It’s time to break the cycle
After the landslide victory in 2001, there were grounds for optimism that the incoming BNP government would qualitatively improve our politics. It had a set of experienced ministers, and a large number of young MPs. It had the opportunity to learn from the successes and failures of the two previously elected governments. But unfortunately, it wasn’t long before the hopes of better governance from BNP were dashed. At the national level, the 60 member cabinet and two war criminals in high profile posts raised a lot of controversy. But at local levels, it was the series of revenge attacks, intimidation, arson, and most gruesomely rapes of AL workers, supporters, and family members that showed what was to come. And then started the dokhols — every institution from the Banga Bhaban to the local library had to pay homage to the BNP high command.
At that time, the print, and still developing electronic, media did their job in highlighting these atrocities. Sure not much could be done about these crimes at that time, but people have long memories. They remembered. And the result is this landslide for AL.
Again there are high hopes for a qualitative change to our politics — youth voters, young MPs, experienced leaders etc etc. And Hasina’s repeated calls for calm and message of co-operation and respect for the opposition is also welcome. But the ground reality may well be very different. BNP men, including a freedom fighter in Jamalpur, are being beaten up, their houses are being fire bombed, many have left their villages for fear of their lives. Meanwhile, AL men are openly asking for their turn to dokhol.
Sure many of the BNP men who are today’s victims were themselves perpetrators of similar acts a few years ago. Sure post-2001 atrocities have to be examined, and where possible tried. But a series of counter reprisals is not the way to do this. The AL chief is making public statements against reprisals. Perhaps a few concrete steps against some people are in order.
Tags: Post Election Violence
Since the Hasina’s call for no reprisal is not working, they should have a monitoring cell for quick actions. In the DU hall incident, Chatro League leaders eventually gave the names of a few to the Police who were later arrested. The following news is very worrisome.
Mother dies, son fights for life after ‘post-poll reprisals’
Mon, Jan 5th, 2009 12:43 am BdST
Kishoreganj, Jan 4 (bdnews24.com) – Subhasini Das, mother of critically injured local BNP leader Nitya Lal Das, died in Kishoreganj, succumbing to injuries sustained during “post-poll reprisals” on Dec 29, said police on Sunday.
She was receiving treatment at Kuliarchar upazilla health complex till early Sunday, said local police sub-inspector Zakir Hossain.
Her son Nitya Lal Das, a member of Kuliarchar municipality BNP unit, was also severely wounded in the attack and has been undergoing treatment at Apollo Hospitals in the capital.
The defeated BNP-led four-party candidate for Kishoreganj-4 Shariful Alam said, “Subhasini succumbed to the wounds caused the brutal attacks by AL-backed terrorists.”
“On Dec 29, local AL workers swooped on Nitya Lal Das and stabbed him,” Alam said.
“However, his mother, sister and wife also fell victims of the attack as they tried to stop the miscreants.”
Kuliarchar police officer-in-charge Ahmad Hossain said Abul Monsur Rubel, the younger brother of local AL president Abul Hossain Liton, led the attack.
bdnews24.com/corr/dd/zr/mt/2345hours
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More news from Daily Star:
Post-election violence continues
2 killed, 12 hurt
The mother of BNP leader Nityalal Das succumbed to her injuries yesterday after she was wounded in a post-polls attack allegedly by local Awami League (AL) cadres at Kuliarchar in Kishoreganj on December 30.
Criminals stabbed a shrimp-enclosure owner to death and injured three others hurling a bomb at Sahapara under Doulatpur upazila in Khulna last night.
At least 12 people were injured in separate clashes in Narail, Mymensingh and Manikganj and on Rajshahi and Shahjalal University campuses.
Nityalal’s mother Subhashini Das, 85, who was admitted to Kuliarchar Health Complex in the morning, succumbed to her wounds in the afternoon, UNB reports.
AL activists allegedly attacked the house of Nityalal Das, president of Ward-3 BNP, on December 30 and hacked Nityalal, his mother, sister and wife when they tried to resist them.
Nityalal was admitted to Bhagalpur Zohurul Islam Medical College Hospital. Later, he was shifted to Apollo Hospital in Dhaka.
Shrimp-enclosure owner Parvez Hawlader, 28, an AL activist, died when criminals stabbed him at his home around 3:30pm, our staff correspondent in Khulna reports
The criminals also hurled a bomb that injured neighbours Subarna Saha, 60, Rekha Saha, 35, and Dilip Saha, 55.
Locals said local BNP activists made the attack following a feud over shrimp business.
A correspondent from Narail reports: At least five people, including a UP member and three women, were injured in post-election violence in Kalia upazila
The followers of independent lawmaker-elect Kabirul Haque Mukti in Narail-1 constituency allegedly attacked UP member Maolana Mohiuddin of Peroli union.
Mukti’s supporters also allegedly attacked BNP activists Khadiza Begum, 45, Hafizur Rahman, 50, Jahanara Begum, 30, of Sharashpur village, leaving them injured.
UNB adds: A tense situation was prevailing at the Shahjalal University of Science and Technology yesterday as rival factions of Bangladesh Chhatra League, student wing of AL, engaged in a series of clashes to establish supremacy on the campus.
