| PM's stand on Moeen's fate intensifies suspicion M. Shahidul Islam The vicissitudes of history is nowhere as obtrusive and merciless as in Bangladesh. Here, victors of today are the vanquished of tomorrow and today's villains pass off as tomorrow's heroes. It's a vicious cycle that has no set rules, no perceptible direction. That is why the man who is on record for showing much heroism and bluster in cracking down on corrupt political leaders and business magnets following the declaration of emergency rules on January 11, 2007 is himself being sued for a number of alleged charges, and, within days of changing into civil attire. Sources say at least half a dozen of litigation is under preparation to compel former army chief, Gen. Moeen U Ahmed, to face trial for allegations ranging from unbecoming conduct- through usurpation of Constitution, misappropriation of public fund - to sedition. Since moving into an unceremonious retirement on June 15, the former army chief has become a political football for many aggrieved leaders within the ruling party and in the opposition. At least three of the upcoming litigations are being instituted by ruling party leaders and an equal number may come from leaders of the BNP, according to sources.. Besides, the former four star General also faces the prospect of being challenged through a number of other writs at the High Court and initiation of complaints (GDs) at police stations, which are expected to come from human rights groups, NGOs, members of the civil society and other aggrieved and disaffected victims of the emergency rules' excessive measures against many. Stolen documents! Meanwhile, the Army Headquarters is mulling the prospect of launching an internal investigation to trace sensitive and classified missing documents relating to the imposition of emergency rules on January 11, 2007, activities of the national anti-corruption coordination committee, disposal of funds raised from various business magnates, and, the army's role during the December 2008 elections, sources say. The lost classified documents are suspected to have been destroyed or taken away by the departed army chief while moving into retirement on June 15. At the same time, some one from the National Defence College (NDC) had leaked to the media the dossier of Gen. Moeen's NDC course details, blaming that he had secured the degree without even attending the 12- month long course and accusing him of deceit, forgery and misuse of power as the incumbent army chief at that time. Ironically, the painful ordeal of the former army chief unfolds at a time when his retired life so far has been anything but tranquil; kicking off in the most perturbed manner and being marred until now by serious concerns for personal safety and security due to protests and threats lurking from influential Bangladeshis at home and abroad. Fleeing homeland? Sources say, panged by such developments, the former army chief has recently contacted with the chief of the last caretaker government, Dr. Fakhruddin Ahmed - who seems to have wisely grasped the increasingly hostile pulse of the nation and had left the country quietly about three weeks ago - to discuss about his fate and the ongoing ordeal. However, despite there being reports of the former army chief's decision to flee from the country, people close to the General say the news of his seeking permission from the Government to travel abroad 'is not true.' Under existing regulations, an officer on Leave Pending Retirement (LPR) is barred from travelling abroad without Government's permission. PM contacted A reliable source, however, confirmed that Gen Moeen has contacted the PM last week in desperation and requested her to ensure that leaders from the ruling party refrain from making things worse for him by joining the demand for his trial. The Holiday managed to authenticate the veracity of his recent contact with the PM. Perhaps due to having received such a desperate plea from the former army chief - who is alleged to have steered the coming to power of the AL-led alliance through an election in December 2008 in which final results grossly belied public expectation - to stand by him at this critical moment of his life, the PM had angrily released a salvo of stern warnings against her party colleagues during a cabinet meeting on June 22.. Yet, given the prevalence of a popular perception that Gen. Moeen should be blamed for the unexpected election outcome - and for his 'not so discreet' collaboration with a certain political party and its foreign backers as reasons why there was no uproar like Iran in the aftermath of Bangladesh election in December 2008 - this saga is likely to kick off more dusts in coming weeks. It also explains why, during the cabinet meeting on June 22, Sheikh Hasina warned her party leaders not to join the opposition BNP leaders in speaking against the 1/11 changeover and its architect, Gen. Moeen. In the cabinet meeting, the PM sternly ordered her party leaders not to make any more insulting and derogatory remarks about Gen. Moeen and the 1/11 changeover of power in any forum, including in the mass media and TV talk shows. "Such comments from our party leaders will only help our opponents and this is not acceptable," the PM is learnt to have said tersely to her cabinet colleagues. Worst still, Sheikh Hasina accused some ruling party leaders of what she said "hatching conspiracy in concert with some opposition leaders with whom they (AL leaders) might have forged some agreement while being in prison during the emergency rule." Wrong side of history Observers say, the PM may have a hidden moral compulsion to stand by the former army chief, but the partisan and un-prime-ministerial stand she took in the cabinet meeting of June 22 is being construed by many as an indication of a festering rift within the ruling party with respect to how the AL-led alliance wants to run affairs of the state. "This is fascism in the making," said one observer. Another observer said, "Now that the PM has openly taken a side to shield the former army chief from any perceived or real harm, she has willingly chosen to be on the wrong side of history by evoking serious suspicion of a pre-election 'nexus of interest' between her and the former army chief." Others say, it is one thing for the PM to try to save the former army chief from any harm, quite another to dissuade private citizens from challenging him on matters that he is presumed to have committed by usurping power. Although a Shakespearean dilemma of 'to be or not to be tried' will prevail for a while with respect to Gen. Moeen's fate - and the nation will await with baited breath to see how the PM reacts to the upcoming legal moves against the former army chief- it will be wise for the ruling party not hasten into something that could be seen to have obstructed justice in any manner. |
__._,_.___