In Saudi Arabia, association with or formation of any sort of Islamic political party is punishable to medieval death. In Bangladesh Saudi Embassy plays the role of the logistic and spiritual Guru of Islamic politics with a view to implementing divine ordain of physically exterminating secular genesis of Bangladesh.

EU is the custodian of our human rights. During last one-eleven crisis, UK played as a mastermind to orchestrate military sponsored political reform. On 27th October,2010 European Union Ambassador Stefan Frowein, at his farewell meeting at Dhaka Reporters Club, has reiterated his demand for world class fairness and transparency in the trial of our war criminals and also urged pro and anti-liberation political forces to work in harmony under the canopy of democracy. In Nuremberg trial the Nazi war criminals were denied their right to appeal against their verdict, but in our trial war criminals have the right to appeal. Nazi or Fascist supporters – do they have any fundamental political rights in the EU democracy even today, sixty five years past the war! What happens to an old eighty plus frail Fascist or Nazi cadre or even a supporter if discovered today in a cave or in a jungle hideout – does he receive any clemency on humanitarian ground or he is shoved into the dungeon, no matter what! In the most recent US engineered ‘War on Terror’ EU member countries unlawfully executed US sponsored ‘extraordinary rendition program’ by applying excruciatingly inhuman torture procedure like ‘water boarding’, ‘frequent flight’, ‘electric shock’ on the prisoners of war brazenly violating Geneva Convention and UN Human Rights Charter. Initial clamor of dissidents like Portuguese MP in EU Ana Gomes triggered few mind-soothing setups of investigations which eventually were buried in the oblivion. What is EU’s point of view about Omar Khadr, a 15 year old boy picked up, mortally wounded, from the ruins of Kandahar, tortured and has been detained since in the solitary cell of Guantanamo as an ‘enemy combatant’, without any chance of receiving fair trial, he is now 23. All these historical references have been drawn in to prove how disingenuous is the farewell sermon of HE Ambassador Frowein in the context of Bangladesh vis-a-vis the role of EU in the global context on issues pertinent to human rights and democracy.

The Ambassador of USA, the leader of this club of elite Ambassadors, literally runs a parallel government in Bangladesh and elsewhere in the third world by intervening and instructing on almost all the affairs of the government. I am not sure to comment on how far this interference into our internal affairs is quintessential with reference to diplomatic manual. But public are often aghast seeing frenetic race of our politicians of all stripes, businessmen, intellectuals, civil society members and NGO kingpins scrambling to receive a certificate of compliance from the US Ambassador. In the world after 9/11- war on terror, rendition, and Guantanamo episode – USA has essentially become morally bankrupt with respect to human rights issues and protocols. US pedagogy on democracy also turns grotesque irony when you compare two recent expeditions-to-save-democracy of USA. First is the US military expedition to Iraq to replace secular dictator Saddam with democracy and it’s flawed after-effect – growing clout of religion in the state governance in exchange of the permit for invisible, unhindered and unconditional piracy of Iraq’s hydrocarbon resources by the US oil giants. Second is the first state visit of Obama to Saudi Arabia when he unequivocally declared that the demand of democracy is the internal affair of Saudi Arabia under it’s theocratic dictator. It clearly establishes the fact, US foreign policy though labeled as champion advocate of democracy and human rights, practically it is a hi-tech trap for economic exploitation of other vulnerable countries. I would like to bring these references in parallel with the recent comment of James F. Moriarty, the US Ambassador in Bangladesh on a hot national issue which has immense socio-political and economic impact and also intertwined with vital political components like democracy and human rights in Bangladesh. The issue culminated from the recent spate of labor unrest in our export oriented garments manufacturing sector vis-a-vis government’s handling of the situation and the rights of the garment workers. On 15th September, 2010, a FBCCI sponsored seminar was addressed by, among others, the Ambassador of USA, our Commerce Minister and business stalwarts. Ambassador Moriarty went on rumbling at length on axiom of democracy and guarantee of workers right and admonished government for police intolerance to wild cat street protest and vandalism. Beguiled Commerce Minister agreed quixotically to issue trade union license indiscriminately for every factory but moaned his feeble opposition to wanton vandalism in the name of street protest. Ambassador Moriarty’s comment sounds holistic but hollow in the context of the fact of fast diminishing labor movement in the US democracy.

If we take a quick insight into the history of labor union movement in the USA, the reality is appalling antipathy of the enlightened message of the honorable Ambassador. Under the torch of freedom and democracy, profound greed and reckless profiteering policies have morphed the privileged corporations and business houses in USA into defiant blood sucking exploitation machine of the workers. When the government turns it back to the countrywide foreclosures of houses of poor and disadvantaged citizens and mobilizes all national resources to rescue corporations from sinking into their sins, then democracy turns nemesis to human rights. As a consequence, today USA has become a graveyard of labor union movement.

A recent statistical analysis on the legacy of the US trade union compared percentage of unionized workers against total workforce over a swath of time – the pick was in 1953 when public sector had 32.5% unionized workers and private sectors 35.7%. The membership levels suffered a precipitous decline over the past four decades; public sector union density in 2007 has fallen to a very low of 12.1 percent, private sector has plunged even more steeply dropping to dismal 7.5 percent. If the decline continues at this rate, trade unionism will disappear in the US private sector pretty soon. For all those who support trade unions and see them as key to defending the rights of workers, this is a very worrying trend. In 2005 Hart Research Surveys conducted an opinion poll showing that 53 percent of US respondents would definitely or probably vote for a union if given the chance. In Canada, as per government survey, union membership of percentage of civilian labor force in 1998 was 26.1 and in 2008 it has dropped to 25.6 percent. In last decades, many North American business houses when moved to Asia, took undertaking from workers not to form union.

