Government behind it all - Killing and abductions continue unabated in Bangladesh

On the 19th of April, at a seminar organized at Spectra Convention Center in Dhaka on shaping and implementing community policies to combat climate change, Information minister Hasanul Haq Inu came up with another great piece of information. He claimed that “to combat climate change, we first and foremost need to equip and enhance our abilities to control and combat terrorism.”

Ridiculous as the above statement may sound, Inu has been minister for quite some time now, and it is his second term in the cabinet of Sheikh Hasina. Hasanul Haq Inu, leader of one faction of the little known communist political outfit Jatiyo Samajtantrik Dal (JSD) is known for his vocal condemnations of terrorism in Bangladesh, a phenomenon which he repeatedly expounds as being a result of religious extremism championed by Islamic radicals, who according to him are everywhere to be seen in Bangladesh and are being maintained and financed by the Jamaat-e-Islami, the largest Islam based political party in Bangladesh. He is also known for his voluminous accusatory tirades against BNP and Khaleda Zia, the opposition political force to the Awami League and the 14 party Grand Alliance, of which he is party.

People like Inu (despite being politically insignificant, Inu remains an important switch for controlling the media and information flow in Bangladesh) serve a great cause, one of diverting the masses from the real problems at hand, especially the current huge problem of deteriorating law and order in Bangladesh.

The fact that Inu and other politicians of the ruling political force, the Awami League, are relatively silent on the deteriorating law and order situation in the country, speaks volumes about their hypocrisy. Put into the equation that most of the incidents of abduction and killings occurring are a result of internal feuds within the numerous factions within the Awami League, and the fact that government institutions such as the police and other security forces are been used in these incidents, and the picture becomes crystal clear. Let us investigate some recent incidents that make the picture all clear.

Jubo League leader arranged JMB kingpin's escape in Mymensingh:

An upazila-level Jubo League leader arranged safe passage for death row Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) leader Rakib Hasan Russell after he was snatched along with two other key leaders of the banned militant outfit in Mymensingh in February. Ataur Rahman Kamal, joint secretary of Bhaluka upazila unit of Jubo League, formed a six-member team to pick up Rakib from Trishal and drop him at Fulbaria in Mymensingh, said an arrestee, Kamal Hossain alias Sabuj, 38, also claimed to be involved with "Awami League politics" while talking to reporters. He was one of the eight people nabbed in different parts of the country on April 29, 2014, in connection with the sensational snatching of the JMB men.

Narayangonj seven murder:

On April 27th, 2013, Awami League supported ward-2 councillor and Narayangonj panel mayor Nazrul Islam, his four aides, and senior local lawyer Chandan Kumar Sarkar and his car’s driver were abducted in Narayanganj. The bodies of the seven were retrieved from the Shitalakhyya River at Bandar Upazila several days later.

The slain councillor’s family accused Nur Hossain, locally known to be Nazrul's rival, of being the mastermind, who paid the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) to carry out the killings. The son of a powerful Awami League lawmaker and cabinet post holder, brokered the deal with RAB men to kill Nazrul Islam, claimed Nazrul's father-in-law Shahidul Islam on May 6, 2014.

The MP's son acted on behalf of Narayanganj ward-4 Councillor Nur Hossain, the prime accused in the sensational abduction and murder case. Shahidul said a double agent had disclosed to him the plot to kill Nazrul for Tk 6 crore. The money was paid to the killers about a week before the abduction of Nazrul and his four aides on April 27 and their subsequent killing.

Despite an initial outrage from the RAB to the above information, police on May 17 arrested ex-RAB officers Lt Col (retd) Tareque Sayeed Mohammad and Major (retd) Arif Hossain  and on May 18 arrested another suspect, ex-Rab officer Lt Commander (retd) SM Masud Rana, at Dhaka Cantonment under Section 54 of the CrPC, not in the murder case. After much dilly dallying, the police accused them of involvement in the Narayanganj septuple murder case 5 days later.

