July, 2013
Bangladesh's dragon lady is on a revenge binge. She is so consumed by hatred of those she does not like that she is prepared to go to any length to punish them. Trial and conviction of 90-year-old Professor Ghulam Azam, former leader of the Jamaat-e Islami on trumpet up charges dating back to 1971 is a case in point. She accused him of participating in mass killings and rape.
Dhaka, Crescent-online
July 15, 2013, 14:27 EDT
Bangladeshi Prime Minister Hasina Wajid is determined to dig up old dirt to stoke hatred among different segments of the population. Today’s sentencing of 90-year-old Professor Ghulam Azam, former head of the Jamaat-e Islami Bangladesh is a case in point. Professor Azam served as amir (chief) of the party from 1969 to 2000 and was accused of war crimes during the 1971 mutiny by Indian-backed agents that culminated in the Indian invasion and creation of Bangladesh.
Professor Azam was accused of involvement in mass killings and rape during the mutiny that lasted from March to December 1971. His supporters have been waging running battles with the police during and leading up to the trial of the frail old man. Five people were killed by police firing in different parts of the country today.
It is the fifth sentence passed against current and former party leaders. The party's former vice president has been sentenced to death.
The court found Professor Azam “guilty” of five charges including conspiracy, incitement, planning, abetting and failing to prevent murder. The original charge sheet contained a list of 60 counts of various crimes but all related to his cadre trying to prevent the break-up of the country. In court, he denied the charges. His supporters say these were politically motivated. Professor is a writer and Islamic thinker and he was opposed to the breakup of Pakistan to create Bangladesh because he felt it would divide the Muslim community.
The fact that the trial was held more than 40 years after the alleged events and that Hasina Wajid had served as prime minister earlier as well before being rejected by the people shows that she is on a witch hunt. She is a vicious woman consumed by intense hatred of those she opposes and carries long grudges. The current spate of trials that are conducted under what is called the “International Crimes Tribunal for Bangladesh” have been denounced by human rights groups as falling far short of the internationally accepted standards. That is not going to deter the dragon lady of Bangladesh.
The political nature of the trials is also evident from the fact that the Jamaat-e Islami is an ally of the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) headed by Khalida Zia, widow of another slain Bangladeshi leader, General Ziaur Rahman. The two ladies have intense hatred for each other and cannot stand the other’s sight.
To recap, Bangladesh was then East Pakistan and was part of Pakistan. While politicians in West Pakistan (currently Pakistan) played dirty and refused to accept the people’s verdict under which Mujibur Rahman’s Awami Party should have been handed over power, the uprising against the state itself was illegal. The Pakistan army was unleashed brutalizing thousands of people in East Pakistan.
As a political party, the Jamaat-e Islami wanted to maintain the integrity of Pakistan. For this, its leaders have been accused of participating in mass killings and rape by the current Bangladeshi government headed by Hasina Wajid whose father, Mujibur Rahman was murdered by Bangladeshi military officers in a coup in August 1975. Hasina Wajid survived the midnight assault on Mujib’s residence because she was away with her husband in India with whom she and her family have very close links.
When the verdict against Professor Azam was handed down, there were immediate protests in Dhaka and several other cities in Bangladesh. Police fired rubber bullets at the protesters in an attempt to disperse them. Journalists were among those injured in the violence in the Dhalpur district of Dhaka, police say. Since the protests erupted last January, more than 150 people have been killed by police in various parts of Bangladesh.
Professor Azam’s trial and conviction will only further divide the already deeply divided country.
END
July 15, 2013, 14:27 EDT
Bangladeshi Prime Minister Hasina Wajid is determined to dig up old dirt to stoke hatred among different segments of the population. Today’s sentencing of 90-year-old Professor Ghulam Azam, former head of the Jamaat-e Islami Bangladesh is a case in point. Professor Azam served as amir (chief) of the party from 1969 to 2000 and was accused of war crimes during the 1971 mutiny by Indian-backed agents that culminated in the Indian invasion and creation of Bangladesh.
Professor Azam was accused of involvement in mass killings and rape during the mutiny that lasted from March to December 1971. His supporters have been waging running battles with the police during and leading up to the trial of the frail old man. Five people were killed by police firing in different parts of the country today.
It is the fifth sentence passed against current and former party leaders. The party's former vice president has been sentenced to death.
The court found Professor Azam “guilty” of five charges including conspiracy, incitement, planning, abetting and failing to prevent murder. The original charge sheet contained a list of 60 counts of various crimes but all related to his cadre trying to prevent the break-up of the country. In court, he denied the charges. His supporters say these were politically motivated. Professor is a writer and Islamic thinker and he was opposed to the breakup of Pakistan to create Bangladesh because he felt it would divide the Muslim community.
The fact that the trial was held more than 40 years after the alleged events and that Hasina Wajid had served as prime minister earlier as well before being rejected by the people shows that she is on a witch hunt. She is a vicious woman consumed by intense hatred of those she opposes and carries long grudges. The current spate of trials that are conducted under what is called the “International Crimes Tribunal for Bangladesh” have been denounced by human rights groups as falling far short of the internationally accepted standards. That is not going to deter the dragon lady of Bangladesh.
The political nature of the trials is also evident from the fact that the Jamaat-e Islami is an ally of the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) headed by Khalida Zia, widow of another slain Bangladeshi leader, General Ziaur Rahman. The two ladies have intense hatred for each other and cannot stand the other’s sight.
To recap, Bangladesh was then East Pakistan and was part of Pakistan. While politicians in West Pakistan (currently Pakistan) played dirty and refused to accept the people’s verdict under which Mujibur Rahman’s Awami Party should have been handed over power, the uprising against the state itself was illegal. The Pakistan army was unleashed brutalizing thousands of people in East Pakistan.
As a political party, the Jamaat-e Islami wanted to maintain the integrity of Pakistan. For this, its leaders have been accused of participating in mass killings and rape by the current Bangladeshi government headed by Hasina Wajid whose father, Mujibur Rahman was murdered by Bangladeshi military officers in a coup in August 1975. Hasina Wajid survived the midnight assault on Mujib’s residence because she was away with her husband in India with whom she and her family have very close links.
When the verdict against Professor Azam was handed down, there were immediate protests in Dhaka and several other cities in Bangladesh. Police fired rubber bullets at the protesters in an attempt to disperse them. Journalists were among those injured in the violence in the Dhalpur district of Dhaka, police say. Since the protests erupted last January, more than 150 people have been killed by police in various parts of Bangladesh.
Professor Azam’s trial and conviction will only further divide the already deeply divided country.
END
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