Blocking the alternative force
MAS Molla, BAAS, Dhaka
Former President Dr. Badruddoza Chowdhury--the man or icon initiating the alternative political force in Bangladesh-- was harassed on the way to the scheduled meeting at Muktangan on March 11. His son Mr. Mahi B. Chowdhury and defecting BNP-MP Major (Rtd.) Abdul Mannan suffered the same fate at Farm Gate. A hoodlum was about to run over them with his motor-bike. The hoodlum is believed to be a pro-BNP man and other JCD activists were around helped even by the police of the state!BNP Secretary General Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan was quick (during the first launching of the forum) to claim that the desertion will hurt neither the government nor the party. If that is so, why so much hurt-burning that the police is instructed to dismantle the stage erected for launching of the former president's political forum? Furthermore, several bombs were hurled on B. Chowdhury's office and KC Memorial Clinic on the night before he was supposed to launch his political platform. Mercifully, no one was killed or injured. The police also pulled down the stage from where the former president was supposed to launch his forum. This is one measure of how LOW politics here can stoop. We do not know if the former president obtained a prior permission for his political gathering or he was denied any permission for the purpose. Whatever it is, the fact remains that there is hardly any difference between the thugs who carried out the bomb attacks on his office and clinic and the policemen who dismantled the stage. The thugs could not be identified because they came at dead of night and made good their escape immediately after throwing the bombs. The police who pulled down the stage, however, could be identified but that is of no help. Had it been a civilised enough society, the police would have been accountable for what they did. Clearly, they did not do what they did on their own accord. Even before the formal launching of Badruddoza Chowdhury's alternative political stream (Bikalpa Dhara), the move has come under attack. So you can bet, the attackers will never be caught or if ever caught, it will be not without some ulterior motive. Most likely, a scapegoat will be presented to fit in the stereotyped conspiracy theory. Why should politics get so low that a former president would not even be allowed to have his right to assembly? His cards are in the open. He has every right to differ with the opinions of the party (that he founded with late President Ziaur Rahman) hierarchy and part with it. As I understand from my shallow knowledge of politics, the more they attack , the larger will be the processions of the new political forum. On the other hand, if the force is allowed to work freely, it may or may nor gather much support to launch a party or gain many votes in the next election. As an advocate of free-thinking and doing, I expect democratic and lawful behaviour from the ruling party.
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