In the mean time, the police have not been able to arrest any of the other six accused in the murder case. The exposure of the corrupt administrative and political apparatus in Bangladesh continues to unfold as direct involvement of current Narayangonj MP Shamim Osman have surfaced in aiding and abetting the fleeing of prime suspect Nur Hossain to India. (see leaked phone call between Shamim Osman and Nur Hossain) 

Phulgazi upazila Chairman shot, hacked and burnt to death:

Ekramil Haque, 45, Phulgazi upazila chairman and President of the Fulgazi upazila unit Awami League, was killed by shooting and hacking before burning the car he was in at Phulgazi in Feni on 20th May, 2013, Tuesday morning (Warning: Graphic picture in inset)

Picture: Charred remains of Chairman Ekramul Haque 

Three others, including a journalist, who were accompanying Ekramul Haque in the microbus on his way to the upazila council office from his house, were also injured as the group of about 50 people first exploded crude bombs and shot at the vehicle.

As the car stopped, the group dragged and chased away the three and hacked Ekramul and burnt the car with him lying inside about 11:00am. The police later recovered the charred body.

While his family say they have been forced to name local BNP leaders in the murder case all fingers remain pointed at his rivals within the party. Police investigation has opened the Pandora’s Box in this regard, as arrestees have confessed that all the men participating in the attack were loyal to Feni-2 MP Nizam uddin Hazari, with whom Ekramul had fallen out over control of the lucrative drug trade and other forms of illegal trade in the border area of Phulgazi. Digging deeper into the incident, it was found that Ekramul had hastened the need for his elimination by trying to ally with Joynal Hazari, a well known Awami League godfather in the region, who was in turn already at loggerheads with present cabinet minister Obaidul Quader and his man in the area, Nizam uddin Hazari MP.

Information from various sources reveals that Obaidul Quader has an income of about 50 crore per month from Feni, Phulgazi being an important point of control in this regard. Not only had Ekramul alienated the duo of Obaidul Quader and Nizam Hazari by refusing to pay them a share, he had also enraged the duo by publishing news containing sensitive information in the local newspapers against them. Corrupt journalists, armed with such information, on approaching Nizam Hazari MP, became silent after he agreed to pay them handsome amounts of money in return. As for Ekramul, the MP along with Obaidul Quader decided to finish him for once and all. The subsequent barbequing of Ekramul Haque was the result, and news has it that 2 crore taka was paid for carrying out the job. Just a day before the incident, i.e. on the 19th of May, 2013, the Hazarika Protidin, a news outlet owned by Joynal Hazari (allied with Ekramul Haque) ran news of the probability of the murder of the opponents of Nizam Hazari, i.e. Ekramul.

Picture: News of Hazarika Protidin with claims that opponents of Nizam MP to be killed 

That is what exactly happened.

Widespread reaction and anger:

Despite all this, the inspector general of police, Hassan Mahmood Khandker on Friday the 23rd of May, 2013, claimed that crime prevention campaign was at a satisfactory level. His comments drew sharp criticism from human rights defenders.

Rights activists said that the IGP had made the claims to ‘save his job and skin’ and his claims were far from realities. Such comments were tantamount to giving indulgence to criminals, they said adding that the police had failed to ensure safety of citizens.

The incidents have been condemned by all major parties, including BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh. Sadly, homegrown opposition figures maintained by the government like Rowshon Ershad and Hasanul Haque Inu have largely remained silent and have even defended the actions of the government and its security forces.  

Picture: Jamaat condemnation and call for nationwide protests

Condemnations of the recent incidents have not been limited to Bangladesh, as international human rights organizations like Human Rights Watch have voiced their anger and shock at the events and the widespread impunity involved and demanded immediate action action.

The Awami League has befittingly remained silent. 

The Islami Bank and the National Anthem Chorus Saga: A sneak-peek into the truth

In an Orwellian move that expounded toxic levels of mean-mindedness on part of the incumbent administration in Bangladesh, Information minister Hasanul Haq Inu and cultural affairs minister Asaduzzaman Noor on different occasions on Tuesday made contradictory statements on a donation from Islami Bank Bangladesh Limited to the Independence Day event ‘Lakho  Kanthe Sonar Bangla’ to be organised by the government. At a press briefing at the secretariat, Asaduzzaman Noor absolutely denied that his ministry had received any donation from Islami Bank for the event. ‘It is cent per cent certain that no cheque has been received from Islami Bank for funding the event Lakho Kanthe Sonar Bangla. You may verify it yourself,’ he told reporters.  

