Shada Kalo

If Abul Hossain was a stock, you'd sell it now

2011-09-03T15:27:00.003-04:00

Wikileaks cable from US ambassador: Abul Hossain is "less than honest"

Abul Hossain: "I am honest, and my work is my proof"

World bank and Royal Canadian Mounted Police:
"Canadian authorities are investigating the SNC-Lavalin Group Inc upon a corruption allegation involving the $ 2.9 billion Padma Multipurpose Bridge project, Reuters reported yesterday referring to a World Bank spokesman.

The probe follows a referral of WB officials about the company's alleged corruption in the bidding process for the bridge. The bank's spokesman said the WB is also continuing its own investigation."

Mr. Hossain is going to find it increasingly difficult to defend his honor. If Niko is any indication, SNC-Lavalin will move to contain the damage and rapidly plead guilty, dealing away some low-level functionaries and also spill the beans on Mr. Hossain.

Niko pleads guilty to bribing Bangladeshi Minister

2011-06-25T11:05:00.008-04:00

From the Globe and Mail:

Niko Resources Ltd., a Calgary-based oil and gas company, will admit in court Friday that it bribed a Bangladeshi minister after explosions from one of the company’s natural gas fields sparked protests in a nearby village and complaints of environmental contamination

Niko caused a huge blowout at the Tengratila gas field in Bangladesh, and then bribed then energy minister Mosharraf Hossain. From the Daily Star:

We are talking about a very expensive luxury car having been used by the energy state minister courtesy Niko, a gas exploration company that has yet to settle the issue of payment of compensation with the government for the fire at Tengratilla gas field.

And that is exactly why the affair regarding the car demands a close scrutiny. Though there are different versions about how and under what circumstances the car had landed at the high functionary's doorstep, we do not wish to get into the details of the official procedure to try and find out who is right and who isn't. Suffice it to say though, that there are certain stark facts that need to be answered, fairly and squarely. The point is -- was it a gift? If it was, how and why it was? Does it really matter now to debate who the first recipient of the vehicle was since it was being actually used by the minister?

Technical explanations apart, it appeared unethical on any
government organisation's or individual's part to have accepted a transport
given by an international company. We expect a far more responsible and
thoughtful approach to such an offer betraying a certain craving for favour.
Ministers and government functionaries need not only to be incorruptible but also must be seen to be so.

We have heard that the government is reportedly embarrassed' over the matter and is planning to take action. For our part, we demand a full-scale probe into the affair. This is necessary for the sake of establishing accountability and transparency with regard to something that has come to public notice and put a high government functionary's credibility somewhat on the line in a high-profile field like energy. While the state minister makes a statement for the records, an inquiry into the scandal would be in order.

First among idiots

2011-06-18T14:08:00.003-04:00

We have some idiot politicians, specially anyone who takes the post of the home minister. But Dr. (yes, he is a genuine Ph.D.) Hasan Mahmud surely and for ever be known one of the dumbest.

This moron just proposed introducing Hippos to Kaptai lake.

The state minister for environment and forest has come up with a strange plan to introduce hippopotamus, a species from Sub-Saharan-Africa, in the Kaptai Lake in Rangamati with a portion of climate funds.

Biologists and environmentalists baulk at the idea, and say introduction of any alien species will have a negative impact on local species.

Hasan Mahmud, state minister for environment and forest, said, "The idea came to my mind during my recent visit to Kenya. I found many hippos in a lake smaller than the Kaptai Lake. It attracted a lot of tourists.”

Good bye, Guru

2011-06-05T10:55:00.004-04:00

I always hated the characterization of Azam Khan as the "Pop" guru. If there was anything the man was, it was not what we associate with "pop."

I concede that back in the 70s the fans probably didn't know better, but he was a rocker through and through, and Saleka/Maleka was absolutely groundbreaking.

We are also greatful to him for fighting for the freedom of our country.

Rest in peace, Guru.

Is RAB/DGFI more powerful than the Prime Minister?

2011-06-04T09:05:00.004-04:00

Background:RAB shot a HSC candidate named Limon, and he lost a leg. Now RAB, PM's defence advisor, etc are claiming that he is a criminal and the villagers are disputing that. BSS published a news that the PM ordered her cabinet and other government officials to not comment about this since this is now under judicial review, but then without any explanation BSS withdrew that news. Interestingly, as Mr. Musa points out below, BSS did not say their news was inaccurate or wrong--they just 'withdrew' it.

So:

Did the PM really issue such a directive?

If so, who is powerful enough to get that news withdrawn?

We know what the DGFI did during the caretaker government. Is that trend coming back? Why is the PM of an elected democratic government allowing it?

If the news was not suppressed, this would have been a non-event. By supressing it, now it has reached all over and the reverberations will continue for a long time, in the long run aiding Limon. Perhaps RAB and DGFI need to learn about the Streisand Effect.

ABM Musa wrote in Prothom Alo:

সকাল থেকে একের পর এক টেলিফোন ‘খবরটি কি আপনি জানেন?’ প্রশ্নটির উত্পত্তি ঘটেছে বৃহস্পতিবার প্রথম আলোর ছোট্ট একটি খবর থেকে। শিরোনাম ‘লিমন সম্পর্কে বাসসের খবর এবং প্রত্যাহার’। এই ছোট্ট খবরটি যতখানি চাঞ্চল্য সৃষ্টি করেছে, কৌতূহলের উদ্ভব ঘটিয়েছে তার চেয়ে আসল তথা প্রত্যাহূত খবরটি যদি ছাপাও হতো, পাঠকসমাজে এত তোলপাড় হতো না বলেই আমার ধারণা। বরং লিমনের পা খোয়ানো নিয়ে সরকার ও র্যাব যে বিড়ম্বনায় পড়েছে তার অবসান হতো।কী সেই ‘বাতিল’ ও প্রত্যাহূত খবর? স্বভাবতই সাংবাদিকতার এথিকস তথা নৈতিকতা অনুসরণে অধিকাংশ পত্রিকা খবরটি ছাপেনি। কিন্তু ইতিমধ্যে খবরটি আমি সন্ধ্যায় কয়েকটি বেসরকারি টিভি চ্যানেলের স্ক্রলে, মানে পর্দার নিচের অংশে চলমান শিরোনামে দেখেছি। তদুপরি মফস্বলের সুদূর অঞ্চলে সন্ধ্যারাতে পাঠানো প্রায় সব পত্রিকার প্রথম সংস্করণে খবরটি ছাপা হয়ে গেছে বলে ঢাকার বাইরের কয়েকজন পাঠক আমায় জানিয়েছেন। অনলাইন ও টিভি চ্যানেলের মাধ্যমে খবরটি দেশ ও বিশ্বময় ছড়িয়ে পড়েছে। এই কারণে আমার মাথায় সাংবাদিকসুলভ কৌতূহল কিলবিল করতে লাগল—জানতে হবে ঘটনাটি কী?সরকার-নিয়ন্ত্রিত বার্তা সংস্থা বাসস বাংলা ও ইংরেজি দুটি ভাষায় খবরটি প্রচার করে। সন্ধ্যায় পরিবেশিত ও রাতে বাতিল হওয়া খবরটি ইতিমধ্যে কয়েকটি অনলাইনে পড়লাম। পড়ে অবাক হয়ে ভাবলাম, এমন একটি চমত্কার খবর কে বা কারা ও কেন প্রচার হতে দিল না? খবরটি নিয়ে বিস্তারিত মন্তব্য করার আগে অনলাইন থেকে খবরটি উদ্ধৃত করছি। এই উদ্ধৃত করার ব্যাখ্যাটি হচ্ছে, বন্দুক থেকে ছোড়া গুলি ফিরিয়ে আনা হয়নি।আমি খোসাসমেত কুড়িয়ে পেয়ে এখন সবাইকে দেখাচ্ছি। তা ছাড়া ‘বাসস’ বলেছে বাতিল, আমি বলছি প্রত্যাহূত। তারা বলেনি, তাদের পরিবেশিত অজানা কারণে বাতিল খবরটি মিথ্যা ছিল। অসত্য খবর পরিবেশনার জন্য সাংবাদিকতার রীতি অনুসরণে দুঃখও প্রকাশ করেনি। আমার সাংবাদিকতায় লব্ধ অভিজ্ঞতায় সংজ্ঞাটি হবে প্রত্যাহূত, ডিসকার্ডেড অথবা কিলড, মানে ‘ছুড়ে ফেলে বা খতম করে দেওয়া’ বলতে যা বোঝায়, বাসস তা করেনি।হাজারো বা লক্ষ পাঠকের অজানা কুড়িয়ে পাওয়া বা সংগৃহীত খবরটি হুবহু উদ্ধৃত করছি। বাসসের খবরের ড্রপ-লাইন, মানে আগাম ইঙ্গিতসূচক আগাম বার্তা ছিল, ‘বাসস দেশ-৩১/ র্যাব লিমন শেখ হাসিনা (লিড)’ তারপর বিস্তারিত খবর: ‘লিমনকে নিয়ে বিরূপ মন্তব্য না করতে সরকারি নেতৃবৃন্দের প্রতি প্রধানমন্ত্রীর নির্দেশ: সূত্র ঢাকা, ১ জুন (বাসস): প্রধানমন্ত্রী শেখ হাসিনা লিমন “সন্ত্রাসী” এমন অভিযোগ এখন পর্যন্ত কোন তদন্তে প্রমাণিত না হওয়ায় তার বিষয়ে বিরূপ মন্তব্য না করতে সরকারি নেতৃবৃন্দ ও কর্মকর্তাদের নির্দেশ দিয়েছেন। প্রধানমন্ত্রীর ঘনিষ্ঠ উচ্চ পর্যায়ের একটি সূত্র আজ এ কথা জানান।‘নাম প্রকাশে অনিচ্ছুক এ সূত্র আজ বাসসকে বলেন, প্রধানমন্ত্রী ফ্রান্স সফর শেষে দেশে ফিরে লিমনের ঘটনা তদন্তের বিষয়ে বিস্তারিতভাবে অবহিত হওয়ার পর এই নির্দেশ দেন।‘সূত্র জানান, সন্ত্রাসী কর্মকাণ্ডের সাথে লিমনের সম্পৃক্ততা আছে, এমন কোন প্রমাণ এখন পর্যন্ত তদন্তে এবং গোয়েন্দা প্রতিবেদনে পাওয়া যায়নি।‘সূত্র আরো জানান, প্রধানমন্ত্রী কলেজ ছাত্র লিমনের যথাযথ চিকিত্সা নিশ্চিত করতে কার্যকর পদক্ষেপ গ্রহণে সরকারি কর্মকর্তাদের নির্দেশ দিয়েছেন।‘সূত্র বলেন, বিচারবহির্ভূত হত্যাকাণ্ড বা আইন প্রয়োগকারী সংস্থার সদস্যদের হাতে নিরপরাধ মানুষের নির্যাতনের বিরুদ্ধে সব সময়ই শেখ হাসিনা দৃঢ় অবস্থান নিয়েছেন এবং সংবাদমাধ্যমসহ বিভিন্ন ফোরামে তা ব্যক্ত করেছেন।‘চলতি বছরের ৩ ফেব্রুয়ারি গণভবনে আয়োজিত এক সংবাদ সম্মেলনে বিচারবহির্ভূত হত্যাকাণ্ড সম্পর্কে এক প্রশ্নের জবাবে প্রধানমন্ত্রী বলেছিলেন, “বিগত বিএনপি-জামায়াত জোট সরকারের আমলে ক্লিনহার্ট অপারেশনের নামে বিচারবহির্ভূত হত্যা শুরু হয়। পরবর্তীতে ২০০৪ সালে র্যাব প্রতিষ্ঠিত হওয়ার পর ক্রসফায়ারের নামে মানুষ হত্যা করা হলে আমি তার প্রতিবাদ করি।”‘ওই সংবাদ সম্মেলনে শেখ হাসিনা আরও বলেন, কিছু সন্ত্রাসী নিহত হওয়ায় এই ব্যবস্থা জনগণের কাছে গ্রহণযোগ্য হচ্ছে বলে মনে হওয়ায় সেদিন কেউ এই হত্যাকাণ্ডের প্রতিবাদ করেনি। একমাত্র তিনিই তাঁর সহকর্মীদের পরামর্শ উপেক্ষা করে এর প্রতিবাদ করেন।‘তিনি বলেন, “আমার পিতার (বঙ্গবন্ধু) একটি উক্তি, তিনি বলতেন, একজন নেতা জনগণ দ্বারা চালিত হন না বরং জনগণকে পরিচালিত করেন। এ কারণে জনগণের কাছে বিষয়টি আপাত প্রশংসা পাচ্ছে জেনেও আমি এর প্রতিবাদ করি। আমি যদি বিচারবহির্ভূত হত্যা সমর্থন করতাম তাহলে দীর্ঘ আইনি প্রক্রিয়া সম্পন্ন না করেই আমি আমার পিতার হত্যাকারীদের ফাঁসিতে ঝুলাতে পারতাম।”’কী চমত্কার মননশীল বক্তব্য! আমাদের প্রধানমন্ত্রীর এই বক্তব্যসংবলিত সংগৃহীত সংবাদটিতে তাঁর মানবতাবোধের পরিচয় পেয়েছি। তাঁর ও আওয়ামী লীগ সরকারের গণতন্ত্র ও মানবাধিকার প্রতিষ্ঠায় আন্তরিকতার বহিঃপ্রকাশ ঘটেছে। তিনি জানিয়ে দিলেন, জনগণ কথায়-কথায় তাঁকে এমনিতে ‘গণতন্ত্রের মানসকন্যা, জাতির পিতা বঙ্গবন্ধুর সুযোগ্য সন্তান’ বলে না।আমার অবাক লাগছে, লিমন-সম্পর্কিত যে ঘটনা নিয়ে বহির্বিশ্বে ও দেশে বাংলাদেশে মানবাধিকার লঙ্ঘন সম্পর্কে যেসব প্রচার চলছে, সেসব স্খলন করে দিয়েছে এমন একটি সংবাদ কেন প্রত্যাহার অথবা বাতিল করা হলো। একই সঙ্গে ভাবছিলাম, অতীতে স্বৈরাচারী ও সামরিক একনায়কত্বের আমলে যেভাবে সংবাদ চাপা দেওয়া হতো, জেনারেল জিয়া ও এরশাদের শাসনকালে ‘প্রেস অ্যাডভাইস’ নামে উপদেশ প্রদানের ভণ্ডামি করা হতো, সেই প্রথা কেন ভিন্ন রূপে ফিরে আসবে। তাও একটি জনপ্রিয়তার শীর্ষে উঠে ক্ষমতায় অধিষ্ঠিত হওয়া সরকারের আমলে?এবার বৃহস্পতিবার প্রথম আলোয় প্রকাশিত ছোট্ট কৌতূহলোদ্দীপক বাসসের ‘বাতিল’ করা নিয়ে ছোট্ট একটি খবর দিয়ে অগণিত পাঠকের কৌতূহল সৃষ্টির কৌশলটির জন্য বার্তা সম্পাদকের প্রশংসা করছি। মনে পড়ছে, দীর্ঘ ৬০ বছরের সাংবাদিকতা-জীবনের ৩০ বছরই যখন কাটিয়েছি নানা বিধিনিষেধের বেড়াজালে, তখন তা থেকে ফাঁকফোকর দিয়ে বেরিয়ে আসার এমনি সব চমত্কার কৌশল অবলম্বন করেছি। সেই সব কৌশল প্রয়োগের কয়েকটি উদাহরণ দেওয়ার লোভ সংবরণ করতে পারছি না। এক. আটান্নতে আইয়ুবের সামরিক শাসন জারির পর ‘একুশে ফেব্রুয়ারি’ শহীদ দিবস পালন, শোক মিছিল ও ছাত্রদের খালি পায়ে পদযাত্রার ওপর লাঠি চার্জের খবর প্রকাশ নিষিদ্ধ করা হলো। আমি তখন পাকিস্তান অবজারভার-এর বার্তা সম্পাদক। এই নিষেধাজ্ঞার ফাঁক বের করলাম। পরদিন অবজারভার-এর প্রধান খবরের শিরোনাম: টুয়েন্টিফার্স্ট ফেব্রুয়ারি অবজারভড, নো মর্নিং প্রসেশন, টেন ইনজিউরড। বাংলা অর্থ হলো—একুশে ফেব্রুয়ারি পালিত। কোনো শোক মিছিল হয়নি। ১০ জন আহত। পরদিন অফিসে ছুটে এলেন তত্কালীন উপসামরিক প্রশাসক মেজর জেনারেল ওমরাও খানের তথ্য কর্মকর্তা কর্নেল আবদুর রহমান সিদ্দিকী। তিনি এর আগে লাহোরের পাকিস্তান টাইমস-এর সাংবাদিক ছিলেন, সেই সূত্রে তাঁর সঙ্গে ব্যক্তিগত সখ্য ছিল। আমার দিকে মুচকি হেসে বললেন, ‘মুসা ভাই, প্লিজ ডোন্ট ট্রাই টু বি টু ক্লেভার ইন ফিউচার।’ মানে ‘ভাইজান, এইবার সামলিয়েছি, ভবিষ্যতে এমন চালাকি করবেন না।’ দুই. ইয়াহিয়ার আমলের একটি চালাকি তথা বাতিল নয়, চাপা দেওয়া খবর প্রকাশের কৌশলটি উল্লেখ করছি। সত্তরের ঘূর্ণিঝড়ের পর, কেন্দ্রীয় পাকিস্তান সরকারের নিষ্ক্রিয়তায় সমালোচনা হচ্ছে। হাজার থেকে লাখ ছাড়িয়ে যাচ্ছে মৃতের সংখ্যা। সামরিক শাসক জেনারেল সাহেবজাদা ইয়াকুবের সামরিক তথ্য কর্মকর্তা ছিলেন মেজর সিদ্দিক সালেক, পরবর্তীকালের ইয়াহিয়ার তথ্যসচিব, পাকিস্তানের প্রেসিডেন্ট জিয়াউল হকের সঙ্গে বিমান দুর্ঘটনায় নিহত হয়েছিলেন। তিনি নিষেধাজ্ঞা জারি করলেন, কোনো পত্রিকা ‘অসমর্থিত’ মৃতের ‘বাড়াবাড়ি’ সংখ্যা ছাপতে পারবে না। আমি তখন ঢাকায় বিবিসির স্ট্রিংগার, খণ্ডকালীন সংবাদদাতা। আমি বিবিসিতে এক দিন পর পর পাঠাতাম লক্ষাধিক মৃতের সংখ্যার খবর। পরদিন আমার পাঠানো খবর আমি ছাপতাম অবজারভার-এ, ‘অ্যাকর্ডিং টু বিবিসি’ মানে বিবিসিতে প্রচারিত খবরে বলা হয়েছে, নিঝুম দ্বীপে অথবা মনপুরায় কালকে এত হাজার মৃতদেহ সমুদ্রের পানিতে ভাসতে দেখা গেছে।ওপরে উল্লিখিত পন্থায় খবর প্রকাশের সময়কাল ছিল যখন সংবাদপত্রের স্বাধীনতা ছিল প্রশ্নবিদ্ধ। এখন তথ্য প্রকাশের অধিকার নিশ্চিত করার একটি আইন প্রণয়নের কৃতিত্বের অধিকারী, মুক্ত সাংবাদিকতার নিশ্চয়তা দিয়ে প্রশংসা অর্জনকারী সরকারের আমলে কেন একটি ‘বস্তুনিষ্ঠ’ সংবাদ প্রকাশ করা যাবে না—এই প্রশ্নের জবাব কার কাছে চাইব, জানি না। লিমনের প্রতি প্রধানমন্ত্রীর মমত্ব, বিচারবহির্ভূত হত্যায় যে তাঁর অনুমোদন বা সমর্থন নেই, এই সত্যটি তাঁর ও বর্তমান সরকারের দেশে-বিদেশে ক্ষীয়মাণ মর্যাদাকে বর্ধিষ্ণু করতে পারত। বর্তমান সরকারের মানবাধিকারের প্রতি শ্রদ্ধাবোধ ইতিবাচক প্রচারের বিষয়বস্তু হতে পারত। খবরটি বাতিল করার কারণে উল্টোটি ঘটছে, লিমনের খবর নতুন মাত্রা পেয়েছে। ছাপা না হওয়া খবর এখন নতুন খবরের উপাদান হয়েছে। এবিএম মূসা: সাংবাদিক।

Wikileaks

2010-11-30T15:48:00.001-05:00

There are about 2000 cables from the US Embassy in Dhaka covering 2005 to 2009. Among these, 721 are confidential and 122 are secret.

Waiting eagerly...

Col. Taher: Time to Shine Some Light

2010-08-23T21:06:00.003-04:00

One of the bravest freedom fighters was murdered in a kangaroo court. 10 days after hanging him, the law was amended to allow capital punishment.

Knowing the lazy bureaucrats, I feel it in my guts that they did not destroy the documents related to the trial, and finally there will be some sunlight on a dark chapter of Bangladesh's history.

PS: It is possible AL is doing this to keep BNP cornered, but even then, this is long overdue and will go a long way towards establishing the rule of law.