According to 2010 survey by Forbes, Wal-Mart of USA is the largest corporation in the world with about 2.1 million employees. It is also the largest employer in America, but it has a strong anti-union policy. Wal-Mart spends millions in legal fees to fight the workers movement for labor union. It also maintains largest IT network primarily dedicated to deceive workers of rightful compensations and benefits. Wal-Mart has been consistently accused of locking night-shift workers at night, poor working conditions, paying workers below minimum wage, inadequate health care, exposing workers to health hazards and so on. Wal-Mart’s high employee turnover rate, 70 percent of it’s employees leave within first year, is the crystal clear evidence that this best success story of the free market system is founded on serious and systemic exploitation of it’s vast unhappy workforces. Same is the story of global giant fast food chain McDonald of USA which also does not allow formation of any labor union, rather denial of rights is rampant. These are the showcase of capitalism where chained workers contribute their sweat and blood to write the glittering success stories of their employers.

Wildcat strike (walk out of work without prior notice) is illegal in USA and Canada, even for unionized workers. Seeking permission for a strike is often a long drawn complex legal wrangling and notification time varies on the status of the employer in the government priority list. To the contrary, the process of lay-off or lock-out of workers by the North American employers is an arbitrary and simple unilateral process. These factors along with increasingly difficult preconditions and processes of registering a new union and many other hostile elements have evidently contributed to the slow death and extinction of workers organized movements in North America. American political system or capitalist democracy has been designed to protect only corporate interest and therefore cannot sustain even the basic rights of the workers. But erstwhile repressive communist system like China is rapidly opening doors for collective bargaining power of the workers. In other words, the western democracy has redefined the status of workers as virtual slaves of capitals without guarantee of any basic right.

It is no secret that USA fought tooth and nail, used veto in UN and sent 7th fleet to Bay of Bengal, to protect Pakistan and to erase Bangalee as a nation. It is also not surprising if Ambassador Moriarty or Ambassador Rapp, or even total US administration stands up and swings their sword again to protect their time tested buddies, the war criminals of 1971 at any cost. But it is heck of a travesty and hypocrisy when none other than the US Ambassador calls upon our government to be more tolerant to the anarchism and vandalism of the workers of our biggest national economic machine while workers movement in USA is suffocated by their own democracy. Therefore HE the Ambassador’s cry for workers right is actually duplicitous, a political rhetoric with far reaching impact like a slow release poison pill to cripple our economic machine – by swallowing it our Commerce Minister has exposed typical naivety of our politicians which will eventually precipitate as an act of suicide for our national economy and politics.

Children Park – a type of real social business

(example of MOON PARK & MOON HOUSE)

This was also published in The News Today 09 Dec 2010 and other blogs

http://www.newstoday.com.bd/index.php?option=details&news_id=14376&date=2010-12-09

http://www.bdcomcn.com/English-Articles/children-park-a-type-of-real-social-business-of-moon-park-a-moon-house.html

 http://bangladesh-web.com/view.php?hidRecord=343086  



Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina, of Bangladesh while addressing the prize giving ceremony of a painting competition at Dhaka Osmani Smriti Auditorium on October 18, 2010, has directed the authorities concerned to take immediate steps to recover all the children’s parks in the capital. The prime minister, according to UNB Dhaka, vowed to establish a safe and prosperous Bangladesh for every child.

Yes, there is no doubt that concerned authorities would try their best to recover all government children parks, no matter how successful they would be to maintain and keep the campaign according to given directives from the highest executive of the government. But I, like many others, am little wondered as to how much those local influential illegal occupants have gone regarding places like Children parks too. There is no need to emphasize the requirement of children parks for the over all development of a total Children. Considering their importance’s, government did their parts and hopefully would continue doing the best in this regard always. But we being the brothers and sisters, parents and relatives, teachers and lovers of every child also got to think and do exactly in the same way as our Prime Minister thought and gave directives.

Because the government can not establish more and more children parks all of a sudden, and because we all also have the morale and social responsibilities too for all the children, so, we got to also do some thing, either individually or being in a group. We may think of taking following measures to ensure so that more and more children get the facilities of Children parks:

1. Authorities of schools and other educational institutions may consider establishing children parks at their own premises, no matter how small or big those could be. They should also ensure the proper maintenances of all existing children parks.

2. Those who, specially at rural area, can effort to make few items of children park at their own premises may also make such facilities available for their own and local children. There are few such items directly related to physical exercises which don’t need lot of space, cost or electricity. Besides, such can be made with collective efforts too. Some one may also think of making the same at their roof top at city location too. The idea is so that every child gets the minimum facilities of Children Park.

3. Many rich people of our society already have hundreds and thousands of “Farm Houses” (bagan bari in bengali pronunciation) of their own. Those are indeed their spare houses out side the city areas mostly for their personal leisure and pleasure. Of course I am not trying to say any thing against their farm houses, however, would like to humbly suggest so that they could also think of making those, whole or part of those, in to some thing like children park for the local children and thus allow local children to play there either free of cost or with little ticket money. We always talk about social responsibilities and social businesses. Arranging such facilities for the children could be one of the best social responsibilities. Again the concepts of social businesses often emphasized by our Noble Laureate Dr. Muhammad Yunus are known to the whole world and also widely discussed. So, from that point of view too, some token ticket money may also be charged from incoming children, however, the ticket fee got to be within affordable limit of those rural parents too.

