Rulers turning Bangladesh into a land of panic

When Sheikh Hasina [the present Prime Minister, who was elected through a landslide victory in December 29, 2008 general election] announced her electoral manifesto titled ´Vision 2021 – Changing the days´, people of Bangladesh, once again thought, this time, possibly, the daughter of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman might be having a real charisma for the nation as she might also have learnt some lesson during two-year´s interim government rule, which pushed her inside prison on series of corruption charges. But, gradually aspiration, dream and hope of the people of Bangladeshi are getting faded, when Sheikh Hasina´s government, instead of ensuring peace and prosperity for the people, has very successfully turned the country into a land of horror.

Everywhere is a kind of insecurity and panic. The country is under the blanket of unknown risk of terror attack. Extra security measures are already taken within the Presidential Palace, Prime Minister´s office and residence as well as National Parliament House, in fear of Islamist militant attack. Such tension and panic is increasing with the statements of the members of the government as well as some intellectuals and officials.

Newly appointed commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police invited Principals of all the English medium and missionary educational institutions in the Capital to alert them about possible terror attack. Subsequently, members of law enforcement agencies are deployed in most of the educational institutions, thus creating a kind of panic in the minds of the students and guardians.

"This is a terrible situation, where we have to send children to educational institutions under extreme risk", said a concerned guardian.

Bangladeshis are already passing through very difficult time. Terrific load-shedding, water crisis, economic crisis, increase in various forms of crimes including theft, robbery, hijacking, extortion etc are making lives very complicated. And, now the latest episode of attack fear, will surely add to the sufferings and agonies of the people of Bangladesh.

Although people are pushed into increased sufferings, ruling government is continuing its own-styled propaganda to convince the local and international community that, there was hands of Islamist militants behind the February 25-26 Massacre inside Bangladesh Rifles [BDR] headquarters in Dhaka, which killed more than 70 army officers.

Commerce Minister, Lt. Col [Retired] Faruk Khan is leading such campaign while others are also joining this notion. Home Minister, Sahara Khatun categorically told reporters on March 20, 2009 that country´s law and order situation was in the worst ever form.

Faruk Khan is the chief coordinator of the three investigation committees formed to find out facts behind the brutal massacre inside BDR headquarters. It may be mentioned here that, Bangladesh Army, government and Criminal Investigation Department [CID] are conducting separate investigations into the matter. Although Faruk Khan categorically blamed the Islamist militants and saw foreign connection behind the bloody massacre, none of the investigation committees ever endorsed such statement. Even CID, an investigation agency under Ministry of Home Affairs, categorically said that, they were yet to trace any militant connection to this massacre.

Investigators have so far arrested several mutineer BDR soldiers including a city leader of the ruling party for their involvement behind the massacre. Although nothing related to the interrogation of the arrested Awami League leader is reported to the press, some newspapers in Bangladesh are continuing to publish scoop on the investigation quoting ´anonymous´ sources within intelligence agencies.

There is also serious confusion about the modus of trial of the killers of February 25-26 massacre and their collaborators in Bangladesh. On March 19, 2009, local and international news media published news stating that these people will be tried in court martial.

Agencies quoted the minister, "We have decided to try the mutineers under court martial, as the BDR is commanded and managed by the army regulations," Shafique Ahmed, minister for Law, Justice and parliamentary affairs.

Rejecting the news in local and international media, quoting his own statement, Minister Shafiq Ahmed on March 20, 2009 said, government has not taken any decision on the modus of trial into the BDR Massacre.

He said such decision can only be taken on receipt of the investigation report. Meanwhile, chief coordinator of the investigation teams as well as Commerce Minister Faruk Khan said, investigation into the BDR Massacre issue will take much longer time.

Retired Lt. Col. Faruk Khan is continuing to give his assumptive statements on the possible figures behind the BDR Carnage. Experts opine that the probe committees are still halfway through their investigations into the February carnage. And any individual with minimum element of sanity will agree that the findings must be shrouded in confidentiality until they are finished.

Khan even told reporters that, Islamist militants have penetrated inside Bangladeshi law enforcing and disciplined forces. He repeated his assertion a week later and, to make it juicier from his party's standpoint, said proofs of some civilians with links to JMB had also been found. Most political analysts perceive it as an oblique caveat, an attempt to fudge an honest and truthful investigation, and, if one may, to let the real culprits off the hook. Even his colleagues in the government, as well as the chief investigator, have publicly distanced themselves from Col Faruk's views. Both the LGRD Minister Syed Ashraful Islam and Law Minister Barrister Shafiq Ahmed have said it would be premature to point finger at anyone until the probes are complete. Chief Investigator Abdul Quahhar Akhond said nothing could be assumed on who was or were behind the carnage until the last piece of evidence was examined. In an enquiry like this, implications and ramifications may emerge at the last moment.

There is also question to the need to have any coordinator at all and that too in the person of a highly partisan politician like Faruk Khan. As many as five independent agencies conducted investigation into Mumbai massacre on 27 November 2008. But there was no coordinator, not to speak at all of a political coordinator.

Three agencies worked separately to get to the bottom of the World Trade Center attack issue in New York on 11 September, 2001. But there was no coordinator, not to speak of a political coordinator. Neither was any politician involved in any of those investigations. The tasks were left entirely to the specialists. Why then do you need a coordinator unless the intention is to prejudice the investigation?

Dhaka´s front-ranking weekly newspaper, Holiday, raised several questions related to the BDR carnage of February 25-26. It said, "Why did the government not let the army follow its basic military manual and move in soon after the mutiny broke out?

"Who is the beneficiary of this decision? Why did the government allow more than 24 hours to let the rebels flee with arms and ammunitions and the properties they looted from the army officer's quarters? These are tough questions, and they will continue to beg answers for God knows how many light years. But the immediate job of the coordinator is to see that the investigators don't spend too much time on it.

"The fourth and the fifth aim of the coordination is perhaps most interesting. The fourth is to see if the entire incident could be exploited to catch some political rivals with charges of their involvement in the carnage."

Federal Bureau of Investigation [FBI team, which arrived in Bangladesh to investigate the February Massacre case, said the carnage at BDR headquarters last month was a conspiracy.

The FBI agents made the observation after comparing the BDR incident with mutinies staged by military and paramilitary forces in other countries, said officials of Criminal Investigation Department [CID] after a meeting with the team.

There are several indications and even certain degree of evidences that a number of front-ranking politicians, mostly belonging to the ruling party were directly or indirectly involved behind the BDR Carnage. The government is under tremendous pressure from such powerful perpetrators in silently killing the investigation thus bringing out a ´cooked-up imaginary story´ to the nation and the global community regarding the carnage. As part of such efforts and pressures, important figures in the government are continuing to give senseless statements regarding the bloody massacre.

Meanwhile, panic generated by the ruling party and its allies in the government has put the very image of Bangladesh into deep crisis. International investments will not only decline for such panic spreading strategy, but many of the investors may even withdraw from this country. There will be severe adverse affect on country´s manpower export sector. Moreover, such propaganda will paint Bangladesh as a country under acute threat crisis from the militants. Do the members in the ruling party at least think about such negative impacts? Or, they are ready to turn Bangladesh into a land, where foreign forces will need to come for ´combating militancy´? And, the ruling party is in this dangerous game, just for the sake of salvaging their own partymen, who plotted, conspired and collaborated the killers in February. Shame on such unpatriotic people!