In the proud month of March, a month that symbolizes the honor of the Bengali nation, the so called National Parliament of Bangladesh yesterday witnessed an unprecedented and shameless incident that will be remembered as one of the darkest chapters in the democratic history of the country. By including the names of top war criminals convicted by the highest courts of the country for crimes against humanity during the great Liberation War of 1971 in a parliamentary condolence motion, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party BNP and Jamaat e Islami have displayed a political audacity that is not only an insult to the souls of three million martyrs but also a poisonous strike at the very foundation of Bangladesh’s sovereignty.

During the first session of this illegal parliament, formed through a staged and farcical election and presided over by Speaker Major Hafiz Uddin Ahmed Bir Bikram, tribute was offered one after another to individuals who had been sentenced to death for heinous crimes. Such a spectacle has caused deep pain and anger in the hearts of the freedom loving people of this country. The condolence motion and the proceedings of this session clearly demonstrate that the present parliament does not in any way reflect the genuine aspirations of the people. Rather it serves merely as an obedient platform created through a one sided and manipulated election arranged by Dr Yunus to illegally install his loyal collaborators in positions of power. From the so called Leader of the House to the illegitimate Leader of the Opposition and the Speaker or Deputy Speaker, all those seated in this parliament will inevitably be identified in the court of history as participants in this act of national betrayal.

At the very beginning of the session, ignoring parliamentary traditions and the most basic moral standards, the condolence motion cunningly included the names of notorious figures such as Motiur Rahman Nizami, Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujahid, Salahuddin Quader Chowdhury, Abdul Quader Molla and Delwar Hossain Sayeedi. Each of these individuals had directly collaborated with the Pakistani occupation forces in 1971 and had been involved in brutal crimes including genocide, plunder and the persecution of women. After a long judicial process their crimes were proven beyond doubt in the International Crimes Tribunal and the higher courts of Bangladesh.

As these proposals, brought forward by the illegitimate Chief Whip and the Deputy Leader of the Opposition from the staged election Syed Abdullah Mohammad Taher, were being adopted in parliament, it felt as if the land bought with the blood of thirty lakh martyrs had once again fallen into the hands of the collaborators and executioners of 1971. With the very first session of this illegal parliament, the true character of the BNP and the ugly mask of its fabricated patriotism have once again been exposed. BNP speaks loudly about the spirit of the Liberation War but in reality it has never truly embraced that spirit. Instead it has long engaged in hypocrisy and political exploitation of the legacy of the war.

At its core lies a deep rooted affection for Jamaat and today it has become clear that BNP remains essentially an ally and accomplice of Jamaat e Islami. By promoting Ziaur Rahman as the proclaimer of independence at the very beginning of the proceedings of this parliament, BNP has once again initiated a blatant distortion of history. Historical evidence clearly shows that in the early hours of 26 March 1971 the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman formally declared the independence of Bangladesh. Those who begin the journey of an illegitimate parliament by denying this undeniable truth and by distorting history have effectively demonstrated that they do not truly believe in the existence of Bangladesh. In reality BNP functions as a political front implementing Jamaat’s agenda and is desperately attempting to re establish the ideology of the Razakars within the state structure of Bangladesh.

On the other hand Jamaat e Islami has once again openly displayed its long standing hostility and contempt toward Bangladesh. Evidence of this was seen in the arrogant and disrespectful behavior of its members inside the parliament during the playing of the national anthem. Their decision to remain seated during the anthem and their later attempt to stand only under pressure clearly demonstrates that even after fifty four years they have not truly accepted this independent state. By ignoring Article 4 of the Constitution and the regulations governing respect for the national anthem this extremist group has once again proven itself to be fundamentally anti state in nature.

The party that openly opposed the Liberation War and still refuses to properly honor the national anthem now stands side by side with BNP in this parliament formed through a one sided and manipulated election. This alliance represents nothing less than a poisonous dagger thrust into the back of Bangladesh’s democratic progress.

A deeper and careful analysis of the current political context shows that the so called change taking place in the country since 5 August 2024 is in fact part of a wider international conspiracy often described as a color revolution. The administration led by Dr Yunus, which seized power through unconstitutional and illegitimate means, together with the compliant parliament installed under his patronage, appears to be systematically implementing a plan aimed at destroying the pro Liberation War forces of Bangladesh.

As a result individuals such as ATM Azharul Islam, a convicted war criminal who had been sentenced to death, are now being released from prison and proudly declaring inside this illegal parliament that without the change of July and August people like him would never have had the opportunity to sit in such positions. This illegal and obedient parliament therefore stands as a serious warning for the independence and sovereignty of Bangladesh. The events of the past nineteen months clearly show that no political force in Bangladesh truly upholds the spirit of the Liberation War except the Awami League. It has now become evident to every citizen that BNP and Jamaat are simply two sides of the same coin. The so called revolution of 5 August was in fact meticulously orchestrated by Jamaat Shibir networks with the main objective of enabling the resurgence of anti Bangladesh forces such as the Razakars, Al Badr and Al Shams.

In conclusion it can be said with certainty that although power may be seized through domestic and foreign conspiracies and attempts may be made to legitimize criminals under the cover of an illegal parliament, the truth can never be erased permanently. A parliament that begins its journey by distorting the history of the nation’s birth and by honoring convicted war criminals in a sacred condolence motion is destined to be thrown into the dustbin of history.

The stain of disgrace placed upon the forehead of Bangladesh yesterday will inevitably be judged by history and by the conscious citizens of this country. This illegitimate and obedient government along with its orchestrated parliament will soon collapse under the resistance of patriotic people. Such an outcome is the inevitable demand of time.