Frankly speaking, I won’t suggest any of above if I won’t believe on those totally. I use to always think in the past about these children park facilities for our rural poor children. That is the reason I tried to establish two such children park at my own according to my personal interest, planning, limited economic capabilities and efforts. Spending my pension money, I have established one Children park named Moon Park at village PIRUJALI in General Area Hotapara, Gazipur. The area is near writer Humayun Ahmed’s Nuhash Polli and really green and comfortable in all seasons.

Well, for this case, I tried to establish and experiences by myself first and then now trying to suggest some thing for others too. It is said in the religion also that you try to do the same first before you suggest the same to others. When ever, I heard or read about the social businesses expressed by noble laureate Dr. Yunus, tried to think and identify as to how many types of social businesses could there be, specially for a country like Bangladesh? I also tried to think always as to what maximum social benefits can be offered with what minimum charges from different types of social businesses. Well, there can be many different types, but, for me, I have desired to do some thing related to children’s health, enjoyment, excitement, mental growth, physical exercise etc, and so thought of establishing one children park for them as part of so-well-discussed social business.

Now at this stage, being little encouraged by the noble directives of honorable prime minister of Bangladesh, I have only one aim of mentioning this as an example and that is, so that others who are interested may also establish such children parks at different parts of our country. Besides, those who are already having their Farm Houses (bagan bari) may also become interested as well as feel responsible to tern their those farm houses, part or whole, into children park for the local rural children and allow them to play either free of charge or with little token ticket money.

“Moon Park” is a small eco friendly green garden which is also used for picnic or outing spot for those city people who may afford to rent it and be interested to enjoy the green nature as part of their rest and refreshment. However, the focus is always given to the local children’s playing and that is why the word “park” is associated with it’s name. Any one may be wondered to know that a local child may visit and play at Moon Park with only taka ten ($ US 10 cents only) per person. The Moon Park was inaugurated on 14 April 2010 (pohela boishak) through arrangement of boishakhi mela (local fair organized on the bengali new year) where all the incoming children along with their parents, friends and relatives were allowed to go inside and play with free of charge. Surprisingly the total presence on that very single day crossed the figure 2500 (almost 100% children of that general area) which really proved in my mind that, yes, our children really need such facilities. I also felt very comfortable inside for being able to make one such park for our rural children. The smiling faces of our rural deprived children are still in my memories, pictures of which can also be shared by readers from below web link:

http://picasaweb.google.com/113734232071731875096/MoonPark#

“Moon House” is also another such place, same eco friendly garden with children park facilities where children can not only play but also see life birds and fishes. No matter how many facilities children are enjoying inside but only taka 30 ($ US 40 cents only) is charged per person. It is designed to be a real safe house for the playing of children and that is why the word “house” is associated with it’s name.

It may be mention that the eco friendly green gardens of both Moon Park and Moon House are also attracting foreigners and as such contributing to the tourism in Bangladesh too. Hope the scope of tourism in this sector would also increase in future.

I hope both Moon Park and Moon House would be able to contribute for children’s playing in the long run as part of social businesses in real sense. I also hope that many other persons having similar feelings like me would also try to do some thing better for our children which are so necessary for their total development. Children would carry us forward, they are our future hopes and so we must do our best to do best for them.

For those who may be interested to know about Moon House and Moon Park for their picnic or outing purposes may also brows below web link:

http://www.moonhousemoonpark.com/

 email: moonhouse.moonpark@gmail.com,

Let us present a Freedom Fighter, from the birth till the death of his identity; he believed ‘Muktijoddha’ was an extremely partisan identity and a dangerous liability in the context of our post-liberation war politics. A registered freedom fighter of Bashirhat camp, he knew his enemy well when he risked his life to cross stormy river and somehow swept ashore Sundarban, ‘still heart pulsates, resolve to kill enemy yet flickers in that heart’. Dodging many deaths, passing many nights starving sleepless finally reached Hosnabad (PS-Gaurnadi, Dist-Barisal) to join Commander Nizam’s platoon. Their within days his group was first ambushed and surrounded by armed attackers in the middle of the autumn night in the safe house of a villager. Fierce encounters continued for four hours, one dead from his group, ambush withdrawn, the attackers vanished in the darkness of wee hours raising slogan ‘Kill the Indian agents and liberate Purba Bangla’, ‘Sarbahara Party Zindabad’ and ‘Long live Comrade Siraj Sikder’. That was the first digging grave of a co-fighter Sobhan, first awakening to a bitter reality – enemy is not only on the right side of the aisle, the venomous serpents are entrenched in the far left bunkers of his left line as well. After liberation war, he joined the march of socialist scientist with lofty dreams under the leadership of Hamelin’s Pied Piper Sirajul Alam Khan. In the political class of Gano Bahini, he had the second awakening from dream, alas he was allured to become a tool of a nihilist campaign to bury all the dreams handed down to him solemnly by his fallen friends Sobhan, Mostafa, Ratan, Amalesh and so many more. 15th August 1975, he folded his Freedom Fighter’s certificate clasped in his palm, took timid steps out of Palashi BUET campus, went to Medical college morgue, from there to Shahid Minar, he tore the certificate into bits, blew them in the turbulent morning air of 15th August. Since then he started running away from that country. He has been branded as timid, traitor, opportunist, ungrateful, he did not challenge, he did not look back, he crossed many miles, mountains and seas to reach to the shore of a tiny tranquil landscape. He is living his life there anonymous, even to his own son, without knowing father’s buried past.

