THE execution of five of the selfconfessed killers of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman has once again established our faith in the rule of law. It should be treated as a warning to those who had stood between the process of law and the killers. Whatever they had tried to gain by doing so must now hide their bloodied hands from public exposure. It was nasty politics to say the least.

We know that had the normal process of law not been interfered with through enacting the infamous "Indemnity Bill" by the powers of the day, all those who were involved in the assassination of Bangabandhu would have been long hanged and dead.

In the eye of law, those who would hinder the normal process of law in punishing offenders are to be treated as party to the offence.

Rounding up five of the 11 killers from various parts of the world and putting them in the dock to face trial and finally executing them after 35 years of the gruesome killing is unique in history.

Surely justice has been delayed, but not denied. The nation has been waiting to see the killers hanged, not to rejoice their deaths, but to be reassured that the obstacles have been removed and from now on no killer will feel safe hiding behind any such thing as "Indemnity" act.

Let us recall some of the achievements of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman after liberation. He not only guided Bengalis towards independence but also showed his capacity in re-building the war-devastated country within the span of only three and a half years.

The Pakistani army had largely destroyed the communication network of Bangladesh but within a few months, most of the major bridges including the Hardinge and Meghna Bridge were rebuilt. Chittagong and Mongla seaports were cleared of mines and opened for

business. Within a week of the independence the national flag, the national song and the war song were decided upon. For the farmers, he took the decision that there will be no tax for holdings land under 25 bighas.

Then, within a year, the Constitution was drafted and finalised to provide guidance to governance. Bangladesh gained membership of the United Nations in a couple of years. Bangladesh became a member of the Non-Aligned Movement. In the Algiers summit of NAM Countries, Bangabandhu was dubbed as the New Rising Sun of South Asia.

Within a very short period of independence, nearly two hundred countries recognised Bangladesh. Even Pakistan recognised Bangladesh and invited Bangabandhu to visit the country in 1974. All these were possible because of Bangabandhu's powerful personality, charisma and his role befitting a statesman. The World Peace Council awarded the prestigious Julio Curie Peace Medal because of his contributions. The organisation also dubbed him as "The Friend of the World."

Time to learn lessons?

Yes. Why not? So, what lessons have we learned? That the arms of law are much longer than what we tend to believe. That no criminal or crime gangs can ever be bigger or stronger than the state. That no one is above law. That the common masses cannot be fooled for all the time. That we should not ask for help from people and powers that are hostile to Bangladesh, who had opposed the creation of the country and who continue to do so. Those people and those powers are trying their utmost to destabilise the country through sending drugs, arms, counterfeit currency and trainers to train anti-state elements. These are the lessons we should learn from the hanging of the five killers of Bangabandhu.

Sheikh Mujibur Rahman even in death evokes fear in the minds of the

anti-liberation forces and that's why they remain silent on the issue of the hanging of the killers. They cannot trust their own tongue and that's why they keep silent. They fear that if they open their mouth to talk they might say some-

thing to upset their masters. And that's why they cannot even say: Justice has been served.