587 বাংলাদেশের স্বাধীনতা যুদ্ধ দলিলপত্রঃ ষষ্ঠ খণ্ড শিরোনাম ংবাদপত্র তারিখ Editorial Bangladesh Today 15 September, 1971 Yahya’s Civilian Eye Wash Vol. 1 : No. 2 YAHYA’S CIVILIAN EYE WASH General Yahya Khan has appointed Dr Malik the Governor of East Bengal to replace General Tikka Khan who has been promoted to the position of 'Core Commander' of West Pakistan Army. Dr. Malik's main responsibility is to form a civilian cabinet with Bengali politicians who are Yahya's protégés. This has been trumpeted by the West Pakistan propaganda machine as the great liberalizing move towards restoring political normalcy in the country. A civilian Governor heading a handpicked cabinet, however unrepresentative it might be, gives the superficial look of a civilian rule. A façade beautifully glossed by a cryptic artificer! A glittering eyewash to fool the onlookers! Although under Dr. Malik's Governorship, a civilian cabinet of Yahya's collaborators is going to be installed soon, the world has to judge whether any significant change of policy towards East Bengal has taken place. About a hundred thousand soldiers are in full military occupation of Bangladesh cities and main ports. The key posts in the civil, police and intelligence services have been filled up in recent months by the Punjabi officials. Bengalis have been systematically removed from all vantage positions. A large number of police force has been brought over from West Pakistan recently. To add to it, there has been a large recruitment of Razakars' a Para-military force, from among the non-Bengali population of East Bengal to act as spearheads of the Army. Censorship on the press, restrictions on movements and ban on political activities remain as strictly as ever. Kidnapping of political suspects who in normal times would be considered patriots, and killing of innocent men and women continue to be the pleasure game of the common soldiers. Who will really govern the country? Who can exercise the real power in such a claustrophobic atmosphere of military occupation? When the Generals control everything and their terrifying presence has dealt a shattering blow to the normal life of the people, who can wonder that Dr. Malik and his cabinet will be sheer prisoners in the hands of these Generals? They will be just another set of puppets of the military rulers. Even Bhutto, the blue-eyed boy of Yahya, was bitterly critical of Dr. Malik's appointment when he said, 'Who does he (Dr. Malik) represent' except himself? If the same thing is done for West Pakistan Bhutto's dreams of ruling West Pakistan will be shattered. No wonder a power hungry politician like Bhutto saw the death of genuine civilian rule in the appointment of Malik. In trying to fool the world, Yahya has fooled no one but himself, except a few collaborators, whom the people of Bangladesh had rejected in the last general election (Dec. 1970), no Bengali will be deluded to thinking that this measure is a step towards a genuine withdrawal of the Army rule. The guerillas will, doubtless, keep on fighting until the last soldier of Yahya's occupation army is physically annihilated. The guerillas have