But that old heart still flickers. I still believe 71 war was a partisan war with highly polarized and divided nation. No left, no right – road to social justice is a fallacy. Awami League has led the war of liberation, AL has to complete this war on war footing. AL has the history to transition successfully from democracy to liberation war. The nation has to be polarized again against far left and right alliance. Civil rights of war criminals have to be curtailed and should be tried rapidly in war tribunal. Parallels should be drawn with Abraham Lincoln and Nuremberg. If anyone cries foul for the human rights and civil rights for these criminals, tell them to establish these standards first in Guantanamo Bay. This is the time to march forward, not the time to invert the nation and invent equivalency between AL and BNP or between Joy and Tareq. This is the time to declare your testimony – you are with ‘Joy Bangla’ or against it. This is the time to identify and quarantine all ISI suspects. This is the time to stand behind Sheikh Hasina with unconditional resolve, to raise barricade in every village and town to eliminate the behemoth heretics – far stronger than 71. Bangalee, if wins, will again exercise democracy, will again put AL under microscope to find their errors, but will not certainly debate on our history, on our identity and on our heroes.

– Can the existing differences of two mainstream politics be accommodated in democracy?

– Ghulam Azam, as the then GS of DUCSU, presided over first protest meeting of Language Movement at historic ‘Amtola’. Today we do not recognize him as a ‘Bhasha Sainik’ because of his subsequent legacy of treachery and crime against Bangalees, their language and culture. Drawing parallels, can we yet call Ziaur Rahman a Freedom Fighter?

– Do you believe in faith based politics?

If the answers of above questions are ‘No’ then we may find merit and logic in this latest name change action and also in future cleansing and overhaul required to make our democracy functional. In this context, one can always debate the logic of naming the most important artery of our country after Hajrat Shahjalal, an Arab invader and preacher. The seminal reason may be appeasement with the Islamic sentiment giving them a sense of a sanitized image of secularism and a non-controversial spiritual image of the airport, rather than a toxic partisan image.

If any of the answers is yes, attempts at any argument is futile. Placement and replacement of signboards, epitaphs, even the history of a country will continue unabated with the change of rulers. Our future generations will keep growing up in an utter ambiguity and confusion, without knowing our own history correctly and without having judgment who is the national hero and who the villain is.

The proliferation of this discordant politics always mutilates our democracy and tears apart the very fabric of our nation. The crisis trespasses political boundary and ploughs into our conscience, into our moral ground. Today, to remain neutral or to be complacent to the status quo may be permissible only in ‘Narodnik’ circles of intelligentsia. For the public, who in the darkest hour of the night, yet map their routes with reference to 1971, who still fill their heart with the dreams of martyrs, who are extremely biased to genesis of Bangladesh – for them it is the opportune moment to consolidate and to charge ahead again to obliterate once and for all the coalition of enemies in every front; enemy of democracy, enemy of history and enemy of 71.

A short journey on the shining path of our victory soon ended and the nation started wandering incognito in the labyrinth of dark conspiracy and bloody conflict. Then we witnessed the celebration of destruction of our national identity, our political history, our constitution and all our institutions. We helplessly observed mighty resurgence of enemies of 71. National heroes were killed in the prison. Today, after thirty-four years, the execution of the verdict of the supreme court and hanging of five killers of women and child at the gallows of justice sowed enormous optimism that the nation could get out of a period of stigma. But noxious cloud of conspiracy is still drifting in our sky.

The alliance of beneficiaries of 75 mayhem and assassins of 71 genocide are still active and waiting for another opportune moment to eclipse our existence as a secular, democratic, modern nation. Execution of these killers may further sharpen teeth and nails of the alliance of serpents to launch a new phase of war against Bangalee. Today let us rally behind this government, join the march of new struggle; trial of the killers of 71 and struggle to democratically uproot the poison ivy of fascist neo-nationalists – the illegitimate creation of 75 conspiracy. Our nightly sky has again lit up in celebration with myriads of twinkling stars of hope and dream. Under the canopy of this bedecked sky let us forge a steely national unity and prepare for the dawn of a new day.

Let this morning give us new resolve to defeat the Trojan horses of conspiracy and to stride forward to a new era of progress and prosperity. We are the Bangalee, we shall build our own destiny, 71 will remain as our lighthouse through eternity.

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Manirul Islam is a freelancer, writes from Toronto, Canada.

The obvious difference surfaced among the freedom fighters in Indian training camps, mostly between Bhasani loyalist ultra left and other group loosely under the command of exile government. After liberation this difference widened and transformed into armed hostility between pro-government and ultra left insurgency. While war was raging, Mao followers defined our liberation war as ‘fight between two dogs’. Bhasani followers like Haq, Toaha, Matin, Alauddin, Siraj Sikder were initially building a ‘Jana Juddho’ in occupied territory against invading army. But Mao’s theory immediately inspired them to change their war strategy and instead of Pakistani army, they started killing Muktijoddhas allegedly to fight Indian grand plan of colonizing Bangladesh. After liberation Bhasani’s foot soldiers, for nine months maintaining surreptitious liaison with Maoist ‘Naxalite’ insurgents in West Bengal, crossed the border and joined the comrades in arm right away.