When contacted, IBBL executive vice-president Ataur Rahman said that the bank’s vice-chairman Mustafa Anwar had handed over a cheque for Tk three crore to the prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, on March 14 in response to a request from the Bangladesh Association of Banks for the event. ‘But it depends on the prime minister for which purpose the money will be spent,’ the IBBL official added. 

The remarks of the IBBL official tallied in with newspaper reports and pictures which clearly showed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina receiving a check from Islami Bank officials

Information minister Hasanul Haq, however, said at a function in the city that the national anthem event could not be funded by an organisation run by ‘war criminals’. He said the money received from the Islami Bank for the event should be returned.

In an attempt to set a world record, three lakh people will gather at the National Parade Square on March 26 and sing the national anthem in chorus on the occasion of the Independence Day.

Let us get you surprised,

The above discourse gives the impression that this is perhaps the first time that the IBBL is donating to an event of this calibre. Let us disappoint those chetona-charged feelers of the overtly progressive Shahbagised supporter base who have been baying for blood by now.

Prior to this, the Bank also sponsored the ‘National School Football Tournament-2011′ with a view to popularizing the football game among the school students. In addition to this, the Bank donated Tk 2 crore to Bangladesh Olympic Association to organized the 8th Bangladesh Games recently. In 2011, IBBL was given responsibility to furnish and decorate Dhaka city, venue of Cricket World Cup-2011, during the game. The Bank portrayed the heritage and culture of Bangladesh through its decoration which deserved praises and thanks from all corners at that time. Besides, the Bank regularly sponsors various festivals and occasions to patronise the Bangladesh’s sports, culture, literature and heritage.

So it should not be any matter of bewilderment that the IBBL is donating towards such an event of national importance.

What you should really be surprised about,

The examples above are from the times the Awami League has been ruling Bangladesh, and especially pertain to its last term. When a ruling party such as the Awami League claims itself to be a champion of ultra nationalist ideologies to the point of such fascist absurdity that it identifies a corporation such as the Islamic Bank of Bangladesh as being aligned with anti-liberation forces, any denizen of this country with a minimum amount of common sense would ask as to why the government, headed by the Awami League, took those ‘donations’ from Islami Bank Bangladesh back then and why is it now acting weirdly at a seemingly 180 degree angle?

Moreover, the above drama being concocted should not be your real concern. The actual concern that should be on your mind is the fact that the government is facilitating extortion through this drama. Yes, it is facilitating extortion, that too through public announcement via the finance Minister himself.  Its mentionable that Finance minister AMA Muhith's bid to collect Tk 100 crore from private businesses for funding the ICC T20 World Cup and the recording of the national anthem by  over three lakh people at a time on March 26 has flanked widespread criticism. The question arises if the minister is engaged in raising funds by using government power as oppressive pressure on private sector businesses when this sector itself is in serious trouble. The finance minister however said the money is urgently needed to support national level activities including hosting a Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) concert at Bangabandhu National Stadium in the city ahead of the T-20 tournament scheduled to begin on March 16. But public reaction has not been helpful for the Finance Minister.The finance minister's move received headlines in almost all dailies on Monday wondering whether or not it is an instance of 'extortion by the state.' News reports said the finance minister has already sent letters to banks asking them to donate Tk 1.0 crore each which also included foreign banks. Corporate business houses have also been asked to make contributions. Some business leaders held the view that they always make donations to such events but never before the finance minister was directly involved with the collection of such a huge figure. Muhith has attempted to justify his move saying toll collection of this type is a common practice and even he does a lot of toll collection for the government.  

What the Islami Bank really is,

A pride of this nation. The IBBL is the largest private bank of Bangladesh and placed among the Top 1000 world banks 2012 list. The Banker’s Top 1000 World Banks ranking, by UK based century old financial magazine ‘The Banker’  has been setting the industry benchmark since 1970, providing comprehensive intelligence about the health and wealth of the banking sector. Alongside strong global banks of the developed and emerging countries, the Islami Bank was positioned in the list as the lone financial institution from Bangladesh. It may be mentionable that the inclusion of the Islami Bank in the prestigious club of the best 1000 is tantamount of global recognition of overall development of the Bangladesh Banking Sector. 

