Inconsistencies and incongruities continue to grip the nation when it comes to fairness and justice. Recent activities in Bangladesh have given me the impetus to pen this article. RAB (Rapid Action Battalion) recently found a torture cell in the house of a sitting MP in Bangladesh, allegedly run by his son. Without going into the story of unearthing the torture cell, I would rather take this opportunity to bring to light certain fundamental views that have raised national concern.
My questions to citizens in Bangladesh are the following: Are we safe in giving our law-making responsibility to a person whose house has a torture cell? As citizens, should we not raise this issue? What role did our special branch and police administration play all these years, as we can clearly see the establishment shown on national television did not happen overnight?
How do members of a political party which played the most significant role in the creation of Bangladesh arrive at such moral and ethical bankruptcy, promoting alleged miscreants?
Why are there steps not being taken to clean house? What signals are being given to the nation and our citizens? Are we now living up to the Orwellian notion that “some animals are more equal than others?”
Bangladesh, we are hopelessly mired in pungent reality. Some continue to wear coloured goggles, not realizing the gravity of the unfairness pervading the soul of the nation.
Others are sycophants with no moral scruples and are here to suck out the lifeblood of the nation by stealing, conniving, and cheating. Every country has these leeches, but we must ensure that these leeches and sycophants do not take hold of the gas and the steering wheel -- then the journey will be ever so frustrating.
Many are content to look away and sweep this issue under the rug. Indeed, they will show their moral turpitude and pusillanimity and yet, call themselves champions of democracy. But reality is so far beyond them that even a child is able to distinguish their “munafiqi,” or treachery.
Bangladesh needs to have a shuddhi obijhan, a cleansing campaign. It is unacceptable that our parliamentary MPs wield sticks and have torture cells; let us organize and loudly stand against those who use violence to spread fear.
Let this spirit prevail in all areas so that transparency and accountability reign supreme and rise against oppression.
Let us remind ourselves of the great saying of Martin Luther King, Jr: “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” Bangladesh is mired in threats now, so the public must collectively raise their voices against oppression or else be doomed for life.
A question to our judiciary: Can we not suo motu bring these questions into the court of law and decide accordingly? The name Modina is sacrosanct, but the name has been tarnished tremendously. A country which has such corrupt leaders is doomed to fail. Absurdity should have a limit.
Our people are simply watching Bangladesh slip into a dark alley. If we believe in fairness and justice, then let us demand from the government the resignation of this particular MP from his parliamentary seat. The country also demands that this MP be investigated, since his house has been found to hold a den for torture. No one should be above the law.
Bangladesh, let us see your strength in upholding the law. Too much time has been wasted promoting falsity. The time is now for truth to prevail.
The citizens of Bangladesh must demand justice, and justice must and shall prevail. Bangladesh, let us rise together for a better nation so that these bad apples are never elected or selected into our parliament.
It is not possible to have criminals in parliament and expect the country to run smoothly.
What we are experiencing now in Bangladesh is not congruent with the spirit of the historic War of Liberation. Our forefathers would probably twist and turn in their graves seeing this sorry face of Bangladesh.
Bangladesh, let your journey be based on truth and nothing but the truth. The people of Bangladesh are rational and logical, and they can clearly discern right from wrong.
The country is sitting on dogmatic ego and being run through the barrel of a gun, deeply disconnected from democracy. The citizens of Bangladesh need to breathe “democracy,” and certainly not be deluded by figments of imagination. The notion of development first and democracy later is a faulty notion. It is a philosophically fragile, dry, and pungent theory and ought to be scrapped.
As a citizen and as a political activist, I am raising my voice against injustice and channeling the nation’s collective frustrations.
Bangladesh must demand a holistic approach in cleansing the nation so that it can once again revive our dear Sonar Bangla.
Ziaur Rahman is CEO, IITM and Advocate. He can be reached at [email protected].
