“You Who Belong to the Shibir” – Muhammad Zafar Iqbal

It was some time ago. I was on my way to my office when I saw two of my students on the veranda. They did not say anything to me, but I could sense they wanted to talk. I asked, “Do you want to talk to me?” They nodded, and one of them, somewhat hesitantly, handed me two books. “Sir, we’ve brought these books for you,” he said. I took the books. They were two excellent books on science. I thanked them, saying, “Thank you. Beautiful publications.” I then opened the books and saw inside that they were from the Islami Chhatra Shibir.

In an instant, my whole body tensed. In 1971, Jamaat-e-Islami, under the command of the Pakistani army, committed horrific massacres in this country, and I have never forgiven them for it. I have never knowingly shaken hands with a leader of Jamaat-e-Islami. It was my personal decision to honor the memory of the loved ones I lost in the Liberation War. When I once attended an event at the American Embassy and discovered that leaders of Jamaat-e-Islami were also invited, I left that event. I’ve never kept this belief a secret. So these two students should know that.

I handed back the books to the students and, in a stern tone, asked, “Do you know how I view Jamaat-e-Islami? You came here as members of that party and brought me books from your organization? Do you not know who I am?”

The students’ faces turned pale. I reminded them of what the leaders of the Al-Badr militia, like Nizami and Mujahid, did during the war. I spoke about what Golam Azam did during the war and how they opposed the birth of Bangladesh even after the country was created. I shared stories of how teachers like me were murdered by the Al-Badr forces, and I asked how these young men could become members of an organization that supported war criminals.

One student replied in a weak voice, “Sir, we are not members of Jamaat-e-Islami. We are from the Chhatra Shibir.”

I can’t remember what I told them about the difference between Jamaat-e-Islami and Chhatra Shibir, but I do remember that the two students left with their heads bowed.

For many reasons, I can’t forget this incident. I write for young boys and girls, and I truly believe that the children of our country are the future of a new Bangladesh, and they will transform the country as they grow up. When I tell them this, I believe they trust me. Many of them come to me seeking encouragement, inspiration, or words of hope. These two students from the Shibir probably thought that their wonderful books would impress me, and that I would say something encouraging. Like many other young people, they probably had an expectation, but I couldn’t fulfill it. They must have been stunned by my intense reaction. I felt helpless.

I can’t forget their words either. They told me they were not part of Jamaat-e-Islami, but members of the Shibir. Do they truly believe they are different from Jamaat-e-Islami? Does the brutal massacre committed by Jamaat-e-Islami during the 1971 war not affect them in any way?

These two students are the only Shibir members who have ever tried to talk to me. I will probably never know the answers to these questions.

2.
If someone were to ask me what the most extraordinary and unbelievable thing I have seen in my life is, without hesitation, I would say it is the Islami Chhatra Shibir. The reason is, at the age when young people should be inspired by their love for the motherland, they are taught to love the collaborators and traitors who fought against their own country. At the age when they should be inspired by the heroism of freedom fighters, they are instead inspired by the murderers of those fighters. At the age when they should dream of becoming the great writers, artists, doctors, scientists, and journalists of their country, they have pledged allegiance to the people who created the Al-Badr forces and murdered those very people! At the age when they should be celebrating Ekushey February with pride, paying homage at the National Memorial on December 16th, and singing Rabindra Sangeet on Pohela Boishakh, they not only deprive themselves of this joy, but actively try to prevent others from doing so. At the age when they should be learning free thought, singing songs, creating dramas, and contemplating ideals, they are instead taught to limit themselves to small, narrow views, to become communal, to become fanatical. At the age when a young boy and girl should be experiencing the simple affection and love for each other, they are taught to disrespect such feelings. How far they can go in this journey, I have seen with my own eyes. I cannot even describe the horrific stories of this to anyone!

When all the people of Bangladesh are waiting for the trial of the war criminals, the unfortunate youth of the Islami Chhatra Shibir are being sent to fight the police. I read in the newspaper that young people from the Shibir are still being arrested from all corners of the country and sent to jail. I am very curious to know, what have the leaders of Shibir told them? That they must take to the streets and burn police cars with covert attacks, endangering their future? Have these leaders sent their own children out on the streets? I am quite sure, they have not. I’ve seen before that when these leaders push their followers towards uncertain lives, their own children are studying at private English-medium universities, building their futures.

I’ve thought about it a lot, but I cannot understand how, in a blood-soaked country like Bangladesh, where freedom fighters fought a brutal war against the Pakistani army to win independence, some people can choose to love the murderers of those freedom fighters. I remember, years later, when I first returned to this country, I saw a procession of the Islami Chhatra Shibir. I looked at them in disbelief. I noticed that one student was covering his face with a file, as though he did not want me to see his face. He was ashamed to identify himself to me, but he had no choice but to stay in the procession—what could be more tragic than this?

