Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s message implies that no one is beyond the laws of the land.
She has taken a bold and time befitting step to go against the godfathers of corruption and their operatives in the country. A number of them have already been arrested and many more are reportedly on the run.
Her firm determination to root out corruption is being praised by all sections of society except those involved in wrongdoings.
Her instructions to rid various political organisations, business houses and government offices of corrupt and extremely dangerous elements are being carried out by the law enforcing agencies in most spectacular way.
The action has appeared without warning like a massive landslide. Every day, top level operatives of illegal businesses like casinos, club house gambling, tender manipulation, hoarding of black money, extortion, liquor and arms trading are getting caught in the dragnet of the police and RAB.
And the PM has instructed law enforcers for continuing the drive for as long as it takes. As a result, reportedly 400 small-time leaders of the ruling party have fled the country.
Many of those arrested were front ranking leaders of various affiliated organizations of the ruling party like Jubo League, Chhatra League and Shecchwashebok League but police investigation revealed that they have actually migrated from Freedom Party, BNP and Jamaat/Shibir to make their fortune in the new identity.
The ongoing drive in the country reminds us of similar cleansing drives conducted in various countries of the world. A number of Chinese corrupt politicians have been put on trial who ultimately were sent to the firing squad. A couple of years ago China executed one of its richest billionaires Liu Han on charges of m u r d e r, fraud, extortion, g u n-running, illegal detention and running a 'mafia-like' gang.
Many powerful leaders were stripped of power for corruption in Japan. Similarly we find politicians and their henchmen in many Latin American countries leaving power with disgrace. A series of presidents and their close associates are now facing trial for corruption and running mafia like gangs to stay in power.
In most instances, presidents and prime ministers or powerful ministers had to pay heavily for relying too much on their close associates. Late President Richard Nixon had to be removed from office through impeachment because of over-enthusiasm of his associates to steal data from the file of the Democrats office before election. This came to be known as Watergate Scandal.
Also closeness beyond a permissible limit with a female White House intern had almost cost Clinton his presidency.
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman had in 1974 taken the decision to rid his party and administration of corrupt men and women who were dragging the image of Awami League down.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s message is clear and this time it is the final action against those corrupt elements who have been identifying themselves as Awami Leaguers and yet destroying the party image through their anti-state activities.
The pertinent question today is, why people from all walks of life are hailing Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for her unwavering resolve to uproot corruption at top levels, irrespective of political identity? It is because, to her nobody or no organization is above her beloved country - Bangladesh. She knows this is the country for which her illustrious father Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman has given his life. Therefore, she will not allow anyone to turn this country into a den of gamblers and killers. Understandably, she will leave no stone unturned to uproot the dens of criminals who dare to challenger her.
In the conclusion it may be said that if the corrupt elements in and outside Awami League, involved in illegal casino business, gambling, drug peddling and arms trading, still fail to read the message of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina clearly then they are living in fool’s paradise.
Shahnoor Wahid is Advisory Editor of Bangladesh Post