Rulers popularizing Tareq Rahman

Rulers popularizing Tareq Rahman
There is a saying that, Bangladeshis have a very short memory and they are equally quick in liking and disliking any individual. On the other hand, there is also track record that, by nature, people of Bangladesh always are inclined in turning sympathetic to any politically, socially or otherwise oppressed individual. I am sure; those in ruling position in Bangladesh are not unaware of this fact.

I decided to write this commentary after reading an article by a sycophant columnist belonging to the ruling party, who leave crocodile tears for Bangladesh – trying to project him as the exclusive proprietor of the word 'patriotism', though this man, continues to live in a foreign country for decades, thus finally proving that, he is nothing but an alien opportunist, who sells his mind and pen to mere material benefits.

In a vernacular daily he wrote an article criticizing Bangladesh Nationalist Party [BNP] chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia's decision in placing her son into the second most important position in the party. He tried his best to prove that, Tareq Rahman, though was included in the party's important portfolio, he might not be welcomed by the people of Bangladesh, for series of corruption charges that he has been facing since the military backed interim government seized in power. He also wrote in that article that, "people of Bangladesh will wait to welcome Tareq Rahman to Bangladesh with warrant of arrest for those pending charges in Dhaka courts".

Well, I have no reason to defend Tareq Rahman. He surely has committed series of wrong deeds in the past, by giving shelter and patronization to bunch of corrupts and culprits, who surrounded him at the infamous Hawa Bhaban, which was the most powerful political office of the previous BNP-Jamaat coalition government. He has surely abused and even polluted the good name of his father, President Ziaur Rahman, who is known as a clean person in Bangladeshi politics, who never got caught into minimum level of corruption. Whether someone will agree or argue, it is a fact that, President Ziaur Rahman restored multi-party politics in Bangladesh as well re-opened the door to free flow of media, which were completely sealed down by the government led by Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. There is truly very less of goods things about the cabinet members of Bangabandhu and most importantly his ambition of one-party authoritarian rule in the country will remain as the black part of the history of Bangladesh.

People loved and admired Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. He led the war of liberation of this country and subsequently people of Bangladesh felt absolutely comfortable in seeing him as the administrator in the first government, which was formed after Bangladesh attained liberation from Pakistan. But, unfortunately, Bangabandhu paid real heed to some bad suggestions of few sycophants, who were surrounding him. It was those elements, who might have provoked this real Hero of the history of the country in adopting a anti-people autocratic rule which might have ultimately turned Bangladesh into a country of Stalinist or Maoist proto-type system.

Now, after so many decades, when Bangladesh Awami League was elected into power with a landslide victory [though political opponents claim, the election was engineered by the military backed interim government in setting this party in power with the underhand negotiation of letting the masterminds of the January 1, 2007 political upset in the country in finding 'safe exit' or at least not putting them into trial for series of misdeeds and even serious forms of corruption], the same set of sycophants are back into the show.

The mentioned writer is a member of that particular species. There are many, who have suddenly flocked into Bangladesh, after Awami League came in power.

As I mentioned, people of Bangladesh, by nature are sympathetic towards oppressed people, as this nation has suffered decades of oppression under British and then Pakistani rule. The way ruling party and its sycophants are continuing bad campaign against Tareq Rahman, they actually are making one point very clear that, this man has become one of the prime targets of oppression of the present government in Bangladesh. On the other hand, if Tareq Rahman will take lesson from the past and try to correct his wrongness and finally prove himself as the most competent leader of the nation, I will never be surprised. Because, most people though never take lesson from the past, a few really does. And, once people can take lesson from the past and erase all wrongness in him, he, instead of being hated or disliked by the people, ultimately succeeds in becoming the most popular leader in any nation.

All such campaigns against Tareq Rahman by his political opponents are practically aimed at placing Sheikh Hasina's son Sajeeb Wajed [Joy] into the post of potential next Prime Minister of Bangladesh. Recently, Sheikh Hasina has included Joy into politics and it is greatly rumored that, a most important position in Bangladesh Awami League is already left vacant to accommodate Joy into it.

Now after entering politics, Sajeed Wajed Joy paid a visit to Bangladesh. I never saw, if he went to National Monument at Savar, which was erected in the memory of the martyrs of our liberation movement. I even did not see, if Joy went to Shahid Minar, which is the symbol of language movement of the country. There was no news, if he even went to the graveyard of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman or his late father Dr. Wazed Mia. I am sure, as an aspirant politician, Joy will realize the severe mistakes he already committed right after stepping into politics. And if his political opponents will now raise fingers saying, this young man, who is a citizen of United States, in fact, does not have any respect or admiration for the martyrs of liberation war or language movement, what answers possibly the Awami League and its band of sycophants can come with?

Bangladesh Nationalist Party is also criticizing inclusion of Joy into politics saying, he is a foreign national. They are suggesting Joy to leave his foreign citizenship before entering Bangladeshi politics. They are even bringing the issue of Sajeeb Wajed Joy's wife, Christine Ovemarie, who also is an American citizen and their only child Sophia.

But, possibly the present ruling party in Bangladesh does not see any problem in placing any foreign national into any important political or official portfolio, though, such placements, especially into official positions are against the constitutional provisions of Bangladesh.

Ahmed Tareq Karim, Bangladeshi high commissioner in India is an American citizen. Bangladesh's permanent representative in United Nations is holding U.S. passport. Bangladeshi ambassador in Russia is also a foreign national. One of the advisors in the Energy Ministry is also holding U.S. citizenship. I am sure, there are many in the list, which either I am missing to mention here or even beyond my knowledge. So, if official positions can be offered to foreign nationals, why not an American citizen Sajeeb Wajed Joy can join politics in Bangladesh, whose political goal will be to become the Prime Minister of this country – one day?

Finally, I want to quote from a very recent remark by Sajeeb Wajed Joy during a lecture in Dhaka, where he said, the national 'brand' of this country will be 'Digital Bangladesh'. I am sure, Mr. Joy is aware of the fact that, since her mother became the Prime Minister in this country, the frequency of daily power failure in the entire country has greatly increased. In the capital city, the dwellers are left with power supply 5-6 hours every day. And it was reported in the media that the frequency of such power failures will increase in the coming months. Hopefully, Mr. Joy won't argue saying, this power failure is the first step towards implementing his branding as 'Digital Bangladesh'.

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