Now more thieves and thugs can become MPs

Ah, we can sense what you are thinking, readers. You are thinking, no "it cannot be" it's preposterous! How can thieves, thugs, black marketers, robbers, rapists, smugglers, syndicate members, land and water grabbers, graveyard grabbers, toll collectors, owners of black money, high-class prostitutes and pimps and professional killers get the green signal to contest the upcoming election? How can these people be allowed to sit in the sacred parliament house as legislators?

Dear readers, please do not get too upset about it. Now-a-days anything and everything is possible in Bangladesh. You see, we are a free-for-all-country and also remember that this is the Victory month. The valiant freedom fighters gave their blood to snatch victory this month for "them." So they must be elected to power and be given the national flag to fly in their cars.

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Do you still want to know how the thugs got the green signal? Through a clever machination of the judicial system by some clever barristers of the country, what else?

The righteous and virtuous judge found no harm in letting the thieves and murderers contest the election and become members of parliament. In his judgement, those people were worthy sons of the soil.

And the wise judge did everything allegedly in the presence of a former minister who became famous for his dilly-dally method of working while in office. Readers will remember how the dilly-dally minister kept a carrot hanging before our nose for five years with the promise of separating the judiciary from the executive. You remember it was their election promise, don't you? So, the magnum minister told us stories of how he had created committees and sub-committees and sub-sub-committees and how he had consulted nearly a million books and reference files to do a perfect job for the nation. But, alas! He did not have time at the end to place it before parliament! Imagine all the good work going to such a waste! Down the drain, literally. What a pity! What a pity! It is indeed our bad luck, what else?

What is the big fuss about the eight pieces of personal information regarding the candidates that the EC was supposed to have on record and provide to the citizens on demand? Well, according to the recommendations of the Nagorik Committee-2006 Citizens' Dialogues, each candidate was to provide information concerning his/her educational status, source of income and assets, assets of near relations, whether there was any criminal case pending against them, whether they were bank loan defaulters, whether they cleared their electricity and telephone bills and so on. Political parties were requested to give their nomination on the basis of the information so that honest and deserving people could get elected in the next general election. The attempt was to resist owners of black money, smugglers, unscrupulous people, murderers, and black marketers in the next election.

What an outrageous and unheard of demand by the Nagorik Committee! Why shouldn't the thieves and thugs be allowed to become MPs? Haven't they amassed wealth after years of hard work? It was not an easy task, mind you. They have been mercilessly hounded all these years by the police, BDR, army, DB, SB and hordes of other intelligence agency members.

Today they have become eligible to be members of all the clubs in the country and ride expensive cars and wear gold chains around their necks. They are now seen in photographs with political leaders and religious leaders. Therefore, there is no way the Nagorik Committee can stop them from contesting the election.

So, brother thieves and thugs, rally round the former magnum minister who acted as your saviour. Strengthen his hands this time around and gratify the parliament house with your august presence. This nation deserves you as its leaders.

Shahnoor Wahid is Senior Assistant Editor of The Daily Star.