Holiday

HOPES OF POLITCAL CONCILIATION DASHED

Army leaders sucked into party political blame game

Sadeq Khan

A surprise announcement addressing an “unprecedented” press briefing at the Army Officers Club by the Director of Personnel Services Directorate of the Bangladesh Army on January 19 afternoon appears to have buried media enthusiasm over possible compromise between the two major blocks of mainstream politics. The media has been speculating a lot about an interim all-party government formula replacing the abandoned caretaker government system to oversee the next general election. The first blow to the expectation of a compromise to smooth over the long-running political crisis in the country came from the lame outcome of the President’s dialogue for political consensus-building over the mechanism of free and fair elections. The opposition block led by BNP had responded to the President’s invitation for dialogue, and placed their demand for restoration of the caretaker system for the next general election.

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Sadeq Khan

The media quoted a section of the ruling coalition suggesting that a possible alternative similar to the abandoned caretaker system was being mulled over by the policy-makers of the government with a nod of assent from the prime minister. The President’s recommendation for a search committee for the new Election Commission, after the much-trumpeted dialogue with all political parties without any mention whatsoever about the issues raised by the Opposition, brought out a chorus of complaints about the trickery and hypocrisy of feigned government moves. The main opposition party BNP rejected the move, but the government went ahead with EC “search” by appointing a body of constitutional office-holders for the purpose. The ruling party has also increased pressure unnerving litigations on the leader of the opposition in parliament, allegedly by “prompting” the Anti-Corruption Commission to submit to court a charge sheet against Begum Zia and her two sons, amongst others, for criminal breach of Trust Act, in their capacity as Trustees of the Zia Orphanage Trust. The Prime Minister herself was venomous in a public speech declaring that she would not show any indulgence to the Leader of the Opposition by sparing her the rod of criminal justice. Rhetoric on both sides were thus hotting up. But the date set for a showdown by Begum Khaleda Zia, now leader of an expanded sixteen party opposition alliance and riding the wave of popular outbursts of anti-government grievances, was for an “occupy Dhaka” rally for regime change on March 12, some seven weeks away. The media got the impression that behind the scene bargains were in progress to reach a political settlement within that time-limit.

Bolt from the blue

That impression was shattered by a military press briefing that came like a bolt from the blue. Dramatically wagging his fingers at the reporters, the army spokesman, a Brigadier, claimed that “whole-hearted efforts of army soldiers” had frustrated the attempt by those in active service to seize power. “A band of fanatic officers had been trying to oust the politically established government. Their attempt has been foiled.”

Not much was given out about the details of the plot, other than to say that as many as 16 hard-line Islamist mid-level officers were involved, including two retired military personnel, a junior officer rabble-rousing in social networks on the web was absconding after being ordered to report to the Army Log Area, and at least two officers were detained while others remained under surveillance. A court of inquiry was said to have been convened Dec. 28.

Sitting next to the spokesman was the acting judge advocate general of the army, a Lt. Colonel. Also present at the briefing was the Army’s Chief of General Staff, a Lt. General who is reportedly in the shortlist of senior most Army officers under consideration for appointment as the next army chief. The army spokesman, in his written statement explaining the suspected purpose of the “attempted” coup, openly admitted significant “Islamist” penetration in the Bangladesh Army. Such Islamist/extremist penetration was for many years being alleged by the Indian security establishment, orchestrated by RAW propaganda in the Indian media, and always denied by the Bangladesh Army. Now the written statement said, “Recently at the instigation of some non-resident Bangladeshis some retired and serving army officers with fanatical religious views and capitalizing on others’ fanaticism led a failed attempt through their ill motivated activities to thwart the democratic system of Bangladesh by creating disorder in the army.”

Foreign media

The news of the “failed coup” obtained worldwide coverage in international radio and television news, including particular reference to the “Islamist” inspiration behind the plot of the coup. But the international press, with the exception of the Indian newspapers, found the materials presented in the army briefing inadequate for the incident’s definition as a serious coup attempt. For instance the Los Angeles Times, quoting various analysts in Dhaka and in Delhi, reported that it wasn’t immediately clear why news of the coup was delayed, when it was foiled, or exactly who was involved. Sources close to the military put the number of those arrested at between four and six, including a Bangladeshi who had lived abroad, with several others being watched carefully. Critics of the government say this is an attempt by the government to make a plan against its critics in the military, that it’s a government-made plot. It’s difficult to know the exact situation now. Shortly after (Sheikh Hasina) Wajed assumed power, paramilitary forces staged a revolt that left more than 70 people dead, including 51 army officers, before it was crushed. Since then, some of the young military officers were not happy about the handling by the current regime. There are potential seeds of dissent. Rumours have been circulating for about three weeks of some sort of problem within the military. Wajed’’s popularity has also taken a hit as economic growth has slowed, even as inflation remains high. Politics in the country also remain deeply divided. If the military can’t handle it properly, it may turn more difficult in coming days.

The Telegraph of Kolkata, India, on the other hand, reported as follows: Tip-offs from Indian intelligence helped foil the coup plot in Bangladesh, sources in Dhaka said today as police arrested five members of banned Islamic group Hizb-ut-Tahrir, accused of supporting the army conspirators. Officials in Delhi refused to confirm the claim. India had been keenly watching the developments in Bangladesh, especially because of indications that Sheikh Hasina’s government could be on a sticky wicket in the end-2013 general election. It was a raft of anti-government posts on social networking sites put up by the alleged coup mastermind, Major Syed Mohammad Ziaul Huq, which apparently alerted Indian intelligence.