From Samakal:

অধ্যাপক আনোয়ার হোসেনসংবিধানের ৫ম সংশোধনীর মাধ্যমে কর্নেল তাহেরের প্রহসনের বিচারের রায়ের বিরুদ্ধে আপিল করার সুযোগ বন্ধ হয়েছিল। ৩৪ বছর পর আদালত ৫ম সংশোধনী বাতিল করে দেওয়ায় সে বিচার যে প্রহসন ছিল, তা প্রমাণ করার সুযোগ এসেছে। সময় এসেছে প্রকৃত সত্য উদ্ঘাটন করার। অনেক আশা নিয়ে আদালতের দোরে হাজির হয়েছি। আশা করছি, যে মিথ্যা অপবাদ দিয়ে কর্নেল তাহেরকে ফাঁসি দেওয়া হয়েছিল, সে অপবাদ দূর হবে। সরকার এ বিচার কাজে সহযোগিতা করবে। স্বচ্ছতার ভিত্তিতে প্রকৃত সত্য উন্মোচিত হবে। কর্নেল তাহেরকে বিচারের নামে সম্পূর্ণ প্রহসন করে ফাঁসি দেওয়া হয়েছিল। আমরা ৩৪ বছর পর আপিল করেছি। আশা করছি সরকার এর বিরুদ্ধে দাঁড়াবে না, প্রতিপক্ষ হয়ে বিচার কাজকে বাধাগ্রস্ত করবে না। ১৯৭৬ সালে বৈধ সরকারকে উৎখাত করার ষড়যন্ত্রের অভিযোগে আমরা চার ভাই কর্নেল তাহের বীরউত্তম, আবু ইউসুফ বীরবিক্রম, ওয়ারেসাত হোসেন বেলাল বীরপ্রতীক এবং আমিসহ ৩৩ জনের বিরুদ্ধে রাষ্ট্রদ্রোহ মামলা করে তৎকালীন সরকার। যে অভিযোগে কর্নেল তাহেরকে ফাঁসি দেওয়া হয়েছে সেই ১২১(ক) ধারায় সর্বোচ্চ শাস্তি যাবজ্জীবন কারাদণ্ড। কিন্তু তাকে ফাঁসি দেওয়া হয়েছে। ট্রাইব্যুনালের এ রায়ে তৎকালীন সরকারের প্রধান কেঁৗসুলি এটিএম আফজাল হোসেনও অবাক হয়েছিলেন। বলেছিলেন, 'এটা তো কোনোদিন হতে পারে না।' রায় ঘোষণা হয়েছিল ১৯৭৬ সালের ১৭ জুলাই। তৎকালীন আইন সচিব রায়ের ফাইলসহ জিয়াউর রহমানের সঙ্গে দেখা করে জানিয়েছিলেন, যে অভিযোগের ভিত্তিতে কর্নেল তাহেরকে ফাঁসি দেওয়া হয়েছে, সে অভিযোগে কাউকে ফাঁসি দেওয়া যায় না। কিন্তু জিয়াউর রহমান সে ফাইল ছুড়ে ফেলে নির্দেশ দিয়েছিলেন, 'ফাঁসি কার্যকর করার ব্যবস্থা করেন, আর আইন তৈরি করেন।' সে আইনও তৈরি হয়েছিল। কিন্তু সে আইন হয়েছিল ২১ জুলাই ভোর রাত ৪টায় কর্নেল তাহেরকে ফাঁসি দেবার দশদিন পর ৩১ জুলাই।৭ নভেম্বর নেতৃত্ব দিয়ে সিপাহী বিপ্লবের মাধ্যমে জিয়াউর রহমানকে মুক্ত করেন কর্নেল তাহের। কিন্তু মুক্ত হয়েই তিনি সবাইকে গ্রেফতার করেন। ৩৩ জনের বিরুদ্ধে ষড়যন্ত্রের মাধ্যমে বৈধ সরকারকে উৎখাতের মামলা করেন। ১৯৭৬ সালে সামরিক অধ্যাদেশ ১৬ জারি করে 'এক নম্বর বিশেষ সামরিক ট্রাইব্যুনাল' গঠন করা হয়। ট্রাইব্যুনালে ৫ জন বিচারক ছিলেন। চেয়ারম্যান ব্রিগেডিয়ার ইউসুফ হায়দার মুক্তিযুদ্ধের ৯ মাস ঢাকায় বসে পাকিস্তানিদের পক্ষ নিয়ে বাংলাদেশের বিরুদ্ধে যুদ্ধ করেছেন। জিয়াউর রহমান তাকেই ট্রাইব্যুনালের চেয়ারম্যান নিয়োগ করেন। এছাড়া বিমান বাহিনীর উইং কমান্ডার মোহাম্মাদ আবদুর রশীদ ও নৌবাহিনীর অস্থায়ী কমান্ডার সিদ্দিক আহমদ এবং নির্বাহী ম্যাজিস্ট্রেট মোহাম্মাদ আবদুল আলী ও হাসান মোর্শেদকে ট্রাইব্যুনালে সদস্য হিসেবে নিয়োগ করা হয়।ঢাকা কেন্দ্রীয় কারাগারে কঠোর গোপনীয়তায় বিচার কার্যক্রম চলেছে। অধ্যাদেশের কারণে রায়ের বিরুদ্ধে আমরা আপিল করতে পারিনি। আমাদের কেঁৗসুলিদেরও শপথ নিয়ে শুনানিতে অংশ নিতে হয়েছে। আতাউর রহমান খান, অ্যাডভোকেট আমিনুল হক, অ্যাডভোকেট গাজীউল হক, অ্যাডভোকেট আবদুর রউফ (পরবর্তীকালে বিচারপতি), অ্যাডভোকেট শরিফউদ্দিন চাকলাদার (বর্তমান বিচারপতি), জুলমত আলী খান (মরহুম) আমাদের পক্ষে কেঁৗসুলি হিসেবে কাজ করেছেন। কিন্তু তাদেরও গোপনীয়তার শপথ পাঠ করতে হয়েছে। বিচার কাজের কোনো তথ্য বাইরে প্রকাশ করলে তাদের সর্বোচ্চ ৭ বছর সশ্রম কারাদণ্ডের বিধান ছিল। তাই বাইরের কেউ কিছু জানতে পারেনি। শুধু ১৭ জুলাই যে রায় ঘোষিত হয়েছিল, তা পরের দিন বাংলাদেশ অবজারভার পত্রিকায় প্রকাশিত হয়।বিচার কাজ শুরুর আগে আইনজীবীদের সঙ্গে যোগাযোগ করার সুযোগ দেওয়া হয়নি। ১৯৭৬ সালের ২১ জুন বিচার কার্যক্রম শুরু হয়। ওইদিনই তা ২৭ জুন পর্যন্ত মুলতবি করা হয়। ২৮ জুলাই পর্যন্ত সরকার পক্ষের সাক্ষী, আইনজীবীরা বক্তব্য রাখেন এবং অন্যান্য কার্যক্রম চলে। ১০ জুলাই থেকে ১৪ জুলাই পর্যন্ত আসামিপক্ষ বক্তব্য রাখার সুযোগ পায়। প্রথমদিকে আমরা বক্তব্য রাখি। ১৩ এবং ১৪ জুলাই, দু'দিন মিলিয়ে কর্নেল তাহের ৬ ঘণ্টা বক্তব্য রাখেন। ১৭ জুলাই বিকেলে রায় ঘোষণা হয়। অবশ্য এ রায় আগেই আর্মি হেডকোয়ার্টারে নির্ধারিত হয়েছিল। বিচারক শুধু তা পাঠ করেছিলেন। কর্নেল তাহেরকে ফাঁসিতে ঝুলিয়ে মৃত্যুদণ্ড দেওয়া হয়েছিল। ১৭ জনের সাজা হয়েছিল। বাকি ১৬ জনের মুক্তি।আমরা দেখেছি বঙ্গবন্ধু খুনিদের ফাঁসির রায় কার্যকর করতে কত প্রক্রিয়ার মধ্য দিয়ে যেতে হয়েছে। কত সময় লেগেছে। কিন্তু কর্নেল তাহেরকে দণ্ডাদেশের রায় ঘোষণার মাত্র ৭২ ঘণ্টার মধ্যে ফাঁসি দেওয়া হয়েছে। ১৭ জুলাইর বিকেলে রায় ঘোষণা এবং ২১ জুলাই ভোর রাতে ফাঁসি কার্যকর হয়েছে। রায়ের বিরুদ্ধে আপিল করারই সুযোগ দেওয়া হয়নি। এমনকি যে রায় ঘোষণা হয়েছে, সে রায়ের কপিও আজ পর্যন্ত পাওয়া যায়নি। এ অনিয়মের বিরুদ্ধে গত ৩৪ বছর লড়াই করেছি। ১৯৭৬ সালে বাংলাদেশ অবজারভার পত্রিকার একটি সংবাদকে ভিত্তি করে পুরো প্রক্রিয়া শুরু হয়েছে।

High Court: a glimmer in the darkness

2010-08-22T14:10:00.002-04:00

It is quite clear the principal is a fundamentalist. Assuming the college is a government institution, aren't govt. employees required to undergo background checks before they get hired?

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From the Daily Star:

Veil can't be forced: HC

The High Court yesterday issued a suo moto order directing the government to ensure that no woman is forced to wear borkha (veil) or religious attires at the educational institutions and offices across the country.

The court also ordered the government to ensure that the cultural activities and sports in the educational institutions are not restricted in any manner.

An HC bench of Justice AHM Shamsuddin Chowdhury Manik and Justice Sheikh Md Zakir Hossain came up with the order following a news item published in a Bangla daily yesterday with the headline “Rani Bhabani Mahila College - Borka Na Porle Ashte Mana” meaning the students of Rani Bhabani Women's College without veils are barred from entering the college.

The news item said the Principal of the college in Natore Mozammel Haque, who joined the college two months ago, has stopped any cultural activities and sports at the college and restricted the entrance of the students (female) without borkha or veil to the college.
The HC directed the government to immediately take action against the principal for imposing restrictions on the students regarding wearing veil and stopping cultural activities and sports at the college.

The court ordered Mozammel to appear before the HC bench on August 26 to explain the matter.

It also issued a rule upon the government to explain why imposition of restriction on cultural activities and sports in the educational institutions and offices and forcing the female students to wear veil should not be declared illegal.

Secretaries to the ministries of home, education, social welfare and women affairs and Mozammel Haque have been made respondents to the rule and order.
Supreme Court lawyers barrister Mahbub Shafique and advocate KM Hafizul Alam placed the matter through an application before the HC bench.

Earlier on April 8 this year, the HC had ruled that none can force women, working at public and private educational institutions, to wear veils or cover their heads against their will.

It is their personal choice, the court said, asking the education secretary to make sure that women are not harassed by their superiors at educational institutions.

Accused sexul harasser in Human Rights Commission

2010-06-26T12:06:00.008-04:00

Sangbad is reporting that Dr. Giashuddin Ahmed Mollah, forced to retire from Dhaka University for sexual harrasment, has been appointed as a member of the human rights commission. This paragon of human rights was also expelled from Heidelberg University in Germany for, you guessed it, sexual harrasment.

