Khaleda Zia

Khaleda Zia: The widow of the first Bangladeshi military dictator General Ziaur Rahman and the prime minister of Bangladesh. Born of a Muhajeer (immigrant) family in India, Khaledas' family first settled down in Dinajpur where her father ran a shanty tea stall. A country girl with fairer complexion and nuggetty structure Khaleda's fortune soared following her marriage to Ziaur Rahman (Kamal) a young officer of Pakistani army who had the similar Muhajeer background. She got even luckier following her husband's death who she left during the liberation war against the Pakistani occupation army and stayed with Brigadier Aslam, her paramour. All her life Khaleda was loyal to the senior Pakistani officers and being a prime minister sent official condolences, breaking all protocol, to General Janjua when he died, an ISI boss who was behind the killing of Bangalees during the liberation war. Being twice prime minister of Bangladesh she reaped immense riches for the members of her family who her husband left with a broken suitcase when he was assassinated by the pro-liberation army officers due to his pro-Pakistani stance. Now Khaleda's son is the richest young man of Bangladesh who owns big real estates in the middle East, Malaysia and in the the Gold Coast of Australia.
Education: Khaleda Zia, Chairperson of BNP, twice prime minister, attended school and dropped out at eighth grade.
Khaleda's dates of birth: Khaleda is an extra ordinary women because she has five official dates of birth.
1. 5 August, 1944 (Marriage certificate)
2. 5 Sept, 1946 (transcript submitted to SAARC Secretariat)
3. 19 August, 1947 (record of prime ministerial oath)
4. 15 August 1947 (press secretary)
5. 15 August, 1946 (application form, electoral candidacy).

People died of starvation during Khaleda regime

Son 1: Tarek Rahman

The youngest billionaire of Bangladesh who out of his dad's torn vest and empty suitcase made billions of dollars. People of Bangladesh are unsure of his fatherhood. Many believe that he may not be Zia's son as he is not as boorish as Zia was and his younger brother is. Some believe his appearance is closer to his mum and Paki army officers. But some bet their life searing Zia's progeny with regard to Tarek because they argue Tarek inherited Zia's criminal mind. Tarek is one of the biggest investor in Malaysia, Australlia and various western countries. Runs Hawa Bhavan which controls all business, posting and political hidden agenda for BNP. Married twice. first wife, daughter of Colonel (retd) Atiq was divorced because mom Khaleda didn’t approve. Second wife is a daughter of Admiral Khan and a doctor. The most powerful person of BNP apart from its ISI clique. Owns Dundee Dying and distillery, few ocean tanker carriers, apartment complexes & shopping malls in Australia and Malaysia. A recent research paper by Dr. Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir showed how he owned billions of Taka by fraud, commission and bank loans (taka 259 crore tax & principal waived by banks). He is the crown prince and the future Prime Minister of Bangladesh if BNP wins the election.

Brother 1: Syed Iskander
Once a Mennon group activist, a retired Major and a business tycoon. Took 500 crore taka loan from various banks in Bangladesh and never repaid. Controls army postings and converted Bangladesh army into virtually an Iskander bahini. Controls all big government purchases including army purchases.

Father: Iskandar Majumder, a Mohazir (refugee) from India settled in Dinajpur. Initial owner of a Mudi Dokan (corner shop), now a business Tycoon. Became news headline after his daughter Khaleda became Prime Minister for the first time when he refused to pay a rickshaw -puller the amount the puller demanded. He paid what he wanted to and slapped the rickshaw puller saying, “Do you know who I am? I am Khaleda’s father”

The nexus between the militant JMB leaders and Khaleda Zia government

A.H. Jaffor Ullah
 

The final round of the game of charade is being played rather well in Bangladesh. The grand finale will be acted out soon in which Siddiqul Islam aka Bangla Bhai will be arrested by Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) possibly in presence of live TV camera. Bangladesh has finally come of age in this fast world of Internet and live TV, isn’t it true?

The whole thing about the rise of Islamic militancy in Bangladesh seems to be choreographed by the four-party alliance government of Khaleda Zia. Lest we forget, some MPs and local leaders belonging to BNP and Jamaat from Bogra, Atrai, Naogaon, Rajshahi, etc., were instrumental in reviving the Jamaa’tul Mujahideen Bangladesh JMB goons with blessings of BNP and Jamaat high command in Dhaka. The idea was to crush the militant communist goons by the name “Sorbohara” in western part of Bangladesh by JMB goons who created a reign of terror in rural areas of that area.

