Quite offensive was the posture of the banned Jamaat-e-Islami which unabashedly stood up against the trial and execution of 1971 war criminals who had been charged with colluding with the Pakistani army and Razakars targeting those fighting for and sacrificing their lives for the liberation. Frontline Jamaat leaders including Abdul Quader Mollah were tried by the international crimes tribunals and sentenced to either life imprisonment or death and the process of the trials continues. Till date, 10 war criminals have been convicted. Jamaat-e-Islami took to street violence in protest, targeting Hindus primarily, burning their homes, temples, ravaging their deities, looting property and valuables and business houses indiscriminately across the country.

Hindus have always been made the scapegoats for no fault of their own whenever there has been political turmoil in Bangladesh. One can recollect how they were subjected to widespread atrocities and brutalities for days after the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) led by Begum Khaleda Zia alliance including the Jamaat-e-Islami came to power in the 2002 general elections. The reason for them being targeted is because they supported the Awami League. This pattern and design is repeated during each and every disturbance with the sole objective of driving the Hindus out of Bangladesh. The Bangladesh Human Rights Commission has been critical of the safety and security measures of the Government of the day for the Hindus.

Independent observers did note with concern how the main opposition BNP and its 20 alliance partners, despite the repeated appeals of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina have refused to participate in the January 5 general elections on the grounds that the elections should be held under an apolitical caretaker Government which was rejected and which raised apprehensions that these elections would not be fair which has undermined the Election Commission of Bangladesh. Shiekh Hasina, on the other hand, insisted on an all party Government with equal participation. She even kept the door open for any dialogue to clear any apprehensions or misconceptions of the opposition. The appeal of UNO leader Ban Ki-moon and the mediations by USA, UK and EU representatives to break the impasse failed due mainly to the inflexible stance of Zia.

The USA, UK and EU have to understand the ground realities and embolden the hands of a democratically elected Government at Dhaka instead of playing into the machinations of BNP and Jamaat to push the country once again to the brink of chaos and anarchy.

Whatever might be the ground of difference and the justification or otherwise of holding elections by the ruling Awami League led Government, Jamaat-e-Islami had its own motive against the Hindus and the sequence of violence during the pre poll and post poll phase again brought out the ugly face of the rabid fundamentalist party. Hindus were once again the victims of mindless violence in Jessore, Dinajpur, Satkhira, Chittagong and Thakurgaon as if they were the arbiters for a poll that Zia and her likes did not like.

It goes to the political will and determination of Shiekh Hasina that she stood her ground and held the elections, winning an absolute majority along with her allies. She knew the hazards, now and in the future as well that will arise out of this move and she had valid reasons to hold the elections. Elections have to be held on schedule to uphold the Constitution or surrender to street violence. Rule of law has to prevail in a democracy. She did well not to allow street violence to decide her agenda. The way the militant cadre of Jamaat-e-Islami turned street protests into a reckless campaign to burn and kill suggested an ominous design to strike at democratic institutions. No responsible Government can afford to allow such forces to dictate matters and hold the country at ransom.

It was not “murder of democracy” as Zia cried out, but safeguarding the freedom and liberty of people and ensuring the continuity of the Constitution. It was with all sincerity that Shiekh Hasina called upon her arch rival BNP Chief Khaleda Zia to eschew terrorism and severe ties with war criminals and the militant Jamaat and have a meaningful dialogue for the next elections.

Political observers inside Bangladesh say that the Government of Shiekh Hasina did all it could have to ensure free elections. The Election Commission of the country is a competent body which has not raised any concerns regarding the fairness of elections. Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmed described the elections as fair, 97% of which was free from any disturbance. It was a Government formed through democratic elections. Zia counts Islamist groups among her supporters. One should remember that the massive mandate which the Hasina Government got in the 2008 elections was in the backdrop all kinds of violence which had gripped the nation during the 5 year rule of the BNP led alliance.

After assuming power in 2009, it should be put on record that the Shiekh Hasina Government cracked down on the dreaded terrorist outfit ‘Bangla Bhai’, arrested the masterminds and finally executed them. It was her Government that dismantled the camps and bases of North East extremists groups of India and their leaders including ULFA Chairman, Arbinda Rajkhowa, were taken into custody and handed over to the Border Security Force of India. The USA, UK and the EU should recognize these steps of the Awami League Chief to restore normalcy and the rule of law in Bangladesh.

This international pressure group led by America calling the elections a “farce” due to the low turnout of voters overlooked the orgy of violence unleashed by BNP and Jamaat to create a reign of terror and fear-psychosis to keep the voters indoors. These super powers conveniently missed the point that Jamaat will never like the idea of democracy functioning in the country because of its “pathological hatred” towards it.

India has taken a bold stand to throw its lot with the Awami League Government and the President and the Prime Minister of the country have congratulated Shiekh Hasina and all her winning candidates of the alliance for taking over the reins of power. The Asian giant, China, and South East countries, Vietnam and Cambodia and other 10 nations have also done so till date and other nations are expected to follow suit. Significantly, Marie Harf, Deputy Spokesperson of the US Department of State, has stated that the US will work with the Hasina Government. The EU group of nations has however said that the General System Preferences (GSP) will continue with Bangladesh, giving an indication that trade and commerce will not be affected.

The USA, UK and EU have to understand the ground realities and embolden the hands of a democratically elected Government at Dhaka instead of playing into the machinations of BNP and Jamaat to push the country once again to the brink of chaos and anarchy. If it is concerned about democracy, the global call should be to pressure the BNP—Jamaat combine to shun violence, stop atrocities on Hindus and restore peace and normalcy. It should be a call to BNP to sever ties with the rabid fundamentalist Jamaat. The call should be to listen to the voice of the Hindu-Buddhist-Christian Front for constituting an international body to look into the atrocities perpetrated on the Hindus whose very existence is at stake. Such political wisdom and judicious approach alone can create conditions for a meaningful dialogue and open the possibility of the next general elections. To question the legitimacy of Shiekh Hasina Government is to legitimize the cult of street violence and anti democratic forces.  

Jyoti Lal Chowdhury