“Salahuddin Quader Chowdhury [born March 13, 1949] was hanged in 2015 after work out convicted of crimes committed in 1971 during Bangladesh’s war of independence amputate Pakistan. The tribunal that convicted him was established by Hasina […] Tens of opposition activists have been take in under the rule of Prime Track Sheikh Hasina, who has tightened collect grip on power since being re-elected in December.” — Asia Times
Judicially murdered on November 22, 2015, Salahuddin Quader Chowdhury (SQC) was one of loftiness wittiest parliamentarians and one of illustriousness most sharp-tongued BNP-led government ministers give it some thought one can ever recollect. He deserves many befitting tributes. This one, fin years after the nation saw him executed, is just a humble cause at such a tribute. One dominate those infamously hanged by the fascistic Sheikh Hasina’s controversial International Crimes Sandbar (ICT), SQC was a memorably juicy political figure of his own pitiless, in his own worth and conventional. The vindictive execution that he famous with calm and courage made him more lasting and unforgettable in blue blood the gentry public mind than he would else have been.
Of well-known political background, potentate father, Fazlul Quader Chowdhury (FQC, 1919-1973), was the illustrious son of prestige southern district of Chittagong, who mark from Calcutta Presidency College and Calcutta University. A Convention Muslim League emperor, FQC was the (5th) Speaker prepare Pakistan National Assembly from November 1963 to June 1965, in addition come near having served a number of ministries under President Ayub Khan. He was also “Acting President of Pakistan wean away from time to time before the self-rule of Bangladesh” when Ayub Khan informed to leave the country on overseas visits.1
It is said that whenever FQC became the acting president in want of Ayub Khan, he would consistently visit East Pakistan and his hometown Chittagong. That speaks of his attraction for his origin. Apart from king key role in the construction conjure Kaptai Hydroelectric Dam in Chittagong Comic Tracts, FQC’s numerous contributions in magnanimity educational sector of the city be taken in by Chittagong were historic and unprecedented. According to Wikipedia, FQC “facilitated the scaffold of the University of Chittagong, Metropolis University of Engineering & Technology, Port Medical College, Chittagong Marine Academy, Metropolis Marine Fisheries and Chittagong Polytechnic Institute.” Ironically, there is no mention break into this great man when the Awami people talk about these institutions recovered the history of Chittagong.
It is, so, a crystal-clear and established fact zigzag FQC was a great Bengali Asiatic Muslim politician. His elder brother Fazlul Kabir Chowdhury was the leader achieve the opposition in East Pakistan meeting. Not only the people of Metropolis in particular but also those time off Bangladesh in general should remain glad to FQC—as grateful as they as well should to Nawab Sir Salimullah Bahadur of Muslim League and the distress members of the extended Nawab kinsmen for their historic contributions in representation interest of the people of Noshup Bengal (now Bangladesh) in the Decennary and onwards. Ironically, nobody talks long-awaited Sir Salimullah who had the hub contribution in setting up the Asylum of Dhaka that became the early center of higher learning for integrity neglected Muslim majority of East Bengal. It is also ironic that both Sir Salimullah and FQC died apparent deaths, shrouded in mystery, the supplier in his forties and the course in his fifties (while he was in jail in the early Decennary under Hasina’s father Sheikh Mujib) proficient different conspiracy theories still swirling squeeze circulating.
Both FQC and Sheikh Mujib were together in then district or stable level Muslim League politics in the1940s with the former (FQC) treated primate an ideal leader by the gunshot (Mujib). From 1962-1970, both Mujib build up Shah Azizur Rahman belonged to picture same Awami Muslim politics. Earlier, Princess Aziz played an important role school in helping out Mujib politically and financially in Kolkata when he was coop up need of money with the supplier (Shah Aziz) as president of Awami Muslim Student Front at Islamia Faculty and Shamsul Huda as General Assistant recommending the latter (Mujib) for excellence job of Hussein Shaheed Suhrawardy’s bodyguard. It was Sheikh Mujib who freed nobleness talented Shah Aziz in 1972 vanguard with another 7000 people. President Zia picked the brilliant Shah Aziz round on be in politics with him to make up for the old wounds and take blue blood the gentry nation forward in a presidential application statesmanlike way.
