BNP blasts Star report on Aug 21 Rejoinder rhetorical: The Daily Star
BNP has sent a rejoinder under the signature of its Secretary General Khandaker Delwar Hossain, regarding our report headlined "Aug 21 attack on Hasina, AL Rally: It was Hawa Bhaban Plot" published on October 27. We publish full text of the rejoinder below:
1. Our attention has been drawn to the above report which has blatantly attempted to disgrace and defame Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and its leaders. We strongly condemn this maliciously concocted libellous report.
2. It is clear to us that the purpose of this propaganda is to (a) hurt deeply the reputation, status and popularity of BNP and its leaders, (b) put BNP's political rivals into an advantageous position and (c) create a situation where by involving BNP leaders in false accusations they can be made victims of state torture machine.
3. It was beyond our imagination that a national daily newspaper could publish such a serious allegation against a well established political party and its leaders on the basis of investigations by one or two persons which were not carefully considered and without mention of any reliable sources. Daily Star has dumped all convention of proper journalism. It has astounded us.
4. This report by Daily Star is nothing but a far-fetched and fanciful story. Its style is objectionable, information unbelievable, and source unknown. The words chosen have expressed hatred against BNP and contempt against its leaders. We have noticed that this report's chosen words and languages are similar to those used by our political rivals.
5. We are rejecting this malicious propaganda and heinous fiction. We are condemning this practice of yellow journalism.
6. In this connection we would like to mention that, a certain section of the media including Daily Star, had been campaigning against BNP and its leaders for a prolonged period. This hate campaign was based on false stories and unreliable evidence. This careful but ill conceived propaganda led a state of emergency rule in Bangladesh which took away people's basic democratic and fundamental human rights. This road to conspiracy and its stopping point, an emergency rule by an unelected government, did irreparable damage to politics and economy of our country.
7. We watched then, Daily Star welcoming the emergency rule and taking credit for it.
8. We are now watching that, after the lifting of the emergency rule and the installation of a political government, Daily Star is trying to create misunderstanding and mistrust between the two major political parties. It is publishing baseless and fictional reports. We have valid reasons to doubt its patriotism.
9. The events of 21 August 2004, when some unknown assailants attacked a public rally by Awami League by throwing grenades, are tragic and condemnable. But, unfortunately, to this date, the plotters of this barbarous attack have not been identified beyond reasonable doubt.
10. After the promulgation of the emergency rule an ongoing investigation was diverted. After the formation of Awami League government, in the guise of a new investigation, actions are being taken to harass the political opponents. To fulfil that aim, controversial and politically loyal civil servants are being posted.
11. Under this circumstance, a fictional report by Daily Star, where without disclosing names and addresses of sources, citing some so-called investigators, to involve BNP and its leaders, is nothing but an attempt to divert the real investigation and to disillusion the public.
12. The chairperson of BNP had a political office in a rented house called Hawa Bhaban in Banani, Dhaka By trying to portray that office as "an alternative power house of the 4-party alliance government," Daily Star has published hateful and untrue information. In fact, political and party meetings and discussions, research and analytical works were conducted in that office.
13. BNP's political opponents and a section of media loyal to them, propagated many untrue stories about this office. During the emergency rule, capitalising on this propaganda, so many investigations were launched. So many people were detained, jailed and tortured to extract false evidence and confessions. But, not a single allegation could be proven.
14. Now Daily Star has taken a new road to propagate the old conspiracy. This report is actually an old and poisonous wine in a new but fragile bottle.
15. At one time, a section of Indian press, by quoting an Indian intelligence agency, spread a story of imaginary connection between an Indian fugitive criminal and BNP's promising young leader Tarek Rahman. During the emergency rule, a section of Bangladeshi retold the same false story. Vehement protests were made repeatedly against this malicious propaganda. Even after that, Daily Star has thrown up the same old story it was forced to swallow by the Indian intelligence agents.
16. Daily Star has also involved Tarek Rahman's name with some other criminal investigations and with person alleged to be militants.
17. We want to state unequivocally that these motivated propaganda are totally baseless and absolutely fictional. The chairperson's office in Banani was never used for any conspiratorial meeting, nor any meeting was ever attended by anyone connected with militants.