Delhi is bound to go on high alert if the web buzzes with the dissent of army officers in a neighbouring state. It is in India’s interests that Hasina stays in power. Delhi reacted quickly and Dhaka was even quicker. Although news of the plot, hatched by mid-level retired and serving army officers, became public only yesterday, several key plotters had been nabbed by mid-December. Ziaul was detained but fled, apparently after two days, and posted his account of his interrogation and “torture” on Facebook and other sites, exhorting fellow officers to help oust the government. In an email sent to people known to him, Ziaul has claimed that intelligence officials abducted him from Savar and “took me to an unknown place where foreign intelligence officials were present”. The Hizb-ut-Tahrir was meanwhile distributing leaflets on the “Tale of Maj. Ziaul Huq” that said: “Patriotic army officers, the incumbent government has killed your colleagues.” (On 20 January) the police’s elite Rapid Action Battalion arrested five Tahrir members from Dhaka. Sources close to Hasina said the Awami League leader, who has survived two attempts on her life, was calm when she was briefed about the plot.

The Washington Post quoted AP report from Dhaka to comment that it’s not clear why the alleged coup participants are being described as religious fanatics. Hasina banned Islamic militant groups after taking office in 2009 and has warned in recent speeches that such groups are “conspiring against her elected government.” Vernacular media in Kolkata, India on the other hand, claimed that Jamat-e-Islami and BNP were together behind the coup plot, masterminded by Tareq Zia (son of the Leader of the Opposition, living in exile in London). The Prime Minister of India, Dr. Manmohan Singh reportedly sent a message of assurance to Sheikh Hasina, prime minister of Bangladesh, that India will be by her side and ready to offer “all sorts of help” (including military intervention?) if there was any “undemocratic attempt” to remove her from power.

Propaganda barrage

Indeed, leading voices from the ruling party, including the prime minister, had seized on the news of attempted military coup to start a propaganda barrage implicating the Leader of the Opposition and Jamat leaders in alleged coup conspiracy. After the initial shock of the army statement about the alleged coup attempt, the BNP and the Jamat-e-Islami had only reiterated that they do not support any unconstitutional method of regime change, and that they strongly stand by steps to maintain military discipline. But in an official reaction given on January 22, a BNP statement was read out with rebuttals as follows:

“The present government has been trying to fish in troubled waters by using a sensitive incident. As part of an ill attempt to make the armed forces controversial, they have directed a pointing of the finger at the opposition while describing the incident.

We notice with sorrow that in a description of the incident at Thursday’s (January 19) press conference, some comments were made which could be seen as at an attempt to add a political colour to the incident. Despite the clear explanation given by the BNP, a fresh attempt to misinterpret a part of Begum Khaleda Zia’s speech at a Chittagong rally on December 9 has saddened us. Some comments uttered in the same breath are consistent with the ruling party’s political propaganda. As a responsible political party, the BNP wished to refrain from making any comment on a sensitive incident under investigation. But, unfortunately, it became necessary to respond to the untrue, confusing, irresponsible, provocative and aggressive unilateral comments made by the prime minister herself, the ministers, ruling party men and Indian media against the BNP.

Peelkhana tragedy

The incident of the killing of 57 smart and meritorious army officers in the Peelkhana tragedy during the tenure of this government remains a scar on our memory. The BNP has the glorious history of being the architect of establishing multiparty democracy on the ashes of one-party Baksalite autocracy. The BNP struggled uncompromisingly against military autocracy and re-established parliamentary democracy. As the biggest patriotic democratic political institution, the BNP always believes in constitutional politics.

“Questions have been raised among citizens and in the international community about the trustworthiness of the publicity as the propaganda has been based on incomplete information about an incident which is under investigation. We call for an unearthing of the whole truth behind the incident through proper investigation and letting the people know the truth. We urge the government to refrain from its tendency to use the national armed forces, which symbolizes national aspirations, for mean political ends.

“We make a fervent call —-no disunity and division, unity and disciple are the demand of the hour. A blame game will not bring any success for any of us.”

But the blame game is continuing in full swing, with the government leaders feverishly equating with the alleged coup the “ultimatum” pronounced by BNP leaders in various public meetings demanding the government to quit power.

A military voice was also thereafter added to the media hype over the alleged coup plot. In a seminar on January 23 organised by one Centre for Security and Development, little known hitherto, and covered exclusively by ATN Bangla TV news, Lt. General Md. Mainul Islam, Chief of General Staff of the Army himself talked on “National Security strategy for Bangladesh.” It was lead news in some newspapers the next day. Incidentally, ahead of the army press briefing on January 19, a scoop news was published by Kaler Kantho, a morning daily containing all the essential revelations as given in the army statement. In the seminar, referring to the latest developments in the army, Lt Gen Mainul said that some religious bigots had tried to indoctrinate the pious officers in a planned manner. They were so clever that they had targeted the deeply religious officers as a way of carrying out their coup plot. He cautioned that these kinds of schemes must not be allowed to succeed.

Some sceptics wondered: were the “premature” army press briefing about alleged coup plot, which presumably could have been quietly dealt with and investigated, and the “motivational” campaign for the civil population that has followed, actually prompted by compulsion to keep the public informed or by a jockeying for credit and promotion in the high ranks of the army itself?

