It is disheartening to note that the killers of Bangabandhu in 1975 have received, and continue to receive, asylum from the United States. The most powerful country in the world has given asylum to Bangabandhu's murderer Rashed Chowdhury with citizenship. The United States is now poking its nose into Bangladesh's internal politics by talking about democracy and fair elections.
There is nothing in support of Pakistan that the United States did not do in 1971. America has done everything from supplying arms and ammunition, standing up for Pakistan in the UN Security Council, and above all sending the Seventh Fleet to fight on behalf of the Pakistani invasion force. It may be recalled that in 1971, the United States sent a powerful naval task force to the Bay of Bengal to prevent India from engaging in war against Pakistan. Under the pretext of evacuating American citizens from the battlefield, Nixon ordered Task Force 74 of the US Seventh Fleet to proceed to the Bay of Bengal, led by the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Enterprise. Nixon was encouraged to do so by his national security adviser, Henry Kissinger.
Nixon's hasty move resulted in America's greatest public relations disaster in India. It created a tail-and-dung situation for the Pakistani invading forces. More than 100,000 Pakistani soldiers were trapped. In the end, despite America's disapproval, the sacrifice of three million people under the leadership of the Father of the Nation, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, and the cooperation of India, the largest democratic country in the world, and the then Soviet Union, the victory of the Bengalis in the war of liberation began.
On December 16, 1971, the American preferred Pakistani army was finally forced to surrender to the joint command of the Mukti Bahini and Indian allies. By 16 December 1971, 97,000 Pakistani troops had surrendered. It is regarded as the largest surrender since World War II. Despite being under the umbrella of America, one of the most powerful countries in the world, Pakistan was defeated, it was impossible for America to accept this shame and humiliation!
When we talk about the defeated forces of the liberation war, only the defeat of Pakistan and their Bangladeshi allies comes to the fore. But objectively speaking, the victory of the Bengalis in 1971 was a defeat for the United States. And for this reason, despite having so much power, the American government at that time could not bear the sadness of this defeat. Defeated, angry and distressed US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger broke diplomatic etiquette and showed the audacity to stand on the ground of independent Bangladesh and insult Bangladesh! He called Bangladesh as a 'bottomless basket'! Every patriotic Bengali was saddened by this comment when Bangabandhu was engaged in rebuilding the independent homeland across the sea of blood. But if you notice, it will be seen that Henry Kissinger's comment of 'bottomless basket' was still enjoyed by their favorite Bangladeshis. Indeed, what strange natures we have to live with! When America's beloved Pakistan carried out 'genocide' against Bengalis in the 1970s, the Bengali-speaking groups living in Bangladesh, but favored by America, happily cooperated with Pakistan. Despite all this, America could not "keep Bangabandhu's Bengalis under pressure".
Murderer Khondkar Mushtaq announced the 'Indemnity Ordinance' to permanently stop the trial of Bangabandhu's murder and jail murder. And Ziaur Rahman corrupted the holy constitution made under the leadership of Bangabandhu by passing the indemnity ordinance in the national parliament and including it in the constitution. Ziaur Rahman made all arrangements so that the two surviving daughters of Bangabandhu, the current Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and younger sister Sheikh Rehana, could not return to the country. Ziaur Rahman even obstructed the entry of Bangabandhu's daughters to the ancestral house located on Dhanmondi Road No. 32 after returning home after overcoming hundreds of obstacles.
Bangabandhu's daughter Sheikh Hasina has been able to elevate independent Bangladesh to a prestigious position by struggling many movements. So the conspiracy of America and its favorite people and groups has started again. But leaders in less developed and developing countries are beginning to reevaluate this American message.
The role of the so-called advanced democracy the United States, in the less developed and developing countries, has now begun to be re-evaluated in the entire world. Which was usually not seen before! Recently, observations of the Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar about a comment by George Soros (born August 12, 1930), a US billionaire of Hungarian origin and one of the donors of the American Open Society Foundation are undoubtedly valid. We paraphrase Jaishankar's observational comment and tend to apply it on the recent American choices in Bangladesh politics.
'America is a powerful, wealthy, opinionated superpower that still thinks its opinions will dictate how the entire world works. However, stopping only at the influential, the rich and the doctrinal will not fully help to understand the matter. America is influential, rich, opinionated and dangerous! Furthermore, America actually invests resources in creating narratives. This state thinks an election is good if the person they want to see wins! And if the election gives different results, they will say it is a flawed democracy! And America is doing all this under the guise of supporting the so-called democracy and open society. . ..'
America teaches democracy. Talks about democracy and human rights. But America's position in terms of human rights violations is at the top in the world. Many examples can be given. Three members of the US state of Tennessee recently called for gun control. Considering it as a crime, two black members were expelled from the state legislature. Apartheid Americans did not expel white fellow members. In other words, there is a huge lack of democracy within America's own country.
In this backdrop, a special session of the parliament called Golden Jubilee of Bangladesh Jatiya Sangsad was inaugurated on 7th April 2023 on the 22nd session of the 11th Jatiya Sangsad. It may mentioned that April 7 is a momentous day because the Jatiya Sangsad started its journey on April 7, 1973 after the first general elections of Bangladesh Jatiya Sangsad on 7 March 1973. Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was the Leader of the House of first Jatiya Sangsad. Before that the constituent assembly approved the constitution on 4 November 1972, and it took effect on 16 December of that year.
On the occasion of the historical Golden Jubilee moment of Bangladesh Jatiya Sangsad Bangladesh is witnessing great development due to the continuation of parliamentary democracy and stable political environment. Bangladesh has achieved many achievements such as successful implementation of the Millennium Development Goals (MDG), reducing the poverty rate from 40 percent to 18 percent, gradual sustainable development of Bangladesh, Bangladesh's transition to the club of developing countries.
Some of the achievements include providing electricity to 100 percent homes, extensive development of communication infrastructure, achieving food self-sufficiency, self-financed construction of Padma Bridge, implementation of metro rail project, launching of Bangabandhu satellite, establishment of Rooppur nuclear power plant, rehabilitation of homeless people and landless under Asharyan project, empowerment of women, Construction of Virnivas (homes) for freedom fighters and the work of building digital Bangladesh. On the whole, Bangladesh is a wonder of the world today in improving the quality of life of the people.
The Prime Minister and the Member of Parliament from Gopalgonj-3 Deshratna Sheikh Hasina in her proposal said, on the auspicious occasion of 50 years of the Bangladesh National Parliament, the Parliament is of the opinion that the Bangladesh National Parliament, as the center of parliamentary democracy, will play an effective and active role in improving the quality of life of the people. As a result, the aspirations of the people will be successfully realized and thus democracy will be strengthened, an exploitation-free society will be established, equality and justice for all will be ensured. We will all work together to fulfill this promise. She also said that according to the constitution and the dream of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, our goal should be to realize the goal of building a happy, prosperous, developed, hunger and poverty-free Smart Bangladesh and Sonar Bangla.
Congratulations and gratitude to the Hon'ble Prime Minister for the resolution reflecting the hopes and aspirations of the vast masses of the nation on the Golden Jubilee of the Jatiya Sangsad and I express my gratitude to all the honorable members of the Jatiya Sangsad present for supporting the motion.
Professor Dr. Arun Kumar Goswami, Director, Center for South Asian Studies(CSAS), Dhaka. Author of Institutionalization of Democracy in Bangladesh, former Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences, and former Chairman, Political Science, Jagannath University, Dhaka.
