After the 13th National Assembly elections, the BNP government led by Tariq Rahman was less than four months old. But in the meantime, a kind of instability is seen in the Jamaat. In order to come to power, the defeated Shakti Jamaat of ’71 is announcing new programs aimed at destabilizing the country. When the country is in various crises, a new government is trying to rebuild the country, then the Jamaat government cannot be given any more time or it has to prepare for another July revolution – it is trying to create a political crisis in the country by saying such words.
The Jamaat-led 11-party alliance has held at least 10 days of protest marches, rallies and distribution of pamphlets in the capital in the last four months after the parliamentary elections. Outside of Dhaka, there have been various programs at the metropolitan and district levels. On May 16, the divisional assembly of 11 parties started from Rajshahi division. It is supposed to end on July 25. Then there is a plan to hold a mass meeting in Dhaka in October. This is an unprecedented event not only in Bangladesh, but in any democracy in the world. Especially, against the background that this election has been held then the mandate of Jamaat and NCP was to strengthen parliament and democracy through parliament centric politics. But as the Jamaat is preventing the parliament from functioning, it is also pushing the country to the path of division again. Until the second session of the Parliament, Jamaat has criticized various decisions of the government, objected on several issues and walked out four times. Jamaat is more focused on their political and personal interests than the issues of the people, the problems of the area. Jamaat MPs are demanding the implementation of the July National Charter and the verdict of the referendum in the Parliament but have refused to join the committee formed for the implementation of the July Charter. The question has arisen, how will the July Charter be implemented if the Constitution Amendment Committee does not participate?
Political analysts feel that the Jamaat is deliberately trying to create a constitutional crisis in the country by obstructing the implementation of the July charter. Crying for the July Sanad on the face and non-cooperation in the implementation of the Sanad on the inside – this is the politics of the Jamaat.
The political party in question due to its role in ’71 is rightly demanding washing machines, microwave ovens and curtains in the flats allotted to them, even if they do not speak strongly about the people.
The party has been practicing dualistic politics since its inception. This group opposed the partition of the country in 1947. Maududibad tried to create communal divisions in the country under the guise of propaganda. Opposing the great liberation war of 1971, Pakistanis became complicit in genocide and the worst atrocities. Jamaat joined the cabinet of the military junta in 1971 when brave Bengalis shed fresh blood for independence. Party leader Abbas Ali Khan was Minister of Education and AKM Yusuf was Minister of Revenue. Jamaat Razakar, Albadar, Alshams and Shanti Committees were directly involved in the genocide and crimes against humanity of ’71. The International Criminal Tribunal, (which is still in place) identified Jamaat as a criminal organization. Just 13 years ago on Monday, July 15, 2013, Tribunal-1 commented on the judgment of Ghulam Azam. According to the observation of the judgment, considering the documentary evidence and the surrounding circumstances, it can be said that Jamaat-e-Islami led by Professor Ghulam Azam as a political party deliberately acted like a criminal organization, especially during the 1971 War of Independence. Several of the International Criminal Tribunal’s judgments have referred to Jamaat-e-Islami, a political party opposed to the liberation war, as a ‘collaborator’ of the Pakistani army. Observing these judgments, the tribunal held the Jamaat as well as the Pakistani army responsible for the atrocities during the liberation war. But Jamaat has never apologized for its role in 1971. According to political analysts, without clarifying the role of 1971, Jamaat will never gain the trust and confidence of the people of Bangladesh. The anti-Bangladesh role of ’71 and the bearer of the politics of duality is Jamaat. Because of this, minimizing the Great War of Liberation and spreading wrong information about the 1970s is one of the characteristics of Jamaat’s politics. After the victory of the mass movement of ’24, the Jamaat had the audacity to compare a mass uprising with a liberation war. Jamaat’s propaganda was not successful because of BNP’s strong position and attitude at that time. But several on-site investigations have shown that Jamaat was directly involved in the vandalism of Liberation War installations and sculptures across the country. In the last two years, one thing has become clear, the Jamaat does not embody the Great Liberation War. The basis of Jamaat’s political ideology is to deny ’71. Jamaat wants to establish that political thought whenever it gets a chance. The common people of this country will never accept it. Jamaat is always against the spirit of liberation war. That’s why Jamaat wants to come to power not by people’s verdict, but by different tactics. The political strategy of the party is arranged according to that plan.
The misdeeds committed by Jamaat in 1971 are part of their ideological practice. The party brutally suppresses dissent whenever it gets the chance. In the politics of Bangladesh, the culture of secret forces, brutal behavior towards dissent is closely related to the politics of Jamaat.
Martyred President Ziaur Rahman believed in free democracy. That is why he gave opportunity to all political parties. In this opportunity, Jamaat gets a chance to rehabilitate itself in politics. But research shows that since 1971, Jamaat and Shibir practiced secret politics in Bangladesh. Today, several Jamaat leaders, including the Jamaat emirs, were affiliated with Jasad, the radical left.
Even though Jamaat came back to politics at the benevolence of BNP, it broke faith whenever it got the chance. In 1986, BNP called to boycott the elections under Ershad, but Jamaat participated in the elections under Ershad with Awami League for the greed of power. When the BNP formed the government in 1991, the Jamaat allied with the Awami League and started a movement to topple the government. This dual behavior is the hallmark of Jamaat politics.
When Awami League started the trial of war criminals, Jamaat-Shibir took refuge in Awami League and Chhatra League as secret forces. The helmet army of the Chhatra League was actually a student camp.
Starting politics after ’75, Jamaat started politics of terror and cutting veins in various universities to establish their supremacy. Now their violent form is being exposed again. After July 24, Jamaat Guptas came into the open across the country and resorted to terror as before to gain dominance. The latest example is the terrorist attack on a journalist in Dhanmondi on June 23.
After the Yunus government came to power, Jamaat secret forces infiltrated all levels of government including administration, police, educational institutions, judiciary. Jamaat formed a parallel government with the help of the interim government. Still these Guptas are in many places. They are eager to put the elected government in trouble whenever they get a chance. The recent resignation of 17 law officers in the Attorney General’s Office in the Supreme Court is just a small example. Under the patronage of the Yunus government, the Jamaat student organization has taken over all the public universities. Various important financial institutions are under the control of Jamaat. After August 24, various media are now under the control of Jamaat.
The administration, police and judiciary have secret forces of Jamaat. And that is why Jamaat leaders are dreaming of coming to power. Jamaat never cares about public opinion. They want to seize power in their own hands. The Jamaat feels that the mass uprising of ’24 brought them closer to power. Many leaders of Jamaat are now getting the scent of power. Therefore, a kind of pride and arrogance is seen in their speech and behavior. But Jamaat is not accepted by the people yet. Jamaat and Liberation War are still opponents. This is why it is not possible for Jamaat to come to power by popular vote. So they are busy looking for a way to power. That is why they are so intolerant. That is why they are not willing to give time to a newly elected government. But the people of this country will not accept the Jamaat if the role of Ekatar is not clear.
Jamaat always considers ’71 as small, still they have not accepted the liberation war – this is their mistake. That is their sin. As long as Bangladesh exists, it will remain seventy-one. Liberation war is never lost. Jamaat does not understand why.