সদ্য নিয়োগপ্রাপ্ত মানবাধিকার কমিশনের সদস্য ড. গিয়াস উদ্দিন মোল্লার বিরুদ্ধে ঢাকা
বিশ্ববিদ্যালয় ও জার্মানির হাউডেলবার্গ বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়ে যৌন নির্যাতনের অভিযোগ করা
হয়েছিল। অভিযোগের প্রেক্ষিতে ঢাকা বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়ের রাষ্ট্র বিজ্ঞান বিভাগ থেকে তাকে
বাধ্যতামূলক অবসর দেয়া হয়। গবেষণার জন্য যাওয়া জার্মানির হাইডেলবার্গ বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়
থেকেও তাকে বহিষ্কার করা হয় যৌন নির্যাতনের সঙ্গে জড়িত থাকার অভিযোগে। তবে ঢাকা বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়ের ঘটনায় তার দায়ের করা হাইকোর্টে রিট আবেদন এখনও বিচারাধীন। তার নিয়োগে বিস্ময় প্রকাশ করেছেন মানবাধিকার কমিশনের চেয়ারম্যান ড. মিজানুর রহমান।

রাষ্ট্রবিজ্ঞান বিভাগের শিক্ষক অধ্যাপক মঙ্গলবার ড. গিয়াস উদ্দিন মোল্লাকে কমিশনের
সদস্য নিয়োগ দেয়া হয়। বুধবার তিনি নিয়োগপত্রও হাতে পেয়েছেন বলে জানা গেছে। ড.
গিয়াসের সদস্য নিয়োগে বিস্ময় প্রকাশ করেছেন একই সঙ্গে নিয়োগ প্রাপ্ত মানবাধিকার
কমিশনের চেয়ারম্যান ও ঢাকা বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়ের আইন বিভাগের অধ্যাপক ড. মিজানুর রহমান।
তিনি সাংবাদিকদের জানান, খবরটি শোনার পর আমার নিজের কাছেই খারাপ লেগেছে। বিতর্কের উর্ধে আছে-এমন ব্যক্তিদের নিয়োগ দেয়া উচিত ছিল। নিয়োগ দেয়ার আগে আরও বেশি যাচাই-বাছাই করা উচিত ছিল। বিতর্কিত ব্যক্তি মানবাধিকার কমিশনের সদস্য থাকবে কিনা এ বিষয়ে নিশ্চয়ই সরকার ব্যবস্থা নেবে বলে তিনি আশা প্রকাশ করেন।রাষ্ট্র বিজ্ঞানের
অধ্যাপক ড. গিয়াস উদ্দিনের বিরুদ্ধে একই বিভাগের মাস্টার্সের এক ছাত্রী যৌন
নিপীড়নের অভিযোগ করে ২০০৯ সালের ১৩ নভেম্বর। বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়ের উপাচার্য অধ্যাপক আ আ ম স আরেফিন সিদ্দিক, প্রক্টর ড. কে এম সাইফুল ইসলাম খানসহ সংশ্লিষ্টদের কাছে লিখিত অভিযোগ করেন ওই ছাত্রী। পরে বিষয়টির বিভাগীয় তদন্ত শেষে ৯ জানুয়ারি ড. মোল্লাকে বিভাগের সব কার্যক্রম থেকে অব্যাহিত এবং বাধ্যতামূলক ছুটি দেয়া হয়। তবে বিভাগের নেয়া সিদ্ধান্ত চ্যালেঞ্জ করে অধ্যাপক গিয়াসউদ্দিন মোল্লা হাইকোর্টে রিট করেন। রিটের শুনানি শেষ হয়নি এখনও।

Bangladesh has a system called the ACR: Annual Confidential Report for government employees. Government jobs also requires police verification. How could this be missed?

You guessed it--it was not missed. Dr. Mollah must have friends in high places, who decided to ignore this and and appoint this scum into a position where he may be asked to rule on the plight of other harassment victims.

Once again Madam Prime Minister, due diligence please.

Rejoinder: CCC Election: An insider's perspective of the Mohiuddin collapse

2010-06-25T10:11:00.003-04:00

We received the following from Mr. Mohibul Hassan through a mutual friend:

... pasted my entire note into your website. this was my personal note and was not meant for a website's cover story. without considering the ethics of putting something on a website without permission, that was unprofessional to the extreme!

and, when i meant utilising adminisitration i meant using them to catch the criminal elements of BNP-Jamaat! and when i meant muscle i meant our volunteer force who should have been pro active in bringing out the voters. if you the administration remains neautral and actually works thats what you call making use of them you dont need to use them like BNP jamaat uses them. but the fact is just the day before the election magistracy power has been seized. so the cash handlers could not even be punished despite being arrested.

Our response:
1. Mr. Hassan's note was on Facebook, and open for the whole world to see. Calling it "private" now is a bit too late. We also suspected that the note would disappear once we wrote about it, which is why we decided to reproduce it. Unprofessional? Why? We quoted it and gave full attribution to the author.

2. "administration" and "muscle": We are happy to include Mr. Hassan's explanation of those phrases. We only hope that as a lawyer and future leader, Mr. Hassan will choose his words more carefully in the future.

Lastly, our personal thanks to Mr. Hassan for his level-headed response.

CCC Election: An insider's perspective of the Mohiuddin collapse

2010-06-21T15:20:00.005-04:00

A. B. M. Mohiuddin Chowdhury's son Mohibul Hassan wrote an interesting analysis that in some areas did not even spare his own father in allocating blame. So it feels like a pretty heart-felt piece.

To spare you from going to Facebook to read the actual item, we are posting it below with our commentary.

Before we start, lets congratulate Mr. Mohiduddin Chowdhury for being a graceful loser: he just congratulated Manzur Alam and offered to assist him in any way.

Now, on to Mr. Hassan's writing. We will link our comments with inserted pointers in his screed.

[a] Wow.. Mr. Hassan is taking it a bit personally. Mr. Chowdhury lost the election where he was a candidate. Who is this "everyone" Mr. Hassan is speaking of?

[b] Mr. Hassan attended LSE. I have no reason to think he does not know what "muscle" means. Mr. Hassan: please be careful using words like this. People will mistake you as a thug who wanted to win at any cost.

[c] "Failed to utilize the administration"? Is Mr. Hassan claiming that there is a way his side could have used the administration to win the election? Perhaps he forgot that elections are supposed to be won at the ballot box, not by government intervention? The Prime Minister and leader of AL, and of course the election commission would take an extremely dim view of these claims that border on electoral misconduct.

Again, not a bad analysis, but I really wish young Mr. Hassain stopped at complaining about the influence of money without prescribing illegal remedies.

=====================================================

How the ship sank

With the state of our campaign, I warned everyone, we were playing a losing game, and when I said the “ship” will sink, I was told off! No one bothered to listen to me!

My father and his and emotional approach in politics cost him this election at the expense of everyone [a].

1. I saw our camp had no plan to “bring voters out” and cast their votes, they were all relying on age old local leaders, who simply gone into comma as the party is in power. Worst was relying on councilor candidates, who took money from our opponent. and what did we give them? Absolutely nothing. plus 80% of the places I went to, which were mainly illiterate slum dwellers, fishermen etc, people told us they will vote for our Candidate, but they did not know his symbol has changed from “Harican” to “ship”! Why? Because our posters were virtually absent in the whole city! Reason? Partly financial, and partly our candidate felt “Ridoye mohiuddin” therapy will work again for the last time. He was in their hearts, but in ballot paper they could not find his symbol, as many didn’t even know!

2. Our whole campaign team had no sense of real issues, i.e. that our money is in absolute short supply cinoared to opponent; that when you fight “money”, you must deploy “muscle” [b];

3. I was shouting about this huge money spreading by opponent from the very beginning of the campaign. I could sense people’s attitude. In some slum areas, they simply responded, “anarosh gave me this much, how much do you offer”!

4. Four people were arrested with stash of Cash on 15th and 16th June after mid night. No step was taken. Firstly police informed us two of the arrested guys were Ship Breaker company’s clerks. So they were released. Our brainless friends in the police just had to use ONE BASIC COMMON SENSE! OUR OPPONENT IS A SHIP BREAKER. ALL SHIP BREAKERS PROVIDED HIM COVER FOR CASH MOVEMENT!

5. Our candidates over reliance on “love”. Because he believed “money cannot buy Love”, I said to him, for a slum dweller two hundred taka for ten minutes in a queue is a massive earning. There is no doubt our candidate is hugely popular, but when your opponent just runs a campaign “take cash, give vote”, love is intact, election is lost.

6. All we needed was to deploy “muscle” power because our opponent had an unlimited supply of Cash. He is a rich businessman, who knows how to buy and sell. I raised it from the time he got nominated. Everyone laughed me away. From close aides of him we got this rough idea, he gave 50 councilor candidates 5 lakhs each = 2.5 crore. Asked them to actively work for him. As BNP put single candidates in 34 wards out of 42, this was easy for them. One single candidate in each ward worked like hell for him! Awami league had four to five candidates in each ward! Result, out 42 wards, 28 BNP councilors, and 3 Jamaat elected! In my own ward, Jamaat won because four AL candidates fought with each other! Add straight cash buy with this, at 200tk each vote, you can buy 300,000 vote for a meager price of 6 crore taka. 6+2.5 Crore, on straight buying, and random cash spreading extra 10 crore taka. For about 18.5 crore taka you can take everything on the table! Easy and simple. For someone who is a Bank chairman, and a rich businessman who believed in “charity”, and who has about 500 crore debt to banks, spreading 18.5 crore, is absolute nothing! Our own intelligence report is, he spend more than twice of that.

7. All we had to do was ask our guys to “act”. No one gave the order. We were a sitting government party, but failed to utilize administration [c] because of reluctance and party division. We could not interrogate or arrest some of the money handlers and recipients utilizing the government administration. We urged our candidate, but once again, HIS FAITH IN PEOPLE resisted him.

8. Voter turnout was very poor. Overall in our last election 68% people came out and voted. This time 54% people voted! Two reasons for this, our campaign’s failure, we could not bring voters out, secondly, the election day. It was on Thursday, a public holiday due to election, and Friday-Saturday, usual weekend. Many working class people just left the city as if it was Eid. Worst affected areas were the Industrial workers zones! In that area, about 45% votes were cast! So our traditional vote block has been absent either because it was almost Eid holiday, or the poor souls themselves felt over confident that their candidate always wins in the industrial area. As an example, in an industrial area vote centre, Bandartilla, which was famous last time, because BNP candidate only got 25 votes out of 1200, this time was a loser for us! This time, out of 1660 voters, only about 400 voted in that centre. We got 178 and opponent 225! This was the biggest ward of the city with 125000 voters. Traditionally the whole ward was Mohiuddin vote bank due to high working class. But we completely lost it because of low turnout, and local MP Mr MA Latif opposed us with two non awami league councilor candidates who actively worked against us. So when that vote bank has been burst, I was sure it will be disaster.

9. Minority vote bank’s absence. Propaganda by high caste minority leaders over a disputed land with City Corporation over last two years damaged minority’s loyalty to our candidate. Out of 2lakh minority vote I feel we only attracted about 50,000. Rest either did not vote or wasted their votes. But I’m sure most did not vote for our opponent. 35thousand ballots were declared invalid for various reasons including, for not casting vote for Mayoral candidate.

10. Party division, this was the reason why our Ward level awami leaguers were inactive. Sitting MPs in City area were all against us. If we had cash, we could have simply bought them. Unfortunately we didn’t have it. On the day of election AL followers fought between them in three centre! RAB had to be called!

11. There was no wave against the “Ship”. There was a hill of cash it could not climb. Result, the ship has sunk!

CCC Election: The Hare and the Tortoise, or Smart Voters?

2010-06-18T00:53:00.005-04:00

Update: June 18: Mohiuddin alleged ballot rigging. But at least he has not rejected the result yet probably because PM Sheikh Hasina has already congratulated Mayor-elect Manzur Alam.

Perhaps this is not an apt analogy, but did the AL election machinery fall asleep because they thought this was an easy win for ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury?

In a stunner, BNP supported and former Awami-leaguer Monzur Alam has won the election. (Bangladesh Election Commission has the result available online)

First, let us congratulate the Election Commission for this relatively peaceful and obviously neutral (or neutral enough) election. Despite a few allegations from BNP's side, the BNP-win gives the EC tremendous credibility.

Then let the post-mortem begin.

Did AL think Mohiuddin's win was assured and did not work hard?
Did Mohiuddin lose because BNP worked harder?
Did Monzur get some AL votes because of his previous AL membership?
Did another AL candidate (Solaiman Alam Sheth) get some of Mohiuddin's votes (possible but not likely to make a difference; see the result above)

I believe the reason was the political sophistication of our voters. I have great faith in them. They have always punished the incumbent for their past abuses, and I suspect Mr. Mohiuddin just got a firm kick on his buttocks for his own and his party's misdeeds.