Contrary to popular myth, it has a 63.09% foreign and 36.91% local shareholder (about 60,000) status, which means that it is not a Jamaat owned product like the government, itself a major local shareholder of the Islami Bank, told you all year long.

Shocked? You should be. Truth is that the state was the extortionist all along. And all you were thinking about was why it was receiving donations from the perceived “bad guy”, the Islami Bank!!! Om Chetona…….

Inu, Opportunistic Minister of Misinformation

Remember Aung San Suu Kyi? She was a Nobel Peace Prize winner. Those were the days when she was an oppressed citizen of Burma. Today she is a lawmaker, the leader of the opposition in Burma. Yet the country has been witness to a systematic genocide of the Rohingya by its ruling elite and she has remained silent, totally silent, opting to cling on to her newfound power rather than speak out for the oppressed.

What could change a person so? In answer, a quote of Suu Kyi herself comes to mind, “It is not power that corrupts but fear. Fear of losing power corrupts those who wield it and fear of the scourge of power corrupts those who are subject to it.”

Suu Kyi represents a brand of politicians who are abundant in supply, their demand stemming from their flexibility in compromising the most basic of their beliefs for the sake of that Holy Grail called power. One such person is Hasanul Haq Inu, Minister of Information; Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh. Son of Late AHM Qamrul Haq, who retired as General Manager of Karnaphuli Paper Mills, Inu comes across as the typical silver spooned toddler. Before I delve further, it is of importance that we keep in mind that Inu did not have ideals to start with. His history bears witness. 

The badder the better, 

Inu, on his profile on the ministry of information website, gives us censored bits and pieces of his life. He started with the Chatra League in 1968. To step up towatds a more intense role, he joined the rage of the time, ‘Shwadin Bangla Biplobi Parishad’ (Bangladesh Liberation Front) in 1969. It is mentionable that Swadhin Bangla Biplobi Parishad, was secretly organised for the independence of Bangladesh in 1962. Later it formed a political wing, Bangladesh Liberation Force (BLF), which was renamed ‘Mujib Bahini’ during the 9-month Liberation War. His role in the Liberation war seems to be warped up. After a series of armed marches (as claimed by his website), he suddenly gets relocated to India, playing a very 'major role' in the Liberation War (as an instructor at a camp in India). It is clear however, that the man did not fight or kill one Pak soldier in the entire course of the war. His war tales subside to take him to join the opposition left party Jatiyo Samajtantrik Dal (JASOD), apparently in a fallout with the ruling Awami League just five months after Bangabandhu 'entrusted' him with a job to create a new party (Jatiyo Krishak League). How important he was at the time, we do not really know. Trumping up his version of events, he places himself as the founder of the Gono Bahini after the banning of all political parties in 1974 by founding father of Bangladesh, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman(the emergence of the BAKSAL).

Some missing truths,

The Gono Bahini (People's Army) started as a 'noble' endeavor to resist the BAKSHAL. In reality, it was party to an ugly chapter in Bangladeshi politics. An offshoot of the JASOD, it is rarely talked about nowadays due to obvious reasons I shall talk about later. Here is a description I find quite informative, "Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal, formidable enemy of the Awami League, was getting enough clout in educational institutions across the nation. In the village level its underground fronts, namely, Gono Bahini and Bangladesher Communist League were gathering experience in killing Awami Leaguers and confronting Rakkhi Bahini. Although JSD was proponent of “Scientific socialism”whatever it means, it was not thrilled to see a left wing metamorphosis of Awami League. This party was ready to push the country to a bloody civil war with the clear ambition of eliminating Awami League from the political power." A BAKSAL supportive blog has this to say about the Gono Bahini, "Most of the cadres of the Islamic parties went underground. At the same time, the Maoists/communists formed underground political parties with armed cadres to carry on armed revolution inside our motherland. In the aftermath of the independence of Bangladesh, all these underground extremists created a terrible condition in the newly born republic. Even the ultra-leftists formed political parties and their armed wings (such as Gonobahini) to implement “scientific socialism,” a term not quite clear even to the proponents." 

