On March 17, 104th birth anniversary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman shall be celebrated in Bangladesh with due festivity. Unfortunately as usual, this august day shall miss attention of hundreds of millions of people in the world due to lack of initiatives from the Bangladesh government as well as pro-Awami League journalists and writers, who never felt the necessity and importance of writing in international media telling the world about glorious life of Bangabandhu – Father of the Nation. Similarly, no initiatives were taken during the birth centenary celebration of Bangabandhu – four years ago. Was is a deliberate silence of the authorities concerned as well as journalists who have been enjoying numerous benefits and privileges during the past 15 plus years from the government led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina?
Bangabandhu’s birth centennial should have been observed with huge enthusiasm and festivity in Bangladesh and around the world. We needed to mobilize our total efforts in ensuring – this important event did not miss the attention of the international media. Unfortunately, nothing was done as per expectation. After 53 years of independence of Bangladesh, we still are unable to project Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman properly to the international community.
Here I would like to share a very shocking experience.
On December 5, 2019, Dolly Joshi, a senior correspondent of India’s leading TV channel, Republic TV (now she is in Wion TV) contacted me for some information and video footage on our war of independence. At one point, when I requested her to include a segment on Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, to my utter surprise she asked – “Who is he?”
Dolly Joshi’s question not only gave me a huge shock, but I was also able to realize, we have miserably failed in introducing our Father of the Nation even to the people in our neighboring country – India. Isn’t it a matter of gravest shame?
Hours after the January 7 general election in Bangladesh, popular television channel CNBC18 asked me – what would be the priorities of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina during this five-year tenure. Without hesitation I said, she would continue showing zero tolerance to terrorism as she has been during the past fifteen years. At the same time, I expressed doubt if similar approach would be taken against corruption. Just within three months of the January 7 election, my doubts have unfortunately turned into reality.
Vernacular daily Kalbela in a report gave bone-chilling details on extreme notoriety of Nahid Sultana Juthi, an independent candidate for the post of secretary of the Supreme Court Bar Association and wife of Jubo League chief Sheikh Fazle Shams Parash. Report centering this incident has also appeared in a number of national dailies in the country.
Although law enforcement agencies raided the residence of Nahid Sultana Juthi immediately following filing of case, she was not available at the residence.
And now – after many days – according to media report, Nahid Sultana Juthi has filed a bail petition with the High Court Division of Bangladesh Supreme Court and the petition is expected to be heard on March 18. It may be mentioned here that Nahid Sultana Juthi is the prime accused in the attempt to murder case lodged with a police station in Dhaka.
What Nahid Sultana Juthi has done at the premises of the apex court is not only unexpected – it also is a serious offense. Most importantly when she herself is a lawyer. In this case, one may ask – what was the “power” behind such actions of Juthi? Was it because she is the wife of Jubo League chief Sheikh Fazle Shams Parash? Does it give her the privilege of being above the law?
Juthi is just one example. Dozens – if not hundreds of people are continuing such unexpected and illegal activities just by using their position in the ruling party. And unfortunately – there is no one capable of stopping them. This is how the image of the Awami League government is tarnishing domestically and internationally and all achievements of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina are being eclipsed.
At the same time, people of Bangladesh are witnessing with gravest shock how the government is failing in checking the sky-rocketing price of essentials, while ministers making senseless remarks centering this issue. Instead of focusing on their responsibility, ministers are seemingly busy in giving birth to fresher controversies and generating anger in the society through senseless remarks and inactions.
Meanwhile, ultra-Islamist forces led by Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) are intensifying massive propaganda against Bangladesh, ruling Awami League and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina through social media and video-sharing platforms as well as foreign media outlets, which ruling party has been miserably failing in countering such lies and false propaganda.
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Although most of such propaganda contents on YouTube violate community standard, to my knowledge until now the authorities concerned have not pressed complaints with YouTube or its parent organization Google. Although according to procedure, once YouTube receives complaints centering any of the contents that violate community standards, appropriate steps would be taken against the accused channel on YouTube and even such contents would be banned and taken-down from the platform.
