Maj. Haider Aziz (retd.)

It’s amazing, the best change this country has ever witnessed since its birth was the collapse of Sheikh Hasina’s dictatorship and her team of sycophant corrupt cronies.

Bangladesh had gained the reputation of being one of the most corrupt countries... if not ‘the’... most corrupt country in Asia. And, with no intended disrespect, there isn’t a scrap of evidence to suggest that corruption was non-existent when BNP was in power, but some that says the opposite.

Both major parties, it would seem, were only interested in the same thing... lining their own pockets, and when in opposition they waited on the sidelines for another opportunity to get access to the national treasure trove, silently chanting, “it’s our turn.” Fact or fiction, it doesn’t particularly matter any more.

Honorable gentleman and BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, however, needs to conduct an independent study nationally and gauge the true feelings of the people.

Right now the people do not want BNP, Gonoform, the Nationalist Democratic Movement, Awami League, or any other political party becoming involved and messing up the cleaning operation. You don’t intervene in the process when your septic tank is being emptied.

For the first time since its birth in 1971, Bangladesh, under the honorable leadership of Nobel Laureate Professor Yunus, Bangladesh has the rare opportunity to perform a monumental fumigating house cleaning, in preparation for the NEW Bangladesh that will eventually emerge, Allah willing.

Three years... Five years... it doesn’t matter how long is may take. It needs to be done. Taj Mahal wasn’t built overnight. Why anyone who allegedly has the interest of Bangladesh at heart and not some other ulterior motive, would want to pause or halt the process is inconceivable.

The political parties should be looking within their own membership, and disassociating themselves from those who are crooks, an enemy of the state, and giving their organizations a bad name.

If they really are patriots, and interested in advancing Bangladesh, they would also be cooperating with the Interim Government and making suggestions that would make its job at hand easier and beneficial to the nation.

Why the hurry for the political parties to return? What makes them think they could they do a better job than Professor Yunus and his admirable team?

The people have spoken... the students of the nation – the future of Bangladesh – have spoken. Professor Yunus has a mandate from the mass majority of people to clean up the horrific mess that began in 1972 and continued unabated until August 5, 2024. The people want no one to interfere in the mass clean up and perhaps in the process cover the misdoings of their members. The septic tank cleansing must continue independently and uninterrupted.

The people of Bangladesh are not fools. NONE of the political parties are totally free from sin against the nation; just some are guiltier than others.

To interfere with the good work of Prof. Yunus now would be blasphemous, totally against the interests of the nation, and no interfering political party would reap kudos by their intrusion.

The best course of action for all political parties now would be not to interfere with the commendable work of the Interim Government, stop this nonsense of trying to add a silly ‘use-by’ date for its good work to end, with the false pretense it’s what the people want.

That is NOT what the people want. The people want a Bangladesh that gives them dignity, makes them proud, and honours those who so nobly gave their lives so the entire population of Bangladesh could enjoy independence and better opportunities, and not for a few in power who repulsively filled their pockets with our national assets.

The nation does not mind waiting for the irrigation process to be completed and the seeds to be planted, knowing their children will harvest the benefits.

Political parties now have a chance to put their own houses in order, rid themselves of the land grabbers, bank defaulters, and crooks within their ranks, and prepare for the new Bangladesh just beyond the horizon.

What is of the utmost importance now is for Bangladesh to thoroughly wash out the septic tank excrement that has accumulated and clung to it, and take appropriate steps to ensure the sins of the past will never be repeated ever again.

We are about to enter the era of Sonar Bangla... let’s not spoil it... or allow anyone else to spoil it.

Thank you Anti-Discrimination Students Movement for this glorious “second chance” to build the Bangladesh we all have dreamed about from our childhoods. Thank you Professor Yunus for responding the clarion call of the people to spearhead the change. May Allah support your every effort.