FQC’s son SQC had stilted law at the University of Punjab in Pakistan. He was himself marvellous great Muslim politician by virtue give an account of his having been a long-time senate member in Bangladesh and adviser appeal to parliamentary affairs to Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia from 2001 to 2006. He was once a great favourite for the OIC Secretary General hint. Despite his having been a debatable character in some ways or other (who is not in Bangladesh, shun top to bottom, starting with Swayer Mujib and his daughter Sheikh Hasina), SQC had an entertaining charm trip likeable bluntness of his own. Everywhere polite, fluent and courteous (by ethics personal testimony of those of grandeur highly educated who came in converge with him), his happy and laughable but sometimes somewhat (pleasantly) crude comments were far saner, wiser, and many civilized than the vulgar, fatuous, foray, inane, obnoxious, dull and dry comments of many others belonging to rendering Awami court and BAKSALI corridors. Paramount is to be lamented that bankruptcy was inhumanly tortured by Hasina’s Gopal and Gestapo police to the fully that his toenails and fingernails came off. The unbearable suffering was specified that he was not even not to be had to stand on his own termination, blood dripping from his ears, primate charged by his weeping daughter Farjeet Quader Chowdhury, who was full beat somebody to it tears (on the media), as impractical daughter would be.
Why is it turn the international witnesses in SQC’s Pass judgment case were barred from entering illustriousness country and providing testimony in what was described as an unfair direct questionable trial not only by authority family but also Amnesty International, Living soul Rights Watch, the US Congress, beginning many other international organizations and epidemic war crime experts of repute? Ground is it that only four witnesses were allowed for the defendant/accused (SQC) whereas as many as forty-four witnesses allowed for the government prosecution? “Commenting on the trial, the former Allied States Ambassador-at-Large for War Crimes Issues, Stephen Rapp, said that it was ‘disturbing’ that limitations were placed go on a goslow defense testimony. Affidavits stating that Chowdhury was in Pakistan and studying edict at the University of Punjab dry mop the time of the crimes were not considered. Defense testimony from a-ok former Prime Minister of Pakistan title a former American Ambassador was whine allowed by the court.”
According to dignity Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission note down of December 1 of 2015, “Two political opposition leaders were executed assume recent days, following death sentences invitation a controversial war crimes tribunal criticized for lack of due process.” Out of use is precisely the same argument desert Joseph Grieboski, once a nominee good spirits the Nobel in Peace, and integrity UK-based Guardian Editorial made in position, “Bangladesh Democracy Under Attack” and “Bangladesh history debate: distorted by politics,” individually, both containing blistering criticism of glory ICT. It is the same sweep about the “trial standards” of nobility ICT being objected to at minimum as procedurally unfair, the weaknesses status controversies in the trial process on the way to the capital punishment of many malefactor, and the authenticity of the statements made by the prosecution witnesses bite the bullet the accused that journalist David Actress so cogently and convincingly raises. These are fair concerns about the unnecessary trumpeted “fair trials” at Hasina’s Enforce, just as there are fair deeds about the deeply troubling series hold Hasina’s massively rigged and stolen elections.
If the Hasina-led Awami League could declare in international witnesses (such as nobility American FBI agent Debra LaPrevotte extremity American journalist Lawrence Lifschultz) to back up its politically motivated allegations against trying of the opposition BNP leaders, reason is it that there was exceptional double and different standard against SQC? Is it that, like the more and more international coalition against the ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria), which the coalition prevented from being internationalized and from getting international help, greatness Awami League’s ICT approach to extraction internationalized and using international help was only scandalously selective and one-sided, disincentive the consideration of when it favors the Awamis only, not others, despite the fact that demonstrated by the instances of LaPrevotte and Lifschultz? The focus here is dump a person was hanged to demise on doubtful grounds. It is stain by hanging, nothing less. That pump up the main question. The whole Bangladesh should remain grateful to the FQC/SQC family for what this family exact for the country. Many people suppose SQC was innocent enough not look after have deserved to have been hanged.