On May 6, 2004, I read in Dhaka’s newspaper for the first time that a ‘Mullah Omar’ like figure by the name Azizur Rahman aka Bangla Bhai who is dispensing justice in the northwestern districts of Bangladesh. Later, we learnt that Bangla Bhai’s real name is Siddiqul Islam. In the summer of 2004, I also saw a photograph that showed two bearded Islamists sitting on the floor underneath a big photograph of Khaleda Zia hung by the wall. The newspaper that printed the photo identified the men as Shaikh Abdur Rahman and Bangla Bhai, Siddiqul Islam. A picture is worth thousand words. We knew the allegiance of these two militants right away.

When Bangla Bhai’s men were wreaking havoc in western districts of Bangladesh during the summer months of 2004 we also read in the newspaper that some powerful ministers of Khaleda Zia were brazenly telling the media that Bangla Bhai is a figment of imagination of the press. What balderdash! The two Jamaati ministers, who are adorning Khaleda Zia’s cabinet, also uttered some harsh words against the press for publishing Bangla Bhai’s high profile activities. The lawmakers in Dhaka were oblivious to what was happening in western districts. Things went so badly that the U.S. government and European Union became alarmed by the extra-judicial killing and torture perpetrated by JMB goons. However, that hardly ruffled feathers among BNP and Jamaat leaderships. In 2004, most cabinet members of Khaleda Zia were tightlipped about JMB goons; they openly questioned the veracity of news that was published by the newspapers. One of them openly ridiculed the press while asserting that Bangla Bhai is the creation of the media.

During 2004 and 2005, a lot has happened throughout Bangladesh vis-à-vis political assassination and incidence of grenade lobbing in opposition political rally. But then, all hell broke loose on August 17, 2005, when more than 400 homemade bombs were blasted in every nook and cranny of Bangladesh in a coordinated fashion. Even though these explosives were crudely made, the impact from these bombings shook the foundation of Bangladesh civil society. Clearly, Khaleda Zia’s government was in disarray in the aftermath of this spate of bombings. The Bush Administration that had waged a unilateral war against global terrorism initially did not pay much attention to what was happening in the tiny land as far as jihadi activities were concerned. After the Islamists did their blitzkrieg on August 17, 2005, Washington was very much perturbed. Suddenly, Bangladesh was in the radar screen of the Bush Administration. Some high profile visit from Washington to Dhaka had ensued because of the mega bombings allover Bangladesh. The Bush Administration took the cue from the English newspapers published from Dhaka. They pointblank asked Khaleda Zia to arrest the masterminds of these bombings.

We saw in later part of 2005 a sea change of attitude in Khaleda Zia Administration. Before the U.S. took a grim view of the development in Bangladesh, the Khaleda Zia Administration was busily propagating the idea that a foreign nation was involved in the massive bombing allover Bangladesh. To legitimize the administration’s view that a foreign power was at the root of all the problem, Mrs. Khaleda Zia appointed a one-Justice commission chaired by Justice Zoinul Abedin who did a quick investigation of the grenade blasting incident that took place on August 17, 2004 in broad daylight outside Awami League’s headquarter located on Bangabandhu Avenue. His conclusion was that local hoodlums in collaboration with a foreign country’s counterintelligence had staged the bloody incident in which more than two dozens people were killed including one prominent female Awami leader. The police destroyed the key evidences by hurriedly burying the dead and not protecting the crime scene. The FBI, Scotland Yard, and Interpol came to Dhaka to investigate the high-profile crime but they could not sink their teeth because of the mismanagement by the Bangladesh police. That however did not deter our erudite Justice, Zoinul Abedin, who simply rubberstamped the conclusion of Khaleda Zia Administration.

