Bangladesh has been gripped by a wave of arson and vandalism targeting the properties of Awami League leaders, including those associated with Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. These attacks have dominated headlines.
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Meanwhile, in Pakistan, media outlets have expressed widespread outrage over Donald Trump’s proposal to “take over” Gaza, based on the forced and permanent relocation of the Palestinian people. The plan threatens to derail the fragile hostage exchange process currently underway following the January 19 ceasefire agreement.
Mayhem in Bangladesh
In its editorial published on February 7, The Dhaka Tribune, writes, “We fully understand the anger against the AL and those who have abused power for so long. We fully understand the desire to eradicate what for many had come to signify the evils of the ousted regime.” While acknowledging the protesters’ frustration, it cautions, “We cannot take the law into our own hands and when that happens and mobs run amok, we are all the poorer… If we are indeed serious about being one, about becoming a better Bangladesh, then the rule of law must be ensured, else we risk undoing all the good that was wrought after the uprisings of last year.”
In a strong call to restore law and order, Dhaka Tribune Editor Zafar Sobhan in an opinion piece dated February 7 says, “We either live in a country governed by laws, or we do not. And in a nation of laws, we cannot have mobs descend upon and demolish property, whatever may be the perceived provocation.” He goes on to question whether the current administration in Bangladesh is truly in control. “When a baying mob razes and demolishes a house with no pushback from law enforcement, it doesn’t do a great deal to inspire confidence in the state of the rule of law in a country. Furthermore, it leads to uncomfortable questions as to who is running the show and just how far does the writ of the interim government operates.” Sobhan’s editorial concludes with a sobering assessment: “So while I understand and even to some extent sympathise with the instincts behind the actions of the mob on Wednesday night, I cannot help but think that it was a mistake which, when the dust settles, will have done our cause more harm than good.”
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The Daily Star‘s editorial, published on February 6, underscores the necessity of political reform: “The fact is, while the next election is crucial for restoring people’s right to vote, it is the elections after that which will be the true test of the durability of the current reform process. After all, so many people did not die in the uprising just for a temporary democratic transition. As well as free elections, it is equally important that all other impending state reforms are faithfully implemented in the long run. For that, consensus is vital.”
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Trump’s Gaza plan
In a scathing editorial published on February 7, Dawn writes, “Donald Trump’s latest plan to depopulate Gaza of its Palestinian inhabitants and ‘redevelop’ it as a tourist resort would be too absurd to comment on had the scheme not come directly from the horse’s mouth.” Emphasizing that Gaza belongs to the Palestinians and they cannot be forcibly removed, it concludes, “In the absence of any workable and just solution that protects the rights of the Palestinian people, the only foreseeable outcome is more conflict.”
Ashraf Jehangir Qazi, a former Pakistani ambassador to the United States, writes in Dawn (February 7), “Should Trump persist in his Islamophobic imperialism, all Muslim leaders will need to reconsider their relations with the US. They should emphatically condemn and reject his proposal to deport Palestinians from Palestine. They should realise that Israel will never consent to a Palestinian state in accordance with the UN Security Council resolutions. Meanwhile, we wait pathetically for another Salahuddin Ayubi to appear. Or can we become a billion Salahuddin Ayubis ourselves? The very thought seems to exhaust us. But we must and can transform ourselves if we still have a shred of the faith we claim.”
Trump’s proposal has also sparked concern in the Bangladeshi media. The Daily Star, in its editorial dated February 7, warns, “For decades, US foreign policy—despite its inconsistencies—has at least paid lip service to a two-state solution for the peaceful coexistence of Israel and Palestine. Trump’s approach obliterates that pretence. If implemented, it would not only mean ‘ethnic cleansing’ in Gaza—as the UN chief has rightly called it—but also set an extremely dangerous precedent where stronger powers might feel emboldened to resolve territorial disputes through mass expulsions.”
saptarishi.basak@indianexpress.com
