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0+0=Big zero


Published : 18 Nov 2021 12:55 PM | Updated : 22 Nov 2021 09:00 PM

It seems to be the last part of their game as Dr Kamal Hossain and Dr B Chowdhury have suddenly emerged at the political field to supplement the much-talked-about third force. But the history tells that during their whole political life they have not even been able to assist their bosses.

Dr Kamal Hossain left Bangladesh before the tragic 15th of August in 1975. Similarly, Dr B Chowdhury also failed to help Ziaur Rahman when he was assassinated in Chittagong on May 30 in 1981.

After 1975, Dr Kamal Hossain was not even available to assist Awami League in its crisis; rather he stood against the party which gave him everything in his life. He had never been able to be elected in his own because of his anti-people characteristic.

After being made president of the country by BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia, Dr B Chowdhury instantly had taken U-turn. Later, he had to face a humiliation by his own supporters.

It has been proven that minus election symbol ‘Boat’ and ‘Paddy Shelves, these two—Dr Kamal and Dr B Chowdhury are zero. Thus, it can be said that zero plus zero equals to a big zero.

It also runs rife that Dr Mohammad Yunus is revitalising to energise the octogenarian politicians.

Most of the leading political observers opined that the current attempts to form an anti-government political unity by Dr Kamal Hossain and Dr B Chowdhury will not bring any positive outcome finally.

Hinting at the latest joint efforts of the two controversial politicians, they boldly said, zero plus zero equals to a big zero.

Explaining their claim, a senior political observer who is closely monitoring each and every political event after the assassination of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman along with most his family members on the darkest night of August 15 in 1975 said, “Neither Bikalpa Dhara President Dr B Chowdhury, nor Gono Forum President Dr Kamal Hossain is any such kind of charismatic political figure that can bring all the political parties under a single umbrella.”

It is quite impossible to raise any anti-government movement when the people are eagerly waiting to take part in festive elections due after a few months.

He said, “If we look back at their political background, we are able to see that they have no any personal hold in the country’s mainstream politics.”

Dr Kamal was picked up by Bangbandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in the historic elections of 1970. Most of the AL-nominated candidates had tasted landslide victory in those polls. In that highly favorable political environment, Bangabandhu could not give Dr Kamal the party ticket considering his long isolation from the mass people.

However, he was elected in a by-election in one of the three parliamentary constituencies which were left by Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib himself. After the declaration of independence by the unparalleled leader Bangbandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, most of the Awami League leaders worked for the independence war. Some of them directly took part in the bloody liberation war. Some others left the country for India and organized the struggle from there. But Dr Kamal Hossain secretly left the country for Pakistan on being advised by his father-in-law, an influential Pakistani businessman.

After Bangladesh achieved independence, Dr Kamal Hossain returned to the country and took readymade gains by capturing the post of foreign minister in Bangabandhu’s cabinet.

But after the assassination of Bangbandhu, he kept a safe distance, despite several requests from Bangabandhu’s two daughters to build up an international campaign to bring the killers to book.

Sheikh Hasina and Sheikh Rehana, who escaped the assassination as they were abroad during the 15 August massacre, personally requested Dr Kamal to take initiatives for legal steps against Bangbandhu’s killers. But he did not pay heed and lived in London safely.

Despite such negative political background, Sheikh Hasina always gave Dr Kamal priority in Awami League politics. But as he has no relation with the mass people, he was again and again defeated in parliamentary elections.

Awami League nominated him in parliamentary elections for the Mirpur constituency during 1991 elections. His opponent candidate was SA Khaleque. He faced a landslide defeat by SA Khaleque. After coming out from Awami League, he also fought as an independent candidate in Dhanmondi constituency. But surprisingly, all he got was only six thousand votes.

About the political background of Dr B Chowdhury, the leading political observer said, “ Dr Kamal has at least some global face value as a jurist. But Dr B Chowdhury has neither local political clout, nor any international recognition.”

He was never a politician in reality. Military dictator Ziaur Rahman picked him up and selected him as the founding secretary general of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, when the former was forming the party with some opportunist politicians and professionals.

During the killing of Ziaur Rahman in Chittagong on May 30 in 1981, Dr B Chowdhury was also with him. But mysteriously, he was unhurt during the killing of Zia. Many BNP leaders started questioning his role in the Zia murder after then.

But Begum Khaleda Zia made him President after coming to power in the 2001 elections. But due to his controversial activities against the BNP high command, he was about to face impeachment in the parliament. At one stage he had to resign from the post of president.

After resigning from the post, he formed Bikalpa Dhara. But he has failed to create any remarkable political influence till now.

Both Dr Kamal and Dr Chowdhury were also involved in bringing in the military-backed caretaker government in 2007. They hatched conspiracy against two major politicians- Awami League chief Sheikh Hasina and BNP head Khaleda Zia in association with two influential editors of two national dailies. But their such attempts also went in vain as they are isolated from mass people and mainstream politicians.

Referring to all these unsuccessful historical episodes of the two senior politicians – Dr Kamal and Dr B Chowdhury, most of the political observers agreed that they will again be unsuccessful and thrown in the dustbin of history.

Terming both of them as zero ,they said that zero plus zero will be a big zero in the final round of their latest political game.