The public lynching of another Hindu, Amrit Mandal, in Bangladesh has shocked the conscience of people in both India and Bangladesh. 29-year-old Amrit Mandal was beaten to death by a jihadist mob in Rajbari district. While police claimed that Mandal was an extortionist and he died in a rival clash, the videos belie the claim. Earlier, a Hindu, Dipu Chandra Das was lynched by a jihadist mob in Mymensingh. Dipu was not only lynched but was later hanged from a tree and his body was set on fire. Video of his brutal murder has caused consternation in world capitals.
The lynching of Amrit Mandal took place on the day Begum Khaleda Zia's son Tarique Rahman arrived in Bangladesh after 17 years of self-exile in the UK. Lakhs of supporters of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party welcomed Rahman as he went from the Dhaka airport to the venue of rally. Tarique Rahman appealed to people to maintain peace and live in brotherhood with other communities. He also appealed to radicals not to take the law in their hands.
Rahman, considered a frontrunner for the post of Prime Minister in the February elections, said, "I have a plan". He said that he wanted to take Bangladesh on the path of progress and to achieve this aim, peace and safety of all is necessary. Bangladesh will go to the polls on February 12. Last year, after the July uprising, Sheikh Hasina had to leave the country. She is presently staying in self-exile in India. Under pressure from Islamic radicals, Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus had banned Sheikh Hasina's Awami League. Hasina's party cannot contest elections.
Hasina's main rival, Begum Khaleda Zia is 80 and is bedridden. There is a political vacuum at present in Bangladesh and all political parties are vying for power. Khaleda Zia's BNP has forged an alliance with Jamiat Ulama-e-Islam and Tarique Rahman may emerge as the prime ministerial candidate. Despite Rahman's appeal for peace, Islamic radicals are on the rampage across the country. In Dhaka, Islamic radicals protested again demanding the arrest of the killers of anti-India radical Usman Hadi.
Police claimed that they arrested Himon Rahman Sikdar, but later it turned out that Himon Sikdar had no direct connection with Usman Hadi's murder. Himon Sikdar is a colleague of Alamgir Sheikh, who was driving the motorbike on which the killer was pillion riding, as he fired at Usman Hadi. Awami League leaders allege the police are only trying to misguide the probe because the fact is that Usman Hadi was killed at the instance of Muhammad Yunus. These leaders say that thousands of Islamic radicals were released from jails by Muhammad Yunus, and these radicals are causing violence and mayhem throughout the country.
Dhaka Police has arrested a terrorist named Ataur Rahman. He has been inciting Islamic radicals to murder Hindus. Ataur Rahman was plotting to carry out a big massacre of Hindus to inflame passions. He is a disciple of Mufti Haroon Azhar, who has close connections with Pakistan's Lashkar-e-Taiyyaba. The killing of Hindus by mobs is an issue that worries all right-thinking people. Those who brutally kill innocent people in the name of Islam cannot be true Muslims. Islamic radicals are on the rampage in Bangladesh and Muhammad Yunus' regime is indirectly patronising them.
Tarique Rahman, who has returned to Bangladesh after 17 years, has spoken positively. He has promised to take all communities in his endeavour to restore peace in Bangladesh, but the fact that his party, BNP, is in alliance with Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam cannot be ignored. BNP had formed a government in the past with the help of Jamaat-e-Islami. It is difficult to say how far Tarique Rahman can stay true to his promise despite hard political realities.
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