During this time frame a dramatic development took place in international politics which shook the world – US China Détente. This alliance had immediate and far-reaching adverse impact on anti-imperialist struggles and national liberation movements in Asia, Latin America and Africa. In Bangladesh, the immediate effect was devastating and it has been lingering since. Unity forged by liberation war started crumbling down and the war-ravaged nation started drifting into an ominous unsettling political future. Ultra left camps, now having no ideological inhibition, generously opened the door to recruit ultra right defeated armed collaborators of Pakistani army. This alliance eventually germinated a new formidable political force in Bangladesh which would reverse the course of the nation including it’s ‘Bangalee’ identity.

Soon after returning to free country dissension within pro-liberation mainstream power base became conspicuous between left-of-center leadership and simmering far left young radicals. Sirajul Alam Khan with enigmatic political shadow, allegedly having past liaison with external power which started in 1962 in forming ‘Nucleus’, emerged as the leader of left radicals. In 60s, Ayub Khan, the martial law dictator of Pakistan, under the influence of his nationalist, young and vibrant Foreign Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, was rapidly inclining toward China and other socialist countries for cooperation and national development. USA wanted to punish this misdemeanor of old ally by fueling political unrest in Pakistan, with main focus in East Pakistan. Political facts and equations logically suggest that ‘Nucleus’ was the proliferation of that American strategy and was created under supervision of CIA. In 1972 the congregation of the large mainstream renegades led by Khan formed military alliance with existing far left extremists and far right collaborators of Pakistan and declared armed struggle against the nascent government. The government was overwhelmed by the magnitude of national reconstruction and significantly weakened by the wave of conspiracy, corruption, betrayal of bureaucrats and explosive situation in the army. ‘Red to oppose red’ adopting this theory ‘Gano Bahini’ the armed wing of Khan later worked as a tool to kill indiscriminately freedom fighters in Bangladesh army through series of mutiny and coup d’état.

Political government’s one of the most fatal errors was to reinstate civil and military bureaucrats repatriated from Pakistan. In Pakistan, bureaucracy is groomed and honed as a sophisticated tool to kill democracy and as a vehicle of military rule. Military staffs are trained to grab state power and perpetuate martial law. Soon all the important top slots of the civil services were filled up by the repatriated bureaucrats. By the end of 1973, the picture of the Bangladesh Army became utterly dreadful. With the reinstatement of about 20,000 repatriated army in every layer of our armed forces, the poorly trained military recruits of liberation war became struck minority, isolated and misguided. The rumor mill started churning inflammable rumors in army barracks on issues like privileged Rakkhi Bahini and neglected army, Islam replaced by secularism and Hinduism, India is plundering natural resources, etc.

Within government growing influence of conservative rightists and distance with patriotic leaders of liberation war was another indicator that Government was plunging into the web of conspiracy. As the events were spiraling out of control, in desperation Government formed BAKSAL with unanimous participation of pro-liberation political forces and other professional organizations. Under BAKSAL, government interfered into democratic rights of the opposition forces and clamped control over press and publication. Kissinger’s infamous definition about Bangladesh as ‘A bottomless basket’ became sacred mantra to the opposition forces to turn public opinion toxic against the government.

Project was finalized to topple political government. Military would lead the team with famous sector commander of liberation war, after liberation superseded by a junior officer for prestige army chief position, General Zia would be behind-the-scene moral guardian of the operation. Colonel Rashid with right wing Awami League leader and a close confidant of Mujib, Mushtaq would spearhead execution of the project. In the wee hours, considered to be the sacred time to the Muslim faithfuls, on 15th August 1975 Bangladesh military achieved success through unprecedented mayhem and reached President’s palace ‘Bangabhaban’ wading through blood of revered leader Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and members of his family including handicapped brother, women and child. An unsettling chapter of post-war politics closed to open a new chapter in the dark of the night.

Zia emerged on the center stage and took control of leash of power soon to change the course of politics. He legalized 15th August massacre through constitutional indemnity. Then he changed thousand years old identity of the nation from ‘Bangalee’ to ‘Bangladeshi’. He rehabilitated faith based Islamic politics and welcomed back all the Islamic leaders from exile. He swore to make politics difficult for the politicians. Instant success made him an instant leader as Saudi Arabia and other gulf emirates, Pakistan and China recognized Bangladesh and opened the floodgate of monetary and logistic help for a brand new political start. Ultra left communists and ultra right faith merchants gathered around Zia in the march towards a new political future. Bangladesh Nationalist party BNP was born. Zia has long gone physically and his family has taken over the reign of BNP. Various military rule often stages fresh comeback to power and is always paused by violent popular resistance. But the obstinate enunciation of Zia still resonates in the air as politics is becoming more and more difficult and inaccessible to public.

In the present context, third stake holder of state governance, Bangladesh army has already organized couple of spectacular stage show bringing two leaders of the main feuding parties for photo session followed by exchange of scanty pleasantries. On each occasion ivory-tower intellectuals and talk-show savvy civil society epitomized joint smile of two ladies and sang chorus in unison ‘our democracy sways, spring is not far behind’. In reality, democracy crawls for life in the political wilderness of Bangladesh while third party is busy proving the banality of smiles and in-efficacious democracy.