AL highcommand should take this as the writing on the wall: do not take the voters for granted: govern well and curb the crimes. Or in Bangla as we used to say as kids: এখনো সময় আছে, ভাল হইয়া যা!

Political Ostrich Heads in Digital Sand

2010-05-29T17:59:00.008-04:00

Poor Mahbub Alam Rodin. As I write this, he is probably experiencing what the business end of a police baton feels like.

His crime? He allegedly uploaded some caricatures of the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition and some other political figures to Facebook. So some idiots who can call the shots on such matter decided to block Facebook in Bangladesh.

Not that it helped. I probably may not even have heard about his cartoons for a few days unless the government decided to block it. But now the whole world knows about it--I just heard it on BBC Radio.

Here is the worst part: blocking the Internet does not work unless you have a giant, country-wide firewall like China, and even then it works just part of the time. So our tech geniuses blocked http://facebook.com, but people could still get through by going to httpS://facebook.com. There are also ubiquitous proxies like http://hidemyass.com that can be used to bypass the restriction.

Let me say that I do not know that the cartoons were like, but I am sure someone will send them to me before the day is over. And if they are not pornographic, I will post them here or at least post a link to them.

While personally I draw the line at pornography on this blog, I argue that Rodin's (nice name, by the way, if he draws) free-speech rights trump whatever hurt feelings the images may have caused in Bangladesh.

So I will end with this message to the people who made this decision:
1. You just gave this kid a ton of publicity. Nice job, geniuses.
2. Blocking one website is useless. Unless you were planning to cut off the Internet, you just threw egg on your own face
3. You really should have known better after blocking YouTube after the Hasina-Army exchange in March 2009
4. Digital Bangladesh? More like same old idiots that once refused free Internet connectivity.

Madam Prime Minister: Due Diligence Please

2010-05-01T13:33:00.009-04:00

Dear Madam Prime Minister:
Why are you surrounded by incompetent idiots? We know it is unfair to blame you for everything, but in this case we will hold you personally responsible for this horrendous personnel decision.

We are of course talking about the fact that the chief investigator of the War Crimes Tribunal himself was a member of Islami Chhatra Sangha, the student arm of Jamaat-e-Islami in 1971.

That does not make Mr. Matin a war-criminal, but surely Madam Prime Minister, you do not expect 100% neutrality from a former affiliated member of a party whose leaders will be INVESTIGATED and JUDGED by this war crimes trial?

Daily Star reported:

The chief investigator for war crimes trial, Abdul Matin was nominated for the presidency of a college unit of Islami Chhatra Sangha, student organisation of Jamaat-e-Islami in 1971, prime minister's adviser on education Dr Alauddin Ahmed told a roundtable yesterday.

Alauddin questioned how a person nominated for the post of president of a college unit of Islami Chhatra Sangha could be made the chief investigator, reports private TV channel ATN Bangla.

He said one of the investigators is yet to join the probe agency because of his reservation about Matin's appointment as its chief.

Vision 24 organised the roundtable “Trial of War Criminals in the International Context” at the Dhaka Reporters' Unity.

This bombshell was not dropped by someone from BNP or others who might wish to harm your party; Dr. Alauddin is your party member and a trusted member of your advisory council.

Mr. Matin happens to be a former senior bureaucrat. As a result, the government would know a lot about his history. His pre-employment background investigation report also included his political affiliations as researched and documented by the special branch (SB) and that became part of his Annual Confidential Report (ACR).

He got investigated by DGFI before every promotion (as all senior civil servants are investigated) until his retirement.

So: Dr. Alauddin knew. DGFI probably knew, or knew and tried to suppress it (nothing about the DGFI surprises us any more).

If Dr. Alauddin's claim is true that another investigator is yet to join the committee because of Mr. Matin's past, then this is common knowledge.

So: How could you not know?

Madam Prime Minister, we expect that you will suspend Mr. Matin immediately and ask for his resignation. While you are at it, ask for the resignation of the person who picked Mr. Matin for this position as well. Make an example, and make it visible. Show the country that nothing will compromise the neutrality of the trials.

You have seen the killers of your family face justice. Do not allow the trial for the murder and rape of 3 million people be messed up.

Why is India killing Bangladeshis?

2010-03-14T15:11:00.004-04:00

Unlike the militaries of Bangladesh of the past and Pakistan even now, the Indian military has always seen itself subordinate to its political masters. As one book review stated, "Independent India has never known a military coup d'état - scarcely even the rumour of one."

Even the harshest enemies of India and its military (that would be Pakistan and China, both have fought wars against India) will not claim that the Indian military acts outside the chain of command.

This is a testament to the democratic principles practiced by the armed services in the world's largest democracy.

India's border security force (BSF) is not part of the Indian Military--it is under the purview of Ministry of Home Affairs, and is considered a law enforcement agency.

The Daily Star and other newspapers are reporting:

Bangladesh Rifles and the Indian Border Security Force traded gunfire for around three hours yesterday after BSF crossed the Jaintapur border in Sylhet and shot locals.

At least 15 villagers were injured in the BSF firing, reports our staff correspondent from Sylhet.

The BDR and BSF jawans fired more than a thousand shots, forcing the villagers to flee their homes, said eyewitnesses.

The skirmish took place a day after BSF intruded into Bangladesh, dug bunkers and retreated following a flag meeting.

Only three days back, the Indian frontier force assured their Bangladesh counterpart of no more killing of villagers in the bordering areas. The assurance came when directors general of the two forces met in New Delhi.

Some 40 Indian Khasia people entered the Bangladesh territory through Muktapur-Jaintapur at around 10:30am.

An hour later, they were joined by a hundred more. Backed by the Indian border guards, they soon began erecting bamboo huts at Mandir Tila, about 300 yards off the no-man's land.

As they refused to leave on repeated requests from the villagers, a brawl ensued. Hurling stones, the two sides chased each other for an hour.
...
Talking to The Daily Star last night, BDR Director General Major Gen Md Mainul Islam termed the incident "very regretful”.
He said the BSF stopped firing after BDR had contacted the Indian side.
He observed the decisions taken at the recent director general-level meet do not seem to have been communicated to the BSF officials at the grassroots level.

Really? A DG-level meeting directive has not filtered down to the sector commanders on the Indian side? So is it possible that the BSF, a much smaller force than the Indian military, has a broken chain of communication and/or is actively defying its political masters and even its own director general?

Given the history and culture of Indian armed forces, it is not just unlikely, it is impossible.

Which leads me to the conclusion that the incursion inside Bangladesh and shooting at unarmed civilians by BSF occurred with an informed consent or even a direct order from India's government.

In short, India's prime minister and the home minister has the blood of innocent Bangladeshis on their hands.

I have no idea why India is doing this to a friendly government that poses no threat to India (unlike the BNP government that actively patronised Indian insurgents). I do not have to understand India's motivation to condemn it.

But what is worse is the pussyfooting on Bangladesh's part. Where is the report about the foreign ministry asking the Indian envoy to explain his nation's actions? Where is the protest? Oh--I guess those did not happen.

Friendship with India is a necessity for Bangladesh. But it must be based on mutual trust, respect and understanding, not one-way murder of Bangladeshi people by India.

ShadaKalo to be renamed to Hajrat Shahjalal International Airport

2010-02-25T10:07:00.006-05:00

A humble proposal:
Can we put digital photo frames in all government offices? Not only will they help us towards the goal of a Digital Bangladesh, they will also greatly aid us in changing photos when a new government comes into power.

We should also extend that to names of major infrastructure elements like bridges and airports. Let us use digital signs that we can change with the click of a button.

Now, let's talk about the renaming of ZIA to Hajrat Shahjalal International Airport. Some wit has discovered that the new name can represent the acronym HASINA ("Ha"jrat "S"hahjalal "In"ternational "A"irport) and there are jokes circulating about wet runways and planes waiting to land on the airport.

Madam Prime Minister: Major Zia was a freedom fighter. Regardless of the ruling by the high court abolishing the 5th amendment and who proclaimed independence first, his contribution towards the independence of Bangladesh is unquestionable. You may not like what Major General Zia did, but you could have left the name of the airport untouched in the memory of Major Zia the freedom fighter.

You claim you and your party is better than the opposition. This was your opportunity to be magnanimous in victory, and you squandered that chance.

Allow me to share with you how the people of Bangladesh feel about one very important thing, and that is the memory of the departed. In our culture, when someone dies, all his bad deeds are swept away. Ziaur Rahman still enjoys a reputation of honesty and integrity among the people of Bangladesh, and the same people do not understand or care about high court rulings about the constitution. It only sees that you are doing a land-grab.

Please do not say BNP also did it. You are telling us every day that your party is better than BNP. As my mother used to say, if someone jumped off a bridge, would you?

Lastly, a word to my journalist brothers and sisters. What exactly do you people smoke?

I saw this report first on Amader Shomy, and now on New Nation. The headlines screamed: Renaming of airport to cost Taka 1400 crore : Colossal wastage of poor people’s money.

The process of name changing would involve not merely replacement of the large neon signs at the Dhaka airport, Zia's name would have to be removed from neon signs and sign boards, both painted and electronic, in airports all over the world, informed sources claimed.
...
Civil Aviation sources, who control the operation of the airport, have been quoted by a pro-government vernacular daily to have said that the entire name changing process would cost Taka 1400 crore.
...
The sad part about the episode is that the name would certainly reappear once the BNP comes back to power. And the practice of naming and changing names is not only making the nation a laughing stock to foreigners but also involve, crores of Taka of money of the people 40 per cent of whom are poor living on less than one Dollar a day.

It's time that the political leaders give up intolerance and attitude of vengeance to keep the state functioning smoothly and ensure rapid economic development by restoring confidence in the minds of investors.

There are 3 things wrong with these paragraphs.
First, no airport has another airport's name in Neon signs. They are electronic, printed or painted signs, mostly on departure/arrival boards

Second: I suspect the journalist, his/her editor and the "sources" have never set foot inside an International airport including DAC/ZIA/HASINA; otherwise they would see that it does lists only a few of the thousands of airports in the world. Bottom line: only airports that have direct flights to Dhaka have the name of the airport on signs. This numbers to less than 30. If each sign costs $1000 to repaint/recreate, it is still $30,000. about Taka 21,00,000 (21 lacs). Changing electronic signs would take a few keystrokes, but lets assume it will still cost $1000. $1000 is a very high amount, but we wanted to leave large margins of errors here. And this would be borne by the airlines that fly to Dhaka as their cost of doing business, not by the government. This is far off from the Taka 1400 crore the report mentions. It is entirely possible that this was indeed an "informed source" but in that case the source was lying.

Lastly, the report on New Nation is under the byline of "Staff Reporter." Then why is there commentary and opinion at the end of the report? We do agree with the message in those two paragraphs, but perhaps New Nation should go back to journalism 101 and learn not to mix Op-eds and reporting. While at it, can someone throw a seminar on fact-checking for Bangladeshi Journalists and editors?

Journalists are supposed to be the Fourth Estate to keep the idiot politicians in check, not make up facts.

Sahara Khatun: Fast joining the rank of worst home ministers

2010-02-04T17:39:00.004-05:00

Just over one year ago, I asked:

How is Sahara Khatun any worse than Mohammad Nasim, "Allar mal" Altaf Hossain or Lutfuzzaman Babar?

I am sad to report that now we know the answer. Sahara Khatun is just as bad as Altaf Hossain, who, after the death of a baby, said "Allar maal Allah niyechen" (Allah has taken back Allah's property).

