Foil plot against democracy: Sheikh Hasina

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Friday urged the people to remain alert against any plot by undemocratic forces to destroy the democratic process in the country.
“In the past, evil forces for lust of power repeatedly denied people’s democratic rights and their right to vote,” she told journalists at Gano Bhaban on the occasion of the 3rd anniversary of her homecoming from the United States during the army-controlled caretaker government…..

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Stop Shaking Your Fists and do Something!

I was asked to come here today to talk about the ethnic cleansing of Bangladeshi Hindus: by Islamists—who drive it—“average” Bangladeshi Muslims—who carry it out—and the Bangladesh government—that has encouraged it almost since the day of its birth. That is why I am here. But I grow weary of attending conference after conference where I see the same people shaking the same ineffective fists at the same enemies. What do they think they are accomplishing?

To those who never tire of complimenting themselves for their years of work on the victims’ behalf; to Bangladeshi politicians who cynically claim to be the Hindus’ great hope; and to those international organizations that pretend to carry the mantle of human rights; I ask:

With all of your “heroic” action, have things gotten any better for the Bangladeshi Hindus? Are they any safer today than they were when you started your activity? Has Bangladesh repealed the openly anti-Hindu Vested Property Act that provides the legal framework for ethnic cleansing and rewards the victimizers with the victims’ land?

With all of your “heroic” action, why have Hindus fallen from 30 percent of the population at the time of Partition (1947) to nine percent today?

My God! Have we learned nothing from the Nazi Holocaust? Do we really have to wonder what the end of these sterile actions will be; not for us, but for the Bangladeshi Hindus? Look at Pakistan’s Hindus, who were once one fifth of the population but are only one percent today. Even that remnant is streaming into Indian Punjab ahead of the advancing Taliban; and I saw that for myself in March. Read more

Murder of Army Officers – Wrong man chosen as IO

Following brutal murder of Army Officers inside Bangladesh Riffles [BDR] Headquarters during February 25 and 26, a case was lodged with Lalbagh Police Station by officer-in-charge Nabojyoti Khisha. Main accused in the case is one of the kingpins of the brutality, Towhidul Alam, former deputy assistant director of BDR.

It was naturally expected that after such tragic brutality in the history of Bangladesh, the ruling government might have shown minimum sincerity in at least investigating the case through neutral hands, so that perpetrators, belonging to any quarter, would be identified for trial. Abdul Kahhar Akhand, Assistant Superintendent of Police [ASP], who only couple of back got his job back, after Awami League government, came in power. Another officer who has been made the ´comrade´ of Kahhar Akhand is ASP Bazlur Rahman. Both are with Criminal Investigation Department [CID]. Read more

Bangladesh: February Massacre & Operation Rebel Hunt

Members of Armed Forces are called by the government, which will come into effect from Monday morning to nab each and every rebel, their instigators and patrons, who were behind the February Massacre, killing more than 135 heroic officers of Bangladesh Army as well as their friends and family members. Experts opine that, Bangladesh Army has complete sympathy and support of the people of Bangladesh in nabbing the culprits. The entire nation is heavy with shock and pain. They want to see trial of the killers and their perpetrators without wasting even a second.

Meanwhile, several days have now passed since the siege laid to the Bangladesh Rifles headquarters was brought to an end and yet, the nation is unable to draw a line under the bloody massacre that was carried out there by a section of murderous troops on February 25 and 26.

To begin with, the nation is yet to learn the full extent of the carnage, given that the whereabouts of many army officers are still unknown. And second, they still do not know why or how this brutal massacre was carried out, who were behind it, and what their motives were. In order to move forward, therefore, the entire nation must not only understand the full extent of the crimes committed and punish those responsible for such barbaric acts, it is also extremely important to find the answers to the many questions that plague the public mind. Read more

Awami League Blowing its Chance

As an individual from one country who often finds himself protesting the actions of another, I frequently am told that doing so or demanding change is an affront to a nation’s sovereignty. That is seriously ironic, considering the continuous demands placed on my country, the United States, and my people’s country, Israel. Bangladeshi officials and governments, for instance, have demanded that Israel withdraw from territory, give free reign to Hamas terrorists committed to its destruction, release murderers of its people, give away its capital Jerusalem, create and fund a hostile state, and so forth. Some have demanded the US quit Iraq or close the terrorist holding base at Guantanamo. So be it; that is their prerogative. Read more

