Controversy with Gayeshwar: Awami League's Political Etiquette vs BNP's Brutal Terrorism

Do you remember the moment when Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina went to mourn the death of Khaleda Zia's youngest son Arafat Rahman Koko, who fled to Malaysia because of corruption? But BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia did not allow the Awami League president to enter the house. As a result, she was forced to wait in front of the house and come back. This is an example of the difference in political ethics between the Awami League and the BNP.

All countries across the world have political etiquette and courtesy, but in Bangladesh, BNP does not even pay the minimum heed to it. They are in fact a terrorist group in the guise of a political party. They always want to do everything through terror and mayhem. They never care about people and public opinion. They are not polite and social.

The apolitical terrorist behaviour of the BNP has come to light again in a recent incident.

On July 29, BNP activists again set fire to cars and attacked the police in the name of the political program. To maintain law and order, the police dispersed the picketers by charging batons. During such a chaotic moment, BNP leader Gayeshwar Chandra Roy fell into the streets and sustained minor injuries. Later the police took him to the DB office out of courtesy and provided first aid and refreshments. Even on the same day without any coercion or confrontation, another BNP leader Amanullah Aman fell sick on the highway due to his chronic physical problems. However, the honourable Prime Minister sent the fruits through a representative and assured him of the highest possible treatment.

The political courtesy of Awami League during these incidents drew huge appreciation all over the country as it set an example by not taking revenge for the way its senior leaders were thrown and beaten on the streets during the BNP government. But BNP did not like this positive attitude in politics. They later termed it as “drama” and resorted to dirty politics again.

But the harsh reality is that BNP has never shown the minimum political courtesy or manner during its tenure. They regularly dragged the senior leaders of the Awami League onto the streets and beat them mercilessly. The women leaders were brutally tortured by dragging and tearing their clothes. Even Khaleda Zia and her MP Ministers made dirty jokes even after 24 people were killed and more than 300 injured in grenade attacks at the Awami League rally on 21 August 2004. This is BNP!

On that day, they attempted to assassin Bangabandhu's daughter Sheikh Hasina by hurling grenades at the Awami League rally on Bangabandhu Avenue in the capital. When the Awami League leaders saved Sheikh Hasina from the grenade attacks with their lives, perpetrators started firing targeting Sheikh Hasina. Even when Awami League leaders were leaving the scene with the injured Sheikh Hasina in a bulletproof car, the attackers tried to stop the car by shooting at the car's window and wheels of the car. Meanwhile, on the orders of the BNP high command, the police started charging batons and firing tear gas on the injured Awami League leaders and activists without haunting the attackers. And thus, Khaleda Zia's government allowed the attackers to escape.

The BNP government even destroyed the evidence immediately after the attacks by pouring water quickly. Even the officer who wanted to preserve an unexploded grenade recovered from the scene for investigation, faced humiliation.

To the utter surprise, BNP high-ups also asked Bangabandhu Medical College Hospital authorities not to treat the patients of the horrific grenade attacks. Also, Ramna and Motijheel police stations did not take cases of demonic attacks on Awami League leaders.

Similarly, BNP ministers did not even express any condemnation in the Parliament over such a barbaric incident. On the contrary, the then prime minister and BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia got drunk on dirty jokes, saying that Sheikh Hasina had carried the bomb in her bag. Even using the state intelligence agency, a poor and helpless man named Judge Mia was indicted on the charge to divert the BNP’s involvement in the heinous attack. This is an example of how dreadful the terrorism of the BNP could be in the name of politics!

But during the non-partisan caretaker government, the investigation revealed, one of the attackers, militant Tajuddin was the brother of BNP deputy minister Abdus Salam Pintu and Juba Dal president Sultan Salahuddin Tuku. They went to Hawa Bhaban and had a meeting. After the failed attempt to assassinate Sheikh Hasina on 21 August, Khaleda Zia's APS Duke helped Tajuddin and other murderers flee from Bangladesh on the orders of Tarique Rahman.

Actually, BNP is not a political party. Therefore, since their journey, they have always wanted to take over through murder and massacre, not trusting people’s opinions. These terrorists neither know nor respect any political etiquette and courtesy. The political brutality of the BNP includes killing numerous people in a firing squad and carrying out petrol bomb attacks. They only know brutality, not courtesy. Therefore, the people of Bangladesh are not safe in the hands of these Tarique gongs.