The day Pakistani cricket players displayed their national flag during practice session, it once again exposed their mind-set --- unrepentant and refusal to apologise for the 1971 Bangladesh genocide, the worst since the Nazis in Germany.It also reflected their arrogance in regards to Bangladesh as if this was still East Pakistan under the Punjabis with Bengalis second class citizens.
Wake up Pakistani cricketers and learn to say sorry as well as accept the reality that there is no entity of a land called East Pakistan. It has been replaced by a country called Bangladesh doing far better that Pakistan in all aspects under Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.Every step you taken on the soil of Bangladesh and play cricket, it is soaked with the blood of Bengalis brutally killed by your army. Instead of insulting those souls, why not pray to Allah for them and seek forgiveness to give real meaning to your allegiance to Islam.
Meanwhile, a new dimension has been added to the Pakistan cricket team's visit --- the so-called Bengalis supporting the visitors in matches against their home team.Briefly they are Biharis, mixed Bihari-Bengalis and descendants of 1971 collaborators of the Pakistani army. It also includes a handful of pro-Pakistani political groups or organisations like the fundamentalist Jamaat-e-Islami.
The warming of ties between Dhaka and Islamabad during the rule of Slain General Ziaur Rahman and his widow, Khaleda Zia's Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) exposes the mind-set of this political group.The recent insulting comments by two city mayors is not really a shock, but just the tip of an iceberg as those having political and ideological beliefs belonging to one or the other group mentioned have infiltrated the ruling Awami League.
Thus one can say there may be many more like them and after thorough screening such elements must be ejected from the Awami League to accommodate those who have committed themselves to Bangabandhu, Sheikh Hasina and Joy Bangla for decades. Many of them are now Fish Out of Water.There has been public outcry against those Bangladeshis displaying and supporting Pakistan during cricket matches. It is alarming that at a time when Bangladesh is planning big celebrations to mark its 50 years victory over Pakistan, such incidents occurred.
Government officials reportedly say, Pakistan has a hand in trying to create situations to make the government "uncomfortable" then it is time to find out how Islamabad is involved in such heinous activities. Those involved in helping Pakistan do so must face treason charges along with those fluttering Pakistani flags during cricket matches.Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina urges all to uphold the Spirit of our Liberation War, but what we see is just the opposite.
It is time NOW to ensure that important Spirit is not lost as that would mean a different Bangladesh envisioned by Bangabadhu and the martyrs of the 1971 Liberation War against Pakistan. Since the COVID-19 pandemic gripped Bangladesh, I have visited many villages and district cities. It shocked me to find out that the new generation are ignorant about the war and some even did not know who Bangabandhu was and is for Bangladesh.
We had to sadly witness Pakistani cricketers' audacity and disrespect to Bangladeshis. Why? The most likely reason is the fading of the spirit which we all must hold in our hearts. If this generation does not honour their Father of the Nation and the Spirit of the Liberation, Pakistan will continue so such planned audacity which it must not do seeking improved bilateral ties.
Bangladesh must also not hobnob with Pakistan for any political or diplomatic move as that will firstly take away any chance of Islamabad seeking apology for the 1971 genocide and two, it might cost us the ties we have with our "tested friend" India.Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina should not join any international or regional summits in Pakistan, or even undertake a bilateral visit unless Prime Minister Imran Khan leads his nation in seeking apology of the 1971 genocide.
Bangladesh followers in New Delhi indicated that concerns remain about Dhaka's ties with China and Pakistan as both are hostile towards India. Construction of naval base by Beijing in the Bay of Bengal has sent wrong signals to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government."Ask yourself whether Islamabad's interest to boost ties with Dhaka was real or is aimed at making its presence on India's eastern border to create problems for New Delhi," one Indian analyst told me.The return to power of Taliban has made Bangladesh more exposed to greater Islamisation amid a growing tendency among the general people of orthodox Islam.
Dhaka must be extra cautious in its diplomacy and not give into pressures from lobbyists working for China or Pakistan. "You need to be extra careful to contain the growing Islamic extremism in the society as a whole and it is unwise to pretend all is ok," added the analyst, requesting anonymity.The ruling Awami League must ensure secular-minded activists from the root-level which would also contain attacks on people of the minority faiths like Hindu and Christians.
One can only hope that those concerned will take note of the incidents and take urgent steps to ensure what Bangabandhu as well as the martyrs would like to see now in their Bangladesh.With Parliamentary elections scheduled for 2023, such anti-Bangladesh elements will push their agenda more and more, and with no resistance they would bring out their fangs. Let us not be caught off-guard. Let us not pretend all is well. Nadeem Qadir is the Editor-in-Charge of the Asian Age and UNCA Dag Hammarskjold Fellow.
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