DU flare-up: A close call
Photo: STAR
Never before has an insignificant incident been blown to such a colossal proportion by so few with so little national interest, with so deplorable an act of carnage, with so deep a devastating consequence (had it reached its fruition) and with so much idiocy by the surreptitious protagonists. The petty incident of 8/20, sparked off by an even pettier interaction between army personnel and some students (hired political cadres), at DU (Dhaka University) recently, reeks of the vile and dastardly political "sport" that the mainstream parties are so good at in a clandestine fashion. Though it was a feeble attempt by some interested evil quarters to discredit and to unseat the caretaker government (CG), nevertheless, it is a bad omen that such evil perpetrators still abound, and theirs is a scheme whose goal is to be an obstacle to any form of progress in Bangladesh. Needless to say, the government has done a smashing job of keeping the volatile situation at bay. Furthermore, the joint forces have also done a brilliant job of making arrests of some of the ring-leaders. It has now transpired that a fair number of DU, and other universities, professors, in collusion (possibly) with AL (and BNP) henchmen and their cadres, conspired to unleash this insane mayhem, creating carnage and mob-terror around the country, in order to discredit and destabilise the present government. Their seditious plot has been foiled, and the perpetrators are right now looking down the barrel of justice. Thanks to all the fine work carried out by the joint forces! Certainly, these professors are a disgrace to the stature of this once noble institution. DU has been the intellectual and political force during most of the major socio-political upheavals of this nation. Sadly, the aphorism "what DU thinks today the rest of Bangladesh thinks tomorrow" has outlived its sell-by date. It appears that some of the faculty is far busier with subversive activities than with other benign duties, which they are entrusted to carry out. These are the very faculty who are always quick to criticise or to condemn (by default) whatever action the government takes. Indeed, criticism of government is a healthy aspect of a civilised society. However, this particular group's only motivation is to profit by their criticism and to propagate their ill design. And the criticism goes on unabated. Here are some: * It's an infringement of civil right not to let the relatives know about where the professors are being detained * The professors were not at the scene of the clashes, therefore they are deemed innocent * These are "erudite men of learning" and should be treated with "honour" * These professors have been psychologically and physically tortured while in remand of course, these comments are without any foundation! Infringement of civil rights? Where were these latter day, self-proclaimed "oracles" when the students were rampaging through Dhaka streets, setting fire to public properties, looting supermarkets, creating mass terror, and forcing innocent bystanders to run for their lives in the face of a terrifying mob -- are these not infringement of civil rights? Of course, at the time they were far too busy sympathising with their so called students' "cause!" How could they judge the situation from their vantage point! Indeed! The professors were not at the scene of the clashes? They didn't need to be, because the vile and seditious scheme that had been planned (where they were indeed present) over the previous several months was already hatched and given the green signal (by them). And why should these professors be sitting ducks by being present at the scene of crime? Indeed! Erudite men of learning? Should be treated with "honour?" This must be the biggest joke so far! You are charged with incitement, and aiding and abetting students (some of whom were hired "gundas") to create nationwide mayhem in order to discredit and eventually unseat this government, and you expect honour? This is the mother of all felonies! The professors were tortured? Here we go again! The same old hackneyed ploy to tarnish the image of the joint forces. It seems that these "erudite professors" are clutching at the last straw, hoping to get at least some semblance of sympathy from the public by concocting a story that they were tortured during interrogation. You break the law and you pay for it! These professors should have known better -- meddling in seditious dealings -- inciting students so that all hell breaks loose, setting fire to public properties, rampaging through the streets with clubs and stones, and plundering and looting supermarkets! It is a shame and, indeed, a dire consequence of the ills that plague DU. The TV footages of students (most of these were hired hands) in frenzied action only help to further degrade our very position in civil society. Let us pause for a moment and reflect. What if the dastardly plan had, indeed, succeeded? What if nationwide anarchy had flared up as a result of 8/20? What if law and order had ceased to prevail? What if this government had fallen as a result of 8/20? Simply put, the state of the nation would have been where it was pre-1/11. And Bangladesh would have sounded like a broken record once more! This was a "close shave." Dr. S. I. Zaman is a University Professor.
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