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Former President Ershad invokes the Almighty

M. Serajul Islam

Former Prime Minister of Pakistan Zulfikar Ali Bhutto had said in his hey days that in politics, there is never a position of no return. What he meant was that a politician can make somersaults anytime; swing like the pendulum in taking positions on politics and political issues. Mr. Bhutto in his long career proved what he said with the life he lived. Our very own former President General HM Ershad would have made Mr. Bhutto proud for he is proving with his politics that everything is possible for him in terms of changing and taking stand on politics and political issues.

In fact, he has gone a step forward. After calling Sheikh Hasina his sister, signing on the dotted lines to jump on the AL’s bandwagon before the next elections, he is now speaking in a manner no different from the official opposition, the BNP while remaining a part of the coalition that is running the government. In a recent speech at his party’s headquarters, he told his supporters that the Almighty has kept him alive so long so that he could come to power and deliver the country from its current misrule!

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M. Serajul Islam

During his party’s long march to the Teesta Barrage, the former President attacked the government in the speeches he made at the Barrage site as well as in the road side meetings while going to the site on an issue that has the potentials of becoming the ruling party’s Achilles’ heel for the next elections, namely its handling of our relations with India. He claimed all the glory for construction of the Teesta Barrage at a time when water flowed on the River Teesta on our side. He went on to blame subsequent governments that came to power after his ouster for failing to receive from India an agreement for a fair share of the water of the Teesta that has been turned waterless in Bangladesh causing havoc in the lives of millions who depend on the Teesta water for irrigation and their livelihood.

The former President has clearly sensed that the India factor is fast becoming an issue in our politics. He is cashing upon it. He has also sensed that public support has shifted considerably from the ruling party on the other issues of governance such as the state of the economy, corruption and the rest that had brought the BNP Government down in a disastrous way.

In fact, in a TV Talk show recently, former Prime Minister and JP leader Kazi Zafar Ahmed took the ruling party apart on the failure of the government to deliver. He also accused the AL for breaking a good number of promises it made to the JP of which one was to make Mr. HM Ershad the President. Another commitment that the AL broke on wining the elections handsomely was to deny the Jatiya Party a fair share of ministerial posts instead of just one. President Ershad has stated very unequivocally that the JP would go alone in the next elections. Clearly, the Jatiya Party has its sights set for the next elections.

The sudden and unexpected activities of Mr. HM Ershad and the JP have raised in the minds of the politically conscious people quite a few questions. Why is the AL allowing the JP to carry out what it is doing while still allowing it to remain a part of the ruling coalition? The AL is not known for its generosity to those who are so openly critical of it. President Ershad is these days criticizing the AL in the same vein as the BNP. Yet while the AL is doing everything to create hurdles for the BNP in its role as an opposition political party; it is not taking any such action against the Jatiya Party. It seems weird and suspicious that Mr. HM Ershad is being able to criticize the government with such consummate ease. What President Ershad and the JP are doing is extremely unusual in the politics of coalition government in a parliamentary democracy. It is this unusual nature of Mr. HM Ershad’s role that has given rise to speculation that all that the JP is doing is part of a well thought out strategy that has the approval of the ruling party.

The speculation centres on the ruling party’s desire to hold the next elections under an interim government to be headed by it. The BNP has already dismissed its participation under such a system that it thinks is a blueprint of the ruling party to return to power. The ruling party is preparing the JP as a major opposition so that it could show the critics particularly those outside the country that it is a major party fit to play the role of the opposition to give legitimacy to the proposed elections under the interim government. Such a speculation makes sense as the JP has already started behaving as the main opposition and has also announced that it has chosen 200 candidates for the elections still 2 years away and is in the process of selection the remaining 100.

The JP’s hurry to nominate candidates when even the AL has not started talking about the issue may have spilled the beans; that in all these there is collusion between it and the ruling party. Those speculating on collusion also see this strategy as a very naïve one that would go more for the benefit of the BNP than the AL and the JP. For one, the Jatiya Party is still a party on the fringe having polled only in low single digit of the votes in the last elections for the people to take it as a serious opposition to replace the BNP in the event the latter refrained from the election sunder the interim government. Then, there is the major issue of credibility of the former President. There are few who would be prepared to accept him for whatever he may have done in his decade long illegitimate rule of the country because on the trust factor; he has been the worst politicians ever in our politics. Finally, he carries the baggage of the army that the people do not want in politics in any form.

In fact, Mr. HM Ershad and some of his colleagues are creating public opinion against the Awami League on issues that a large number of people consider to be correct. However, the JP is giving itself far too much credit in believing that the people who would otherwise be voting for the BNP in the next general elections would vote for it instead and that BNP would be forgotten in the country and the rest of the world would accept a general elections without the BNP as legitimate and fair. This is a fairy tale script and to realize such a script, President Ershad would indeed need divine intervention. The AL would of course need to pray to the Almighty to come to the aid of President Ershad for that would ensure the AL’s return to power with the “loyal” JP as the opposition.

One will have to be out of one’s mind to expect that such a naïve approach to serious politics would serve any purpose. As for President HM Ershad, there could still be twist in the tale and the AL should not be surprised to see that he has become a part of the opposition coalition led by the BNP. For its own sake, the AL needs to bring President HM Ershad under control as a coalition partner, for it cannot let him act as the loose cannon without public suspicion enhancing that there is a game the two are playing.

