Political Repression and Resistance in BangladeshLetter from Pathak Lal Golder, Bangladesh:We are most concern about our state political situation. After emergency (from 13 February 07) indoor politics was allowed. But yesterday (8 March 07) government issued new order that all kind of activities will stopped with indoor politics. So now we have no any fundamental rights. We are suffering in this bad situation. Under the indoor politics consideration we were declared an indoor discussion at 12 March but now it have been stopped. Even we don't know when the situation will supportable for us.
We are also concern about cultural activities. Now, also tough to organize any kind of cultural activities. If the Government doesn't like our any cultural program they can take action. We are just waiting for the proper time.
We have sufferings and also took some benefit of emergency. How! I can write to you. I think you know that we have strong land occupation movement to rehabilitation the landless people in Bangladesh. Recent time we occupied three new Chars (Small Island) in Baufal sub-district under patuakhali district. Patuakhali is one of the southern districts in Bangladesh. Our landless members straggling from many years ago to evict big landowners and occupy that three Chars. Land less people also finding proper time and they selected the interim Government tenure.
I think you know that we have a Care taker Government system (interim government). After five years when the elected government finished their tenure care taker government take state power and arranged a free and fair election with in three months. After election care taker government handover the state power to the new elected government. But this term is quite deference. Care taker government can't control the political situation. In the nightmare new army backed interim government took power and impose emergency.
The landless people of Patuakhali took place in three Chars and made hut (house) in the care taker government. Landless people are very organized and they were ready to protect any attack of big landowners. But time changed very quickly. Emergency declared. Big landowners go hide and landless people keep save. That sense we take some advantage from emergency time. Our landless people also critically suffered from emergency especially in Kurigram. Kurigram is one of the northern districts in Bangladesh. I think you know that we occupied 12 Km long railway fellow land in Bhurungamari sub-district under the Kurigram district at November-December 2004. Almost 2000 landless family was living there. But in this emergency time the angry DC (District commissioner) of Kurigram take advantage and evict the poor landless people from that railway land. You know DC was big landowner's side and many time we organized several type of straggle against DC. We are clear that eviction is not flow the government order only use the order. Government issued order to evict land grafts from government valuable land.
Till now landless people of Kurigram are suffering critically and our activeness is illegal. Maximum landless family is living in road side and also in the open sky. That's sorrowful.
Best regards
Pathak