Most observers including this writer have been saying for a long time that many of the bombings in Bangladesh had been the handiwork of homegrown Islamists. However, our assertions were falling into the deaf ears of Khaleda Zia government. And there is a reason for it. The Islamists such as members of JMB had connection to the four-part alliance government. I will cite only one example to make my case. Under the pressure from civil society, Khaleda Zia ordered the arrest of Bangla Bhai sometime in the monsoon months in 2004. While this was going on, the Bangla Bhai men had rallied in the streets of Rajshahi in an open motorcade. The police super was present in the rally as the JMB goons brought their panoply of colorful motorcycle, trucks, and buses to streets of Rajshahi. The goons were given protection by the law and order department of the Bangladesh government. Who did block the arrest warrant for Bangla Bhai and his lieutenants in Dhaka? Obviously, Khaleda Zia and his powerful ministers were behind this vile game. They said one thing, however, did the quite opposite.

Why did Khaleda Zia Administration bent on arresting the JMB leadership now? There must be a reason or two. The next national parliamentary election is looming and Khaleda Zia knows it well that there is a perception out there that her administration was behind the emergence of JMB as a political force. The second reason is the persistent pressure from Washington. Mr. Bush’s emissary, Assistant Secretary Rocca, visited Bangladesh not too long ago and she demanded an all out effort by the Bangladesh government to capture Shaikh Abdur Rahman and Siddiqul Islam aka Bangla Bhai. When Washington talks, Khaleda Zia listens. Thus, came the high profile arrest of JMB chief.

Isn’t it surprising to know from the media that Shaikh Abdur Rahman and his entourage had been living in a house for over a month in a densely populated city in northeastern part of Bangladesh? The government of Khaleda Zia knew the whereabouts of JMB supremo all along, but her administration decided not to do anything about him. Had she arrested the Shaikh earlier, there would have been a chaos in her administration. The Jamaat wing of her administration would have been very dissatisfied with the arrest of JMB leadership. But now, the political equation in Bangladesh was recomputed and the JMB goons were left to fend for themselves. It is a small wonder that Khaleda Zia’s right hand man, Mannan Bhuiyan, the Secretary General of ruling BNP, does not like the characterization of the high-profile arrest of the Shaikh by the opposition. Many an observer in Bangladesh holds the view that the arrest of Shaikh Rahman was stage-managed to garner wide publicity especially in the West. President Bush may utter some kind words as he often does whenever President Pervez Musharraf tells the U.S. president that Pakistani authorities have arrested some al-Qaeda men.

The debate on whether Islamist zealots in Bangladesh, who are behind the widespread bombings for the last 5-6 years, were being protected by Khaleda Zia’s government will rage on in the media. However, if one does a critical evaluation on the situation, the rise in Islamic fundamentalism in Bangladesh, one would surely find the connection between the Khaleda Zia Administration and the JMB leadership. The way JMB godfathers behaved in the western districts of Bangladesh in the summer months of 2004, one would be hard pressed to believe that the leadership of JMB knew well that they would receive impunity from the government, which they did until now. Blame it on the civil society or the Bush Administration, but the fact remains the same — the Islamists are in disarray at this time. It is a matter of time when Bangla Bhai will be arrested who is now absconding. Don’t forget for a moment that Khaleda Zia has an election to win late this year and on top of it, she needs the support of the Bush Administration. The game of go hide and seek in Bangladesh is not done yet. Only time will tell the extent of the nexus between the Islamists of JMB and the four-part alliance government in Bangladesh.
 

Dr. A.H. Jaffor Ullah, a researcher and columnist, writes from Ithaca, New York
Published on March 06, 2006
 

The nexus of Khaleda, Nizami and “Bangla Bhai” harming Bangladesh

Khaleda with Jamat-e-Islami head war criminal Nizami

Notwithstanding many of the Über Alles folks’ view that everything is fine and dandy in Bangladesh it is my ardent belief our Sonar Bangla has become a den of the Islamic fundamentalists as time passes by. When the Talibans were retreating from Afghanistan, they were looking for a shelter. The sympathizers of Talibans in Pakistan got the best shelter in Bangladesh ruled by the fundy government of Jamaat-BNP under Nizami-Khaleda. Mr. Bertil Lintner wrote all about this in 2002. Not only that the Bangladeshi semi-Islamic and fundamentalist supporters and sympathizers have rigged the election in 2001 they had lent their support to install a puppet pro-Pakistani and pro-Saudi government in Dhaka. The characterless Bangladeshi Jamaati fundies have accepted a one-time beauty queen to be the supreme leader of their clique. Readers may have seen her pictures and I bet they will not miss her allure even at this advance age. She dresses and acts anachronistically, to say the least. She wears transparent see through costumes perhaps to attract the Houri-loving Jamaati Mullahs. She enjoys the fundy bees around her! With her allure, she is even fooling the foreign diplomats through her beguiling appearance. Nonetheless, she is a diehard supporter of the Bangladeshi fundies. This is why she is sharing power with the notorious fundamentalist Jamaat-i-Islami and Islami Oyikko Jot of Bangladesh and lately she condones the vigilante force’s action of an Islamic outfit in western Bangladesh.