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The writer is a retired career diplomat and former Ambassador to Japan

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NATIONAL SECURITY IN TATTERS

Foreign surveillance: Dread of the unknown deepens

M. Shahidul Islam

The army’s announcement last week of the news of a failed coup attempt has been followed immediately by claims from the Indian intelligence that they had tipped off the Bangladesh authorities about the impending danger of a coup, and, the army moved swiftly to foil the alleged coup attempt. “Indian intelligence has watched the plotters for about eight months and unearthed the plot,” the Daily Mail of the UK and the Anandabazar Patrika of Kolkata, India, quoted Indian intelligence officials as saying.

The Indian claim carried a message that the electronic communications of the members of the Bangladesh armed forces have long been bugged by India. India has a unique way of dealing with Bangladesh, and, it has once again hinted to intervene militarily, if needed, to save the regime in Dhaka. When non-interference in the internal affairs of another country is the norm, why this aberration with respect to Bangladesh?

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M. Shahidul Islam

The army’s press conference does elaborate this answer to some extent. The press conference constructs the spectre of an Islamic fervour having engulfed the armed forces, something India has been saying for a long time. The content of the briefing, however, turned self defeating for the military’s own interests as it blotted the long-held secular credential of the military by proving how widespread and representational were the ‘extremist views’ among serving and retired officers at home and abroad, as well as civilians within and outside the country.

According to media reports “the military coup sought to thwart the friendship created between India and Bangladesh” and the Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has “decided to provide all forms of assistance in case of efforts to remove Sheikh Hasina from power through any undemocratic process.”

The political message of the press briefing has seemingly hurt the government more than helping. Any undemocratic move to unseat the government being unlikely to benefit either of the political parties, blaming the BNP, the Jamat-e-Islami and the Hizbut Tahrir for the alleged plot proved only how representational the plot was, being pervasive within all parties excepting the ruling AL and its ally, Jatio Party (JP).

There are whispers that the JP leader, H.M. Ershad, knew before anyone else what was in the offing. He even rushed to India after learning about an impending crisis in the army and started threatening to go independent of the AL upon returning to the country.

From a legal standpoint, an attempted coup cannot be defined by mere initiation of clandestine or conspiratorial email or phone conversations alone; unless a physical move was found to have kicked off, or intercepted to have been ordered, to unseat the government. Besides, according to the army’s press briefing, except the absconding Major Ziaul Huq (Zia), no one else seems to have distributed or responded to similar subversive email correspondences.

Yet, one Major General, one Brigadier General, two Lieutenant Colonels and 12 officers of the ranks of Majors and Captains are known to have been arrested or attached over the preceding weeks. A source within the military says, “23 officers, including Major General Kamruzzaman (GOC 33 Division) and Brigadier General Tariqul Alam (Commander 71 Brigade) are under custody.” In passing, a few words about Major General Kamruzzaman seems apt; given that the two-star General is the senior most officer in the pack.

General Kamaruzzaman stood first in the combined merit list in both the SSC and HSC examinations, and, was awarded with the Sword of Honour as well as the Academic Gold Medal for his extraordinary achievements in Bangladesh Military Academy (BMA). Reliable sources within the military say his only fault was that he did not inform the higher command when some mid-ranking officers bemoaned before him about the arbitrary arrest/kidnapping of some other officers.

A commander reports only what is ‘reportable’, without jeopardising the core interests and wellbeing of his under-command. There also seems to be a discernible pattern in the types of officers being hounded and investigated. Gen. Kamruzzaman once served as the commander of the strategic 46 brigade during the last Caretaker Government (CG), and, Brig. Tariq was the Military Secretary to the CG’s Chief Adviser, Fakhruddin Ahmed. Given that all the leading stalwarts of the army-backed CG have been purged off the military and have either fled the country or went underground in fear, the latest move could be the last ditch attempt to cleanse the armed forces of elements holding powerful positions under the CG.

This scenario also shows how the very CG that had engineered to coming to power of the AL is now blaming the AL regime for betraying the nation. The Holiday has further learnt from a senior officer of the army that the government has branded the remnants of the former CG staffers within the military as being active in cobbling together a national government to stave off the explosive situations facing the nation. The concerned officer requested anonymity.

This scenario too holds some water as another of the CG stalwarts, Major General Sheikh Munir, was attached to the foreign ministry weeks ago. Gen. Munir served as the DG of the Special Security Force (SSF) during the CG period.

But how does the absconding Major Zia fits into this paradigm? Perhaps Zia’s bearded appearance and rumoured to be pro-Islamic zealot may have made him an ideal bogey to pass off as an Islamic radical, something the authorities needed to prove the infiltration of radical Islamists within the armed forces, and, about which the Prime Minister’s son, Sajeeb Wajed Joy, co-authored an article in the Harvard International Review (Stemming the rise of Islamic Extremism in Bangladesh) after the AL’s coming to power.

The other author of that theorem being one Carl J. Ciovacco, a little known US researcher who is reported to have tracked the rise of Islamic fanaticism in South Asia for his undergraduate thesis, the real story behind this deadly game against Bangladesh’s national security has just begun to emerge.

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Comments: Excellent writting by M. Sahidul Islam. Army coup is a digital drama by digital Hasina and Indian agents working for her.
Commented by : Mohsin

Should opposition do homework on better governance?

Faruque Ahmed

As the major opposition BNP and its allies are trying to build up a stiff ant-government agitation,

some of their leaders are poised to face new troubles this time on charges of instigating the reported military coup by a section of ‘religiously fanatic officers’ in the army.

The new tension in politics and uncertainties in the country’s security apparatus came to the fore

at a time when the BNP and the major opposition alliance members have given the call to the people to “march to Dhaka” on March 12.

