Real face of the unethical politics of alliance in Bangladesh
I shall now mention about some events that had taken place in the flow of politics in Bangladesh as food for thoughts for the younger generation to see through how vulgar and disastrous can be the unethical politics only for power sake so that, they do not become victims of deception every time.
After the demise of Gen. Zia, Gen. Ershad, the Army Chief appointed by Gen. Zia took over power on gun point ousting President ‘ailing’ Justice Sattar. Sheikh Hasina welcomed Ershad’s take over. But Gen. Ershad with his best efforts failed to make any understanding with Khaleda Zia. The reason as it is said, she knew that Gen. Ershad had a hand in the killing of Gen. Zia. Gen. Ershad could not take this rebuff and decided to take stern measures against Khaleda Zia and her party BNP. He seized all accounts of her, BNP and BNP affiliated all other organizations. This had made it difficult to carry
forward BNP’s organizational activities. At that crucial time, quite a few top leaders of BNP like, Barrister Moudud, Kazi Zafar, Mosharrof Hossain, Barrister Anisur Rahman etc deserted Khaleda Zia and shook hands with Gen. Ershad.
In eighties, feeling the heat of anti Ershad sentiment of the people Khaleda Zia’s BNP took the initiative to get into an agreement with Awami League, Jamaat and few other smaller parties to organize an united mass movement against the dictatorship of Gen. Ershad. The movement was launched. As the movement was becoming stronger with the people’s support at that time Awami League and Jamaat stabbing at the back of the movement participated in the election of 1986 organized by Gen. Ershad. Though just a few days before the election, in a huge public meeting in Chittagong Sheikh Hasina cautioned everyone in a thundering voice, ‘Whoever would participate in the election under Ershad shall be considered as national traitor’. The people were taken a back with such betrayal!
At that time a spicy reumor was in the air. The reumor that became talk of the town was
One Onece at mid night before Hasina’s decision to participate in the election, she was invited by Gen. Ershad for a long drive. During that long drive 13 Crores of Taka Ershad gave to Hasina in return Hasina promised to get out of the on going ani Ershad movement. Jammat also got some alms following Hasina’s foot prints as a part of the deal. The election took place. Awami League and Jamaat participated with out caring people’s sentiment in the stage managed voterless election but BNP and few other smaller parties boycotted the election. Gen. Ershad won and formed the government. The workers of Awami League and Jamaat were outrageous against such deceitful decision of their party leaders. The people by and large also rejected the result. Thus anti Ershad movement had became even more stronger. India became alarmed watching the country wide reaction and realized that Gen. Ershad would not be able to get the legitimacy and his fall was imminent. Therefore put pressure on Awami League to resign from the Paliament so that Khaleda Zia can not be the sole champion of anti Ershad movement and sweep the next election. Hasina conceded to the pressure and Awami League had resigned from the Parliament to join back anti Ershad movement. Jamaat followed.
In 1991 Jamaat joined the electoral alliance under Khaleda Zia’s leadership. Their main demand then was if the alliance becomes the winner then Prof. Golam Azam’s citizenship has to be restored. After the defeat Hasina held a press conference and said she would not allow Khaleda Zia be at peace for a day and she had done so. With her assistance over night suddenly an organization called ‘Khatok Dalal Nirmul Committee’ in short ‘Ghadanik’ sprouted under the leadership of Jahanara Imam and Col. Nuruzzaman BU. They held mockery of trial in a public meeting and sentenced Prof. Golam Azam to death and burned his edifice. Being nervous Jammat mounted pressure on BNP about the restoration of Prof. Golam Azam’s citizenship. Thus a rift had emerged between the two parties. Taking full advantage of this golden opportunity Sheikh Hasina met Prof. Golam Azam secretly in a house at Indira road. The excuse was to seek his blessing and Jammat’s support for Awami League’s Presidential candidate Justice Badrul Hayder Chowdhury in the forthcoming Presidential Poll. Later on she raised the real issue. She conferred that the Ghadanik is her brainchild. If Jammat agrees to launch anti government movement alongside Awami League Then she would be prepared to stab at the back of Ghadanik and she would arrange to restore the citizenship of Prof. Golam Azam through the court. Jamaat instantly agreed to her proposal easily throwing away all their ideals and principles in the river Buri Ganga.
The decision was that Jammat would launch their anti government movement with the demand to hold national elections under a care taker government and simultaniously Awami League would be launching anti government movement demanding restoration of Parliamentary form of government abrogating the Presidential form of government which her late father Sheik Mujib himself had introduced in the country. Gradually both these movements will merge togather and take vigorus shape so that the BNP led government becomes undone and compelled to accept both the demands before stepping down. Sheikh Hasina further revealed that in this endevor Gen. Ershad’s support is guaranted. The oppurtunist Jammat gulped the baite. As Jamaat got entrapped in this hinious design of RAW coming out from BNP alliance the road became easier for Awami Leage to form the government with the support of Gen. Ershad’s party JP after the general election of 1996. Before the election of June 1996, Ghadanik had filed a case in the court at the instigation of Awami League regarding the controvertial restoration of the citizenship of Prof. Golam Azam.
