Shahbagh against political chicanery
Bangladesh's International Crimes Tribunal is a seriously flawed court system, as cited by The Economist's investigative reporting which revealed that the presiding judge was receiving instructions from Awami League. This seems like more of a sentencing court, rather than a fact-finding one. A defence witness goes missing, allegedly another victim of enforced disappearance. While one defendant, conveniently hiding in Pakistan, receives the death sentence, another defendant, inconveniently still in Dhaka, gets life imprisonment. Most observers of Bangladeshi politics know how permanent imprisonment is. One need not look further than former president/dictator H.M. Ershad, who was jailed after a mass uprising. Today, he's back to politics who stole billions from the nation.
This is what the protesters are standing up against: once imprisoned, the next day scot-free, as the political winds have changed. Could it be that Awami League is simply looking to forge a partnership with Jamaat-e-Islami leaders after imprisoning them? Jamaat's foot soldiers go on rampages breaking vehicles, assaulting police officers, and simply terrorizing society. A comprehensive police action plan is still lacking. Whereas the opposition BNP has done similar tactics, their leaders get the baton and bloody heads far more often. Why the soft gloves for Jamaat?
Only time can tell if this becomes a solid political movement or yesterday's headline like the Occupy Wall Street movement.
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