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Faruque Ahmed

As the major opposition BNP and its allies are trying to build up a stiff ant-government agitation,

some of their leaders are poised to face new troubles this time on charges of instigating the reported military coup by a section of ‘religiously fanatic officers’ in the army.

The new tension in politics and uncertainties in the country’s security apparatus came to the fore

at a time when the BNP and the major opposition alliance members have given the call to the people to “march to Dhaka” on March 12.

It aims at bringing an end to the present government. But questions also being asked how far BNP will be able to give a better governance? Is it doing home work to develop a system in which the government will act on study based policies or follow its own system and miss another chance that may its way again as people are seemingly turning against the Awami League-led government.

The anti-government agitation got a new fillip recently with BNP chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia’s

call from the huge public meeting in the port city of Chittagong at the end of its road march programme to Chittagong early this month.

The opposition has been organising road marches to the major cities in the past few months holding mammoth public meetings at the divisional headquarters, in addition to the way side meetings to drum up mass support in favour of their anti-government agitation.

As it started to gather massive crowd in all such meetings indicating public apathy and growing angers towards the poor and repressive governance of the Awami League led regime, the government seemed to have alarmed. In turn they too have begun to mobilize the party supporters, holding public meetings in the districts and elsewhere to counter the opposition moves.

As part of this move, the government is not only bringing new cases against Begum Khaleda Zia and her elder son Tariq Zia or reviving the old ones, it is also involving mid-level BNP leaders and grass roots workers in new litigations allegedly on framed up charges.

Several party leaders and workers have also mysteriously disappeared in the recent past and unconfirmed reports said plain clothed security personnel or the ruling party goons are behind it.

A spectre of white terror is on the rise throughout the country as relatives are discovering dead bodies of kidnapped BNP leaders and workers including many businessmen from river beds or road side marshes who were earlier abducted on political ground or demand for ransom. Even property related disputes or intra-party feuds in the ruling establishments are causing such dreaded incidents, it is alleged.

The opposition movement as started to gear up last year, had the initial focus on few issues such as the restoration of the caretaker government, constitution of a neutral election commission and shelving the use of EVM in the polls.

However as new developments are crowding in now over many critical issues affecting public

life, the opposition movement is now heading towards transforming itself into a single goal – unseat the government agitation.

By now corruptions have become endemic. Stock market scandal has become all the more sensitive

to the low income people. The soaring prices of essentials, several constitutional changes, RAB brutalities and a steady economic downturn, ban on opposition activists in the city streets, war crime trial and other related issues are slowly steering the public support away from the government.

Meanwhile, the issue of transit and other unilateral concessions given to India have turned into an

antipathy to the government. Construction of road by blocking natural flow of waters on river Teetas and 17 other big canals on Ashugonj-Akhaura highway to facilitate transportation of Indian heavy equipment to Agortala has already left severe impact on public mind.

Besides, the frequent killing of innocent Bangladeshi nationals by Indian BSF without strong protest from the government has visibly put the government in the dock. These are some of the issues adding fresh momentum to the BNP-led anti-government agitation.

In this backdrop Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is trying to silence the opposition by indicting its

leaders in as many cases, in addition to imposing more restrictive regime on public liberty including the right to hold public rallies etc. She is also trying to gauge the media which are raising a voice of descent.

Ershad’s role

Meanwhile, Sheikh Hasina has fielded her grand coalition partner, former dictator HM Ershad to

play the role of the loyal opposition claiming that he would contest the next election against Awami League. This is part of a move, critics say to replace BNP from the mainstream politics with the government support behind Jatiya Party of HM Ershad.

Some sceptics even say when Ershad began to voice anti-Indian rhetoric in public meetings on his

return from Delhi, he did so with tacit Indian approval. They say he is now holding road marches following the BNP footprints and Awami League workers are lending full support to make such marches a big success.

BNP will have to face all these challenges to stay the course. Party leaders including Begum

Zia now running an additional risk of fresh indictments in connection with the alleged military coup attempt as some Indian newspaper reports have already indicated her son Tarique Rahman’s involvement in abortive coup.

Analysts say politics and every unfolding event are now being focused on the next general election

in which BNP said the government is working to keep the party or its senior leaders including Begum Zia and her son out of the race.

How far BNP capable

Now the question is how far BNP is capable to tackle these odds and fight back the challenges at a

time. Is it ready to offer a better alternative to the present government in case it forms the next government and how has it been training new leadership to replace the old ones? Does BNP enjoy a supportive media and whether party leaders like Begum Zia have unimpeded access to the media?

Pointing to the growing troubles at all levels, critics say the challenges are many. Under the circumstances peoples’ expectations are also rising centring round the BNP as they are being thoroughly disillusioned by the ruling party. But will BNP be able to provide better governance.

While many argue that this is not time to overload a party with such questions at a time when it’s

plate is full in fighting against all forms of repressive measures to clear the way for a free and fair election, some others say raising the question at this time is not altogether unwarranted.

They hold the view that the party should undertake home exercises on pressing issues and prepare plan of action how to address critical issues from day one if it gets elected in the next general election. It should open discussion on vital issues with relevant experts’ and intellectual forums. Cabinet ministers should execute the policies, decisions on such policies must be based on studied facts and it should use the services of experts and intellectuals.

Critic say it should avoid repetition of its own past and also what the Awami League regime is now doing.