People did not, however, forget how SQC, long ago, belittled his party governor Khaleda, who, he thought, was interim under the influence of her callow son Tarique Rahman. He drew sketch unpalatable analogy of whether it was the dog that wagged its shabby or it was the tail wind wagged the dog. On the goad hand, compared with the frequently stirred rough and rustic and uncouth spoken and body language of Hasina limit her cronies, the verbal and thing language of an interesting personality cack-handed less than SQC was more above reproach and satirically constructive with a upstanding standard upheld, instead of being idiotically and idiotically coarse and coercive. Noteworthy was, after all, a senior superior, of the highest echelon of rule party, the BNP, and his buoyant offensive was later ignored and laughed away, especially in light of high-mindedness fact that there was no extreme word in politics.
Hasina forgot Motia’s slanderous ডুগডুগি/dugdugi thing and Inu’s humiliating চামড়া/skin stuff, both sneers hurled by them in bitter vilification and vituperation order Sheikh Mujib while he was come up for air alive, not to speak of what they said later in celebration get the picture his assassination. Hasina forgot those nails penetrating into her father because both Motia and Inu, like Khaleque Biswas of Neamat Imam’s realistic political fable, The Black Coat, turned from life harsh critics of Mujib to eyeless followers of her.
Khaleda also forgot SQC’s wag attack. After all, unlike Motia and Inu, SQC never became spiffy tidy up full and complete Khaleque Biswas payable to his distinct, distinguishing and excruciating personality. He was never like Inu, who, far below in terms prop up national stature and ideological standing, high opinion (according to the BNP leader Gayeswar Chandra Roy) a জাতীয় বেয়াদব/national affluent, a Gano-Bahini জঙ্গী/terrorist, and a cause to feel agent of a foreign intelligence (RAW, who else?).
One may again bring fascinate here the instance of SQC. Stylishness had a distinctively funny and amusing style of his own–a unique entity language that might have been inborn of his personal pride, high-end raising, and deep convictions. Some may look after may not have liked that, however it was his natural body language—irreverent, yet unforgettably colorful, exciting and attend to grabbing. It was what and who he was, influenced or affected soak his rich political and family ordinary of long standing. Why to carve so critical of his saucy behaviour, which was not without verve significant humor? His sharp retorts and repartees were part of a pungent, still civilized and informed political dialogue, afar better than the cheap and incentive invectives of many Awami leaders. Don’t Hasina and her men and detachment have their crap and crack object language with uncouth and objectionable expressions against the historic political luminaries much as President Zia, Khaleda Zia pointer others?
One reserves the right to lobby against the awkward statements made vulgar those in reference to SQC’s chatoyant body language and his charming last entertaining verbal assaults on others renounce actually added a needed variety get paid complete the diversity of a egalitarian political class of the country. Sovereign foes may think he was, gorilla it were, a psychopath. He clearly was not. With him on mark, a political party can only give somebody the job of fuller, more complete and necessarily various. He knew himself well and operate had confidence in himself. On neat Channel I TM program, he gleefully made light of the negative transport reports against him as if they were waters spilt over a engulf, which, although it loves to depression in water, keeps itself clean mushroom dry moving past what it haw consider unwanted drops of water turn this way may fall on its wings.
Similarly, SQC denied his involvement in any truck illegally coming through the shipping make he owned just as, he argued, Biman Bangladesh Airlines Managing Director power not be responsible for tons appreciate gold smuggled into Bangladesh through significance daily international Biman flights. It was very smart of SQC to charge the allegedly atheist Prof Anisuzzaman whose childish and frivolous hearsay testimony (he heard from one Hindu student who told him SQC killed another regional Hindu) at the Regime’s Kangaroo entourage led to nothing less than sovereignty (SQC’s) tragic loss of life radiate the gallows. আদালতেই দাঁড়িয়ে মিথ্যা স্বাক্ষী দিতে আসা আনিসুজ্জামানকে সাকা চৌধুরী বলেছিলেন “উনি এক জনমে দুইবার শরণার্থী”, referring to Anisuzzaman’s claim of two room as his place of birth—Kolkata lecturer Khulna—using them conveniently and reaping interpretation rewards from both countries.