Members of Soumitra-Asad group beat up Pappu of Arif-Moloy group. He was admitted to the intensive care unit of Osmani Medical College Hospital.
Witnesses said BCL activists of the two rival groups being armed with rods and sticks chased and counter-chased one another on the campus.
Police at about 3:00pm recovered weapons from the members of both the groups.
The two rival BCL leaders Hasan Al Arif and Asaduzzaman Asad accused each other of extortion and criminal activities.
Our RU correspondent adds: Tension ran high on the Rajshahi University campus as BCL activists drove away Islami Chhatra Shibir (ICS) activists from Shaheed Ziaur Rahman and Shah Mukhdum halls yesterday.
BCL activists also captured the rooms of the Shibir men in both the dormitories.
Sources said a group of BCL activists, led by Komol and Suhin forced the Shibir activists at Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Hall to vacate their rooms.
Later, BCL men chased Shibir activists at Shah Mukhdum hall and also locked their rooms. They also tore Shibir posters and banners at the hall.
Earlier, hundreds of BCL activists staged demonstration in front of Mother Bux hall on Saturday night after some of them found Shibir leaflets inside their rooms at the hall.
When a group of BCL activists tried to attack the Mother Bux and Amir Ali halls, Shibir activists locked the main gates and took position inside the halls.
Some angry BCL activists tore posters and banners of Shibir and BNP at different RU halls.
When contacted, BCL General Secretary Ayeen Uddin denied BCL activists’ ousting Shibir activists and capturing their rooms.
Shibir President Delwar Hossain told journalists that Shibir wants to live with other student organisations on the campus.
Assistant Commissioner of Police (Motiher Zone) Zahangir Hossain said additional policemen were deployed on the campus to avoid any untoward incident.
University Proctor Enamul Haque said they asked the student organisations to refrain from fighting each other on the campus.
Two village doctors were badly wounded in an attack allegedly by AL activists at Maheshpur Bazar in Iswarganj upazila of Mymensingh, UNB adds.
Victims Mujibur Rahman and Mizanur Rahman were admitted to Mymensingh Medical College Hospital.
Witnesses and police said a group of AL activists accusing the village doctors of supporting BNP in the December 29 elections beat them up around 5:00pm. A number of shopkeepers rescued them and rushed them to the hospital.
Our Manikganj correspondent adds: AL activists beat up Mozammel Haq, chairman of Shayesta union parishad in Shibalay upazila.
Police said a group of AL activists intercepted Mozammel, also a local leader of BNP, when he was going through Shayesta Bazar in the afternoon on a motorbike. The motorbike was taken away.
Villagers rescued him and rushed him to Shibalay Health Complex..
Police arrested Tipu and Mutaleb in this connection and recovered the motorbike.
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Post-polls violence continues
New Age
10 killed, 270 injured so far
Staff Correspondent
Despite deployment of a huge number of law enforcers, post-polls violence continued in different parts of the country on Sunday, raising the death toll to 10 and the number of injured people to 270.
An elderly woman, Subhashini Das, who was injured in an incident of post-poll violence at Kuliarchar in Kishoreganj on December 30, 2008, died at the local upazila health complex on Sunday.
Two of the people killed so far reportedly died of cardiac arrest at the sight of violent clashes between rival political activists in Pabna and Sherpur.
Shariful Alam, who was a BNP-led alliance candidate for the Kishoreganj 6 constituency, alleged that about 30 Awami League activists reportedly led by Rubel, younger brother of AL president of Kuliarchar upazila unit Abul Hossain Liton, attacked the house of BNP resident of Ward 3 Nityalal Das on December 30.
�They hacked Nityalal Das, his mother Subhashini Das, sister and wife when they tried to resist them,� he said.
Nityalal was admitted to Zohurul Islam Medical College Hospital from where he was shifted to Dhaka Apollo Hospital.
Later, the group also attacked the houses of BNP leaders Anil Chandra and Shahed Member and beat them up. Nityalal�s mother Subhashini was admitted to the Kuliarchar Upazila Health Complex as her condition deteriorated Sunday morning and she died there in the evening.
In Jessore, more than 25 people, reportedly Awami League activists, chased out about 500 farmers from the fields while they were working at the paddy fields at Gulbaghpur under Jhikargachha upazila in Jessore on Sunday.
The farmers were supposed to be supporters of BNP-led alliances. The attackers demanded Tk�3 lakh from them and took away the tractors and swallow machines, the farmers alleged.
In Mymensingh, two village doctors, Mujibur Rahman and Mizanur Rahman, were badly wounded in an attack allegedly by Awami League activists in post-elections violence at Maheshpur Bazar of Iswarganj upazila Sunday afternoon.
In Manikganj, Awami League activists beat up Mozammel Haq, chairman of Shayesta Union Parishad of Shibalay upazila and also a local BNP leader, on Sunday.
In view of the continuing violence, the Election Commission extended the tenure of presence of army personnel in the field up to January 5 from the earlier schedule of December 31.
