Which government will smite the religious militants?

What the minister has probably failed to acknowledge is that there is a very basic difference between the bomb occurrences in other parts of the world and those in Bangladesh on 8/17. Nowhere in the world the government is so blamed for any incident of bomb blasts. But in Bangladesh the recent bomb attacks are alleged to be due to government indifference and laxity.

Meanwhile volumes of exercises, physical, mental, intellectual, by the government, opposition, civil society, business communities etc. bearing trademarks of blame game, smear campaign, thrashing of intelligence agencies, analysing the causes and highlighting the effects -- destroying democracy, secularism, progress -- have come to top focus crowding the print and electronic media. It is no use repeating on them. Better be on the track to try to weigh if the present government or any other government of a different combine if succeeding the existing one can hold out a hope of fighting truly and meaningfully against terrorism in Bangladesh.

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It is highly improbable that the present government combine will fight out Islamic terrorism that has spread its tentacles all over the country over the recent years. The causes are not far to seek.

Firstly, the government has on its council of ministers powerful religious fundamentalists who cherish the ideal of ruling the country by sharia laws as are also the goals of the perpetrators of 8/17 bomb operations.

Secondly, the BNP is not a party that has tried to learn that state and religion are different entities. One is to be totally divorced from being identified with the other. Infiltration of religion into governance appears quite acceptable to its political philosophy. Perturbed only when it militates against BNP suzerainty.

Thirdly, the BNP is mostly a motley assembly of self-centred elements. They have come under its banner only to hunt interests. A good number of seasonal birds, political turncoats have donned the BNP colours. Any risky political manoeuvring to avoid repeat of 8/17 bomb blasts may not be supported by the party hirelings.

Fourthly, the BNP seems terribly perturbed to see that it has solved its own political equations wrong. When asked why it took two anti-liberation dons on cabinet it replied gratifyingly that drawing them into lap would help keep them under restraint within safe bounds. But exploiting cabinet position they infiltrated into and extended within the core of the government hierarchy. Taking cue the Islamist fundamentalists outside paced up their activities so as to steadily gain confidence that they can go their way alone offering the government a wise option to team up with them.

Fifthly, could the BNP gauge properly that after the fall of the Taliban rule in Afghanistan and President Musharraf of Pakistan playing into Bush's hand the fugitive Islamists from those two countries have been in frantic search of a shelter elsewhere and discovered Bangladesh as a safe haven for the Islamist hordes that the western journalists alleged to the wrath of the government? If overawed by a likely situation coming into reality it would be difficult for the BNP to rise to the occasion to offset the terrorists.

Sixthly, drunk with a political culture of mutual exterminations the ruling. BNP's all strategies were aimed at containing the main opposition Awami League. Apart from an inclination towards the Islamist extremists the BNP leadership wooed the religious fundamentalists believing the entente would wipe out the Awami top brass. It is near impossible that the BNP would break up this circle. Though hard pressed by the donor countries and the general mass of the country to catch and punish the perpetrators of 8/17 scourge it is hardly probable that the BNP would go much beyond eye wash exercises to chastise the culprits.

If a government of different colours come to succeed the present combine, will that government grapple tooth and nail with the Islamist terrorists? Let us dispassionately find out a probable answer to this question.

If the present government of the BNP-led combine leave out in future, the first priority of replacement may come to the Awami League and its allies as may be formed in days to come.

The hard reality is that the Awami League, if coming to power, may soften its stance to go all out to extirpate the religious extremists from Bangladesh. The Awami League is a party no less addicted to capturing power. If having it, its first concern may be enjoying authority and amassing personal fortunes through means fair or foul. In the process it may lose much of its credibility and people's confidence reducing it to an outfit stooping to meek compromise and conciliation. It may avoid to undertake any tough job that may involve it into turmoil and risk its stay in power. The promises and pledges to beat out the religious extremists may get diluted providing space for the militants to maintain their status undamaged in the society.

The only redeeming feature is that probably no single party can be voted to power and if the Awami League is pushed to power its alliance partners may have contained personalities who will pressurise the government to refrain from hobnobbing with the religious extremists and acting against the interests of the masses.

Another strong safeguard will be the EU, donor countries, used to warning the government time and again against fraternising with the religious terrorists.

A R Shamsul Islam is retd. Principal, Govt. Mohila College, Pabna.