When they fail to denounce atrocities, plunders

Denouncing or condemning different kinds of state-sponsored atrocities, intimidations, and killings is a social, cultural and moral responsibility of human beings in general. The task is, however, not easy most of the time. So, the expectation is that the enlightened section of society would lead the dissenting voices in different forms. Intellectuals, including academics, poets, writers, journalists, artists, cultural activists and social campaigners, are considered to play a critical role in this connection. Unfortunately, this is not always the case in many countries, including Bangladesh in many times.
Indeed, there is a trend of raising the voices of disapproval on a selective basis. A good number of so-called progressive and pro-liberation intellectuals have set a vivid record in the country, especially in the last decade. In the name of supporting the ousted autocratic regime of Sheikh Hasina on the plea that she and her party were the only force to uphold the spirit of independence, these people used to criticise various atrocities and crimes at home and abroad selectively, partially and distortedly. Sadly, the group includes many reputed educationists, cultural and literary personalities, and professionals. Their biased, one-sided and partisan approaches have gradually exposed their narrowness and opportunistic behaviour and also disgraceful attitude towards society.
Again, a section of the self-claimed pro-independence intellectuals never protested the illegitimate intervention of the neighbouring country, India to be exact, into Bangladesh's political, economic and diplomatic affairs. Some intellectuals stepped forward to facilitate the intervention and exchanged undue benefits. These Hasina loyalists turned into India-loyalists and preached pro-Indian narratives in the country mindlessly. They also used to tag anyone who questioned or criticised their activities as 'anti-liberation', 'pro-Pakistani', or 'communal.' In this process, these one-eyed people contributed to making the division in society deeper and broader. They also continued to help the culture of hatred and intolerance over the years.
Regular readers of newspapers, electronic media viewers, and social media followers could well understand how hypocritical these so-called intellectuals were particularly when they remained silent or abstained from protesting regional and global conflicts selectively.
On the domestic front, these opportunists were also cautious about raising their voices of disapproval against the attack on minorities at different times in the last one and a half decades. They used to keep their eyes closed when a section of leaders and activists of the Awami League grabbed the land of the Hindu people and looted their resources. It is because they did not want to embarrass the Hasina regime but rather tried to blame opposition political parties and various religious groups of majorities for such an attack. They continued to justify the decade-long torture and intimidation of ordinary students by the Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL). They blamed the victims only to prove their shameless loyalty to the autocratic regime. They did not find anything wrong when crony capitalists persistently extracted billions of taka from the banks through irregularities, corruption and mismanagement.
The nature of these intellectuals was, however, clearly exposed during the last days of the Hasina regime, which killed more than a thousand people brutally and injured many more only to remain in power. These loyalists and opportunists backed the murder and torture shamelessly. Almost all of them are now silent; some even have gone into hiding to avoid public wrath. Some were highly admired, liked, trusted and respected by people, especially students and youths, for their work and ethics. Over the years, they have diminished their images by taking a loyalist approach to the ousted autocratic regime.

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