Fascism’s Global Reach: The Security of July Warriors and the State's Liability

The historic July-August mass uprising of 2024 stands out as an unforgettable watershed moment in the political history of Bangladesh.

By bringing an end to a fascist regime that had weighed heavily on the nation like a monolithic stone for over a decade and a half, the students and general public have ushered in a new, discrimination-free, and humane Bangladesh.

Following this epochal transformation, the Chairman of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and Honorable Prime Minister, Tariq Rahman, has been working tirelessly day and night with statesperson-like foresight to build a superior "Integration Society" or inclusive social fabric within the country.

However, while the general public and state administration are ensuring social security and a comfortable life for the family members of the fallen fascist terrorist group out of profound magnanimity and forgiveness, a deeply alarming and contradictory picture is emerging on foreign soil.

Cowardly and well-orchestrated attacks by the henchmen of fascism against front-line heroes of the July movement and expatriate activists in the United States, various European countries—and most recently on the international stage in Venice, Italy—have left us profoundly aggrieved and outraged.

As an analyst of criminology, governance, and human rights, I view this global violence not as isolated incidents, but rather as actions harboring deep-rooted political psychology and criminological motives.

The Specific Context of Attacks on July Warriors Abroad

Since the dawn of the July Revolution, expatriate Bangladeshis have built a formidable fortress of resistance against fascism on the global stage. From the remittance shutdown to protests on the streets worldwide, they shook the very foundation of the Sheikh Hasina government.

Yet, even after the fall of the autocracy, the radical cadres of the Awami League and its affiliate organizations stationed abroad have failed to abandon their familiar, violent behavior.

Recently in Venice, Italy, during the International Film Festival, expatriate operatives of the banned organization launched a disgraceful and physical assault on a prominent voice of the July movement, acclaimed actress Azmeri Haque Badhon, and her family. This act has created widespread ripples in the international media.

The attackers did not merely resort to physical battery; they aggressively labeled the July warriors as "terrorists," displaying an acute psychological aberration. Similarly, in various cities across America and Europe, ordinary expatriate July warriors are being targeted with continuous threats and ambush attacks, pushing the security of our freedom-loving heroes into severe jeopardy worldwide.

Theoretical Explanation: Criminology and Psychological Suppression

From a criminological standpoint, these attacks can be conceptualized as "Resentment-driven Political Violence." When a fascist entity is abruptly displaced from an absolute sphere of power it enjoyed for a long duration, a form of "collective trauma" or shared mental breakdown ensues. Unable to suppress or process this anger and thirst for vengeance socially and politically, they manifest it through violence within the free environments of the diaspora.

According to international human rights benchmarks, this constitutes a notorious form of "Transnational Repression." The cronies of the autocracy—either fugitives fearing the domestic legal system or established expatriates—are abusing the democratic space and international laws to silence dissidents and the protagonists of the July Revolution."

"While the current government and the people of Bangladesh exhibit ultimate tolerance by guaranteeing a secure life to their relatives at home, their counterparts abroad are giving rise to an "Asymmetric Criminal Behavior." In other words, in response to magnanimity, they are flipping a finger at state sovereignty and international law, persisting in terrorist activities.

Public Expectations and a Solemn Appeal to the Government

The citizens of the country harbor highly rational and specific queries as well as expectations from the current government, which was formed with a popular mandate. The public demands to know: what visible role and diplomatic maneuvers has the government undertaken to safeguard our glorious July warriors in the international arena and to suppress these fascist terrorists?

As a specialist in governance and human rights, and while maintaining state decorum and professional gravitas, I draw the government's attention to immediately execute the following measures:

Activating Diplomatic Channels and Demanding Deportation: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs must urgently engage with the governments of the respective countries (such as Italy, the United States, and the European Union). Stringent legal and diplomatic pressure must be exerted to cancel the passports and visas of the identified criminals involved in the attacks, including those in Venice, and deport them back to Bangladesh.

Effective Role of Embassies: Every Bangladeshi embassy, funded by the taxpayers' money, must act as a "vanguard" to ensure the legal and physical security of July warriors, revolutionary activists, and ordinary citizens abroad. A specialized "cell" can be established within embassies to monitor fascist machinations overseas.

Prosecution via International Crimes Tribunal: A comprehensive roster must be prepared of those who, from abroad, assault the sovereignty of Bangladesh, its citizens, and the heroes of the July Revolution, bringing them to justice under the International Crimes Tribunal or the prevailing domestic laws.

Domestic Surveillance of Fascist Terrorist Groups: While family members of these fascist cohorts reside safely and enjoy state privileges within the country, if their overseas relatives engage in terrorist acts against the state and its heroes, then rigorous legal and intelligence surveillance must be augmented against them domestically.

Conclusion

In this new Bangladesh, earned through the blood of martyrs and the sacrifices of valiant warriors, no form of mob culture or terrorist audacity will be tolerated—whether at home or abroad. The democratic and prosperous trajectory of Bangladesh initiated under the leadership of Honorable Prime Minister Tariq Rahman cannot be derailed by the terror unleashed by the remnants of fascism globally.

The government must deploy stern and visionary steps right now to ensure the security of July warriors abroad and demonstrate to the global community that no matter where a criminal hides, there is no escape from the long arm of justice. It is our earnest expectation that the government of the people will, without further delay, clarify its executed and future strategies before the nation to fulfill this public aspiration.

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About the author: Professor Dr. Asif Mizan is the Vice-Chancellor of Daru Salam University, Somalia, and an expert in Criminology, Governance, and Human Rights