Prothom Alo reports:

শিক্ষাঙ্গনের সাম্প্রতিক ঘটনাকে ‘বিচ্ছিন্ন ঘটনা’ উল্লেখ করে স্বরাষ্ট্রমন্ত্রী সাহারা খাতুন বললেন, ‘এটা কোনো ব্যাপার না, এমন ঘটতেই পারে।’
গতকাল বৃহস্পতিবার আইন মন্ত্রণালয়ে অনুষ্ঠিত তিন মন্ত্রণালয়ের এক সমন্বয় বৈঠকের পর সাংবাদিকদের স্বরাষ্ট্রমন্ত্রী এ কথা বলেন।
ঢাকা বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়ে এক ছাত্রের মৃত্যুসহ সারা দেশে কলেজে ভর্তির ক্ষেত্রে সরকারি দলের সহযোগী সংগঠন ছাত্রলীগের সন্ত্রাসী কর্মকাণ্ডের বিষয়ে সরকার কী ভাবছে, জানতে চাইলে সাহারা খাতুন বলেন, ‘সব বিচ্ছিন্ন ঘটনা। এটা কোনো ব্যাপার না। এমনটি ঘটতেই পারে। তবে আমরা কী পদক্ষেপ নিচ্ছি সেটিই বড় বিষয়।’"

A death is so mundane? A son of a poor family, one who had himself worked as a labourer, dies during the infighting between two factions of the home minister's party, and she just said "These things happen"?

Blogger ভাল্লাগে না said it best:

মাননীয় স্বরাষ্ট্রমন্ত্রী আমার বিশ্বাস হয় না আপনি মানুষ
মাননীয় প্রধানমন্ত্রী আপনি নিজের পিতার হত্যার বিচার করেছেন নিজে ক্ষমতায় গিয়ে, সবার সে যোগ্যতা নেই। আপনার সন্তানের সন্তান হবে সেসময় আপনি নিজের মেয়ের পাশে দাঁড়াতে না পারার বেদনায় কেঁদেছেন, আমাদের খারাপ লেগেছে। ক্ষমতায় গিয়ে দয়া করে আপনার সংগঠনের রাজনীতির শিকার নিহত আবু বকরের মা'কে কাঁদতে মানা করবেন না। পাবলিক বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়ের হলে, পড়ার টেবিলে বসে থাকা ছাত্রের মৃত্যু আপনার কাছেও স্বাভাবিক বলে মনে হলে আপনি আপনার সন্তানদের মৃত বলে ঘোষণা দেন।

আর যদি মনে না হয়, তবে আপনার স্বরাষ্ট্রমন্ত্রীকে পদত্যাগ করতে বলুন। মানুষ নয় এমন কাউকে বেতন দিয়ে আমার দেশের লোকজনের নিরাপত্তার ভার আমরা দিতে চাই না।
সাহারা খাতুন আপনি মানুষ নন। যে এমন কথা বলতে পারে সে জানোয়ার।

The murderers are dead. Let the healing begin

2010-01-27T20:12:00.005-05:00

After 34 years, 5 of the killers of Bongobondhu Sheikh Mujibor Rahman got their due. After a two-decade long legal process winding through the courts, delayed by direct and indirect obstruction of justice by Moudud Ahmed and his BNP colleagues, Bozlul Huda, Mohiuddin Ahmed, A. K. M. Mohiuddin, Syed Faruq Rahman and Sultan Sharhriar Rashid Khan will meet their maker.

I have nothing significant to add to this long and well-known history, so I will look forward.

Madam Prime Minister, we know how easy it would have been for the five convicted killers to get caught in a "riot" and be accidentally killed. As cross-fires are happening every day outside the jail, one could have happened inside, too. Thank you for letting the law take its own course instead of staging a Siraj Shikdar escape attempt.

Perhaps the face of your little brother will not haunt your sleep any more. You have aided justice to prevail. Now let the healing begin. Work to make this the shonar bangla your father promised, that the country expected from him. Complete his unfinished work.

PS: I will end with a WTF! to our lawmakers and prison officials. Why are convicted prisoners being used as executioners? Since Bangladesh has a death penalty, why isn't this a government job? Two convicted murderers were allowed to kill again in the name of the law. They probably even enjoyed it. Naturally, they will also be compensated and rewarded for service--better meals, perhaps some cigarette and money. Someone convicted with a 6--year sentence does not deserve this.

Its time to end this archaic practice. There are no shortage of state-sanctioned murderers in the name of cross-fire in the RAB and Police. Ask for volunteers from them, or appoint someone for the job, or ask for volunteers from the victims family.

Rapists, Fatwas and Lack of Justice

2010-01-27T00:08:00.011-05:00

Daily Star is reporting that:

Eight months after being raped, a 16-year-old at Khargor of Kasba upazila in Brahmanbaria had to receive 101 lashes as "punishment".

A village arbitration found her guilty and issued the 101 lashes fatwa (religious edict) but amazingly left alleged rapist Enamul Mia, 20, untouched.

The arbitration also fined the victim's father Tk 1,000 and issued another fatwa that her family would be forced into isolation if he failed to pay up.

Village matbar (local leader) Delwar Hossain alias Ullashi executed the durra (lashes) on January 17.

I don't know what hell the rapist will burn in, but I am sure he will be joined there by Mr. Delwar Hossain, who was the judge, jury and executioner against this girl.

Madam Prime Minister and Madam Home Minister: you are women. You have also taken an oath to uphold the constitution of this country. Please, in the name of all that you hold holy and dear, wake up and defend this girl.

She has been raped and became pregnant. The news report mentions pregnancy upto 7 months and a subsequent abortion. Such late-term abortions are considered high-risk even in the USA.

But after all that, the rapist is walking around a free man because, according to the local matbors, "he belongs to another village" while this girl was beaten until she fainted. Her father was also fined Taka 1000, which presumably the matbors will spend on partying.

And this is not the first time; these insects are repeat offenders:

Three women were whipped as a result of fatwas in the district during the last six months.

The police of course was no help:

Kasba Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Md Jahirul Islam Khan said they would take appropriate action if the victim files a case in this regard.

What do they do, teach this stock reply at the police academy in Bangladesh? After hearing about a huge abuse of justice, an officer who took an oath does not even go visit the victim?

I see at least four criminal acts here:
1. Rape
2. Physical abuse and beating of a woman
3. Extortion (with threat to ostracize)
4. Dereliction of duty by the Police OC

Madam Prime Minister and Madam Home Minister: the language of "The Prevention of Oppression Against Women and Children Act 2000" is clear:

9.(i) Whoever commits rape with a woman or a child, shall be punished with rigorous imprisonment for life and with fine.
Explanation: Whoever has sexual intercourse without lawful marriage with a
woman not being under fourteen years of age, against her will or with her
consent obtained, by putting her in fear or by fraud, or with a woman not
being above fourteen years of age with or without her consent, he shall be said
to commit rape.

Find this Enamul Mia, and try him in a court of law.

9. (iv) Whoever attempts on a woman or a child
a) To cause death or hurt after rape, he shall be punished with rigorous
imprisonment for life and also with fine.

The facts are clear. The following people hurt this woman after the rape, in connection with the rape, even though they were not rapists. Note the "Whoever". Here are the perpetrators:

Delwar Hossain AKA Ullashi presided over the arbitration while Wahid Mia, Basu Mia, Manik Mia, Shahjahan Mia, Dulal Mia, Maulana Md Kawser Mia, Imam of Gupinathpur Baro Mosque, Maulana Md Ishaque Mia, Imam of Khargor Jame Mosque, and a few others played key roles.

If you like, I will even draw you a map of where to find them. Try these scum under the Act. Then, as they are rotting in jail, incessantly publish their photos and the story on state-owned radio and TV. Let the word go out to every village that Bangladesh is a country of law and order.

Madam PM and Madam Home Minister: OC Md Jahirul Islam Khan has been informed of this crime. The Act does not require filing of a formal case. He now has less than 60 days to complete this investigation

18. Investigation of an offence:
18. (i) Any investigation of an offence under this Act shall be completed within the period of sixty days from the date, any information regarding the offence is
received or the Magistrate passed the order for investigation;

If he fails to do so, follow the Act and take action against OC Khan:

18. (iii) If the investigating officer fails to complete investigation within the extended period under sub-section (іі), the Tribunal
a) May direct the authority concerned to complete the investigation by any other officer within the period not more than thirty days; and
b) May order the authority under which the investigating officer is, to take step
against the officer who fails to complete the investigation within the period
prescribed under this section, taking his failure as incompetence.

Yes, going after the fatwabajes may cost you a few votes. But you came to power with a huge mandate. Do not let a few ignorant criminals hold you hostage.

Do not do this for votes or cheap publicity. Do this because this is the right thing to do.

Make us proud to have leaders like you.

What's in a name? That which we call a murder...

2009-11-17T09:45:00.005-05:00

"What's in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet"
- William Shakespeare

“We are not carrying out any crossfire right now.
No such incident took place since our government assumed office"
- Sahara Khatun

Daily Star is reporting:

Home Minister Sahara Khatun on Tuesday claimed that no incident of ‘crossfire’ took place in the country since the Awami League-led government took over early this year.

Of course not. Silly me. I mean, why sugarcoat State-sanctioned murders with a weak euphemism like Crossfire?

BTW, did you know that RAB officers go to Haaj on government expense? Because this helps them deal with the stress of the killings. I kid you not.

Kazakhstan's radioactive legacy

2009-11-16T19:31:00.003-05:00

Warning:
You need a strong stomach for some of these photos. I have been debating with myself for a week, but decided to post the link given the mad, headlong rush to nuclear power in Bangladesh that I see coming soon.

I am afraid that some politically connected contractor will build a substandard containment dome, or use reconditioned controls, dump spent fuel rods in some river, or find some other way to steal money and put whole generations at risk--a degree of risk that Bangladeshi people have no idea about.

As a practical person, I see the utility of nuclear power generation in Bangladesh, but I am extremely afraid how bad this could become.

OK, enough fear-mongering. Here are the photos.

We owe justice to this child

2009-11-13T22:50:00.004-05:00

[From Prothom Alo]. I am moved beyond words.]

(আমি সাত বছরের শ্রেষ্ঠ অর্ঘ্য পাঁড়ে। আমার বাবা ঘাতকের বোমায় নিহত বিচারক জগন্নাথ পাঁড়ে। আজ থেকে ঠিক চার বছর আগে, ২০০৫ সালের ১৪ নভেম্বর ঝালকাঠিতে জেএমবি নামের জঙ্গিদের বোমায় আমার বাবা ও তার সহকর্মী সোহেল আহমদ নৃশংসভাবে নিহত হন। তখন আমার বয়স মাত্র পৌনে তিন বছর। বাবার আদর তখন আমি একটু একটু বুঝতে শুরু করেছিলাম।)

বাবা, কী ভীষণ আদরই না করতে তুমি আমাকে। মাথায় তুলে নাচতে। বড় হয়ে আমি কী হব, কার মতো হব, তা নিয়ে মায়ের সঙ্গে বসে কত না স্বপ্ন বুনতে দুজনে। ঝালকাঠিতে আমাদের বাসায় প্রতিদিন যখন তোমাকে অফিসে নেওয়ার জন্য গাড়ি আসত, আমি বায়না ধরতাম, অফিসে যাব। তুমি বলতে, আমি যখন জেলা জজ হব, আমার নিজের দারুণ একটা গাড়ি থাকবে, তখন তোকে রোজ অফিসে নিয়ে যাব। মায়েরও খুউব ইচ্ছে ছিল, জজ বাংলোয় ঘর করার। বাবা, ওরা আমাকে-তোমাকে-মাকে কাউকে কোনো স্বপ্ন পূরণ করতে দিল না। আজ বেঁচে থাকলে তুমি হয়তো জেলা জজ হতে। এ কারণেই বাড়িতে কোনো গাড়ি এলে আজও আমি ছুটে যাই—হয়তো তুমি এলে!