I once found an explanation for how a student could join the Shibir. A student from our university sent me an SMS saying he was the son of a freedom fighter, an excellent student, and had a strong desire to become a teacher at his university. His department head, a member of Jamaat-e-Islami, had clearly told him that if he did not join the Shibir, he would never be allowed to become a teacher. That’s why he joined the Shibir, and he said he felt no pride in it. In that SMS, I saw a spineless, helpless, unfortunate person. I felt no anger, only pity for him. I could have easily found this student and learned the name of his morally bankrupt department head, but I chose not to—my conscience didn’t allow me.

Sometimes I wonder how many young people have joined the Shibir for such reasons—not for any dream, not for any ideology, but purely for selfish reasons, just to gain something. I read in the newspapers and hear from acquaintances that Jamaat-e-Islami has a lot of money and many businesses. Apparently, if you join their party, you can get a job in one of their institutions. They occupy university halls, and if you join their party, you can get a seat in those halls. They take over colleges, and if you join them, you can get admitted to those colleges. I also read in the newspapers, hear from familiar people that their party is highly organized. Can a political party based on no ideology or a wrong ideology last long? Due to years of military rule, when people were confused, Jamaat-e-Islami was able to win around 30 seats in the elections. (What a shame!) When the people of the country began to experience democracy and understand the truth, their seat count dropped to one or two. Having no other choice, they latched onto the BNP and again won around 30 seats, even becoming ministers. When the people became alert again, their seats dropped back to one or two. Now, who will they latch onto next? If simply winning elections is the only way to gain power, what path remains for them? I had hoped that, given the widespread demand for the trial of war criminals, the BNP might abandon these criminals, but they didn’t. I was deeply disappointed, but their student wing, at least, did not disappoint me. They refused to align with the Shibir.

I don’t understand politics well, and my political analysis may not be taken seriously by anyone. But one thing I know for sure: no one will ever be able to do politics in this country while denying the Liberation War. We have passed through the dark period from 1975 to 1990, and no one will ever again be able to push the people of this country back into that darkness. Therefore, anyone who tries to protect war criminals will not succeed. Rather, they must be tried and the shameful chapter must be closed once and for all.

3.
This article is for those of you who belong to the Shibir. I know this is a completely futile task—my writing will have no effect on you, and those of you who read it will come up with various arguments against different parts of it. Not only that, but there will probably be a huge campaign against this article on the internet. But still, I feel that I should say this: there are truths that you have never been told, and I feel that I must tell you these truths.

My first question for you is, do you know that the man whose ideology formed the basis for the Jamaat-e-Islami political party, Abul Ala Maududi, was convicted of inciting murder and sentenced to death (though the sentence was not carried out)? Do you know that Jamaat-e-Islami is not a religious party, but a political party, and it has always engaged in misguided politics? When the movement for the creation of Pakistan was underway in this subcontinent, they opposed it. Again, when the war for Bangladesh’s independence was fought, they sided with Pakistan against Bangladesh. Now, when the war criminals from the Liberation War are being brought to justice, Jamaat-e-Islami has once again denied the truth and supported the war criminals—this has happened right in front of your eyes, and you know very well that you are being used without a conscience.

I believe that those of you in the Shibir probably never talk to anyone outside of your organization with an open mind about the history of this country. You always talk to each other, encourage each other, and rely on each other, but have you ever bothered to find out what people outside your organization think of you? If you did, you might discover a completely different picture. You would be shocked to realize that not everything you’ve been taught is true. You’ve probably noticed that, of the countless newspapers and television channels in this country, only a few of your own party’s publications or TV channels have ever said anything positive about you. Have you noticed how the new activities you’ve started, like vandalizing cars and attacking police, have put you in danger? Just last night, I read in the news that ordinary people are chasing you down and attacking you. I’m fairly certain this will only increase. Have you thought about whether there is any dignity, any self-respect, in the life you’ve chosen?

The world has changed a lot in the past few decades. The world is no longer the world of the Taliban or Lashkar-e-Taiba, and it is no longer the world of Jamaat-e-Islami or Shivsena. The new world is one of free thought, a completely secular world. People in this new world have learned to respect each other’s religions, enjoy each other’s cultures and traditions, and value each other’s thoughts. In this new world, there is no division between people. National borders are slowly disappearing.

So when someone tries to divide people through religion and do politics, the people of the world reject them. Political parties like Jamaat-e-Islami and Shivsena are political parties of the past—there is no future for such parties in the new world.

I know that even though I’ve written this for those of you who belong to the Shibir, you won’t believe a word of it. Even if you do believe it, there’s nothing you can do about it. When such political parties are formed, they entice people to join with promises. But even if people become disillusioned after joining, they cannot leave the party. They have to cling to it like cursed spirits, struggling to survive.

Those of you who haven’t yet joined the Shibir may think about it after reading this. When you are asked to join, you may pause and ask yourselves, why should I join a party that tried to strangle the very life of this country? When you truly love this country, why would you betray it?

I feel deep sympathy for those unfortunate people who have never tasted the joy of loving their homeland and will never experience it.

Author: Muhammad Zafar Iqbal
Former Professor, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology
March 2, 2015