India must rethink friendly ties if it allows Hasina political activities: Home Minister
Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed has warned India over the political activities of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, who is currently staying in the country.
He said India would need to reconsider its friendly relations with Bangladesh if it allows Hasina, who fled the country amid the mass uprising, to conduct political activities from Indian soil.
“You will play the Hasina card and seek friendly relations with Bangladesh; remember, the two are contradictory. I hope the Indian authorities and the Indian government will understand this,” the home minister said.
He made the remarks on Saturday as the chief guest at a discussion held at the Nawab Nawab Ali Chowdhury Senate Building at Dhaka University to mark the second anniversary of the July mass uprising.
The discussion, titled “The Role of University Teachers in the Fall of the Fascist Government,” was organised by the Dhaka University White Panel and the University Teachers’ Association of Bangladesh (UTAB).
Salahuddin Ahmed urged India not to allow Sheikh Hasina to make political statements or support activities against Bangladesh. He said Bangladesh wanted to maintain friendly diplomatic relations with neighbouring India based on mutual interdependence and respect for sovereignty.
‘The mass uprising was not a 36-day movement’
Salahuddin Ahmed said the mass uprising was not a sudden event but the result of 17 years of sacrifice and political movements.
Addressing leaders of a newly formed political party, he said there was no substitute for experience and maturity in politics.
He said it was unrealistic to think that all the achievements came from a 36-day movement while ignoring the history of 17 years of struggle.
“If students at the elementary level of political education behave like university professors... it would be a mistake to think that the 17 years of continuous movements had nothing to do with the 36-day movement,” he said.
He urged BNP’s student wing to avoid falling into various conspiracies and provocations. According to Salahuddin, attempts were being made to provoke violence, and “some of our student friends” had already fallen into such traps in several places.
Calling on students to remain patient, he said, “Abuse or propaganda must be answered through democratic protest. But under no circumstances should anyone become involved in violence.”
Criticising the opposition for not participating in the constitutional reform committee, the home minister said the BNP would undertake constitutional reforms that would have long-term significance for building a future Bangladesh.
‘No one group can claim credit for July’
BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi spoke as a special guest at the discussion.
Highlighting the long movement by students, the public and the BNP against fascism, he called for institutional and constitutional reforms as well as changes in the mindset of political leaders.
The BNP leader said no single group could claim sole credit for the July mass uprising. He said Tarique Rahman, who was in London at the time, and the party’s top leaders had regularly provided guidance during the movement.
Rizvi said the BNP had extended full support to programmes such as the “March for Justice” and “Bangla Blockade.” He also claimed that 142 leaders and activists of the party’s student wing, Chhatra Dal, were killed during the July movement.
Rizvi also referred to the recent screening of a documentary on Bangladesh’s history at the official residence of Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Shafiqur Rahman.
He alleged that although the documentary mentioned Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, it made no reference to former president Ziaur Rahman as the declarer of independence.
Rizvi questioned whether recent developments were an “extension” of the opposition’s “approach of amnesty” after 5 August, when it had spoken of forgiveness and adopted a softer tone towards everyone.
He described the matter as “significant and mysterious.”
‘Teachers’ opinions were ignored’
Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor Professor ABM Obaidul Islam said the university was subjected to extreme authoritarian control during the period of fascism.
He said freedom of thought was restricted and decisions were imposed despite the opinions of ordinary teachers being ignored.
The vice-chancellor also alleged that protesting teachers faced psychological and administrative harassment.
At the same time, he said teachers had stepped outside classrooms and joined protests when students launched legitimate movements for their rights and when the country faced a democratic crisis.
Professor Md Nurul Islam, organising secretary of UTAB and vice-chancellor of Dhaka Central University, delivered the welcome address.
Shafiul Alam, father of Md Wasim Akram, who was killed in Chattogram during the July uprising, urged political groups not to treat the uprising’s legacy as their “paternal property” in their efforts to claim credit for it.
He called on everyone to ensure that the sacrifices of young students who gave their lives to end discrimination did not go in vain.
The discussion was moderated by Professor Md Mohiuddin, a leader of the Dhaka University White Panel. Professor Md Morshed Hasan Khan, secretary general of UTAB and convener of the university’s White Panel, chaired the event.
Also speaking at the event were National University Pro-Vice-Chancellor Professor Lutfur Rahman; Abu Hossain, brother of slain protester Abu Sayed; Mir Mahbubur Rahman Snigdha, brother of slain protester Mir Mahfuzur Rahman Mughdha; Nazma Khatun Lipi, mother of police officer Ikramul Haque Sajid, who was killed during the July movement; and leaders of UTAB and the Dhaka University White Panel.