বাবা, তোমার মৃত্যুর পর থেকে আমি বরিশালে দাদুবাড়ি থাকি। দাদু-দিদা তাঁদের সবটুকু ভালোবাসা উজাড় করে আমাকে ভরিয়ে রেখেছেন। আমাকে মানুষ করতে মা সারা দিন অমানুষিক পরিশ্রম করেন। সেই কাকডাকা ভোর থেকে গভীর রাত পর্যন্ত তাঁর খাটুনি। এর পরও ক্লান্ত দেহে শ্রান্ত মনে যখন তিনি বাড়ি ফেরেন, আমাকে বুকে জড়িয়ে ভুলে থাকার চেষ্টা করেন তাঁর সব ব্যথা। কিন্তু বাবা, দুপুর বেলা সবাই যখন ঘুমোয়, মা অফিসে ব্যস্ত থাকেন, খটখটে রোদ্দুর পশ্চিমের জানালা দিয়ে আমার ঘরে ঢোকে আর বাইরে বড় বড় গাছের ওপর বসে কোনো কানাকুয়া অলস ডেকে ওঠে, তখন তোমাকে আমার ভীষণ মনে পড়ে বাবা। আমি একা একা বিছানা থেকে উঠে সামনের ঘরে তোমার ছবিটার দিকে অপলক তাকিয়ে থাকি, আর বাবা বাবা বলে তোমাকে ডাকি। তুমি কি কিছুই শুনতে পাও না বাবা? তুমি কি কিছুতেই ফিরবে না আর? আমাদের স্কুলে বন্ধুদের বাবারা যখন এসে টিফিনের সময় বা ছুটির সময় তাদের ছেলেমেয়েদের নিয়ে যায়, তখন আমার খুউব ইচ্ছে করে, তুমি এসে একবার, মাত্র একবার আমাকে যদি নিয়ে যেতে, তাহলে মা কী খুশিই না হতেন বলো! পুজোর সময় সবাই বাবাকে নিয়ে কত আনন্দ করল। আমি আর মা ঘরে দরজা দিয়ে শুধু কাঁদলাম। আমার মা আর বিজয়া দশমীতে দুর্গা মায়ের কপালে সিঁদুর দিতে পারেন না। হঠাত্ রাতে ঘুম ভেঙে গেলে দেখি, মা তোমার ছবি বুকে জড়িয়ে নীরবে অশ্রু বিসর্জন করছেন। বাবা, আমার মায়ের চোখের জল কি কোনো দিন মুছবে না? আমাদের ঘরে তুমি, আমি, মা, দাদু-দিদা-মামা—সবাই মিলে একটা ছবি আছে। ওই ছবিটা আমার খুব প্রিয়। সেই আনন্দের ছবিটা থেকে ওরা কেন তোমাকে কেড়ে নিল বাবা, আমার কী দোষ ছিল?

মা বলেন, তুই বড় হয়ে ঠিক তোর বাবার মতো জজ হবি। আমি হব, বাবা। তোমার মতো। তোমার সেই কোট, জুতো—সবকিছু আমি গোপনে গোপনে পরে দেখি, আমাকে জজের মতো লাগে কি না। কিন্তু বাবা, আমার ভয়ও করে। যারা তোমাকে মেরেছিল, ওদের লোকজন এখনো বহাল তবিয়তে ঘুরে বেড়াচ্ছে। যে কাকু তোমার মামলা লড়েছিল, তাকেও ওরা মেরে ফেলেছে। ওরা সবকিছু দখল করে নিতে চায়। খুনিরা যদি সবকিছু দখল করে, ওদের যদি নির্মূল করা না যায়, তবে আমি বড় হব কোন দেশে বাবা! আমি মায়ের দুঃখ ঘোচাব কী করে বলো? আমার মা আর বাংলা মায়ের দুঃখ আজ একাকার মনে হয়। আমি ছোট বলে ভেব না, কিছু বুঝি না। আমি সব বুঝি বাবা। কে ভালো, কে মন্দ, আমি বুঝি বাবা। বুঝি বলেই আমি ঠিক করেছি, আমি তোমার মতো বিচারক হব। যত দিন আমি তোমার মতো হতে না পারছি, তত দিন যে আমার তোমার জন্য প্রতীক্ষার অবসান হবে না। যেদিন বিচারক হব, তোমার মতো পোশাক পরে, মায়ের হাত ধরে তোমার সমাধির পাশে গিয়ে তোমাকে ডাকব। সেদিন কি তুমি আসবে তোমার ছোট্ট শ্রেষ্ঠর মাথায় হাত দিয়ে আশীর্বাদ করতে?

Contemporary Poetry from Amarblog

2009-11-13T12:30:00.006-05:00

[This is a plug for Amarblog.com: a site where I could easily spend hours each day and find an endless supply of quality writing. But the reason I love Amarblog is because of their editorial policy: they happily allow people to criticize the very people who run the site. If you have not seen Amarblog yet, I definitely recommend it.]

Today, I came across this excellent poem. I am providing the link to the actual poem, but quoting it in whole here as well.

(for the best user-experience, install the BNG Font and configure your browser according to the instructions here)

সামপ্রতিক কালের ছড়া/মোস্তাক খসরু

রাজা যায় রাজা আসে
রাজা কার বলে হাসে,
ক্ষমতায় যারা বসে।

রাজাকার সরকার
আগেছিল জানতাম,
অন্যায় অবিচার
ছিল সব অধিকার।

সাজেদার আকবর
অপরাধী গুনধর,
রাজা কার বলে হাসে
ক্ষমতায় যারা বসে।

কেন এটা চলবে
কানে কানে কান কথা
দুষ্টরা বলবে।

Momma's boy

2009-11-13T12:01:00.006-05:00

The universe is again in balance. The deep disturbance in the cosmic force we felt has diminished, and we hear the birds signing. The dark cloud of decency and lawfulness that was threatening to envelope Bangladesh has been lifted!

It was causing us major consternation when the prime minister directed the deputy commissioners to make all-out efforts to improve the law and order.

We got terribly worried when prime minister Sheikh Hasina called corruption 'the biggest barrier to poverty eradication.'

It looked like this time she was serious, and corruption and law and order were going to be eradicated from Bangladesh. We knew it could not be done in a single day, but surely with the prime minister so solidly against corruption, this was only a matter of time?

So we got worried. What will happen to all our river-grabbers? What will happen to the tender hijacking and bid rigging? Were they all going to starve?

Turns out, we were simply paranoid, and worried for no good reason. Like we said at the beginning, the universe is in balance again.

Action speaks louder than words, and the through the government’s action, we know that the PM’s words were just that: words to be printed in newspapers and soon to be forgotten, while the connected was allowed to steal and get away with it.

We saw this during the BNP rule: a convicted murderer who was absconding in Sweden got pardoned.

Now, we have another pardon in Bangladesh. Son of Awami League presidium member Sajeda Chowdhury was pardoned by the president of Bangladesh.

চারটি দুর্নীতির মামলায় ১৮ বছরের দণ্ডপ্রাপ্ত পলাতক আসামি শাহাদাব আকবরের সাজা
মওকুফ করে দিয়েছেন রাষ্ট্রপতি জিল্লুর রহমান। জাতীয় সংসদের উপনেতা ও আওয়ামী লীগের
সভাপতিমণ্ডলীর সদস্য বেগম সাজেদা চৌধুরীর ছেলে শাহাদাব আকবর ২০০৮ সালে জরুরি অবস্থা চলাকালে পলাতক থাকা অবস্থায় সাজাপ্রাপ্ত হন। তিনি কখনো আত্মসমর্পণও করেননি।

ঢাকা মহানগর দায়রা জজ আদালতের সরকারি কৌঁসুলি (পিপি) মো. আব্দুল্লাহ আবু
বুধবার প্রথম আলোকে বিষয়টি নিশ্চিত করেন।

মন্তব্য চাওয়া হলে দুর্নীতি দমন কমিশনের (দুদক) চেয়ারম্যান গোলাম রহমান গতকাল প্রথম আলোকে টেলিফোনে বলেন, ‘এ তথ্য আপনার কাছ থেকেই প্রথম জানলাম।’ তিনি বিষয়টি আগামী রোববার তাঁর দপ্তরে গিয়ে বিস্তারিত জানবেন বলে উল্লেখ করেন।

অবৈধ সম্পদের বিবরণী মামলায় শাহাদাব আকবর ২০০৪ সালের দুর্নীতি দমন কমিশন আইনের ২৬(২) ধারায় দুই বছর এবং ২৭(১) ধারার আওতায় ১০ বছরের সশ্রম কারাদণ্ড এবং ১০ লাখ টাকা জরিমানা, অনাদায়ে আরও এক বছরের সশ্রম কারাদণ্ডে দণ্ডিত হন। এ ছাড়া ১৯৮৪ সালের আয়কর অধ্যাদেশের ১৬৫ ও ১৬৬ ধারার আওতায় যথাক্রমে এক বছর ও পাঁচ বছরের বিনাশ্রম কারাদণ্ডসহ প্রায় দেড় কোটি টাকা জরিমানা, অনাদায়ে তাঁকে আরও ছয় মাসের বিনাশ্রম কারাদণ্ড দেওয়া হয়। শাহাদাব আকবরের কারাদণ্ড ও আর্থিক জরিমানার পুরোটাই রাষ্ট্রপতি মওকুফ করে দিয়েছেন। তবে দুদক আইনেরআওতায় এর আগে বাজেয়াপ্ত হওয়া তাঁর সম্পদ ও অর্থ আর ফেরত দিতে হবে না বলে জানা গেছে।

If Mr. Akbar was innocent, he could have surrendered to the court, gone on bail, and appealed the process. Other AL homra-chomras have appealed their convictions and had them overturned. As BNP is not in power, and his mother is one of the most influential people in the country, Mr Akbar was at no risk of unfair treatment from the courts.

Then why was the pardon necessary?

The fact that he had to go the pardon-route firmly establishes his guilt. Prothom-Alo is also reporting that the assets previously seized by the government will not go back to him. That fact is another nail in the coffin of his guilt—surely an innocent person would have fought to clear his name and recover any asset unfairly/illegally seized from him.

Does the president have the authority to pardon an absconding criminal? As we are not constitutional lawyers, we will leave that to the pundits, who have opined on both sides of the argument. For this article, let us assume the president has unconditional authority to grant pardons.

So, the question becomes, why was this guilty parson pardoned? Has he rehabilitated himself? No—he has not expressed remorse or paid his debt to society.

Is he going to change his behavior? Are you kidding? The government has seized some of his assets—he has to work overtime to make it up, specially now that mommy dearest is in power.

Attention inhabitants of Bangladesh. It was just a false alarm; there will be no outbreak of law and order. Business, beg your pardon, corruption, will continue as usual.