18. We would also like to state that, in this so-called investigative report, an attempt has been made to implicate Madam Khaleda Zia, Chairperson of BNP, by dragging her name. This is highly audacious, grossly objectionable and shamelessly obscene. Daily Star has fallen into a black hole.
19. BNP does not believe in conspiratorial and subversive politics. By pointing fingers towards BNP leaders and by making serious allegations against them without any shred of evidence, Daily Star has ignored journalistic ethics and by doing so has committed an unpardonable libellous act.
20. We hope that, Daily Star will publish our statement in full and giving it the same space and importance as their story and express its unreserved apology. Otherwise, we shall be forced to take appropriate legal action.
Thank you
Yours Faithfully
Advocate Khandaker Delwar Hossain
Secretary GeneralBangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP)
(The paragraphs were numbered consecutively by The Daily Star)
A paragraph-by-paragraph response to the BNP rejoinder is given below.
1. We thank BNP for its rejoinder.
2. The purpose of our report is not what has been suggested here. On the contrary, by pointing out some disturbing facts and presence of criminal elements within its ranks, we think we are providing BNP an opportunity to purge the organisation of conspiratorial elements and thereby restore the prestige and credibility it once enjoyed as a party elected to office twice (thrice if we take the controversial February 15 election in 1996) since restoration of democracy in 1991.
3. As to sourcing, our story is based on those whose authenticity we have verified independently. It is the product of a long investigation starting from the bloodbath itself. As we watched with horror the repeated attempts made to divert the investigation, especially by the then state minister for home and some key investigating agencies, we decided to follow the story on our own. Our report is the fruit of years of investigation.
4. As for the expressions and words used, they were chosen to depict the tragedy the story deals with--an attempt to assassinate a top political leader, former prime minister and the then leader of the opposition in parliament.
5. We respect BNP's right to reject our story. At the same time, we think the readers have a right to know where our story is untrue, weak or distorted. We have mentioned by name that Lutfozzaman Babar, Harris Chowdhury and Abdus Salam Pintu were the principal actors in the plot to assassinate Sheikh Hasina. The rejoinder does not refute any of these. It is rather silent on the three, two of whom held important ministerial positions and the other was the political secretary to the then prime minister. It only protests the mention of Khaleda Zia and Tarique Rahman. The former's name came up more to prove her innocence rather than guilt. As for the latter, the facts speak for themselves.
6. The rejoinder accuses us of carrying out prolonged anti-BNP propaganda and a "hate campaign based on false stories and unreliable evidence". It is nothing more than a sweeping claim, the bankruptcy of which is exposed by the fact that not a single story is cited nor any specific instance mentioned where our report was found to be false, misleading and lacking evidence. Suffice it to say that ours is an independent voice fully committed to the highest ethical and professional standards of journalism. It is for this trust and confidence that the public has made us by far the highest circulation English daily in the country. We have never indulged in propaganda against or for anybody and will never do so in the future.
7. It is said that this paper took credit for bringing about the state of emergency. We invite BNP to cite any editorial, report or statement by this newspaper or its editor where we made such a claim. This statement is false.
On the contrary, it is a whole range of activities by BNP and the four-party alliance government that led to a groundswell of suspicion over fairness of the January 2007 elections (later cancelled), which led to public unrest and subsequent political violence. These actions include two-year extension of retirement age of the Supreme Court judges, unconstitutional appointment of a sitting judge as CEC, fiasco over voter list, SC's overturning of CEC's decision regarding voter list, expansion of the EC by appointing two partisan persons, especially appointment of the sitting EC secretary, and later addition of another two.
What proved to be the final straw breaking the proverbial camel's back was the assumption of the post of chief adviser by the president himself, widely believed to be at the behest of the BNP leadership, especially the then prime minister Khaleda Zia. This was followed by President Iajuddin Ahmed's refusal to allow the then council of advisers to function properly, leading to the resignation of its four important members. These and other events led to a dangerous division within the electorate, one side wanting the election to be held and the other vowing to resist it at any cost. It was in these circumstances that Iajuddin stepped down as the chief adviser and declared the state of emergency.
