I just could not believe n\y eyes when I read the he adline In a Bengali language dally on 30 July Reporting on the public meeting organised by the United Action Council ot the Islamic parties held In Manik Mia Avenue on 29 July. It said that a speaker stated that some people, who received western education, broke up Pakistan treacherously Clearly the speaker could not conceal his love for Pakistan Is it pos sible for someone to make a public declaration which, in effect, condemns as traitors those who fought the Liberation Wpr against the Pakistani occupation forces? Do we not have a government In the country whose duty it is to uphold the dignity of the State? What kind of a govern ment is It that refuses to deal with persons openly fulminating against the Independence of the country and question the patriotism of oqr valiant freedom-fighters? The audac Ity to make these treasonable public declarations, and yet all that 1 have seen in protest are a few perfunctory press state ments Obviously, some people are bold enough today td openly condemn the Liberation War as an act of treason. The government must immediately take action against those who speak against our freedom fighters and our liberation war The patriotic people of this

country have already given a long rope to the collaborators and their patrons but thia Is tfie limit. We nust draw the line at some point

The public utterances of the venerable religious leaders at the meeting was also a threat to the traditional friendship that we happen to enjoy with the Western countries. These nations have stood by us In our times of need. One can hardly exaggerate the Importance of their economic assistance Until we achieve greater self reliance we are likely to need their assistance for some years to come. During periods of natural calamities like floods and cyclones their support has been crucial for saving millions of lives: above all. these countries are today the most Important markets for our grow Ing manufacturing and processing Industries These na tlons are also a major source of capital and technology Yet these religious extremists are arousing hostility and anger against these good friends. How can a responsible government shut its eyes and earns to these highly inflammatory public statements

In an earlier article I wrote about the attack launched by

Jamaat and other Islamic ex tremists against the NGOs. Now they seem to have broadened their target Modern education itself is their target. It Is reminiscent of the bitter campaign launched by the Mullahs and assorted Muslim extremists against Sir Syed Ahmad, the founder of the famous Aligarh University and a pioneer of modern education among the Muslims of northern India After a century and a

haff the venerable Maulanas are re-enacting the same drama in Bangladesh The reasons ad vanced against modern educa tlon are the same as those that Sir Syed Ahmad faced. It is a pathetic attempt to erect a wall against the winds of change, progress and modernisation The members of Jamaal and other extremists see their World crumble around them. The society is moving forward and leaving them behind Hence their bit ter and often" violent protest.

They don't like rural students to attend modern schools In increasing numbers because such a trend spells disaster for their maktabs and madrashas: they don't like women to acquire new skills and secure gainful employment because this takes them out of the grip of their power They have ex plotted these hapless rural women for centuries. So the attack against the NGOs Is Just not an isolated phenomenon It

is an well-orchestrated cam paign to put the clock back. 1 have no doubt In my mind that eventually these forces of reac tlon will have to retreat but for the present they are a force not to be dismissed lightly. Why is it happening in Bangladesh today" How come these Maulanas >u bold enough ts question the Liberation War and by impllca tlon. the independence and sovereignty of the country?

For an answer one has to take a close look at the history

of Bangladesh The political environment of the sub conn nent was vitiated by communal and religious distrust and ha tred since the forties In the upheavals which accompanied the partition of India in 1947 several million people per Ished They were the victims of the venom of religious hatred In 1971. Bangladesh, under the imaginative, progressive and far sighted leadership of Bangabandhu Sheikh Majibur Rahman adopted sec ularlsm as one of the basic principles of state policy KiliUcal parties based on reu-gion were banned But these forces of reaction and religious bigotry were lying low. Their opportunity came when Bangabandhu was assassinated It Is perhaps not necessary to recount here how Gen Zia not only legalised the religious parties but brought them back Into the centre of politics and power We are today reaping the bitter fruit of that. What is equally disturbing is that the BNP — the party founded by Zia. Is still following the same policies which were espoused by the founder. This seems to me to be the only explanation for the government s passivity and inaction when the decla-

rations challenging the patriotism of the freedom fighters are made No one has any right either to challenge the inde pendence and sovereignty of Bangladesh or to cast asper sions on the glorious role of

Those who will dismiss the public statements in the meet ing of July 29 as mere pranks will in my view make a big mistake The so called Long March and the rally were but the tip of the iceberg. One has to look at the situation from Algeria to Indonesia to realise how these militant reactionary forces are seeking to under mine the process of modern! nation of the Islamic societies Though they take advantage of the democratic political system in a country they do not believe tn such systems Fascist in orientation they often build up armed cadres in order to capture state power by force The Jamaat Shibir armed cadre should be a sombre re minder to those who are giving these forces their direct and Indirect bfes'sings In Chittagong the nation wit nessed with shock and distress the sight of the Jamaat Shibir armed cadres fighting against the students who protested Golam Azam's right to hold a public meeting. These are ominous signs The government has a duty to tell the nation where It stands on this vital national issue.