Born to abuse democracy, human rights and destroy national values and ideals upon which the Independent Bangladesh was founded, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) since its inception has been pursuing the legacy of violence and politics of negation. General Zia, founder of the BNP, was indirectly involved in the killing of the father of the nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in August 1975.
The world community witnessed the worst human rights violation in Bangladesh in October 2001 perpetrated by the BNP after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had transferred power peacefully to facilitate the democratic process, but the BNP let loose a reign of terror throughout the country. Their armed cadres launched a wholesale massacre on the opponent Awami League and the minority groups. An indiscriminate killing of opposition activists and the members of the minority groups and loot of their property created a dreadful situation. The perpetrators had raped girls in front of their fathers. They burnt houses of the opponent political parties in a way that did the Pakistan Army do during the War of Liberation in 1971. BNP launched grenade attack on a peace rally led by then main opposition leader now Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The unprecedented grenade attack was launched in a bid to destroy pro-liberation forces once for all.
Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) was founded in the cantonment in September 1978 by General Zia then Military president and the Chief Martial Law Administrator. Zia served Pakistan Military Intelligence of Ayub Khan who had been overthrown by a pro-democracy movement in 1969 under the leadership of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib, the founder of the Independent and sovereign Bangladesh. Zia after usurping power by brandishing arms pushed back the secular and independent Bangladesh to Pakistani anti-democracy and anti-liberation ideals. He had erased all the values and ideals upon which the Independent Bangladesh was founded. BNP, by faith, is against country’s independence and that’s why, they can go against the interests of Bangladesh so quickly.
Zia had deliberately destroyed the values and national pride of independent Bangladesh. The four state principles, the Joy Bangla slogan which was the main source of inspiration of our freedom fighters during the Liberation War was also blotted from the life of the people of the country immediately after grabbing of power by imposing martial law. Zia introduced quite a number of things to encourage Islamic Extremism for which the civilized world has been facing a tremendous social turmoil resulting in terror attack in Twin Towers in New York, London sub-way attack, recurring terror attack in Paris, Madrid and other places in the world. The global community is still under tremendous security threats.
BNP was a product of Bangladesh military intelligence and it has never been practising democracy throughout its history as a political party. The real and seasoned political leaders who cultivate values and ideals didn’t join BNP. Military ruler Ziaur Rahman picked some political elements that lost their face value to the people as they took side with Pakistani Military ruler Ayub Khan and worked against the country’s Liberation War. Some killers and identified criminals got president’s amnesty and joined BNP. Formed in the garrison and developed by the military intelligence, the BNP have never been able to acquire democratic characteristics. It has never been able to develop patriotism in the party and in the followers and activists of the party. During his regime Zia had been engaged in staging coup in army in a bid to eliminate his opponents and perpetuate his illegal rule. His main objective was to usurp power and continue it by any means. The sovereign Parliament had lost its hallmark characteristics because of the military ruler General Zia, the country’s independent Judiciary was crippled at his hands and the administration was made a tool of the Junta for snatching the rights of the common man. Neither the BNP believes in democracy nor do they have a bit of faith in it. They will participate in the poll if they are assured of victory. Otherwise they would not participate and will try to undermine the election process. BNP chairperson is convicted with the charge of misappropriating fund, and it is not the first example in the world. Despite being a convict she is getting all possible facilities granted by the government. Does it mean that if a convict is in jail, the democracy is snatched away and if the convict is released then the democracy would prevail in the country?
It was known to all that BNP’s point of political arguments will give testimony that they don’t believe in the cause and ideals of country’s independence. They don’t believe in secularism. They don’t show any respects to the country’s father of the nation. Is it possible in the US, UK or anywhere in the world? Bangladesh is still at war of liberation and nobody knows how long it will take to finish the battle.
The Islamic extremist forces and parties are the main allies of BNP. The Islamic terror groups feel encouraged when BNP is in power. And when Sheikh Hasina comes to power the terrorists thought that they were being defeated and they should reorganize again and the unofficial war against Sheikh Hasina was declared by the terrorists in Bangladesh.
It is a big surprise that though the USA and Bangladesh are at war on terror, some people in the US are giving patient hearing to those people who are advocating for the extremist forces in the name of human rights and freedom of expression.
The question is when the people of the law enforcement agencies attempted to keep the terrors at bay, what the terrors usually do? They usually attack the people of the law enforcement agencies and what options were left open for the law enforcers? And what usually do the US Police do in that case? The terror activities is not a new phenomenon. The global people have long been engaged in fighting extremism to ensure peace and security of people across the world.
Every country has its opposition political parties and they don’t feel hostile to each other, but in Bangladesh it is quite different from that of other countries. It is a historical truth that the BNP being originated from the Pakistan Muslim League which had been opposing the concept of Independent Bangladesh and defeated in the War of Liberation in 1971, is dead against the Bangladesh Awami League which led the war of liberation and the BNP founder had involvement in the killing of the father of the nation. BNP and its allies still don’t show respects to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib as the father of the nation, which is simply impossible in US, UK, and other countries of the world. Bangladesh is still fighting a grim battle for achieving its complete victory of the war of liberation and the people should take all that aspects into consideration before making any decision about Bangladesh.