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Manirul Islam is a freelancer, writes from Toronto, Canada.

[Read posts by Manirul Islam]

Awami League national council, the foundation and the democratic tradition of this over-half-century old political institution of Bangalees, will be convened within days. The lightning speed of council preparation has generated enormous euphoria and optimism in one hand; on the other hand a thin cloud of skepticism is also visibly adrift in the sky.

AL was born in an undemocratic country with democracy as it’s lifeline. Therefore, relentless struggle for democracy is the euphemism of the fight for existence of AL. When the leaders of AL become the brutal targets of assassins, democracy also disappears from this landscape. From the cradle till today, nine years in power and half century on the street – the history of AL can be phrased as ‘defiance for survival’. Imprisonment, torture, assassination, conspiracy, money and lure to power could never alienate AL from people and democracy. Street has always been the address and public as identity of AL. Ceaseless struggle and sacrifice – these are the source of it’s strength.

Without going far back in time let us bring 9/11 into context, still afresh in our memory, the most well orchestrated challenge that our democracy has ever weathered so far. Reasonably AL became the focal point of all wrath of the 9/11 sponsors. The stakeholders’ consortium of 9/11 skillfully manipulated the inherent weakness of our anemic democracy and democratic institutions to grab the state power. Rampant corruption commissioned by then democratic government and the hostility among democratic partners were real, that agonizing public could bear no more. When corrupt business, social and political elites were put on the dock, public were cheering in breathless excitement. Then the ruling power started herding democratic political leaders on the same dock accusing them equally corrupt and criminal. Public cheer suddenly came to a jaw-dropping silence. Overwhelming public support for reform and accountability of politicians and political parties soon turn into fierce opposition to machination of the power-center to kill democracy. Steadfast public with crystal clear political perception averted a national disaster with minimum damage and helped the nation move forward rapidly on the path of democracy.

The genie of 9/11 has been bottled up by the public, but not the public aspirations that were loud and clear during those days when our politics was on trial. First and foremost is to establish democracy in every layer of party structure. Silencing Abdul Jalil, indiscriminately bracketing non-conformists with 9/11 reformists, treating party leaders, unjust victims of 9/11 as ‘untouchables’ – all these manifestations contradict democracy within and if symptom persists, it is suicidal for democracy. Party office bearers should not hold government portfolio. Party book keeping must be transparent and visible as well to the public. Sprinting to the convention, in no way, should be the excuse of cutting corners and accommodating lapses.

Initial spectacle in forming digital cabinet soon turned into lackluster stunt. Fusion of old and new blood could not give essential modern facelift of the cabinet. Government flagship Home Ministry under the leadership of an old guard with a western-styled immature apprentice already made a fatal nosedive. Two impressive political street fighters are grappling with the Foreign Ministry with their no diplomatic skill and vocabulary. Media and internet are charging public minds with expectations of spectacles at the convention, never seen before. Single handed cherry picking may risk serious errors and irreversible damages. The galaxy of advisers should be kept in the Milky Way far from unnecessary meddling into party affairs.

Democracy mirrors many minds. Many paths converge to democracy. This idyllic scenario does not exist in our politics. The angle of deflection between two major forces is one hundred and eighty degree which is the only life threatening disease of our democracy. How this virus that tries to eat up marrow of our history and breaths poison on our democracy – public distinctly know that. If democracy thrives, these political villains will be swallowed up by time. Please do not waste your party time in vilifying these termites of democracy.

In the context of our political history, AL convention always turns out to be a milestone. It truly defines path of our democracy. A collective leadership, harvested from the grass root, embedded with modern vision, extraordinary talent and pedestrian political experience will add further inertia to this government to move forward with digital pace. With the nation, let us look forward to this festival of democracy and hope.
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Manirul Islam is a freelancer , writes from Toronto, Canada.

Image by: Quddus Alam, DRIK News.

By all means, after General Zia and General Ershad, General Moeen U Ahmed (MUA), the previous chief of Army, could be the third Chief Martial Law Administrator (CMLA) of Bangladesh. He started homework of a would-be CMLA much earlier than 1/11 and beyond public visual by intensifying inherent weakness of discordant partners of democracy to bring politics to stalemate. Our politicians nonchalantly responded to his lure and were naively gravitating towards the democracy-trap. Suddenly intellectual’s chorus started getting louder and unambiguous praising and prescribing the ‘silver bullet’ that would fix our entire national ailment.

Since 1/11 General Moeen had been, in fact, leapfrogging towards the power center with confidence and started reassuring public of continuation of unfinished missions of his two predecessors; to eradicate corruption and to strengthen democracy. Also about a decade or so could be the duration of his dynasty before the public anathema could bring it to a costly end. Serajul Alam Khan (SAK, the enigmatic spiritual guru of JSD), Dr. Zillur Rahman Khan (ZRK, Rosebush Professor Emeritus, University of Wisconsin, USA – a JSD ideologue and political scientist), ASM Abdur Rab (the fairytale hero of our liberation struggle and now after three and half decades reduced to a moral hazard of our politics); all these veteran architects of previous two successful power grabbing of martial law regimes might have already completed design work of the future government having sanitized political façade with frills of organic democracy. Organic democracy is the brainchild of SAK and ZRK which, in nutshell, is an ambiguous theory of quota based representation of professions and vocations. They have graciously included peasants to military as defined stakeholders in democratic governance without defining the mechanism of demographic mobilization of these groups, electoral process to so called bicameral parliament and construction of layers of a harmonized and representative government body. Their earlier experiments contradicted sharply with their political doctrine and instead of a broad based democracy, they have always been instrumental of our military regimes. The presence of ZRK at the podium with MUA on Independence Day military parade in 2007 sent ominous signal to the nation of imminent emergence of third military regime in partnership with nexus of loyalist politicians, civil society elites and military.