The Gono Bahini was led by Colonel Taher and his deputy was Hasanul Haque Inu. The feud between the Rakhi Bahini (paramilitary force sanctioned by the state) and the Gono Bahini along with a group of other armed groups led to thousands of deaths. I shall not go into details, but what I intend to say is that the Gono Bahini was not an angel as Inu claims it to be. A recent article by Sangram details how Gono Bahini was involved in acts of massacre of civilians and terrorist acts against the state.

A murky history,

The same article refers to an article by Amader Shomoy (5 November, 2009) which details how Col. Taher (tugging behind him Inu), planned to ultimately kill Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib and perform a coup; only they were beaten to it by a group of military officers. The duo had contact with the army officers, met army officers at the Betar Bhobon after the coup, and even met President Khandakar Moshtaq (president immediately after the coup) at the Bangabhaban for at least 3 days in order to influence the chain of events. Inu, of course was complicit in all of this.

Stooge and Slime ball,

Inu, after his new job as Minister at the Ministry of Information, his first chance at a real government post, has shown his true colours. The latest in this facade of upholding freedom and ideals of democracy in Bangladesh are his scathing comments against editors of the country’s 15 daily newspapers, who on Saturday demanded the government allow the recently closed private television channels Diganta TV and Islamic Television to go on air again and the release of Amardesh acting editor Mahmudur Rahman. In a scathing attack, he said such appeal was ‘not in the best interest of the media’. An Islamophobic atheist all his life, it was rather heart warming indeed to hear him spewing farcical statements saying that Mahmudur Rahman had not been arrested for his writings against Hasina or the state, but for his 'hurting religious sentiments'  and 'hacking' of the ICT conversations.

Smashing the facade,

A Daily Star editorial was cuttingly indignant in its reply, saying that "It appears that 15 editors of, almost all leading papers of the country, collectively do not know “facts” which only the information minister knows." The facts it raised stroked the problems to their core. I can only do justice by reposting it here. "The fact Mr. Minister is that Amar Desh is closed without being banned. The fact is that Mahmudur Rahman, editor of Amar Desh, has been in jail for the last one month with dozens of charges against him with none having been proved in the court law. The fact is that he has been taken on several days’ remand during which, his family has alleged, that he was tortured.Do you remember Mr. Minister the days when it was customary to assume someone innocent before proven guilty in court? The fact the honourable minister is that Amar Desh printing press is under lock and key on the excuse that the premise in being investigated. How long does it take to do so? Well it can take a few hours or few years as the government wants and we know what it wishes. The fact is that the government is yet to give reasons why the two TV channels are being kept closed?These are the facts protesting which the 15 editors have given a statement."

A New Age editorial was more pragmatic in its approach when it put forward this simple observation in refuting the comments of Inu when its said that his comments were "a reconfirmation of the incumbents’ increasing intolerance with divergent opinion — be it in the political arena or in society at large." On the issues at hand, the editorial scathingly retorted, "Indeed, the Amar Desh acting editor is guilty of his paper’s publication of a misleading photograph; however, he did subsequently apologise for the mistake. No one should presume that a journalist or a media outlet is infallible because they are not. What deserves recognition and even appreciation is when a journalist or a media outlet regrets the mistake and apologise, both of which Amar Desh and its acting editor did. As for the closure of Diganta TV and Islamic TV, the government has clearly acted arbitrarily and now seems to be at pains to justify its actions. It is worth noting that these two television channels broadcast live the predawn joint operation by the police, the Rapid Action Battalion and the paramilitary Border Guard Bangladesh at Motijheel on May 6, just as many other electronic media outlets did. However, these other television channels managed to evade the government’s wrath, apparently because of their close links with the ruling Awami League." A few words were enough to decimate the government's attitude towards the media, "Regrettably, such highhandedness is neither isolated nor unprecedented but has, in fact, characterised the tenure of the AL-led government since its assumption of office in January 2009." 

The solution ?

Trust New Age to give a fitting one. "Hence, rights-conscious and democratically-oriented sections of society need to raise their voice in unison against the abuse of people’s mandate to govern the country by the incumbents."