Ruling party general secretary Obaidul Quader said Benazir and Aziz will definitely be punished, but there is no guarantee that this will happen. The government's stand on them is not clear. It is not clear who will get immunity for past and present actions and who will pay the price for it.
In these circumstances, the question that must be asked forcefully is whether Benazir and Aziz will be prosecuted for violating human rights and obstructing democracy. The misdeeds of these two benefited those in power. The government has more responsibility in this matter. So why will the government prosecute them?
Benazir and Aziz were part of a system. Now that they are no longer needed, their importance has diminished. But the system has not changed. There will be many people like Benazir and Aziz who are following the path of their predecessors. Unless the system is changed, it will never be possible to prosecute them for violating human rights and destroying democracy.
* Monzurul Islam is a senior sub-editor at Prothom Alo
*This column was published in the print and online editions of Prothom Alo and has been rewritten for the English version by Ayesha Kabir.