The country’s political arena has always been riddled with disputes — an old sickness we’ve carried for decades. For 54 years we’ve moved forward amid this constant strife. Whenever a party gains power, it clings to it as if glued with superglue; but once out of power, the same party suddenly portrays itself as a patriot. The Awami League remained in power for sixteen consecutive years through abductions, killings, torture and persecution, corruption and malfeasance, and violations of human and voting rights. During that period, hardly any wrongdoing was left undone. Murders were carried out under state sponsorship, fabricated “militancy dramas” were staged at will, criminals were decorated with rewards, and the corrupt were hailed as symbols of integrity.
Most recently, during the July revolution, people were shot like birds. Thousands were maimed. Tens of thousands of crores of taka of the country’s wealth were looted. Because of that, enraged students and citizens drove the Awami League out of the country at the cost of blood. The party chairperson of the Awami League fled the country to save her life. By strangling her own party, she protected herself and her relatives. Yet even after being disgraced, there is no minimum sign of remorse. She is trying to take root abroad after being uprooted in her own country. The naked form of this effort was witnessed by the world on 22 September around JFK Airport in the United States. An incident occurred that damaged the country’s dignity. It became clear to foreigners what level of civilization we stand at.
Of course, for those who have gone abroad and whose politics have been banned, the country’s honor is not their main concern. This exiled force again proved that for them tarnishing the country’s reputation is not shameful but a matter of pride — and that is their true nature. While Dr. Muhammad Yunus is in the United States, they may be capable of committing even more unpleasant acts. For that reason, an interim government and all political parties must come under one umbrella. To confront this evil force firmly, there is no alternative to elections in February. If there are covert enemies inside the government, and if political parties are divided over the election issue, then this exiled evil force will again get an opportunity to return to the country. Then people must be prepared not only for eggs but for many other things.
Chief Adviser Professor Dr. Muhammad Yunus went to the United Nations as head of government for the second time. Last year, when he attended the U.N. session for the first time, the assembly’s dignitaries congratulated him. He is not only Bangladesh’s head of government; he is also a Nobel laureate. For that reason he is a more widely acceptable figure to many. The world body did not spare its respect for him. The first time he took the July revolutionaries with him. He explained in detail how the revolution happened, how he became head of government, and who was the mastermind of the revolution. He was greeted with tumultuous applause. This time his travel companions are political leaders — two big parties and one new party. Compared with last year, the chief advisor’s branding this time will be somewhat different. Because the message to foreigners is that extreme disunity has arisen in Bangladesh politics. Particularly, the distance between BNP and Jamaat is greatest.
The revolutionaries’ new party is now also a factor. A concord commission was formed to repair the fractured wall of disunity. Even so, unity is not happening. If foreigners see that Prof Yunus is reconciling everyone and working together, his international reputation will grow. The nation also desires unity. At this moment the nation hopes that the three party leaders will return from the U.N. and bring good news to the people — that political parties will forget their differences, all parties will agree and launch a new journey of democracy. The people will cast their votes without fear, and those elected by their votes will form the government. If such good news is not forthcoming, then Dr. Yunus’s initiative will become, as in the past, merely a routine trip to the U.N. During Sheikh Hasina’s sixteen years, airplanes were packed with Awami League leaders and activists and flown to the United States to attend the U.N. session.
To get a name on that list, government officials, political leaders, journalists and others would lobby the Prime Minister’s Office all year. Those flown away in packed planes sometimes did not return on the return flight. Others returned with gifts — mobile phones, soap and shampoo — filling their luggage after partying with relatives and friends. For many, merely getting the U.S. visa stamp in their passport felt like a ticket to paradise. This time, although it wins praise abroad that the chief advisor took political party leaders along to the U.N., our expatriates have insulted him. The revolutionaries who made the country free have had eggs thrown at them. Earlier in London, another revolutionary, information adviser Mahfuz Alam, was egged by expatriates. Both incidents are ominous signs for the government and the revolutionaries.
No one accepts responsibility for any government’s failures. Partners of government do not either. Beneficiaries will enjoy privileges from the government; but at the end of the day, none will take responsibility. After sixteen years of unbounded oppression and a successful revolution, a government was formed. Those who were persecuted in the past are now roaming freely in the fresh air of the interim government. They also played an important role in bringing down the Awami League government. In the course of building an egalitarian social system and state, the promised government is now more than a year old. Within this time many expected things have not happened. Still, what has happened is not insignificant. Ultimately, however, the nation’s ultimate expectation is a peaceful election within the announced time. If that expectation is fulfilled, Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus will be remembered fondly by the people. If not, no one will forgive him. Therefore, to preserve honor there is no alternative to elections in February.
Only a free and fair election can protect and brighten the stature of the chief adviser. Some parties and elements inside the government are working in various ways to delay the election. Remember, if in the present overall situation an election crisis is created, that crisis will not let anyone remain peaceful. Law and order, the economy, investment, administrative discipline, and the education system are fragile. No one trusts a short-term government in place of an elected one. That is why national stability is being eroded. Everyone is careless about everything. If this situation is prolonged, then every person in government will at some point have to answer for it. They may have to pay a heavy price. Believers in Islam know and accept that for every person two honored recording angels — the Kiraman Katibin — are appointed by Allah. They write in a diary everything a person does and thinks. On the Day of Judgment Allah will hold that diary and judge His servants. He will reward good deeds and punish and rebuke evil deeds.
Likewise, many people around the present government are watching and have photocopies of all files. Who pushed which file, who took and gave which favour, who acted justly and who unjustly — all that information is with many. Who goes to the Nila market, who goes for long drives. Even who wakes up in the morning and whose sleep is disturbed at 4 p.m. There is also information about those trusted and appointed in various institutions to rid society and the state of corruption — who meets secretly with whom and where. Especially there is news about which top leader of Segunbagicha regularly meets at whose house in Gulshan. Records exist of who is helping the government and who is going in the opposite direction from within the government. If an adverse time comes, the beneficiaries inside the government will understand the opportunity and slip away, and all the blame for failure will fall on the chief advisor. Now the law is speaking up proactively against fascists; if at some point it speaks against the present government too, then the Nobel laureate’s image will be tarnished. Politicians will not be spared either. One-eleven did not forgive politicians. Those politicians who suffered the political crisis of one-eleven had to atone until August 5, 2024. If they still do not learn their lesson, the people will have to think anew — as they did with the July revolution. That thought will not be pleasant for politicians.
The egg attacks on NCP’s member secretary Akhtar Hossain in the United States and on information adviser Mahfuz Alam in London are terrible bad news for post-revolution Bangladesh. It is painful to accept attacks on the revolutionaries who brought freedom to everyone today. For this reason, in the present reality, all differences must be set aside and democratic forces must be strengthened. That is why there is no alternative to the February elections. It is not possible to confront the evil forces without an elected government. Besides, the people’s backs are up against the wall. People want peace. They want security. The only path to the welfare of the country and the people is an election. Remember, if efforts are made to sabotage or delay the February election, the people will not accept it. Those who attempt anti-election actions will be assigned eggs not by expatriate fascists but by the country’s people. They will get what they deserve in due time.
The writer is executive editor of Bangladesh Pratidin