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WAR CRIME TRIAL

Absence of witness delays progress

Special Correspondent

The International Crime Tribunal (ICT) is hitting snags as listed witnesses are failing to appear before the court. The presiding judges have expressed displeasure on several occasions last week and before as the state prosecutions are failing to bring the witnesses in the dock.

The war crime trial campaigners have recently blamed the prosecution for failing to present the cases against the accused effectively, while the tribunal in the past weeks returned the charge sheets against Jamaat leaders Prof Gulam Azam, Abdul Quadir Mollah and Quamruzzaman.

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Special Correspondent

The tribunal on returning the charge sheets asked the prosecution to present the charges properly following the court discipline. It prompted the defence lawyers to file petitions before the tribunal demanding cancellation of the cases arguing that under the existing law of the tribunal, there is no room for presentation of fresh charge sheets once it has earlier accepted it. They demanded that the cases should be declared void; however the tribunal has over-ruled the request.

Meanwhile, the hearing on Maulana Delwar Hossain Sayeede’s case were to be postponed two weeks ago as the prosecution failed to produce three witnesses one after another on the ground that they are sick. The tribunal took up the hearing on January 24 when the prosecution again failed to bring witness in the dock. The court reacted sharply saying they are utterly disappointed. The prosecution said they would produce four witnesses and placed their names to the tribunal whose serial appeared beyond 60 out of the 68 witnesses they named for the trial purposes.

In the afternoon, when they produce two witnesses, even the first two were missing prompting the defence lawyers to complain to the tribunal that the prosecution’s failure to produce the listed witnesses is causing impediments to their preparation to develop their defence line and especially, their preparation to cross-examine the witness.

They refused to take part in the hearing saying it requires time to have the personal profiles of the witness in hand and indiscriminate presentation of the witnesses is only spreading confusion.

The tribunal however forced the defence to engage in the hearing. The prosecution has so far produced 14 witnesses from the list and at this point presentation of witness from the very end of the 68 persons’ list came as a big shock to observers watching the trial of Maulana Sayeede on charges of crimes against humanity during the Liberation War.

Court reports said at least five witnesses who made the deposition so far before the tribunal are convicted thieves. Three of them are fake freedom fighters who were enlisted on fake recommendations of the local ruling party MP last year as freedom fighters and since then receiving state allowances. Several others are frauds and even a few is criminals. Some others are local party operatives.

The Bengali daily Manabzamin in December this year ran a story saying the government is running a “Witness Training Camp’ in the city but those witnesses appeared to have failed to prove their claims that Sayeede had committed the crimes. His lawyers said he was not even in the area when the reported crimes were perpetrated; he came to the locality in June 1971 while these crimes were reportedly carried out before that time.

Moreover, he was in the locality after the Liberation War and nobody had ever questioned his involvement, nor anybody had filed a case against him. His lawyers becomes a target since he joined Jamaat-e-Islami some time in 1980s and it is all together a politically motivated case to destroy Jamaat. Six Jamaat leaders including Maulana Sayeede are now in the custody facing the trial, besides two more BNP leaders including Salahuddin Quader Chowdhury.

Senior war crime campaigner Shahriar Kabir in recent weeks blamed the chief prosecutor Gulam Arif and his team for failing to properly presenting the cases to the tribunal. He has already demanded his removal and to rearrange the entire prosecution team bringing in senior Supreme Court lawyers on the team to lead the trial.

Meanwhile, the return of the charge sheets of some Jamaat leaders for rearranging the charges came as a big embarrassment to the enthusiasts of the trial case. Moreover, as the hearing is hitting snags, trial campaigners have raised the demand to put the accused to the gallows without waiting for the end of the case.

At least five cabinet ministers have also demanded summary execution of the accused, besides many campaign leaders, news reports said.

As the tribunal showed slow progress in the trial front, trial campaigners held a rally in the city on December 29 to drum up support for speedy trail. But critics say it has the double purpose of drumming up the morale of the camp as it was evidently feeling uncomfortable on the prosecutions’ inefficiency and failure to run the cases properly.

Awami League leader and deputy leader of the House, Sajeda Chowdhury even asked party leaders and workers to hunt war criminals from door to door and put them under siege. People hope there may be visible progress in the trial in the coming weeks as the charge sheets of all the accused have already been accepted by tribunal.

The government is planning to set up more tribunals to expedite the hearing of the cases within this year.

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Should Maldives join Indian Union?

Special Correspondent

MP Anil Kumar, a retired pilot of Indian Air Force, wrote on January 12 Maldives should merge with the Indian Federation. India should offer the Maldives statehood within our Union ... to act in good faith, and also with an eye on our national interest.

A founding member of SAARC, Maldives is a small island nation state on the Indian Ocean was having political unrest during the last two weeks.

Writing for Rediff News on January 12, Kumar said, the Maldives will be the nucleus of future security order in the Indian ocean. Patently the Maldivians will have to migrate before the portended watery grave.

Needless to say that India is worried at the China’s venture of a military base on Mahe in the Indian Ocean island-nation of Seychelles.

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Special Correspondent

A founding member of SAARC, Maldives is a small island nation state on the Indian Ocean was having political unrest during the last two weeks.

Needless to say that India is worried at the China’s venture of a military base on Mahe in the Indian Ocean island-nation of Seychelles.

This correspondent had the privilege of visiting Maldives years ago. It was found that the tourist resorts and business of the country are mostly occupied and controlled by the Indians.