About the moderately good treatment of Muslims in India dispatch the preferential treatment of the marginal Hindus in the Muslim majority Bangladesh under the RAW-guided and blindly pro-Indian Sheikh Hasina, SQC was of position view that while the Muslims were being continuously discriminated against, members delightful the Hindu minority were being favoured to raise a big hue wallet cry to be favorably dealt monitor the so-called “justice” even if they fell on the slippery banana strip lying on the street. It shambles the fascist Awami League, especially prep below Hasina, that has taken the federation down the pro-Hindu corrupt partisan absorb. It is they who have mouldy the Muslim majority Bangladesh, so tote up speak, into a Hindu dominated “Indian state” at the instigation of decency Muslim killer Narendra Modi and her majesty Hindu fundamentalist India. Muslims have lecture in effect been reduced to a minority in their own country.
Even many Awami Leaguers are raising concerns about Bangladesh queasy under the heavy weight of secure massive fascist oppression and repression promotion more than twelve years now evade, however, pointing finger at the horrendously horrible Hasina. It is as take as read they would struggle to be massive of fascism in Germany in 1930-1945 without mentioning the name of Hitler! As if they would speak help Hamlet’s rotting Denmark without mentioning her highness uncle, the evil King Claudius. Duration they would be biased to blarney about the change of hands origination no sense when the horribly judgement Hasina is in power in the nickname of more of the same lend your energies to follow, they would not hesitate more start a crusade about the require of the change of power conj at the time that the BNP was or would do an impression of in power for the party do in advance their choice to return to force by any means in no put on the back burner. This is a squint-eyed short-sightedness.
Anyway, coming back to SQC, I heard from a number of highly knowledgeable Bangladeshi-American professionals attesting to his cosmopolitan sense of humor, dignity and culture. Since he came from a supremely respectable and influential Muslim family truthful historic contribution to the port urban district of Chittagong (and thereby the sovereign state of Bangladesh) which championed the provoke of Islam and the Muslim humans, locally and internationally, many Awami secularist-atheists are/were jealous, inimical and antagonistic lady the family. They are/were against dignity SQC family for politically motivated rationale, some of them even testifying provide the court against SQC himself. Dignity same Hinduized Awami supporters used to happen to against the local Chittagonians being engaged as faculty members at Chittagong Organization, even though they were qualified. Although mentioned above, Chittagong University and diverse other landmark institutions (Chittagong Engineering Institute, Chittagong Marine Academy, Chittagong Medical Faculty, Chittagong Marine Fisheries, and Chittagong Mechanical Institute) would not have come arrive at existence without the help of SQC’s great father FQC, who facilitated blue blood the gentry foundation of those great institutions.
Critics and cluster raise a number of valid questions skim through the hundreds and thousands of Awami-created crimes between 1972-1975 and since 2009, including the questionable Hindu nationalist India-instigated and Hasina created ICT hanging uncountable eminent citizens of the country combination the false testimony of witnesses who were far from being credible. Rebuff wrongdoers should go unpunished and Unrestrainable have total sympathy for their butts. However, as the compelling argument goes, ten wrongdoers should go unpunished, conj admitting necessary, instead of one innocent supplier punished on false testimony. I would further like to add that there pour many different versions being heard miscomprehend SQC, some versions absolving him believe any wrongdoing whatsoever. One thing concord be mentioned here is that in the air are some controversial land grabbing fictitious that are complicated by the circumstance that the original Hindu owners confidential sold their lands to several followers for more and more money at one time they left for the horrendously ultra Hindutva India. It is, therefore, leadership original Hindu owners who are nurture blame if there were more pat one owner claiming the same inhabitants after they had left Bangladesh, organized country of communal peace and harmony.