Later after the final understanding and agreement between Awami League and Jamaat on the anti government movement through Habibur Rahman the then Chief Justice who was well known as a stalwart of secularism and Awami League camp follower Sheikh Hasina arranged to restore the citizenship of Jammat’s supremo Prof. Golam Azam. As this very Habibur Rahman was the Chief Justice later care taker government bill was secured before the termination of the term of BNP led government. On 28th March after BNP led government stepped down the same Chief Justice Habibur Rahman was appointed as the head of the care taker government with the blessing of Awami League and in the national election held under him Awami League achieved victory. Though BNP bagged more votes but got only 120 seats and Jammat’s seats reduced from 17 to 3. At that juncture being helpless Khaleda Zia tried to get support from Gen. Ershad but failed. Jailed fallen dictator Gen. Ershad was compelled to support Awami League so that Sheikh Hasina could become the Prime Minister due to the pull of the Indian string attached to his back.
JammaJamaatt’s politics had been somewhat confusing from the very beginning. Maulana Moududi neither supported nor opposed the Pakistan movement and remained aloof in Deccan his birth place. Later in thirties he migrated from India to West Punjab later which became part of Pakistan. In early fifties a savior bloody riot brook out in Pakistan when a sermon was issued declaring Kadiyanise as non Muslims. Scores of innocent people lost their lives in that bloodbath. Maulana was arrested and tried due to his suspected involvement in that awful carnage and was sentenced to death. However, later on mysteriously he got exonerated and was released unpunished. Since then Jamaat e Islami has been pursuing pro establishment politics. There are innumerable instances of this in the political flow of Pakistan.
After rehabilitating Awami League under the leadership of Sheik Hasina in the national politics as a result of understanding with India Gen. Zia allowed Prof. Golam Azam to return to Bangladesh to serve his own political purpose as a balancing factor. On return, Prof. Golam Azam assuming the post of Amir of Jamaat e Islami Bangladesh focused his mind and efforts to reorganize the party. In that process at one point after Gen. Zia was killed power monger Gen. Ershad in 1986 after understanding with Awami League and Jamaat tried to legitimize his illegal usurpation of power organizing a farcical election but failed. India played its sinister role from behind the scene in this venture as well. Because the strings around the neck of both Gen. Ershad and Awami League are in the fists of the Indian Chanakys. To curry favor from Gen. Ershad and to get acceptance from Awami League Jamaat e Islami following Awami League had participated in the election organized by the despotic dictator in 1986.
Immediately after becoming Prime Minister, revengefull Sheikh Hasina moved a (Finance Bill) in the Parliament and annulled the Indemnity Act with single majority violating the Conostitution. The Indemnity Act had become part of the Constitution through the 5th amendment passed overwhelmingly with more than 2/3majority in the Gen. Zia’s BNP led Parliament of 1979. There after, she initiated two criminal cases so called, ‘Mujib Killing’ and ‘Jail Killing’ implicating some of the top leaders of the successful revolutionary uprisings of 15th August and 7th November. As the farcical trails started some of the accussed leaders were taken into custody. Initially in the list of the accussed, Khandakar Mushtaq Ahmed’s name was at the top and after him Gen. Zia’s name appeared as number two accussed followed by the others. Later, both the names were removed from the list of the accussed being dead. But when the Sheikh Hasina’s government was annulling the ‘Indemnity Act’ unconstitutionally with just single majority at that time BNP and Jamaat remained seated mysteriously on the opposition bench tight liped and walked out after the Bill was passed with out any protest! The illegal trials in the kangaroo courts were not accepted by the conscious people within the country and abroad. The government however failed to complete the trial proceedings during their 5 years tenior. Batton(Lathi) wilding procession led by Mr. Nasim, the sitting Home Minister, undue threats and various kind of pressure and intimidation by the government were braved by some honorable Judges of higher courts and had expressed embarrassment to sit on the bench to conduct the trials. Thus, Hasina’s government had to make an exit from power leaving the cases hanging.
Taking the bitter lesson of the 1996 election, Jamaat returned back to the alliance headed by Khaleda Zia’s BNP and swept the election of 2001 with over 2/3 majority and formed the government again. But after BNP Jote took over power and formed the government nothing was done to reverse the ultra constitutional trials against the revolutionary leaders of 15th August and 7th November nor the Indemnity Act was restored. The review pititions earlier submitted by the accussed were also not accepted. All though, ‘Operation Clean Heart’ was given indemnity afresh but BNP Jote government refrained to restore the Indemnity Act that was a part of the 5th amendment of the constitution. This is how the door was left wide open for the national heros to be sent to gallows by the government of Khaleda Zia’s BNP and Jamaat combine, so called champions of nationalism and Islamic values after enjoying power for 5 years! Its an irony that all of them were valient freedom fighters, selfless patriots and revolutionary army officers who staked their life to salvage the nation and the people being strangulated under one party despotic dictatorship of BKSAL and had re-opened the golden gate for restoring democracy and human rights.