Maldives, comprising 1,190 coral islands, is now 1.5 meters or 4 feet 11 inches above the sea level. Scientists have predicted that with gradual rise of sea level Madive islands may go under water by the next century. The country, 250 miles southwest of India has a population of 3.14 lakh. Maldives President Mohamed Nasheed elected in 2008 has planned to buy lands in neighbouring India, Sri Lanka and Australia to relocate the citizens in the event the islands are submerged.

Citizens of Maldives are all Muslims and the religious sentiment and fervour is naturally high among the people. President Nasheed in his bid to modernize the country sought to allow temples and churches hitherto banned. The recent political unrest began with the detention of chief criminal judge Abdulla Mohmed by the army ignoring the orders of the higher court. Known as hardcore Islamist, Abdulla was accused of corruption and inefficient. But the real reason of his detention is believed that he set free two opposition leaders who were under prosecution for hate speech against the President.

Many tend to believe that the political unrest in Maldives might have been orchestrated by Delhi to mount pressure on President Nasheed to toe its line and keep distance from Beijing.

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Indian Maoists kill 24 govt. security personnel

Shamsuddin Ahmed

Death of Kishenji has lulled but not ended the Maoist movement in India. Kishenji, a top leader of the Indian Maoists, was killed in custody in November last year, the outlawed CPI (Maoist) had said refuting government claim that he died in gunfight with the paramilitary forces. Belying the government expectation, some 24 security personnel were killed by the Maoists in Jharkhand alone during the last two months. The latest attack on January 22 left 13 jawans killed when the red rebels triggered a landmine blast that blew up their vehicle.

Security forces all over India were on their toes in the wake of calls by the Maoists and secessionist groups in the Indian Northeast states for boycotting Republic Day celebrations on January 26 with threat of armed actions. Some groups have also announced strike on the day, including in state assembly election bound, where the situation was stated to be serious. Another report suggests that Maoist activities have declined in other states as the party was preparing for national convention.

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Shamsuddin Ahmed

Manipur rebels’ support

The rebel groups of Manipur congratulating the Maoists for the successes in Jharkhand said PRF/PLA will continue to extend fullest support and cooperation to them for achieving the objectives - grab the state power through armed struggle and establish rights of millions of downtrodden and deprived tribal, adhivasis and dalits in the caste ridden India.

More than 600 militants of least known seven secessionist groups of the Northeastern states surrendered to the government in Guwahati on January 24. Media has predicted that the euphoria is likely to end soon as the militants threatened to resume armed struggle if peace talks do not yield their desired results early. The states have at least 33 secessionist groups fighting for independence from India.

Emergence of Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) in Punjab is a new development in India’s insurgency. Two BKI operatives were arrested about two weeks ago who have admitted of close alliance with the Maoists, who are gaining ground in Punjab, and resurrection of Khalistan movement.

Reports trickled down from across the border said eight jawans of Anti-Maoist forces were killed in mine blast planted by the Maoists in forest area of Jharkhand on December 3. The victims were escorting Inder Singh Namdhari MP. About the incident on January 21 that killed 13 police in the landmine blast, chief minister Arjun Munda said the attack showed Maoists resorted to new ways to corner and kill security personnel. The rebels have connived with the villagers to orchestrate the killing. Arms including AK-47 rifles of the security forces were looted. Maoists attack came following opening of a police camp in the area that also accommodate paramilitary troopers. Chairman of a Zila Parishad and three others were kidnapped on January 22 for their suspected collaboration with the paramilitary forces.

In adjacent state of Orissa, Maoists attacked a group of government forces on January 23 ensuing gunfight that left a number of police wounded The rebels have killed a villager for acting as police informer. In Bihar, arms license were given to villagers in worst hit areas to contain the growing Maoist menace.

Resurgence of Khalistan

Indicating resurgence of Khalistan movement in Punjab, Medha Chaturvedi, Research Officer of Institute of Peace & Conflict Studies wrote last week: Collaboration (BKI-Maoist) may fork out in two different directions – one led by the Naxals and the other, a renewed demand for Khalistan. Thus, the current wave of possible militancy puts Punjab in a much more dangerous situation. With the prosperity in the state seeing a steady decline and caste related discrimination reaching high, Punjab is sitting on a ticking time bomb, he said.

BKI activists Sarabpreet Singh and Jaswinder Singh arrested from New Delhi and Ropar towards the end of 2011 have substantiated latent efforts of the former insurgent group to regroup and restart militant activities in the state. BKI was planning attacks in Delhi and Punjab and resurrecting its sleeper cells since 2010. This may see a return of the demand for Khalistan, secessionist movement ruthlessly put down by the army in the 1990s.

Today, there is a covert support base for Maoist activity in the state because of poor education, declining agricultural produce, rising unemployment and underemployment and caste divide. Heavily politicized Panchayats and lack of proper implementation of land ceiling laws add to this ferment giving advantage to the Maoists. Maoist propaganda flyers and posters are evident at many places including court buildings and police stations across the state. Revolutionary journals like The Comrade and Surkh Rekha (Red Line) are now easily available in the local language propagating the Naxal ideology in addition to the activities of over-ground workers, indicating popular support and readership for Naxal literature. BKI’s emergence in the same areas is no coincidence.

Senior police officers said they are aware of BKI-Maoist activities. An active Naxal management cell is monitoring their activities.

