Carnage at Bangabandhu Avenue: What next?

Ground zero of attack

On February 28, imminent writer Professor Humayun Azad was severely stabbed and his minor son escaped from kidnappers on July 25. The mutilated professor apparently succumbed to fear and frustration alone in Germany. There was grenade attack on the life of Khulna Mayor on April 1, 2004. Ten truckloads of sophisticated arms, ammunitions, grenades and bombs coming through clandestine sea route of Chittagong were hauled up, by sheer coincidence, on April 3, 2004. There was attack on the motorcade of Sheikh Hasina on the same day. My good friend Commodore Rabbani died in Bangkok due to bullet injury of April 12. Before the nation could pass over the shock and awe of all these, Ahsanullah Master MP was gunned down on May 8, and His Excellency the British High Commissioner was miraculously saved in a bomb attack on May 22. On June 28, Editor Humayun Kabir of Khulna was bombed to death. After the war zone of Iraq and Afghanistan per capita violence is probably the

highest in Bangladesh seemingly crossing the threshold of failed states.

These heinous trains of events and many more in less than six months time suggest an anonymous army being supplied with sophisticated arms, ammunitions, grenades and bombs by clandestine sources to perpetuate a reign of terror in Bangladesh. Latest attempt on the life of the Leader of the Opposition on August 21 appears convincing enough that the hauled up weapons in Chittagong were meant for some terrorist political elements of the country! As seizure of ten truckload weapons could not dent the nefarious activities, it is deduced some supplies of sophisticated weapons had already reached the destination or still reaching from a steady source or sources.

It is surprising that not a single terrorist could be traced so far out of all these cases. It is as strange as it is mysterious. The helpless nation is aghast with anger and despair as their elected government and law and order machinery cannot stop serial killing of politicians, intellectuals and gunrunning, much less apprehend the criminals. The grenades and rocket launchers and AK- 47 rifles are war grade materials, used by the soldiers in combat. These terrorists who seem to have declared a war on Bangladesh are highly motivated and cool planners, may have harsh training and experience in the breeding grounds elsewhere. Ten truckloads of sophisticated weapons cost fifty million dollars in the international market and three to five times more in the underworld. Who can bankroll all these? It could be either a country or a terrorist outfit with a political design or revenge. As killers are following the shadows continuously, time is fast running out. Arrest the trend before damage done to our democracy goes beyond repair. We are surely in crisis zone and democracy is in harms way. Those who are killing elected representatives and political leaders can not have faith or purpose within the permissible limits of democracy.

Who are possible suspects? To trace back, we might as well go back to 71 and 75, chronicle all major antidemocratic and anti-people designs. We may go to Bali, Indonesia and other places, explore terror-breeding links and seek international help if necessary. This is hard professional job demanding highest dedication and deductive intelligence, not a legal squabbling. Partisan politics will shroud the criminal forces operating to derail our democracy, the only value area of Bangladesh. In such a gathering of political luminaries all overt and covert security and intelligence agencies must have been on duty on that fateful afternoon. Individuals on duty must answer, as to what they have seen and done on that fateful moment. How come culprits, presumably at least half a dozen of them, penetrated so close and after throwing killer grenades and firing shots for such frightful time could safely vanish without any trace! It is either callus failure or deliberate complacency of persons on duty. There must have been hundreds of police and plain clothe persons of various law enforcing and intelligence agencies on duty in and around ground zero of the attack. Some duty personnel with their experienced eyes must have seen something which is likely to provide vital lead, even breakthrough in the shrouded mystery. Let the inquiries proceed quickly and boldly with honest intention.

Hikmatul Jihad has claimed the responsibility of the slaughter and threatened to kill Sheikh Hasina in next seven days. Immediate requirement is beefing up of round the clock security of Leader of the Opposition. It was wrong to withdraw Special Security Force (SSF) from her security. Both the Leaders of House and Opposition need coverage of these very well trained well-equipped and dedicated professionals. As the founding DG of PSF, now SSF I take pride in mentioning that since raising of this professional body in 86 there has not been any attempt on the lives of the VVIPs covered by this elite force. The Prime Minister can show minimum gesture of sympathy and goodwill by ordering back immediate SSF coverage to Sheikh Hasina. Leader of the Opposition is one of the surviving daughters of Bangabandhu and the case is hanging in the Supreme Court, verdict of jail killing of four national leaders is due on September 7. She needs maximum protection now.

Politics in Bangladesh can't infinitely browse in the wilderness of gunrunning and killing. Government must ensure safety and security of the citizens before welfare could start. That very first purpose of government is missing today. As the world leaders are expressing concern on the security environment with special reference to the threat faced by the leader of the opposition we are in a crisis. The government must move immediately and firmly before we are stamped as a security bankrupt country or a failed state. The concept of sovereign vanity or absolute power is increasingly getting outdated to the universally accepted values. If we fail to respond to the calls of the time, they may as well ignore us. Let's face it; we have a dependent economy in an interdependent world.