The killing of former Finance Minister Shah AMS Kibria MP On the evening of 27th January 2005 is part of a long term plan of the Khaleda-Nizami led BNP-Jamat government to annihilate the leadership of Awami League. So far six people killed on the 27th January in Habiganj are members and supporters of Awami League. Hundreds others who have been injured severely are also members, supporters and well-wishers of Awami League. The event of the 27th January is part of the ongoing unending reign of terror sponsored by the ruling BNP-Jamat government. Since the fraudulent elections of 2001 the ruling BNP-Jamat government has gone on a rampage of attacking supporters of Awami League from the very beginning. They have attacked the supporters to kill, rape, maim them or deprive them of a livelihood. Or in the least to create terror so that they do not support Awami League anymore. Many of the victims have been minorities and specially women. From last year onwards there is a spate of attacks to kill the Awami League leaders. These are violation of human rights and all norms of rule of law.

First and foremost on the last 21st August there was a dastardly attack on the Leader of the Opposition and President of Awami League Sheikh Hasina. There were more than nine or ten grenades thrown at her during the meeting in Bangabandhu Avenue. Miraculously Sheikh Hasina was saved by the grace of Allah but unfortunately more than 21 people were killed including Awami League Women affairs Secretary Ivy Rahman and over four hundred were severely injured. This was the most concerted attack on Sheikh Hasina¡¦s life among the many attempts that have been made on her since her return to Bangladesh in 1981. Unfortunately the government has not taken the matter seriously and made any proper attempt to find the perpetrators and bring them to books. Not a single attacker has been found from the attack that had happened in front of scores of Police officers. The government has done a mockery of investigation but has not been able to turn up with any credible evidence as to who has done the crime. Even before the attack of 21st August there were repeated requests by the Awami League for taking proper measures for the safety of Sheikh Hasina. But the government did not accede to these requests nor paid any heed to it. Also this government after coming to power repealed the law for protection of the family of the Father of the Nation. Since then there have been a series of incidents and attacks on Sheikh Hasina throughout the country. The most vicious and dastardly one was on 21st August.

The killing of Shah AMS Kibria is a motivated killing on the part of the government to kill all potential leaders of Awami League who will be candidates and organizers in the next election. Mr. Kibria came from an aristocratic family of Habiganj and was a meritorious student of Dhaka University. He was also active in the language movement and was in jail for his patriotic activities. Mr. Kibria was a renowned international diplomat and politician. He was a member of the Foreign Service and served as the Foreign Secretary of Bangladesh. He was also an Under Secretary General of the UN and Chief of ESCAP. After leading international organization he returned to Bangladesh and in order to serve his country joined Awami League. He was made an Advisor in Awami League and he was also given responsibility as the Political Advisor of the party President Sheikh Hasina. He was also the co-chairman of the Awami League's election organizing committee in 1996 which responsibility he discharged in an exemplary manner. In the government led by Awami League he was made the country's Finance Minister. For the next five years he did a remarkable job in turning around the economy of the country. He was as a person a man of integrity and known for being amiable and humble. In 2001 he once again led the election committee of Awami League. He also got elected as a member of parliament in the election from Habiganj. Under his stewardship Awami League captured all four seats of Habiganj. Since then he was playing a leading role as an opposition parliamentarian. He was also known as a very perceptive columnist in the national press. Since 2001 he was also editing a weekly magazine Mridubhashon. Mr. Kibria was an internationally known Bangladeshi who had served his country very well in various capacities for many decades.

The government has been targeting the leaders of the Awami League fearing for their own existence in the coming election. Last year another sitting MP and a renowned labour leader Ahsanullah Master was killed on 7th May 2004. He too was gunned down in his constituency surrounded by Awami League leaders and workers. He was a very popular leader and an active participant in national labour movement. He was a also a good organizer and helped Awami League to win three out four seats in his district Gazipur. He used to play a leading role in all national agitation and was attacked by police many times. He had sought security from the Speaker but to no avail. Up to now the police have not caught the real culprits behind his killing who are members of the Khaleda-Nizami government. The police have been prevaricating; meanwhile the real killers are going free.