But this time the remarkable exception was the role of USA, the usual kingmaker of anti – democracy undertakings in the third world. USA cowered back from her initial position and slowly realigned with people’s aspiration – a free and fair election. This unprecedented shift of US policy for Bangladesh compounded with other factors, compelled calculative MUA to take an about turn from the threshold of Banga Bhaban. The stumbling roadblock in the forefront of our power-hungry army was the chance of loosing their most lucrative mercantile venture – UN peace keeping mission. It could be in jeopardy if MUA would push further aspiration of uniform and become third martial law kingpin. Public sentiment initially swayed favorably to his war against corruption, but soon turned hostile when his real intention caught in public radar – war against democratic politics and sinister scheme of perpetuation of martial law. Sensing danger, like a shrewd skipper, MUA jumped overboard the sinking boat leaving behind his political backers and associates of conspiracies in disarray. He soon surrendered to emerging enormous momentum of democracy and tried in vain to be a turncoat by portraying himself as the true purveyor of democracy. On his last day as the commander of Army, fear for uncertain future compelled him to bow to the fact and to mumble that history would evaluate his role.

Certainly his place is already decided in our history. Unfortunately the verdict of history will ruthlessly haunt him till his end as a flip flop manipulator; our military will also remain ever unforgiving towards him as he is the first General who conceded defeat to the public and politicians in the war of power.

Public passion and patience for any democratic government diminishes, the rate is faster in Bangladesh than anywhere. Collective psyche of Muslim Bangalee is ambivalent and capricious, due to obvious tendency of alternating identity between inherently conflicting Muslim and Bangalee tradition. That contributes Bangalee to be a perpetual swing nation. It also makes it so improbable for any political party to come back to power for the second term through election.

Then next five years may be considered as the effective lifespan of this popular verdict for change. What is this change? This change is nothing but a commitment of reconnecting the country with her genesis. Liberation struggle is essentially the focal point to define the paths and goals of this change. Digital Bangladesh implies a desire to embrace modern technology to achieve goals. Once political and economic path is determined in the light of 71, other destinations will automatically fall in line. They are law and order, education, health care, corruption-nepotism free administration, rein in trade unions and industrialists, protecting rights of working class, so on and so forth. Each task is daunting but doable through due diligence and application of modern techniques. Ground breaking step was to form a government that should mirror the election manifesto from head to toe. Sheikh Hasina scored high on public approval rating for her newly formed team for change. The combination of new blood and fresh minds, honest and unsung politicians, inclusiveness and transparency has generated synergy for change.

Early morning sunshine of this government was partly hazed by few incidents like comments of honorable PM, the excesses of unleashed BCL cadres in the campuses and alleged interventions in Upazila election. The issues are microscopic in proportion to the murky past, but soon may turn into lethal ammo in the hand of shenanigans. Analysis and corrective actions are required to stop further recurrence. Sheikh Hasina’s first message to her political colleagues and cadres was an icy warning, hands off corruption, very well matched with public mood of the moment. Next day in a meeting with the bureaucrats, ‘do-over’ of the same threat to politicians and asking bureaucrats to work above political influences was as good as issuing them a new permit to kill democracy. In fact, for both civil and military bureaucrats, the first unequivocal message of this government should be; learn to discharge your duties, for which you have solemnly pledged, in democracy, under the guidance of political leadership. They should be rightfully admonished for their bloody past as an accomplice to assassinate democracy and warned about the risk of treading on the past ambitions again. Total population is standing behind this government to safeguard and perpetuate our democracy. Like past strategy, clinging to power in fear and ambiguity and at the cost of moral compromise will clearly undermine public verdict.

Election result reinforced the legitimacy of trial of war criminals. Post-election statement of Sheikh Hasina, ‘election result has already punished the war criminals’, has sent an early chill of skepticism to public enthusiasm for change. The issue is complex with strings attached to Saudi-American interest. Any harm to Jamaat-e-Islam will receive fierce resistance from Saudi Monarchy and perhaps from USA as well. Saudi Gazette, the English daily, has already started propaganda against this elected government by publishing a lengthy article inventing coercion against Urdu speaking voters who were enfranchised for the first time in this election. Since Pakistan era till Banglabhai saga, Jamaat in Bangladesh has been the most faithful handyman of America utilized to politically and physically butcher progressive politicians and intelligentsia. America will never let her time-tested followers and ‘death squads’ to stand on the dock for the crime she herself sponsored. Here Dipu Moni may play a vital role to pull her team together to broker a very intricate diplomacy with surgical precision, by cultivating the foreign policy of Obama government, to thwart Saudi diplomatic and economic blackmail.