8. The rejoinder says, “The Daily Star is trying to create misunderstanding and mistrust between the two major political parties" by such reporting. What can be more laughable than this? This paper along with others has made relentless efforts to bring about some semblance of understanding between the two parties ever since restoration of democracy. Record will show how often The Daily Star has written against politics of confrontation and in favour of some sort of understanding between BNP and AL.
9, 10 and 11. Here the rejoinder claims that the investigation was diverted during the state of emergency. The fact is while Khaleda Zia as prime minister promised proper investigation, her party started holding AL responsible for the grenade attack within days into the blasts. On September 2, 2004, the then prime minister said the attack on AL rally was a "conspiracy to mar her government's image". Anybody familiar with our political parlance can understand who she was holding responsible for the so-called conspiracy. On September 13, 2004, lawmakers of BNP at its parliamentary party meeting directly blamed AL for the August 21 carnage, terming it "a pre-planned game". On September 15, 2004, BNP MP Shamsuzzoha Khan said in parliament that AL itself exploded bombs at its rally as part of a conspiracy against the government. On the same day, foreign minister Morshed Khan in parliament said, "We know who sheds crocodile tears meeting foreign envoys and who takes money for treatment from where." BNP MPs asked the government to take action against AL. On September 2 that year law minister Moudud Ahmed said certain quarters had initiated a massive anti-Bangladesh campaign immediately after 2001 election trying to portray it as a terrorist country. "I think the August 21 incident is part of that campaign," he added. On June 13, 2005, BNP lawmakers alleged in parliament that "extremist elements in AL" were involved in the August 21 grenade attack, and that Sheikh Hasina was giving false statements to divert public attention. Fazlur Rahman Patal, the then state minister for youth and sports, said, “The cat has come out of the bag during interrogation, and facts reveal their [AL men] involvement in the grenade attack." Kalimuddin Ahmed, another BNP MP, made similar statement amid loud desk-thumping by his party colleagues including the then Leader of the House Khaleda Zia. Perhaps the most glaring example of attempts to divert the investigation was the Joj Miah episode. A hapless person, Joj was forced into admitting involvement in the blasts and was later found to have been paid by an investigation agency. So much for the caretaker administration diverting the BNP government's "proper" investigation into the August 21 attack.
12 and 13. As to whether Hawa Bhaban was or was not “an alternative powerhouse of the four-party alliance government" and what went on there we leave it to our readers to judge. Suffice it to point out that the above description of Hawa Bhaban was used most commonly during the tenure of the alliance government and was never objected to then.
14. It can be "old wine" to BNP, since it had access (naturally, as it was the government of the day) to privileged information. But to The Daily Star and its readers, it was new information. We never published any story (since we did not have facts in hand at any previous stage) stating that Hawa Bhaban was directly involved in the August 21 plot.
15. The Daily Star's reference to Tarique Rahman and an "Indian fugitive criminal" is taken from local media and not from any foreign news source.
16. Tarique Rahman's links with Bangla Bhai, the notorious killer who was hanged during the caretaker rule, was stated by IG Police Nur Mohammed in an interview with this paper in June 2007. Nur Mohammed said Tarique had been supporting Bangla Bhai's militant activities. It may be mentioned here that at the initial stage the BNP government had denied the existence of Bangla Bhai and termed him a creation of the media.
17. We respect BNP's right to deny.
18. Any serious reader of our report will see that there was no attempt on our part to implicate the BNP chairperson. We only said that investigators have not found any evidence if Khaleda Zia knew about the August 21 plot.
19. We believe that BNP as a party "does not believe in conspiratorial and subversive politics." It is for that belief we try through our report to bring out the activities of some leaders who have through their activities brought this mighty party into disrepute. BNP should use the facts in our report to cleanse its ranks of these criminal elements. BNP will have to accept responsibility for the activities of many of its leaders including that of the former state minister for home, especially when he was neither removed nor ever reprimanded for mishandling the August 21 investigation. Blaming the media will not help it extricate itself from the depths of a self-inflicted malaise.
20. We are publishing the rejoinder in full and with due importance because it is our policy to do so.
As for legal action, we welcome any attempt to uphold the law.
In fact, it is the law and the respect for it that has been most grossly and deliberately violated in the attempted murder and its subsequent investigation.
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