The horrific images published in several newspapers, showing the blood soaked shirt, the deep wounds in his left jaw, dazedly walking, still conscious, but looked in pain.Professor Humayun Azad is fighting for his life in Combined Military Hospital. And this for expressing views against communalism and fundamentalism's resurrection!

What is happening in Bangladesh?

A nation born out from the oppression and colonialism filled past, fought a sanguine battle against subjugation, a proud nation for its national identity, its cultural vibrancy, is in the grip of recurrence of defeated forces of the past, and their successors, long thought to be buried in the trash-bin of history.

Is communalism and religious fundamentalism the only responsible entity in degradation of moral and political fabric?

Indeed there are resurgence of fundamentalists, many of them engaged in their conniving onslaught of grabbing power, like the others, in the name of Almighty, the provocation on behalf of omnipotence, materialising the ultimate goal of eradicating the intrinsic tranquil nature of Bangladesh.

Power is corrupting. Power insinuates political leaders of all hues to distort facts.

The political culture in Bangladesh is puzzling. Some say, there is no veracity in contemporary political leaders. Their allegiance shifts, their ideals reshaped and repackaged for the suitability of their fierce desire. The major political parties, mainly the two, in the past had shook hands with diametrically opposite mullahs or corrupted and convicted leaders of the past for the sake of shoddy political gain.

There are also allegations of embracing violence under the cloak of political agitation, hired guns, goons and thugs have been nourished and fed, protected under official seal. Like changing sports team, these highly coveted bullies are lured from one political entity to another.

There is the unmistakable linkage among the attack on Professor Humayun Azad, the exploding of bombs in Romna Batamul and movie theaters, killings of liberal journalists, uncompromising political leaders, and activists in various parts, suppression of minorities and ransacking or burning of their religious places. Not long ago the scorching of eleven Hindus of the same family stirred the soul of this nation. The same can be said on killings of people with opposing views.

Is the hacking of Professor Humayun Azad an isolated incident? In most likelihood, No. He was hacked for his intrepid views on freedom, the defeated force and fundamentalism.

In the waning days of 1971, along with the killings of hundreds of thousands of Bangladeshis from all level, there was a systematic approach on eliminating the doctors, professors, engineers, writers, journalists and the overall intelligentsia.

The terror, that all-mighty word of our time, acts as a forewarning: rescind from your unpalatable views on liberty, or you are the next.

But the nation that has tasted the flavour of liberty, the victorious terror is never a certainty.

Professor Humayun Azad, the respected teacher at Dhaka University, rested on the cold hospital bed, is struggling, and in enormous pain, but the shocking imagery of butchery may very well boost the struggle against terror and the twisty powerful "leaders" behind its cryptic design.

Mahbubul Karim (Sohel) is a freelance writer.