My earlier expectation has now matured into a demand to Sheikh Hasina to induct Menon and Inu into the cabinet to make it a further inclusive, fail safe, well contoured government. More so, it will fortify the support of Southern Bangla for this government. This is necessary for empowering patriotic politics and secular democracy and to replace and counter fundamentalists’ onslaught. The issue would certainly face external resistance again from Saudi-America block and internal opposition from the old stakeholder of power. Saudi money and spiritual influence will never let democracy flourish in Bangladesh which in turn may threat monarchy and American hegemony. This government has the clout to overrun these obstacles – I believe.

Extending tenure of General Moeen U. will be an ill-advised decision. This publicity-savvy General has already savored the taste of power and has been turned away from the threshold of Gana Bhabon by the power of public. Keeping him in uniform is a fatal safety issue for democracy. The oratory skill and articulation that I could figure from the glimpse of the Information Minister on TV screen honestly did not meet my expectation about the spokesperson of the digital cabinet. The exposure was too short to comment. Yet why not Asaduzzaman Noor got this slot. Public hipped enormous confidence on street warriors and veterans like Motia, Sahara, Dipu Moni, Nurul Islam Nahid, Faruk Khan, Dilip Barua and Qader and visible jittery on Engr. Musharraf. Likewise, public applause was resounding for sending STAR into political wilderness.

Within first few days or week, the government have to initiate or execute few salient points of the election promises to let public align their aspiration with the dynamics of the government. Obama can be the best reference here. First night he and his wife joined a neighborhood ball in Washington. 90% of Washington inner city residents are stricken with poverty, drugs and HIV. The humane appeal of this ball electrified the whole nation. Some called it rhythm of revolution. With his executive power, on the 2nd day, Obama ordered to close Gitmo, foreign detention centers and torture to prisoners. On the 4th day, he overturned injunction of Bush on overseas abortion funding. These prompt and bold actions have profound impact in US and global history. It clearly defined the new path of this administration, a sharp turn from the Bush policy. These actions have also reassured his people with far reaching clear and enduring vision about his adherence to his election commitments.

The revolution through ballot in 1970 resulted in a sovereign country for Bangalee, Bangladesh. But other objectives, like to establish a country free from economic exploitation, a nation above segregation on the line of religion, race or ethnicity, did not materialize. Part national and international conspiracy, part inept political leadership was responsible for the catastrophic failure of that revolution. It took protracted political struggle of more than three decades and sacrifices of lives of Bangabandhu, Nazrul, Tazuddin, Mansur, Qamruzzaman, Taher, Basunia, Nur Hossain and many more to pave the way for another revolution through ballot. The enormity of public trust in this government is unprecedented in the political history of Bangladesh. The silo of this government is full to the brim with public support. Internal and external enemies are also active to sabotage this new journey of democracy. The government must be prudent and proactive in prioritizing and discharging tasks, must be fearless and unshaken in identifying and defeating enemies. They must be transparent and accountable in every action. Let the government always cling the hands of public in this historic uphill journey for change.

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Manirul Islam writes from Canada, He is one of our guest writers.

Elected party politicians and patriotic alliance partners should be the first choice to fill vital portfolios like Home, Foreign, Finance, Defense, Industry, Information, Education, Health, Energy, Agriculture, Food etc. Partners of strategic alliance having questionable and vacillating political past should be kept out of the core and may be appointed on less vital portfolios. Ministries like Energy, Environment, Minerals, and Human Rights may go to technocrats and subject experts with proven loyalty to party.

Leaders like Suranjit, Amu, Sheikh Salim, Jalil, Musharaf should be kept out of the cabinet. Matia, Mahiuddin Alamgir, Subid Ali, Abdur Razzak, AK Khandker, Tofael, Nahid, Col Farook, Dipumani, Saber, Hasan Mahmud, Noor, Nanak, Mustafa Jalal should be kept in the cabinet. Across the party line, Menon, Inu should get important portfolio in the cabinet. Among the veterans Latif Siddiqui, Sajeda, Zillur, Muhith should be in the cabinet. Faruk Chowdhury, Tawfiq Elahi, Tawfiq Imam, Zamir Ali should be in the cabinet as technocrat. There should be one minority representation from CHT and minimal or insignificant representation of Ershad. President should be one from the respectable party veteran, not Dr. Yunus in any way.

The cabinet should be slim in size. In upcoming by-elections elements like Hasanat Abdullah, Sheikh Helal, Joynal Hajari, Shamim Osman must not be taken into consideration. Considering poor election result of greater Noakhali and to shore up future support for this government, a vital position in the government should be assigned for a young and bright personality of that region.

Family consideration, regional consideration, kitchen cabinet, influence of inner circle and elite circle must be avoided in construction of this cabinet. Rather a pro-active, futuristic, environment friendly, homogeneous team will navigate this government with utmost clarity, confidence and professionalism. A vibrant progressive image will reflect vision, political philosophy, practices and accountabilities of the government and must be retained through five years tenure.

The press corps of PM office must be a pool of talents with extraordinary linguistic, oratory and debating skill having the capability of building communication bridge with public on the pillars of trust and confidence. Press Secretary must frequently face the press and must update public on progress and predicaments on every issue of governance.

Sheikh Hasina presented nation a vision for change. The nation galvanized historic unity and gave her absolute mandate and responsibility to change the future of our people, of our country. AL did not fail in translating the trust of the people into reality in 1970. AL will not fail the challenge of 2009 to take our nation to prosperity. This is our hope today.
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Manirul Islam writes from Canada, He is one of our guest writers.