists being co-led by one Shamim, claiming to be an officer of DGFI [Forces Intelligence], attacked my office on February 22, 2009 at 10:00 am in the morning in broad-day-light. They assaulted me and snatched my laptop computer and smashed an autographed portrait of US Congressman Mark Steven Kirk, which was on display in my chamber. With this looted laptop, I have lost two extremely valuable manuscripts of my books, one titled ´Inside Madrassa´ and another - ´Reportage´.

Inside Madrassa is a book detailing Jihadist training in Madrassa, Wahabbi indoctrination and brainwashing of Muslim people in killing Jews and Christians. I had to work almost 4 years to collect various facts and documents for this book.

Why the attackers were particularly angry with the portrait of US Congressman? Why they looted my laptop, while there had been many other valuable items in my office? The reply is possibly understandable by my readers.

I lodged a case on the same day with Paltan Police Station after the incident. Police is extremely reluctant in taking any action in this regard. Investigation officer of the case told me that, some influential figures in the government are involved behind this incident which stops them from proceeding with any actions.

He said, "The matter is a result of deep rooted preparation".

Now, let me bring here, one more angle of the entire notoriety. I brought the matter of Shamim, who claimed to be an officer of DGFI. Unofficially I was told that, DGFI did not send anyone to my office for attack, nor there any officer in that name. It may be mentioned here that, Shamim claimed himself to be an officer of DGFI not only while assaulting me but he made this claim even in presence of some officers of Paltan Police Station and other intelligence agencies. None ever dared to challenge this.

It should also be mentioned here that, almost the entire episode of terrorist actions in my office took place in presence of police from Paltan Police Station, and none of the members of the law enforcing agencies ever challenged such notoriety.

Written requests were sent to DGFI to investigate the case of Shamim. But, surprisingly, there is complete silence! Why? Any special reason, which I may have not been able to realize yet? Was Shamim in fact an officer of DGFI sent to my office to assists the attackers in their illegal actions? Why the Forces Intelligence is showing reluctance in investigating this extremely sensitive issue?

Fourteen days have already passed. There is neither any action from the police in arresting the perpetrators, nor there is any initiative from DGFI in finding out the ´Shamim´ mystery. By now, I am having a sense of being a subject of state patronized terror. Bangladesh government must be treating me as a friend of Jews and Christians and an ´enemy of the country´ for confronting radical Islam. In such case, shall I raise a plain question to the government as to whether we are now entering the era of being Talibalized? Someone in the government and DGFI must address this issue and come with a reasonable reply. Otherwise, we shall start believing, every peace loving human being in this country are hostage in the hands of some bad elements, having ´blessings´ from the power quarters.