Bangladesh government orders shoot on sight policy against protesters

Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir had spoken out. His true nature was laid bare for the world to see. Defying the basic constitutional rights accorded to all Bangladeshis to be able to demonstrate, gather and express their opinion, the government of Bangladesh has given legitimacy to an ongoing and prevalent illegal practice that has been only too well documented. It comes in a thinly veiled roughly worded package too. Banglanews says that the law enforcing agencies have been directed to ‘shoot-at-sight’ the persons involved in arson attack, vandalism and other subversive activities during hartal hours. The decision was taken in a meeting of heads of law enforcing agencies with Home Minister MK Alamgir at his Banani residence Tuesday. Wishing anonymity, a person, who attended the meeting, said decision was taken also to take action against the instigators of the violence. 

This decision has been has been widely denounced by almost all news agencies, who have published the news in all its dark glory. Starting with a big disapproval from top vernacular daily Prothom Alo, the news also featured on news dailies like Ittefaq and Naya Diganta and online portals such as banglanews and RTNN. However, news outlets such as bdnews, Daily Star and other pro-government media outlets have kept quiet. As a countermeasure, the Daily Star published news that the Home Minister had denied issuing such orders. 

MK Alamgir said, “Civil and criminal procedures would be taken against the persons involved in arson, vandalism and sabotage in the name of hartal.”

In contrast to the Daily Star claim, banglanews further reports that when asked about whether human rights would be violated by shoot-at-sight, the minister said human rights wouldn’t be violated if any action is taken against these persons for the sake of majority people. The Naya Diganta and Prothom Alo reports have added that they have talked to multiple sources at the meeting and on the ground who confirmed that the orders emanating from the meeting had been to shoot hartal supporters on sight.

The impact of such news is simple: its a death blow to democracy and human ideals that we have been so proudly marketing to the outer world. The official role the police earlier was to use baton-charge and tear shells along with physical charging to disperse any illegal protests. With this directive, police now have the license to shoot and kill, and wipe off their conscience with the tissue of protection of public safety, be it the public that they are shooting at. 

What is this country coming to? Where is the end to all this?

Shibir Independence Day rally fired upon by Police in Dhaka

At least 21 activists were bullet ridden in clashes following police obstruction of a peaceful rally of Chatra Shibir on Wednesday morning at Moghbazaar in Dhaka.  

The bullet ridden activists were reported to be all Shibir activists. This was claimed by multiple sources from Shibir itself.

According to various sources, Shibir activists and leaders brought out a procession at Moghbazaar as part of their daylong activities on 26^th March, the Independence Day of Bangladesh. The plan was to conclude the peaceful procession at Hatirjheel.

However, at a certain point police obstructed the procession and started firing upon the peaceful activists. News agencies report the use of tearshells, rubber bullets and empty bullets. In the mayhem that followed, 21 activists were bullet ridden. Various news media have also reported that at least 5-7 activists have been arrested by the police. Many have been reported injured, with some media claiming up to a 100 activists injured

On this issue, banglanews reports Ramna thana OC Shah Alam as saying that Shibir took out a ‘flash’ procession in the city. At this time police obstructed the rally, after which Shibir activists took on police by throwing bricks and stones at the law enforcers. In response police used empty shells, rubber bullets and tear shells to disperse the activists. However, the official could not say whether this led to any injuries among the protesters. However, he added that police had arrested 7 people from the procession.

Bangladesh: Of political witch hunts chasing the ghosts of 71

The developing culture of a political witch hunt in Bangladesh has reached new heights. The victims of this witch hunt are people of flesh and blood who have made their own personal choices. The choice to not follow the path of secularism, materialism and blind political bickering. The choice to follow religion and inculcate its values in their daily lives. The choice to choose Islam as their way of life. The choice of political Islam. 

Supporters of Jamaat-e-Islam and Islami Chatra Shibir not only face hurdles during demonstrating peacefully or expressing their views in public, they are also victims of a wider political witch hunt that seeks to isolate and ostracize them from the community, label them as undesirables, throttle their means of existence, all towards that grand scheme to eradicate them from the annals of history. 

Defying logic, common sense and any viable explanation, supporters of Jamaat-e-Islam and Islami Chatra Shibir are regularly discriminated against in common spheres of life in Bangladesh. Known members of the parties have been subject to discrimination in attaining government posts. This has been ensured by a police verification methodology of government job aspirants by which political affiliations are deemed more important than criminal records. Affiliation to Jamaat or past history with Shibir can stop your promotion or earn you baseless notoriety in the long run in many a place of work, be it private or public. It can stop your aspirations to run for leading posts in an institution. Simply put, it can terminate your career and destroy it.

What I have stated above is not a joke. I personally know of exceptionally brilliant university students not getting faculty posts due to being Shibir associates, Jamaat activists having to close their business institutions due to their affiliation, Jamaat sympathisers being relieved of government duties for being, well, Jamaat supporters. A recent example of such an incident was the triumphant allegation of banglanews24 that the P.S of Finance Minister A.M.A Muhith was involved with Shibir in his student life. He was subsequently removed from his post and relegated to obscurity. Some papers say he was made an O.S.D (Officer on Special Duty), meaning his job was effectively terminated.

So what is wrong with being a Jamaat or Shibir supporter? Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami is a registered political organization in Bangladesh. Similarly, Shibir is not outside the realm of the law. Jamaat has democratically participated in elections of Bangladesh since their inception. Jamaat has had ministers in the cabinet. Jamaat and Shibir are politically and practically democratic in a sense that makes most political parties in Bangladesh look like dynasties. The clean slate of Jamaat in terms of corruption in government is legendary to say the least. The only allegation? Jamaat supported the 'other side' during the war of liberation in 1971. 

However, is that a valid reason for all this oppression? 42 years have passed since the liberation war. Formers supporters of Jamaat-e-Islami have not only acknowledged Bangladesh, they have also created a new political party (Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami) in line with principles and guidelines of this country, in order to do politics for the welfare of its citizens. Shibir was created in 1977 to work for spreading the message of Islam among general students. Many Shibir activists have matured and entered mainstream politics through the Jamaat-e-Islami. To them, 1971 is not the issue of tomorrow, its a thing of the past. Its a chapter that needs to be learned from and left behind, not cherished in order to hate and oppress. Unfortunately, the power hungry, with the power of ignorance, materialism, unfounded hatred, emotional blackmail and lack of political and personal ethos, have kept up their act, seeing Jamaat and Shibir for who they really are, harbingers of truth and change, champions of the underdog, usurpers of the corrupt.  

As a result, a country has suffered. A generation has lost momentum. Bangladesh is still stuck in 1971.