Dr. Syed Qasim Rasool Ilyas, Editor Urdu monthly Afkar-e-Milli, said if the present situation in Bangladesh continues then the country can even be pushed into civil war. In the meantime, some external forces may try to take advantage of the turmoil which would be dangerous not only for the Islamic Movement but also for the people and government of Bangladesh. Dr. Ilyas was addressing the weekly meet, on the Situation in Bangladesh after Maulana Motiur Rahman Nizami’s execution, organised by Jamaat-e-Islami Hind at its headquarters on 14 May.
Dr. Ilyas began by raising some very important and thought-provoking questions before going into the details of the situation prevailing in Bangladesh. The questions were: Why the Islamic Movement is targeted not only in Bangladesh but in most parts of the world? What is the motive behind? And why is the Muslim world silent? And what should the Islamic Movement do in the prevailing scenario? The only country Turkey has so far reacted strongly by calling back its ambassador from Bangladesh and sending back Bangladesh ambassador to Bangladesh.
The learned speaker further pointed out that it seems people in the establishment there want to intimidate people associated with the Islamic Movement and have made their life and work almost difficult with an undeclared emergency. The path of the Islamic Movement has been made difficult in many countries one after another. The example of Egypt is before us as to how a democratically elected government was thrown out with military revolt and the entire world remained a mute spectator. We have seen very recently that in Jordan the Islamic Movement office was sealed. It is not new but a decade long phenomenon. This situation is more or less prevalent in most of the countries and people and groups associated with the Islamic Movement are targeted.
According to him, in 1972, in Bangladesh a law namely Collaborator Act was devised and in 1973, another law was enacted as International Crime Act. This Act was formed to enquire into all those who had opposed the independence of Bangladesh and worked against it. As per Bangladesh government, it was estimated that around 30 lakh people were killed. Altogether 37,471 were identified. Cases were filed against these people. Out of 37,471 people, 34,623 people were let off, citing lack of evidence. And the trial was held on 2848 people out of which 720 people were punished and more than 2000 people were acquitted. Notably, among the 37,471 people not even a single member was from Jamaat-e-Islami. He raised the question as to what has changed now after more than 40 years.
The possible reason he believed is that Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami has been gaining strength socially and politically which is perceived as a threat by other stakeholders. In between Pakistan, Bangladesh and India trio-Patrick pact was formed under which all were pardoned. Now the question arises, why after so many years top leaders of Jamaat in Bangladesh are now charged and sentenced to death one after another when they are not even identified as any wrongdoer. In almost all authentic books published with reference to the period nowhere, it can be found any involvement of any Jamaat cadre in any wrongdoings.
The formation and the procedural investigation by International Crime tribunal have been criticised by one and all, including various international organisations as it does not qualify international norms. The judges are also mainly from the rival groups. As a possible solution, he asked the members of Jamaat there to expand its horizon politically and become the need of the society through its ideology and welfare of the people. Its ideology should gain strength and more and more acceptable to the people in general.