Tweet on the Fate of Buffoons: General Ershad and Mahfuzur Rahman

I found it interesting when a fellow development worker twitted, “As much I love my work and staying busy, I`m missing out on high drama with ATNBangla`s MahfuzurRahman and the sensitive dictator Ershad!”.

Both Mahfuzur Rahman and Ershad recently made some controversial remarks and gave birth of controversy. While Mahfuzur Rahman made all those fouls in UK, former military ruler made the comment in the parliament.

Mahfuzur Rahman was almost safe until the comment regarding PM was telecasted by different rival channels. The government seemed unmoved though different organisations of journalists have long been demanding his arrest following the derogative remarks about murdered journalist couple. He had almost managed everything until competitors telecasted his alleged comment regarding PM.  A number of cases have been filed in different locations against ATN Bangla Chairman Dr. Mahfuzur Rahman for making “derogatory comment” against Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

Appeal made by General Ershad is quiet interesting though. Jatiya Party Chairman HM Ershad requested all lawmakers in the parliament not to call him a dictator any more. “I get hurt when you call me a dictator. I am not a dictator any more. I am an elected lawmaker like you,” Ershad claimed in the parliament. Of course, he can claim so!

Ershad has managed many friends to support his claim. Ershad was one of the founders of 4 Party Alliance while he later became one of the powerful architect of grand alliance. His party is only second to Awami League in the grand alliance while his younger brother holds a portfolio in the ministry of the grand alliance government. Even though he had been de-throne by a joint agitation in 90s; tons of water flowed over Buriganga since then. Many leading figures of mass movement against Ershad now share seats with him in the treasury bench.

Ershad writes poem though literary critics would rather call him a “poetaster”. His aphorism attracted MPs of the grand alliance and some of the lawmakers responded in a positive way as soon as he concluded his 40-minute deliberation. Among them, there was Awami League advisory council member Abdul Jalil. While speaking on the budget, he endorsed Ershad’s appeal saying that the reality is that the movement was against autocratic regime. “We agreed to his plea and from on we will not call him autocrat. He is now our co-passenger,” the AL veteran opined.

Interestingly, Ershad has recently been bombarded by his supporters from the grassroots. They expressed their frustration over his alleged loyalty towards grand alliance. His supporters lamented that Jatiya Party has lost popularity in absence of a solid political stand. While Ershad made some anti-government remarks now and then, he has so far maintained his ultimate loyalty towards this government.

To his utter discomfort, the High Court on Tuesday allowed the Anti-Corruption Commission to become a party in a corruption case against former military dictator HM Ershad. ACC would appeal to the HC for holding a hearing on the case when the court reopens after the ongoing vacation. Acc previously known as the bureau of anti-corruption filed the case with Dhaka Cantonment Police Station on June 8, 1991 against the former president on charge of misappropriating Tk 1.90 crore and a land-cruiser jeep during his tenure as president from 1983 to 1990. Later, the Divisional Judge’s Court in Dhaka on February 3, 1992 sentenced Ershad to three years in jail and directed the government to confiscate the money and the land-cruiser jeep.

If the HC upholds the judgment, Ershad would be in jeopardy again.
EAP