Committed to PEOPLE'S RIGHT TO KNOW
Vol. 4 Num 336 Mon. May 10, 2004  
   
Letters to Editor


Strange and ominous signs


In a strange country, police supports jungle rule. DS reports that a police officer ordered police stations to support the outlaws (I prefer to call the JMJB activists as outlaws, as they are operating in violation of the law of the land) 'wherever they go to catch outlaws'. I vehemently protest this irresponsible statement. But this is perhaps not unusual in a country where Jahanara Imam and other intellectuals, who are esteemed not only for their knowledge and wisdom but also for their unflinching faith in the rule of law, were implicated in a government sponsored sedition case for staging a mock-trial of the known killers of 1971.

So called Bangla Bhai, the notorious outlaw, has established a jungle rule over a vast area, and according to reports in various national news media, including DS, is running a parallel state, within the sovereign state of Bangladesh. It is strange that our home ministry encourages such activities, when the JMJB openly declares that their goal is to implement their hidden agenda. The JMJB leader further said, "Police do not protect us, we do not need their help." All these words are not only contradictory to the police statement, but also have serious implications. Today, these outlaws can declare that they do not need police help, tomorrow they will challenge police or even other agencies to keep up their operations.

I wonder, how the government, that does not even tolerate a peaceful no confidence human chain, can tolerate such a parallel state within itself. Does the party in power understand that if it continues to support these unlawful activities, sooner or later broad masses of people will consider this support an act against the nation to destroy the country that was established after so much of sacrifice?

It seems the defeated evil forces of 1971 are out to fulfil their lost dream. I notice an ominous signal in the events.