AND THE CONSPIRACY BEHIND IT

Sheikh Hasina and her son Sajib Wazed Joy were forced to cancel their long awaited and widely publicised visit to Tungipara on 28th December 2004 for security reasons. The government intelligence agency - the Special Branch of Police – raised security questions about the scheduled trip. The eleventh hour decision regarding cancellation of the programme, indeed, surprised the people. The admirers as well as the well-wishers awaiting to receive Sheikh Hasina’s son Sajib Wazed Joy and his newly married wife Christine were deeply saddened. But, why did this happen? Is it a conspiracy to restrict their movement or something else? The conspiracy theory becomes more mysterious when it is learnt that the Special Branch obtained the decision to issue the security warning five days before the scheduled date of visit but communicated it only a few hours before the journey was to begin.

Consequent upon several assassination attempts on Sheikh Hasina, her security deserves the highest priority. It has become a matter of deep concern for all. But the BNP-Jamat Alliance Government have been orchestrating a series of dirty games involving the life of Sheikh Hasina. From the very beginning, this Government through words and deeds have been putting her life to risk. Withdrawal of the Special Security Force (SSF), reducing her security personnel and finally recanting the “Father of the Nation’s Family Members’ Security Act, 2001” has made the life of Sheikh Hasina vulnerable. Realising the gravity of the situation Bangladesh Awami League has been demanding adequate safety & security of Sheikh Hasina. But the Government does not heed to these demands. Rather some of the responsible leaders of BNP indulge in snide remarks, “Who is going to kill her?” But the reality is that the killers have always been chasing Sheikh Hasina.

Amidst fears of killing Sheikh Hasina the heinous grenade attack occurred on 21st August 2004. It was clearly an attempt to assassinate her. Fortunately she survived with some injuries. But the attack took away lives of dozens of party leaders and caused grievous injury to hundreds of leaders and activists. Even after this tragedy, the Government did not consider that the security arrangements for the Leader of the Opposition were insufficient and her life is at risk. The 21st August assassination attempt on Sheikh Hasina was followed by a number of death threats by unknown quarters. But the Government continued to neglect her safety and security.

When the Alliance Government has been continuously denying any security risks on the life of Sheikh Hasina, what did prompt them suddenly to think otherwise? Are they alarmed by the fast growing popularity of Sheikh Hasina and her party? Or have they been unnerved by the arrival of her son Sajib Wazed Joy accompanied by his wife Christine to Bangladesh? What indeed has frightened the Government?

It is true that the misrule of the Alliance Government is a matter of total national frustration. In the back-drop of this misrule and utter lack of governance, the appropriate and courageous political steps taken by Sheikh Hasina have created tremendous enthusiasm amongst the people. The spontaneous grand reception to Sajib Wazed Joy and his wife at Dhaka by thousands of people has added new dimension to this enthusiasm. All these developments have made the Alliance Government nervous. As such, they have changed their strategy. Now, they would like to confine Sheikh Hasina and her son at home on security grounds. With this evil motive the different Intelligence Agencies of the Government are now saying that security risks exist for Sheikh Hasina and her family members. Putting forward such sensitive propositions, they could prevent Sheikh Hasina and other members of the family from going to their ancestral home at Tungipara on a scheduled programme. Although apparently the Government succeeded in deterring Sheikh Hasina, Sajib Wazed Joy and others from visiting Tungipara, the fact remains that security risks of the family members of Bangabandhu have been ultimately admitted. Logically the restitution of the Act of 2001 is the proper step now, special security measures must be taken to protect Sheikh Hasina and the surviving members of Bangabandhu’s family.

Why special security is needed for Sheikh Hasina and the other family members of Bongobondhu?

It is widely believed that one of the reasons for the success of the assassination attempt on the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu on 15th August, 1975 was poor security arrangements. The private house at No. 32, Dhanmondi Residential Area, where Bangabandhu used to reside, was not at all secure. The killers took advantage of the poor security arrangements of the residence of Bangabandhu. On that deadly night all the family members of the Father of the Nation, who were at the residence, were also brutally killed. The present Leader of the Opposition Sheikh Hasina and her sister Sheikh Rehana could escape the massacre as they were outside the country at that time. Had they been in Bangladesh on that night, they would also have been killed. Even when they were abroad they faced the threat of assassination. It was largely for security reasons that after the assassination of Bangabandhu and the killing of almost all his family members, Sheikh Hasina and Sheikh Rehana had to live abroad for a long time.

The threat on the life of Sheikh Hasina continued as she came back home after long self-exile. The determined killers made a number of assassination attempts on her on different occasions. Even when Sheikh Hasina was the Prime Minister of the country the killers pursued their plan relentlessly. During her tenure as Prime Minister a high-powered bomb was planted at Kotalipara in the district of Faridpur where she was scheduled to address a public meeting. However, she could escape that assassination attempt as the bomb was unearthed before her arrival at the meeting place. At the same time some people, even including political leaders, spoke openly about the recurrence of another 15th August incident. Many of the activists also raised slogans voicing “we want Haisna-free Bangladesh.” In the past the motorcades of Sheikh Hasina were also attacked by the miscreants several times during her travel to the countryside on political progammes. If proof at all was needed these events unequivocally established the existence of death threat and security risk for Sheikh Hasina. Reports from all the Intelligence Agencies also supported these apprehensions.

