Gentle Statements Cannot Conceal Incompetence, Mr. Asaduzzaman Khan

Opinion

Gentle statements will not mask your incompetence, Mr. Asaduzzaman Khan. The people of this country have not forgotten your indifference toward violent extremism. After one blogger murder after another, your statements included, *“Why write controversial things? This is not freedom of speech.”* Your subordinates in the police even advised, *“Leave the country if you can; I can’t manage everything as a minister.”*

Your government has appeased Hefazat-e-Islam, granted railway lands as gifts, and equated the **Dawra-e-Hadith** degree of Qawmi madrasas with a master’s degree.

When the public raised questions at the time, secular-progressive voices were silenced with the “atheist” label, echoing the tone of Jamaat and Hefazat. These events are etched in history.

And now you claim, *“On August 5, there was a joint coup by Islamic extremists and the military!”*

The public was aware of this even back then. Why did it take you so long to realize? Intelligence agencies like DGFI, NSI, and the police’s Special Branch report directly to the Prime Minister. The summary of those reports also reaches the Home Minister. Everyone knows this. Yet, as the Home Minister, you either failed to recognize the extremist and military movements or ignored them. This indicates either overconfidence or sheer incompetence. You compromised your professionalism by aligning with Islamic extremists under the guise of being a “true Muslim.”

In your interview with the *Indian Express,* you stated, *“Until midnight on August 4, I was with her (Sheikh Hasina). The police chief was also present. The army chief was there too. He assured Sheikh Hasina that nothing would happen and that we could control the situation. The army chief told Sheikh Hasina, ‘Your security is my responsibility.’ I witnessed this myself. I then asked the army chief, ‘Are you taking full responsibility?’ He replied, ‘Yes.’ Afterward, I instructed the police chief under my authority to coordinate freely with the army chief to normalize everything.”*

In essence, you pointed fingers at the army chief. Even if you describe him as *“a snake that bites and then pretends to heal,”* the fact remains that he facilitated Sheikh Hasina’s safe departure from the country. Ajit Doval monitored the entire situation from across the border.

Your recent resurfacing has left you looking pale and unconvincing. As a liberation war commander and one of the most powerful ministers, you imprisoned a few extremists while seating their covert sympathizers next to you as “brothers of the Ummah.”

The loss of thousands of lives, including students, citizens, Awami League activists, police officers, and ordinary workers, cannot be undone, Mr. Minister. Damage control is not possible after such events.

-Manzurul Haque
January 26, 2025