Today is 5 August, the first anniversary of freedom from fascism. On this day last year, Bangladesh was liberated from autocratic rule at the cost of the blood of thousands of students and youths. After a long 15 and a half years of fascist rule came to an end, the people of Bangladesh dreamt of building a new country – a nation free from inequality. They held on to hope.
However, over the past year, those dreams have faded. People are gripped by disappointment and despair. In this crisis, the nation turns to you, Honourable Chief Adviser. The country is waiting for a historic decision from you. Just one declaration from you can bring relief to the entire nation – the courage to dream again.
Professor Muhammad Yunus, you are a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, a great personality and a globally respected figure. Your success is immense, untouched by the stain of failure. You are a living legend dedicated to the welfare of humanity, beyond personal greed. And that is why, last year, the nation, united beyond party lines, entrusted you with the responsibility of leading the country. In difficult times, you became the helmsman guiding the nation.
Today, under your leadership, Bangladesh marks one year since the fall of the dictatorship. There have been many experiences, both good and bad, but one thing the people are certain of – your sincerity is beyond question. You want to change this country. You are committed to building a well-governed and just Bangladesh.
You have worked tirelessly to pull Bangladesh from the ruins and place it on the right path. But over the past year, the most dangerous scourge that has emerged in the country is extortion.
Extortion has spread everywhere. From graveyards to businesses, river ports to roads and highways, government offices to courtrooms – where is there not extortion? From tiny grocery stores to private institutions, industrial plants to commercial centres – the entire nation is gripped by fear. This plague of extortion has trapped the country.
People are helpless in the face of these extortionists. No one is at peace. Life is lived in fear now. You cannot be at peace in your own home; extortionists will target you. You will spend sleepless nights in anxiety. You will not feel safe at work either; their influence will disrupt your professional life. Going outside is not safe. The extortionists on the roads will make your journey unbearable.
Extortion has become a pandemic worse than the coronavirus.
In the past year, extortion has become the most devastating affliction in Bangladesh. It fuels mob violence and land grabbing. Gangs forcibly take over businesses. They cut topsoil from farmlands for brick kilns – another terrifying form of extortion. If this continues, Bangladesh will have no agricultural land left. People will die of famine.
If this goes on, no one will dare step outside. All activity will cease. No one will be safe. Everyone, from the penniless rickshaw puller to wealthy industrialists, is a victim of extortion.
And there is only one way out. Take strict action against extortion.
Honourable Chief Adviser, today is a special day for Bangladesh – the anniversary of the July Revolution. We have removed fascists from power. If we could do that, why can we not build an extortion-free Bangladesh?
You alone can make this happen. You are the guardian of the nation and a symbol of national unity. A single directive from you can change the fate of this country.
On this day, please issue an order that Bangladesh will be free from extortion and extortion will not be tolerated. Enforce strict laws against extortion without bias. No one’s political identity should matter. An extortionist has only one identity – an enemy of the nation, a destroyer of peace and a barrier to progress.
People respect you. The nation trusts you. If you can take this one step, the country will change.
Extortionists are opportunists, corrupt and self-serving people. No real political party should accept them. If they do, it is their failure.
Ask all political parties to pledge that they will not shelter extortionists, land grabbers or criminals. These people must be socially, nationally and politically boycotted.
This is within your power.
Today, please make a July Declaration. Announce an election roadmap. Democracy and elections are important, but they become meaningless if business and livelihoods grind to a halt. The economy is stagnating because of extortion.
It has crippled our economy. You know this. Those who were once thugs and extortionists have now rebranded themselves and become even more dangerous. Ordinary people are suffering.
Businesspeople are exhausted. They are silenced by fear.
Now everyone looks to you.
Professor Muhammad Yunus, you are a global symbol of peace and youth leadership. You can show the way to an extortion-free Bangladesh. Just one decision, one instruction from you, can free the nation from this curse.
Today, the election mood will begin. Political parties will oppose each other. Divisions will surface. Extortionists will exploit political cover.
But if you make all parties pledge to reject extortionists, today will be a historic day.
At your grand gathering today, with political leaders and July revolution fighters present, if you lead them in this pledge, the country will move forward.
People will be freed from fear. The economy will be freed from destruction.
Your firm stand and declaration against extortion will make you immortal.
Do not stop at a declaration. Pass a strict ordinance against extortion. Bangladesh has passed tough laws for other issues, such as the death penalty for rape, strong anti-terrorism laws, etc.
Now do the same for extortionists. As a symbol of national unity, your ordinance will be accepted by all. But do not stop at issuing the ordinance. Make sure it is fully enforced.
This is what the people expect.
The nation will remember you forever.
If we look deep into the root problems of Bangladesh – why democracy failed, why fascism crushed us, why life became unbearable, why we were repeatedly betrayed – the answer is extortionists, terrorists and criminals.
These people always gather around power, exploit it for corruption, extortion and money laundering.
Now is the time to stop them.
Last year, on 5 August, we overthrew a dictatorship.
Let us now take an oath to build a new Bangladesh free from extortion, crime and corruption.
To do this, you must be firm.
You took a strong stance against fascism. Now, with all political parties calling for unity against extortionists, criminals and thugs.
Let us take an oath today under your leadership. Anyone who demands extortion is a criminal. No one will pay extortion. The government will adopt a zero-tolerance policy on extortion.
Only then will the dream of liberation be fulfilled. Otherwise, the greed of extortionists will destroy all our dreams and hopes.
Audite Karim, Playwright and Columnist
Email: [email protected]
