It tolls for thee

Of the many moments of truth Delawar Hossain Sayedee must have faced during his protracted trial, this one is the last straw on the camel's back. The International Crimes Tribunal-1 has pronounced death penalty for his diabolical crimes against humanity.
This is the third consecutive judgment delivered by the International Crimes Tribunals reflective of an advancing process of trial against the local predators and collaborators of the Pak armed forces in 1971.
Following the verdict on Sayedee, there has been widespread violence and destruction of property by the zealots across the country. In particular, the mayhem along Dhaka-Chittagong highway spreading to the heart of Chittagong took a toll of at least five lives let alone injuries inflicted on a large number of people. They are on a warpath. The law enforcement agencies are out in force to quell the disturbances.
Jamaat-Shibir's hartal call yesterday was a contrived coincidence with the war crimes tribunal's verdict on Maulana Delawar Hossain Sayedee. It was a deliberate act of provocation to the Jagoron Moncha. Clearly, the Jamaatees thought that like in the case Abdul Quader Mollah the verdict on Sayedee would be pared down out of a perceived pressure. But Jamaatees have been patently disproved as he was sentenced to maximum punishment. It is after a due process of law that a judgment has been delivered in his case. The Shahbagh and Shapla Chattor generations are jubilant over the verdict that also resonates with the popular sentiments.
This was the fourth hartal in a month by these elements, something that severely upset the SSC examination schedules throwing the candidates and their guardians off gear. Those who do not hesitate to cut tendons of opponents without a blink of the eye couldn't care less about the wrenching inconvenience of the exam candidates or people's normal pursuit of day-to-day activities.
The attempted disruption of public peace by Jamaat-Shibir combine and their ratcheting up of violence after the verdict on Sayedee can only lead to loss of lives and infliction of injuries and damages all around. They should shun such an isolationist path in view of the fact that even among their peers other Islamic parties have disassociated themselves from the Jamaat's line of thought and approach. The best course open for them would be to help justice take its course, be part of the process and accept the verdict of the tribunals.
They need not carry the stigma of the older generation of leaders who did not accept Bangladesh in the first place. As contemporary Bangladeshis they shouldn't carry any baggage of the past, instead try and emerge in a new shape and form professing peace, true to the spirit of Islam which means peace.
All said and done, the political crisis has sunk into new depths. Some distinguished senior citizens have characterised the latest situation as the most difficult in the history of independent Bangladesh.
We have experienced usurpation of power, Martial Law and military rule disguised in civilian clothes of a caretaker government. But the supreme irony is that in an elective democracy major political forces have grown more divisive and polarised than ever before.
TIB, in an objective assessment of the military-backed caretaker government's role in 2007-08, highlighted the mischievous and coercive corruption and abuse of power by a section of the army. In the end, the TIB has made a fervent plea to the political parties not to enact a replay of 1/11 which has been the cause of so much misfortune for the people.
Granted, the Fakhruddin-led caretaker government had done some significantly good things but these are obscured by the massive graft, interference in civil administration, gagging of the press and coercive extortions resorted to by a section of the army.
The TIB has called upon political parties to sit across the table to hit a common ground in the resolution of the caretaker dispute. We had expected that the awesome majesty of the people circulating around Projonmo Chattor would have a sobering effect on the key political stakeholders. This remains a far cry. In the very least, non-violence of new generation of protestors should have had its influence on the prevailing political culture of banter, bickering and confrontational posturings.
As long as the Projonmo Chattor remain politically uncoloured, the nucleus of a new genre of power that has been formed will remain intact and could be reincarnated at a short notice, if need be.
The first sign of the government reaching out to the youngsters was reflected through the amendment in the War Crime Tribunal Act to provide for appeal on both sides and limiting the time of disposal of appeals. This will help quicken the conclusion of the trial process.
A cabinet decision put out a call for the first time to Shahbagh Chattor to assemble between 3:00 pm and 10:00 pm every Friday keeping the rest of the week free to ease the sufferings of the patients of the major hospitals Birdem and BSMMU. Already the youths have veered away to the National Museum and the TSC square.
Now the challenge before the government is containing the reactionary violence. In this task, it needs to take on board all the major political parties to wield the right kind of influence on the course of events from here on.

The writer is Associate Editor, The Daily Star.
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