We have been getting horrible news of Talibanization of Bangladesh since the day this fundy government of Nizami-Khaleda took control of the government in October 2001. Thanks to retired Justice Latifur Rahman and his close circle of ex-bureaucrats for the predictable election outcome. Since then, the cadres of BNP and Jamaat killed many Hindus, looted their property, and forced them to leave Bangladesh. The fundy government sheltered and protected the fundamentalists and Wahhabi Islamists all over Bangladesh. The Talibani outfits are active in different parts of Bangladesh. Khaleda has given them unlimited support, resources and shelter. A terrible Bangladeshi Taliban by the name “Bangla Bhai” is ruling the West and southwest parts of Bangladesh. The Jamaati police of Nizami-Khaleda are giving a cover up and the government supports for establishing Talibani rule of Bangla Bhai for the time being in western part of the nation. Many a reader may know that Afghan Mullah Omar captured Afghanistan with the support of Pakistani police and military. Afghanistan later became a safe den for the Islamists and terrorists. Likewise, Bangladesh is becoming another Afghanistan under the support of the pro-Pakistani Khaleda-Nizami fundy government.

I bet, a number of Über Alles Bangladeshis had become upset when I finger point to their loving leader, Khaleda. These “military-generation” [some say Zia Generation] Bangladeshis live in a utopian land where they want to see the Beauty Queen of Bangladesh rule a la the Queen of Hearts as mentioned in ‘Alice in Wonderland.’ They do not mind seeing the Houri-loving Jamaati fundies such as Nizami, Mujahid, and others such as Shaik-ul-Hadis, Delwar Hossain Saidee around the beguiling face. In a published photo in the newspaper I have seen Bangla Bhai and two other hujurs seated in the floor a la Islamic fashion as a framed photo of the beauty queen hangs in the wall above their head. Thus, one could see how Bangla Bhai is connected to the fundy patron and the beauty queen of Bangladesh. There should not be any doubt left on the fact that Bangladeshi Taliban “Bangla Bhai” is an ardent follower of the queen. The BNP-Jamaat government, MPs, other leaders and police provide active support to “Bangla Bhai” and JMJ men with Khaleda-Nizami’s blessings.

Under the patronage of Nizami and Khaleda, the Bangladeshi Talibans are becoming more desperate day by day. “Bangla Bhai” has become more hopeful to control whole Bangladesh someday. But, cunning Khaleda and her cohorts sometime get embarrassed when the Bangladeshi Talibans go off the limit. They realize that an impoverished country such as Bangladesh needs Uncle Sam's help. Especially, she needs donor countries money to build her family’s wealth with her son receiving the largest share. Uncle Sam does not like off-the-limit activities of the Bangladeshi moderate fundies. So, they give some pressure when things go too far beyond the limit. The actress knows the art of cajoling too! In order to please the donors she gave an order to arrest “Bangla Bhai” and I bet, she gave another order to her Cadre police to let “Bangla Bhai” escape. This art of acting in a dual role she learnt from her Pakistani military friends in the “difficult days” of 1971. The world now knows the dual role of Pakistani military rulers in capturing Afghan Talibans. Readers may know the beauty queen is following the footsteps of Pakistani ISI. Uncle Sam should not let the actress play the dual role. She must detach herself from the fundies like “Bangla Bhai”, Razakar Nizami, Al-Badar Mujahid, and other vile Jamaatis and Oikkyo-jotians Bangladesh must be freed from the clutch of killer fundies. In order to do this, Bangladesh must first be freed from the rule of a coalition that is dominated by the minority party, Jamaat. The sooner the donor nations realize it, the better it is for the hapless and desperate people of Bangladesh.

Shiraj Uddin Shopon writes from Washington D.C.