Harrowing tales of atrocities by paramilitary forces are often reported by the Indian media. The latest brutality was unfolded last week. Death of Mara, a villager in Chhattisgarh state, in custody was described by Kowasi Lakma MP and Congress party leader. He said Mara was arrested by paramilitary troopers on January 9 suspecting his connection with the Maoists. He was tortured to death... the CRPF electrocuted his genitals and poured petrol up his anus.” But police claimed Mara committed suicide. Indian Express report on January 16 said the post mortem confirmed that Mara had “swelling over the penis and lateral part of the anus”. The daily quoted a policeman as saying Mara’s genitals had been doused with petrol and set on fire.

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BSF’s brutalities spark outcry in Indian media, NHRC: AL Govt is mute

Bangladesher Samajtantrik Dal (BSD) staged a protest procession in the city on Sunday condemning the killing of unarmed Bangladeshi citizens by Indian BSF along the international border

Special Correspondent

The primary responsibility of the State is to ensure security for its citizens. But the Bangladesh ruling party political leaders have ignored this basic duty of the Government. Maybe they have forgotten which country they belong to.

The statement has got some relevance particularly when Awami League General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam or Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs A H Mahmood Ali say in unison that the State has nothing to do with the torture and killing of unarmed Bangladeshi citizens by India’s Border Security Force (BSF) along the international border.

Son of a noted political leader, Syed Ashraful Islam said last week, “The state is not worried about incidents at the border. These are everyday incidents; these have happened in the past, are happening now and will happen in future.”

Similar was the statement of A H Mahmood Ali, a freedom fighter diplomat turned politician.

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Bangladesher Samajtantrik Dal (BSD) staged a protest procession in the city on Sunday condemning the killing of unarmed Bangladeshi citizens by Indian BSF along the international border

Special Correspondent

Similar was the statement of A H Mahmood Ali, a freedom fighter diplomat turned politician.

The Hindu’s editorial

It is unfortunate for Bangladesh that her ruling leaders are not ashamed of their role even when an influential Indian newspaper, The Hindu, in its editorial asked Indian government to make an “unreserved apology to Bangladesh for BSF brutality on Bangladeshi citizens” as vividly shown on the television.

The NDTV and other Indian TV channels had aired the video showing the Bangladeshi national Habibur Rahman being assaulted by BSF men a week after the incident took place near India-Bangladesh border in Paschimbanga‘s Murshidabad district.

According to another report published in Bangladesh dailies, a cattle trader, allegedly picked up by BSF on January 4, was found dead in the Padma River on Tuesday.

Locals found the body of Saddam Hossain alias Babu, 22, son of Mortuza Hossain of Tarapur-Panditpara village in Shibganj upazila of Chapainawabganj and informed his family members. Hossain’s hands and legs were tied when local people found his body.

Hossain went to India with eight other cattle traders to buy cattle through Shingnagar frontier under Shibganj upazila but did not return, said Abdus Salam, officer-in-charge of Shibganj Police Station, quoting locals and relatives of the deceased.

Police sent the body to Chapainawabganj Sadar Hospital for an autopsy. Police or Sadar hospital may keep silent with the body since killings on the border or within the country happens every now and then and the “state should not be worried about this”, as Syed Ashraf remarked.

Mukherjee’s comment

However, outraged by the brutal act of BSF, leading Indian newspaper The Hindu pointed out that the remark by Indian Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee that the incident must not be hyped, echoed by a Bangladeshi Minister, seems only to have provoked more anger and fuelled opposition allegations against the Sheikh Hasina government for being “pro-India”.

The Hindu warned, “… New Delhi needs to guard against becoming an unwitting cause for political instability in its eastern neighbour. Anti-India sentiment has been high in Bangladesh since the killing of three of its nationals by the BSF in two separate incidents on the border last month,” the daily noted.

Pointing out that “a March 2011 agreement between the two countries not to use firearms in dealing with illegal activities on the border has brought down the number of such incidents,” it said “but the video is evidence that the guards feel free to use other forms of violence. It underlines the fact that such bilateral agreements on the management of their complex boundary are worth nothing unless accompanied by a change in the mindset of those responsible for it on the ground.”

YouTube video, NHRC’s suo moto

“The distressing 11.56 minute footage, circulated through YouTube, is quite evidently a trophy video, the guards happy to pose as they strip their victim, tie his hands and feet, and beat him mercilessly while discussing among themselves other severe options of dealing with him. The man was a suspected rustler — the border is notorious for cattle smuggling — and it has been alleged by rights activists in Bangladesh that the guards were punishing him for not paying them a bribe.”

India’s National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Wednesday served notice on that country’s Home Ministry, seeking a report on the BSF jawans who had been taped assaulting a Bangladeshi youth near the Indo-Bangladesh border.

Taking suo moto cognizance of a news report, the NHRC asked the home affairs secretary to turn in a report in four weeks on the merciless thrashing of the Bangladeshi man by BSF personnel.

“The commission has observed that the contents of press reports, if true, raise a serious issue of a violation of the human rights of the victim,” the NHRC said in a statement issued last week.

Civil society is mute

When Indian media and the human rights organisations raised hue and cry to condemn BSF torture on Bangladeshi citizens, calling it a “gross violation of human rights”, leaders of the ruling Awami League (AL) show total disregard to their motherland.

What happened to our intellectuals, the civil society or the innumerable socio-political groups? Have they lost their voice to protest?

The dead body of poor Falani, a 15-year old girl, Kurigram, that hung from the barbed wire fencing along Kurigram border last year, or the stripping and inhumane beating of a Bangladeshi youth at Murshidabad border—shamefully—failed to arouse their conscience.

When the political leadership does not recongnise it as the prime responsibility to protect the security of the citizens, the people can only pity them.

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