Considering the above reality the Act of 2001 on “Father of the Nation’s Family Members’ Security” was enacted. This Act provided special security arrangements for the family members of the Father of the Nation. This provided for the deployment of a small contingent of force at the minimum cost.

Sheikh Hasina is not only the Leader of the Opposition. She is the daughter of the Father of the Nation who brought independence for us. She is also a former Prime Minister and the President of the biggest political Party of the country. Sheikh Hasina being the daughter of the Father of the Nation, people’s emotion, love and affection are also deeply associated with her. They look for Bangabandhu in her. God forbid if anything happens to Sheikh Hasina, there will be total chaos in the country. Naturally, the millions of people who love her will be angered and violence in all likelihood will erupt everywhere. The life of Sheikh Hasina is, indeed, so important to the nation. Similarly, the life of Sheikh Rehana and other family members of Bangabandhu, including his grand children, are important to the nation. As such, enactment of the “Father of the Nation’s Family Members’ Security Act, 2001” was a right step at the right time.

Scrapping the Father of the Nation’s Family Members’ Security Act, 2001:

But the BNP-Jamat Government unilaterally scrapped this Act as soon as they assumed power. By doing this, they exposed Sheikh Hasina to life risk. It was really an inhuman and condemnable act of this Government. This action encouraged the killers to undertake assassination attempts easily. What indeed was the purpose in scrapping this Act? Has the nation been benefited in any way? The answer obviously is no. The life of Sheikh Hasina is more valuable than the cost involved in ensuring her security.

From the day this Act was scrapped the security arrangements for Sheikh Hasina became vulnerable. She has been facing continuous attacks and threats. The emboldened killers ultimately made the most dastardly attempt to assassinate her in a public gathering on 21st August, 2004 by throwing grenades. By the grace of Allah she was spared. But it has left a horrified and saddened leader who lost so many of her colleagues and workers. She has also suffered hearing injury.

But the matter has not ended there. She has been continuously receiving life threat by e-mail and other means. Now the question of security risk also arises for her son Sajib Wazed Joy and his newly married wife. The Special Branch declined to give any clearance for their movements outside their Dhaka residence on security reasons. This means Sheikh Hasina and the other family members of the Father of the Nation need strong security measures. Such strong security measures may be taken only under the scrapped “Father of the Nation’s Family Members’ Security. Act, 2001.” So, the Act should be immediately revived in the interest of ensuring adequate security to Sheikh Hasina and her family members.

Restricting movements of Sheikh Hasina, Sajib Wazed Joy and others on grounds of security risks

Since the deadly grenade attack on 21st August 2004, Sheikh Hasina has limited her outdoor political activities. For security reasons she is almost confined at home. Sheikh Hasina attended only one public meeting held at Paltan Maidan after that day of massacre. Restraining Sheikh Hasina, Sajib Wazed Joy & others from visiting Tungipara on security reasons has raised some more questions. Instead of taking action against the suspects and appropriate security measures, why has the Special Branch suddenly raised the issue of security risk? This is obviously a failure of the Government that they cannot provide protection to the Leader of the Opposition.

The Government on the one hand is admitting its failure to ensure safety and security of Sheikh Hasina and on the other is claiming that law and order situation of the country has improved. If they fail to ensure security for the life of a personality like Sheikh Hasina, how can they protect the general mass of people? Again, the Government has been consistently denying that Sheikh Hasina has a life risk problem and refusing to provide any additional security force for her. But now they are asking her to refrain form travel inside the country on security grounds. Such a self-contradictory approach and application of double standards by the Alliance Government smack of evil motives. They expose Sheikh Hasina and her family members to life-risk by not providing adequate security arrangements. And thus restrict their free movements by raising the issue of security risks. In simple terms the Government is asking Sheikh Hasina to isolate herself from the people by restricting her movements or face the killers if she does not listen to their advice. It is plausible that the star-like bright appearance of Sajib Wazed Joy and the possibility of his joining politics has frightened the BNP-Jamat Alliance out of their wits. Issuance of the security warning may be an attempt to dissuade him from joining politics. If he could somehow be frightened at the beginning a probable strong political rival may be nipped in the bud.

Freedom of movement is a fundamental right of the people. Government is duty bound to ensure safety and security of the people during their movements. If the Government limits its responsibilities to only issuing security warnings, how would the security of the Prime Ministers, Heads of Governments and other VVIPs of the foreign countries during the ensuing SAARC Summit be ensured?

In fact, the actions of the Alliance Government are aimed at eliminating Sheikh Hasina and the members of the family of Bangabandhu from the politics of the country. Since assassination attempts have so far been fruitless other ways must be explored to gain the objective. Now they are up to hindering free movement of Sheikh Hasina and her son Sajib Wazed Joy. Such ill-motivated attempt will only deepen the politics of confrontation, carefully spawned by the BNP-Jamat Government. As a consequence not only peace and stability but also the sovereignty of the country would be endangered. We must warn that still there is time to avoid such politics of conspiracy, confrontation and blood-shed. The earlier the ruling junta understands this reality, the better for the nation.

Newsletter _______________________
Vol. 4 No. 1, January 04, 2005
Bangladesh Awami League Publication