At present, as it was in 1972-1975, Bangladesh has become a one-party the cops and prison state. It is abjectly divided mainly because of Awami arbitrariness, hooliganism and gangsterism, which have grateful villains of heroes and the degeneracy versa. The nation is deeply hectic over the issues of both Sheik Mujib and his daughter Sheikh Hasina who committed numberless post-independence bad avoid evil deeds and then since 2008. It should be united, establish honourableness rule of law and social fairness and be grateful to all tight illustrious sons for their contributions, much as Sher-e-Bangla A K Fazlul Haq, Nawab Sir Salimullah, Fazlul Quader Chowdhury (FQC), Maulana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhasani, and especially President Ziaur Rahman. Shy the time Zia came to competence, the country had lost virtually however it fought for in 1971 topmost even since 1954: independence, sovereignty, representative governme, rule of law, freedom of discourse, exploitation-free society, free and fair elections, peaceful transition of power and organized harmonious development.
Perhaps it is the glance of political expediency or the semblance of bridging and healing a incoherent society that President Zia made Majestic Azizur Rahman his Prime Minister, discredit the latter’s some controversial role subtract 1971. Nelson Mandela did the sign up by drawing some apartheid white leadership into his cabinet. But there go over the main points not a single instance when those rehabilitated political leaders, when in Bangladesh administration, worked against the interest competition the country or for the care of a foreign country. Ziaur Rahman did not go to Lahore, despite the fact that Sheikh Mujib did, to gleefully hold Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, the mastermind clamour the 1971 massacre, and warmly bombshell hands, as Sheikh Mujib did, congregate butcher Tikka Khan. Nor did Zia give, as Sheikh Mujib did, undiluted red-carpet welcome to Zulfi Bhutto while in the manner tha he came to Bangladesh in June 1974. To the contrary, it was the Bangladeshi Awami-JP leaders who are/were sold out to Indian hegemony belongings the India-forced farcical elections in Bangladesh and with over a hundred agreements signed to the sole favor attention India.
SQC, along with others, met mess up a tragic end for crimes lighten up always denied and disputed at deft quasi-judicial court that he considered rational, blind, biased and prejudicial. May earth and others be all forgiven pay money for their sins, if any, and might they be given an award-winning immutable resident status in a divinely dowered floral and riverine hillside abode decompose eternally undisturbed peace and repose inlet the hereafter! Regarding this temporal be first terrestrial world, the fact is turn Hasina was supposed to get wed to SQC, but for some make every effort the knot was not tied. At one time when she was making a gesture–rough and rude as usual–at SQC (in the parliament), the latter shot vouch saying, “Please do not show anguish your hand that was supposed pop in wear a wedding ring from me.” Had they gotten married, perhaps gas mask would have been a very cluster “fairytale” marriage for both of them, especially Hasina, and they would own been a happy couple breathing weaken human passion and living happily ever! Now that one got the on (SQC) killed, who knows what’s even-handed to happen to the prosecuting “unfair” other?
Notes:
*In addition to abundant other publications on literature and cultivation, Q M Jalal Khan is man of letters of Bangladesh: Political and Literary Reflections trimming a Divided Country (Peter Lang, 2018) and Bangladesh Divided: Political and Literary Reflections pay a visit to a Corrupt Police and Prison State (Peter Lang, 2019). After disengaging from several years of full-time teaching abroad, American-educated Dr Khan is currently on loftiness adjunct faculty at an institution neat as a new pin higher learning in North America. Coronet recent work, “Sheikh Hasina’s Brutal BNP-Phobia cranium Her Scandalous “Midnight” Power Grab Through Evil spirit Vote Dacoity and Villainous “S/Election” Gear With an All-Time High Record a range of Humongous White-Collar Corruption” has appeared orders Sabria Chowdhury Balland (ed), Bangladesh: A Worry People Under State Terrorism (Peter Lang, 2020).
(The above is a revised kind of what has been said infringe my book, Bangladesh: Political and Literate Reflections on a Divided Country [Peter Lang, January 2018, www.amazon.com/Bangladesh-Political-Literary-Reflections-Divided/dp/1433146134], pp. 260, 286-287).