Last year also there was a grenade attack on Awami League Presidium member Suranjit Sengupta MP in Sunamganj. Fortunately he was saved by the grace of God. But 3 other people were killed. Last year in Sylhet also there were two attacks on the Mayor of Sylhet Badaruddin Kamran but fortunately he was also saved. There was also an attack in the house of former member of parliament Syed Zebunnesa where a meeting of the women's wing of Awami League was going on. Many people were injured but fortunately nobody was killed. Also on 21 May 2004 there was an attack on the British High Commissioner, Anwar Chowdhury in the shrine of Hazrat Shah Jalal. The High Commissioner was injured but fortunately not fatally. Many other people were killed. Also last year Manjurul Imam advocate of Khulna and a member of Council of Advisers, and Momtajuddin a leader of Awami League and a former and prospective candidate of Awami League in Natore were killed. And another prospective candidate Suruj was killed in Lalmonirhat. Also there have been repeated attacks on Dr. Abdur Razzak MP of Tangail.

Since the term of Khaleda-Nizami led BNP-Jamat coalition government has taken over the country has known no peace. First they unleashed a reign of terror on supporters and voters of Awami League to intimidate them. Many were killed, raped and injured. A lot of the grassroots workers were robbed of their property and livelihood. Many minorities were forced to flee the country to save their lives. This white terror was unleashed and coordinated by BNP-Jamat leaders and local organizers. Many Ministers and MP's were known to give shelter to these perpetrators. Khaleda-Nizami were not satisfied with just rigging the election against Awami League but they also wanted to ensure that nobody will freely support Awami League. But when they have not been able to intimidate the activists and supporters of Awami League they have now taken to killing the leaders of Awami League. This they want to accomplish before the next election. They still fear that 41% of the people who supported Awami League are now swelling in numbers due to the misrule of BNP-Jamat. This killer government is not only killing the leaders and activists of Awami League but also impeding the due process of law. Since 2001 after all the killing and attacks on Awami League no satisfactory legal steps have been allowed to be taken to bring the criminals to justice. As a result the government terrorists are continuing their misdeeds.

To divert the attention of the people, the government has sometimes accused Awami League of staging the attacks. This false accusation and motivated propaganda against Awami League, with a view to protecting the real culprits has, in reality, encouraged the attackers and terrorists. And as a result grenade attacks and killings, one after another have taken place quite unabated. The religious and fanatical terror has now become invincible.

The fundamentalist reactionary forces got fresh lease of life under this BNP-Jamat government since 2001. They have been terrorizing the people under the shelter of BNP-Jamat government. There have been repeated stories in the local press about different training camps and facilities sponsored by the fundamentalists. These have come in the foreign press as well. Most recently there was an article in New York Times Magazine by Eliza Griswold about the fundamentalist activities. It gave details of the so called Bangla Bhai and other forces which are in government. But the BNP-Jamat government is denying all such accusations and turning a blind eye to the so-called Bangla Bhai. This goes to prove its collusion with all such forces who are trying to turn Bangladesh into next Afghanistan. This process has been accelerated in recent times.

Not only the Party in opposition, but the civil society also think that as long as the Khaleda-Nizami BNP-Jamat government remains, the spate of killing will not stop. On one hand the Prime Minister is saying that the law and order situation is normal and the very next day a internationally renowned personality is being gunned down amidst hundreds of people. The prime minister accuses the Awami League of calling issueless hartal and then does not address the legal grievances of Awami League. She has mocked many times the security concern for the Leader of the Opposition and other leaders. In her coalition she is sitting with people who are giving shelter to people who are responsible for the endless torture and killing that is going on in the country for the last three and half years. They will continue in their activity of killing Awami League and other secular Parties' leaders and activists unabated if they think it will benefit them in the next election. To get rid of these situations and to ensure democratic future in the country, the only way open to the country is the resignation of the present government and to hold an early election. The 14 secular progressive political parties led by Awami League have jointly given programmes for united movement to achieve this objective.

The killing of SMAS Kibria is showing no one is safe from the black hand of this government. A person like Mr. Kibria was known to have no enemies but that did not save him. He was working peacefully to better the condition of the people of his constituency and Bangladesh. But even a peaceful internationally renowned person like him was not safe from the vengeance of this government. If he was not safe than no one is safe in this country led by Kgaleda-Nizami government.

Newsletter _______________________
Vol. 4. No. 2. January 30 2005
Bangladesh Awami League Publication