Chintito

Weeping at the Purgatory of Lost Souls
Chintito

The breaking news
The unfolding of the story
The secrecy of the operation
The long-term planning
The failure of the intelligence
The supply of weapons and ammunition
The suddenness of action
The ferociousness of the brutality
The indiscriminate large-scale killing
The swiftness of implementation
The use of military tactics
The professionalism in execution
The abundant use of firepower
The unsuspecting target
The innocence of the victims
The bereavement of families
The wide publicity
The stench of conspiracy
The impact on society
The never-known demand/s of the terrorists
The awkward position of the government
The immediate tackling of the situation
The ultimate surrender, read flee
The ensuing confusion
The vanishing actors who performed the heinous crime
The anonymous leaders of the horrific crime
The emergence of hindsight analysts on the handling of the situation
The 'ifs' and the 'buts'
The condemnation across the world
The demand for punishment of the killers
The shocked nation
The zero end-result for the perpetrators

September 11, 2001. Four coordinated terrorist strike on the United States. About 3,000 people killed.
26-29 November 2008. Ten coordinated shooting and bombing terrorist attacks across Mumbai. At least 173 people dead, including six foreigners.
25-26 February 2009. Coordinated 'terrorist' attack at BDR HQs in Dhaka. Death toll 69 killed on March 3, 54 army officers, 7 civilians including 2 women and 2 children, 8 BDR personnel, 6 missing.

The hallmark of Al-Qaeda?!?

This barbaric pre-planned cowardly act is not only a heinous unpardonable crime against the valiant officers and personnel of other ranks, and several absolutely unconnected innocent civilian victims, women and children, and against our nation, but it is indeed a transgression against humanity.

On final count it may emerge that Bangladesh has not lost so many officers even in the glorious War of Liberation 1971. The Army has shown the highest form of patience, despite inherent emotions running high. The government chose to bring the matter under control by political means (as opposed to a military operation) to minimise casualty. Survivors of the disastrous carnage have appreciated the move. Most officers were killed by 11am on the first day, long before the probable Army attack.

Several individuals have shown courage. Even that is being criticised. There is a time and place for everything, including retrospection. Let the shaheeds be buried. Let their families mourn the dead. Let the nation take stock.

Hindsight perception after the event in this case three days after the dust settled, is the lame tool of trouble creators. If officers were killed after an army onslaught the trouble creators would have said that a political solution was the only alternative.

The nation remained united during and after the crisis. A greater calamity and the possible succumbing of our sovereignty and independence have been averted. The nation remains concerned. The nation has to remain united. The conspirators are not dead.

The nation remains united in its fervent demand for trial and exemplary punishment of those who killed our officers and civilians, women and children. This unanimous call should not be allowed to die a natural death, as failure to bring to book the killers of previous carnages has led us to this gate of socio-political purgatory. We stand between heaven and hell. To crossover or not is our choice.

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