Lies about Bangladesh Army, conspiracy and responsibility of the Nation

Since the mutiny renegade Bangladesh Riffles [BDR] troops, a number of private television channels, mostly owned by questioned people started broadcasting various news, commentaries and interviews, aimed at maligning the image of the armed forces of Bangladesh. Most interestingly, only a few reporters of television channels were receiving phone calls from the renegade troops from inside the Pilkhana BDR headquarters. Here is the first question and doubt! How the renegade troops got the mobile phone numbers of those reporters belonging to questioned television channels? Read more

Bangladesh: Tears of anger

More than 50 decomposing bodies of murdered officers of Bangladesh Riffles [who were sent on deputation from Bangladesh Army] are recovered so far from a number of mass-graves inside the Bangladesh Riffles Head Quarters at Pilkhana in Dhaka as well as from the sewage line flowing from the BDR Headquarters to Buriganga river.

Meanwhile, according information, most of the killings and rape took place after Prime Minister announced General Amnesty to the mutineer BD troops on Wednesday afternoon. It is further learnt the delegation of mutineer on their return from the Prime Minister’s residence, told their fellow rebel comrades to ‘clear-up’ the remaining number of held officers as well give ‘good lesson’ to the female members of the officers. The mutineers also buried dead bodies of the army officers as they got more than 30-hours in the name of negotiations with the government. Read more

New conspiracy against Bangladesh

Right after the mutiny by Bangladesh Riffles [BDR] troops, which is partially resolved by now only at its Head Quarters in Dhaka, some vested interest groups are becoming increasingly active in putting bad names on Bangladesh Army by saying, “they are corrupts, violators of rules and abusers of human rights”. Such campaign is aimed at stopping the participation of Bangladesh Army in the United Nations Peace Keeping Force.

Some so-called intellectuals in Bangladesh are also joining their voice against Army and are trying to give justification to the heinous crime committed by the mutineer BDR troops.

Bangladeshi Economist Anu Muhammad saw the rebellion of BDR soldiers as a “class revolt though the cruelty in it was extreme”.

“Discrimination was going on in the regimented forces for long and people had accepted it for sometime. But the situation began altering with the changes in society, as the soldiers in the forces were part of the society’s subaltern section,” he said. Read more

Bangladesh Rifles: Mutiny, general amnesty and what next?

Bangladesh’s Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has declared general amnesty to the revolting troops of Bangladesh Rifles [BDR], who virtually captivated the entire Head Quarters of the paramilitary troops of the country, assigned mainly to guard the bordering areas and combat cross-border terrorism.

According to press reports, State Minister for LGRD and Cooperatives Jahangir Kabir Nanak, who attended the meeting between the Prime Minister and BDR representatives that the mutineers were granted amnesty Wednesday evening. The prime minister also urged the BDR members to surrender their arms and return to barrack.

A 14-soldier BDR team went to the prime minister’s official residence Jamuna for talks.

Mutinous BDR members earlier said they would call a ceasefire after holding talks with the prime minister and Home Minister Sahara Khatun. Read more

Dear Prime Minister, beware of the touts

Since the landslide victory of Awami League in the general election of December 29, 2009, several ‘advisors’ of the Prime Minister have emerged in the society who are proclaiming themselves to be ‘silent life support’ of the present government. Many are even so adamant that they do not care making such claims even to the members of press in Bangladesh. I have no idea if any of the intelligence agencies in the government are monitoring such illegal activities of touts who are abusing the name of the top executive of the country.

Just last week, I encountered one such ‘advisor’, who told me how busy he was in finalizing the nomination of the candidates of Awami League as well suggesting the Prime Minister in choosing her cabinet colleagues. I asked, are you working in any particular office of the ruling party while holding the post of advisor? He said, “no, we are the silent life support of Awami League helping the Prime Minister with our expert opinion on various important issues.” Read more

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