The police in a press release on Sunday said so far they arrested a total of 114 people in connection with the post-polls violence. Twenty-one of them were arrested from Jhenaidah and it was followed by 12 in Barisal, 11 in Sherpur, eight in Jamalpur, five in Gazipur and four in Khulna city.
The police headquarters recorded a total of 51 incidents related to post-polls violence and over 400 people were made accused in cases. Forty two of them have got bail, the release said.
In many areas, however, the police seemed to be reluctant to tackle the violence which inspired incidents of violence.
�A section of officials usually remain silent or take side with the ruling party for prize later on during the transitional period,� said a senior police officer.
The inspector general of police at a news briefing on January 1 said that stern action would be taken against the police officials found to be reluctant for tackling any violence.
The police administration suspended the officer-in-charge of Kuliarchar police station, Hammad Hossain Chowdhury, the same day for neglecting the duty.
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Four killed in Bangladesh post-poll violence: police
2 hours ago
DHAKA (AFP) — At least four people have been killed and 71 injured in political violence in Bangladesh following elections a week ago, police said Monday.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hiSK_zp1wBxhveAo2kqQZS_hC09Q
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By now the death toll reached 13, mostly BNP activists. There are allegations that dead body was removed from hospital without post mortem (comilla) and victim’s family is threatend to death if they file complains. is there an end? I am not asking for magic potion from AL and SH, just begging to them to show little bit sincerity going beyond empty rhetorics. Am I too naive? Are there awami explanations that BNP is the instigator?
The AL leader should stand up with action and send a chill through the spine of awami goons, if she really wants change. To me this is as important as any other activities the incumbents are involved in. There will be NO democracy by physically eliminating oppostion. Let’s hope against hope but keep your eyes open for any humanright violations.
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There’s too much of exaggerated remarks floating around. By this time in 2001, BNP had unleashed a reign of terror on AL sympathisers and many of them could not return to their villages till the emergency. Minorities were especially tortured and killed by Jamaat-backed BNP. Many were asked in advance of the party they will vote for. Most of them out of fear said that they will vote for BNP. In that case they were told hat they need not go to the polling booths as the headmen of thevillage will take care of their votes. They were told that their votes were already cast. No need to go to the centers.
If anybody showed any leaning toward anti-BNP camp they either were killed or their houses burned. Even gunmen were hired to kill local stalwarts and intellegentsia. Everything was transformed into ‘cadre-ism’. If you didn’t belong to the BNP camp you were marked for vengeance. No one got any jobs in the administration, police, medical colleges and educational institutions if they had no inks with corrupt immoral thugs like Babar, Tareq, Mamun, Hadi, Zahid and others. In higher learning centers Hadi and Zahid and BNP-Jamaat appointed VCs made sure that blockheads of BNP-Jamaat alliance got admissions in courses.
IN COMPARISON, nothing of that sort or a tiny fraction of such incidents have happened after the 3/4th landslide victory of the AL-led alliance.
Shahara and Sohel Taj cannot be compared to crooks like Babar or Tareq. It is basically brains versus brute decadent brawn.
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I am sure you meant well. But letting the killers loose and letting them flex their muscles hiding behind the 2001 history will pave the way to hell. This kind of logic, like, ‘much less than 2001′ or ‘these are results of BNP’s internal feud’ not an inch better than ‘Allah’r maal Allah niye geche’. If you really love the country, which I sure you do, and want success for the current government, let’s hold them to the higher standard.
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SC:
Let us not make a mountain out of a molehill. This is a solid AL government run by clean ministers. They haven’t been in power for a month even and the parliament has not yet been convened.
Law and order situation is not as precarious as it used to be under war criminals Jamaat-e-Islami and BNP. At least the home ministry is not run by an illiterate casio watch smuggler and his corrupt friends. So please have patience and look into the future.
Bangladesh’s overall situation is being keenly observed by big powers. It will be very difficult for anyone to destabilize democracy for the next five years. Bangladesh should never ever be allowed to be used as a breeding ground for terrorists who in the past were trained in foreign lands and traveled with impunity back and forth. These killers like the assassins of 1975 putsch so far have enjoyed a free ride. The August grenade attack on Hasina was the work of international terrorists patronized within.
You will soon see the killers of Sheikh Mujib being extradited one by one. Bangladesh must not allow terrorists of any kind or color or religion to flourish on our soil.
IT MUST STOP!
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I liked what the Finance Minister said today. He said that the present government is not a partisan government. Its a government for the people.
I am sure Hasina will act as she has pledged. She should not spare anybody including AL elements trying to defame her.
As for BNP it should immediately join the parliament and opine inside the parliament. BNP is too fragmented and tainted to regain trust and respect of the people before the next elections. It should have taken oath by now. It is self inflicting severe damage on it’s image that has been badly tarnished by it’s past misdeeds.
I think it’s time for BNP to get a younger presentable SG like AL to repair it’s devastated image due to indulgence in rampant corruption and terrorism in the past.
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13 killed and about 300 injured may be a molehill to some but life or death, or, rather, ‘death’ only, to others. The situation surely begs the government to be at least slightly more concerned than they appear to be at the moment.
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[...] It’s time to break the cycle of violence [...]
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