::: Star Weekend Magazine :::

Chintito

Who is in the thakur ghar? I did not eat the bananas

Chintito

In this Baisakhi heat, while much of the country is going berserk due to frequent power cuts and shortage of potable water and a long spell of dry and sultry weather, the opposition is trying to warm up further the political arena by levelling accusations, innuendos basically, against the four-month old government on several issues, some pro-people, at least one pro-personality.

This tawa garam practice is a sign of democracy, at least in these parts, as also the government pokkho is not right away swinging batons at street agitators, provocation not intended, as was the fate of the then boat lawmakers after the 2001 vote when the respective jotes were inversely placed.

Many will agree that, despite the hullabaloo in largely attended meetings, the unprecedented and unexpected rout of the BNP-Jamaat-etc alliance, in the last elections was dispensed in a silent national verdict by a new generation of voters who have embraced in earnest the demand for the trial of 1971 War Criminals.

They have not witnessed the ruthlessness of the Pakistan Army. They have not had to observe the lewdness of razakars, al-badars and al-shams, who wore the Islamic garb to mask their treacherous mind and body. They have not seen the rape of their mother. They have not heard the helplessness of their sister. They have heard and read and comprehended the facts.

Those who yell that the issue of juddho aparaddhi is a dead issue, for it being concluded 38 years ago do not possess the mental faculty to know that the image of an unclothed mother, the shrill of the sister being dragged away, the odour of the corpse of a beloved father do not erase or erode with time. That would be inhumane.

While the Awami League-led mahajote government is trying, and it must, to organise a nationally and internationally accepted fair trial of the killers, rapists, and tormentors of Bangla-speaking people during our War of Liberation, here we have some Bangla-speaking politicians, ghenna ghenna, raising hue and cry that there are no war criminals in Bangladesh, and laughable at best, that the government is trying to invite foreign troops with the pretext of uprooting terrorists.

It may be pertinent to remind us all that the Jamaat leader of leaders did go on record that Bangla Bhai, later apprehended by his government, commendably so, convicted of terrorism, and ordered to walk the plank, was the 'creation of the media'. He was not.

The bit of information about foreign troops, as uttered by BNP's colloquial secretary-general and the in-tandem Jamaat leader, is not only important, it is dangerous. It has several connotations. It may be interpreted as suggesting the government's lack of confidence on its own troops, which if meant is rather unfair and cruel. 'Foreign' could be a reference to troops from anywhere; USA, China, Mexico. I leave out India and Pakistan because they have opposing connotations and raise a whole range of issues. The country would be greatly benefited if Delawar and Nizami (Janakantha 5 May 2009) would not beat around the bush and say straightforward from which country the government is inviting foreign troops, if at all. In that case we could all become aware and remain on the alert. Otherwise, why spread sour seeds?

Just as the opposition often mention that the government is trying to divert the nation's focus from (in their words) its failure to provide essential services satisfactorily, bring down prices of essentials, control BCL cadre, and keep bazaar prices within the reach of the common man, the government can also raise an equally capricious finger and accuse the BNP and its allies that they are saying what they are saying to sidetrack the issue of the trial of war criminals.

Let it be said in very clear words to those in favour of the trial of war criminals and terrorists, perchance they could be birds of the feather, and those against the long-awaited tribunal (but why) that the government has no option but to go for the court case because they came to power by highlighting this very popular demand as one of their foremost election pledges.

While the opposition is doing an excellent job (long live democracy) by threatening the government with snap polls, meaning possibly national elections before even one year of their five-year term elapses, as well as demands to unseat their godi for not sticking to their election pledges, such as those related to electricity, gas, water, etc, they are that much quiet about the issue of bringing to justice the assassins and offenders against mankind.

Generations, new and old, do not like this attitude; and it is a vote loser.

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