Bangladesh's sovereignty and China

2009-11-01T10:18:00.010-05:00

[Update: Drik's Shahidul Alam's first-person experience is on his blog]
Since the independence of Bangladesh until the 1990s, Bangladeshi citizens could not travel to Taiwan. The passports clearly stated: "Valid for all countries of the world except Israel and Taiwan." Not that is stopped people: it was easy to go to Taiwan via Hong Kong; as long as the passport did not get stamped it was OK.

The reason? Bangladesh was too afraid to anger Beijing, who considers Taiwan a breakaway province and does not want any countries to recognize it as a separate country. Not that it stops the rest of the world--all other countries do business with Taiwan, and at the same time maintain a good relationship with China.

But our mandarins at the foreign ministry, instead of negotiating a sensible arrangement with Beijing, quaked in their boots and deprived Bangladesh of legitimate remittance from thousands of potential jobs in Taiwan and the advantage of a direct business relationship--forcing additional expense on those instead. Thankfully, that has now changed.

But it seems Beijing can still order Bangladesh around.

On Nov. 1, 2009, a private organization, Drik Gallery, was going to hold a photo exhibition on Tibet, titled 'Into Exile: Tibet 1949 – 2009'

Oct 29th, 2009. Qian Kaifu, the Cultural Counselor and Cao Yanhua, the Cultural
Attache, Embassy of the People's Republic of China in Bangladesh, asked Shahidul Alam of Drik Bangladesh to cancel the event.

12:40 pm Dhaka time on Nov 1:
The Special Branch was at Drik asking them to close down the exhibition. Shahidul Alam of Drik was told that the Police will shut down the exhibition forcibly if necessary.

Then the gates were blocked by the police. BDNews24 reports:

Dhaka, Nov 1 (bdnews24.com)—Police prevented Drik Gallery in Dhanmondi from launching an exhibition, titled 'Into Exile: Tibet 1949 – 2009', on Sunday.

The exhibition was organised by 'Students for a Free Tibet', and includes some very rare photos of the Dalai Lama's journey into exile.

An hour before the launch, scheduled for 5pm, police shut the gates preventing public from entering the gallery, said Drik authorities.

Drik managing director Shahidul Alam said Bangladesh Police Special Branch spoke with him and asked him to stop the exhibition citing a "government order".

Alam said, although the police officers could not produce any document of the order, they threatened to shut down the show by force if the organisers did not do so willingly.

According to DrikNEWS, representatives from the Chinese Embassy requested the the weeklong photography exhibition be cancelled.

Drik authorities said they came under pressure for last two days to close down the exhibition.

Alam told bdnews24.com, "The day before yesterday (Friday), two officers from the Chinese Embassy came and asked us to cancel the exhibition."

"After that I also received a series of phone calls from the ministry of cultural affairs and from a number of MPs."

"On Saturday, officers from the Special Branch of police came and exerted pressure to stop the exhibition according to a 'government order'. I wanted a written copy of the government order but they refused to show me."

Officer-in-charge of Dhanmondi police station Shah Alam told bdnews24.com, "They organised the exhibition without any permission."

He said "all such exhibitions" had been held with prior permission in the past.

However, officials of Drik—a world- renowned photo library, media and communication organisation—said they have arranged countless minor and major exhibitions over the past 20 years and never needed any permission.

Comrade Hasina and Comrade Sahara (and other Comrades in the Government): please show a little spine. BNP accuses you of selling the country to India, but both BNP and AL seems to have sold their soul to China. Yes, we buy a ton of crap from China. But they do not give us a lot of loans and grants, we do not export Manpower to China. In short, there is a huge imbalance in the trade between these two countries in favor of China. Export to Bangladesh is a drop in China's total, but in a relationship like this the buyer (Bangladesh) should have a voice, not the seller.

Comrades, why are you kow-towing to China and repressing freedom of speech in Dhaka? Yes, I know the old jokes about it raining in Peking and opening umbrellas in Dhaka. But seriously, this was not a government sponsored event. The worst Beijing could have done if you said sorry, we can not intervene, was NOT sell you some more lead-tainted toys.

We know about the arms and weapons China sells to Bangladesh. They key word here is SELL. We buy it from China. We know about the crappy training aircraft bought from China--aircraft that crash regularly and kill young officers of Bangladesh Airforce. These are so bad, these trainee pilots say final good byes to each other before each training mission.

With a friend like this, who need enemies?

So Comrade PM and Comrade Home Minister, we can understand that when the Comrade Ambassador called and complained, you had to jump and shut down a mere photo exhibition. Nice. We can not even imagine how you will react when the Comrade Ambassador demands that you cooperate with Myanmar and relinquish claims to the undersea oil that China needs to keep its industrial engine growing.

We thought you took an oath to protect and follow the constitution of Bangladesh first (which includes protecting the freedom of speech of its citizens), not the geopolitical aspirations of China when this really does not matter to Bangladesh.

Sorry, now we know better.

[Update: Mash disabused me of this quint notion. Turns out, the government does have the constitutional right to suppress freedom of speech in the name of friendly relationship with a foreign state.

Article 39, Section 2 states:

Subject to any reasonable restrictions imposed by law in the interests of the security of the State, friendly relations with foreign states, public order, decency or morality, or in relation to contempt of court, defamation or incitement to an offence- the right of every citizen of freedom of speech and expression; and freedom of the press, are guaranteed.

But is China's territorial claim to Tibet so fragile that a photo exhibition in Dhaka by a private organization could have threatened that friendly relationship?

And pray tell, what is "reasonable" restriction? ]

Police doing the dirty work of Garments factory owners?

2009-11-01T09:43:00.004-05:00

Its an old story. A factory shutters its doors without paying for work already done by its workers. The workers get angry, clash with the police, and people die.

From the Daily Star:

At least two persons were killed and 100 others including 16 policemen injured in Tongi yesterday in clashes between the law enforcers and several hundred garment workers protesting sudden closure of their factory without payment of arrears.

One of those dead was named as Bablu Sheikh, 32, a rickshaw-van puller, while the other one could not yet be identified, Superintendent of Police in Gazipur SM Mahfuzul Haque Nuruzzaman told The Daily Star last night.

Tapan Saha, officer in-charge of Tongi Police Station, said they sent the bodies to Gazipur Sadar Hospital for autopsy at 10:30pm.

Various newspapers are also reporting the Police has at various times confirmed and denied that two policewoman were missing.

This is the part that bothers me most:

SP SM Mahfuzul Haque said the unwanted incident erupted because of the sudden closure of the factory.

He said the workers forcefully entered the factory and started hurling brickbats at the police. The law enforcers opened fired on the workers to save themselves.

The SP claimed that the incident left 16 of both the sides injured.

He said the factory authorities had sent a letter to Tongi Police Station about the closure but they could not make proper preparations.

So the factory owners send a letter to the police station because they anticipate problems with the closure?

News reports indicate that the garments factory workers were blocking the road. So police starts with truncheons, the workers responded with brickbats, and the confrontation escalated to live bullets.

Questions for the government, specially the home minister:

Why is your police force doing the dirty work of garments factory owners?
Why is the life of a factory worker, or a van driver, considered so expendable?
Given the very common occurrences of this kind, why aren't the police better equipped with non-lethal responses like hot water cannons?

These garment factory owners are the same people who tried to blackmail the government to the tune of 3000 crore taka only a few months ago, and hinted at the violence that might erupt if they were not paid off.

It is easy to kill poor people--and just as easy to lose the next election. Stop doing the dirty work of the rich garment factory owners.

BNP leadership implicated in Aug 21 pre-meditated Murders

2009-10-26T21:15:00.009-04:00

First, a question to the journalists in Bangladesh. On August 21, 2004, 22 people died in a grenade attack at a AL meeting. The wife of the current president of Bangladesh was one of the victims. Hudreds of others, including Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina were injured. But Daily Star is calling it "Aug 21 Attack on Hasina, AL Rally." Prothom Alo calls it "২১ আগস্ট গ্রেনেড হামলা মামলা", Amader Shomoy called it "২১ আগস্ট গ্রেনেড হামলা মামলায় লুৎফুজ্জামান বাবর গ্রেফতার", Ittefaq sings the same tune: "২১ আগস্ট গ্রেনেড মামলায় বাবরকে গ্রেফতার দেখানো হলো"

Dear Ladies and Gentlemen of the 4th estate in Bangladesh, if you look at the severity of the crime, which one is higher? Is a grenade attack, or an unsuccessful attack on the PM more sensational than 22 murders? In terms of law, there is nothing worse than murder either. Then why is this clear-cut case of premeditated murder still being labeled the "Grenade attack case"?

Can you, for once, call a spade a spade, and this a murder case? Do not give us the excuse that the Police calls it a grenade attack case. Of course they do--you just reported that the then state minister for home affairs was involved in the coverup. By calling it the grenade attack case, you are still aiding and abetting the coverup.

The case related to 15th August is the "Mujib murder case"--no one calls it the 15th August shooting case. Can you journalists do the same for August 21 and help the departed get justice for their killing?

Oct 27th's newspapers carry major news regarding this. Daily Star has, citing anonymous sources and direct review of documents implicated a major BNP figure. But like a shy village bride who dares not call her husband by his name, Daily Star leaves out this BNP Bigshot and just calls him "a top Hawa Bhaban bigwig."

Since Hawa Bhaban was not the center of power for Bangladesh Magna Khawa Shomity, perhaps Daily Star can explain why a top Hawa Bhaban bigwig is also not a BNP bigwig?

The paper rightfully points out that "investigators are not sure as yet if the hair-raising conspiracy was designed with or without the knowledge of the then prime minister Khaleda Zia." Elsewhere, it mentions various allged illegal activity by Tareque Rahman. If so, it would logically follow that Tareque is not the so-called bigwig, because obviously DS is not afraid of linking him to criminal activity.
So it was not Khaleda Zia, it was not Tareque. Who was it that the Star can not name him? They also did not name an apparent killer of Sheikh Mujib who is absconding from Justice. Who is this fugitive who can not be named?

More importantly, WHY can he be not named?

It is an otherwise damning report:

On August 14: At Hawa Bhaban -- the alternative powerhouse of the BNP-led coalition government. At least nine people sat to discuss a recommendation coming from a series of meetings in the past. The Awami League was branded as the archenemy for the country and Islam, and it was recommended that its president Sheikh Hasina must die.

State minister for home Lutfozzaman Babar, deputy minister Abdus Salam Pintu, prime minister's political secretary Harris Chowdhury, a fugitive killer of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, a top Jamaat leader, two Huji founders and one leader of Al Markajul Islami found no reason to disagree. In the presence of a top Hawa Bhaban bigwig, they chose to kill.

On August 15: At the same office, the same group sat again. This time they discussed how to accomplish the mission. The fugitive killer suggested Hasina be attacked at her home, on road or at a rally. They settled for a rally, just six days away.

Now it was time they chose weapons. “Grenades are no problem,” said Babar. Earlier on April 2, 10 truckloads of smuggled arms and ammunition were seized in Chittagong and two more trucks reportedly went missing.

They decided to use grenades and rifles in the operation that was to be carried out either at Muktangon or in front of AL's central office on Bangabandhu Avenue. The government was dithering over the permission for the rally.

The Daily Star obtained a highly privileged document in which a top accused of the grenade carnage gave some descriptions about how the killing mission had been organised. Most of the people whose names surfaced in the narration are either in jail or on the run and could not be contacted for comment.

22 people died--this is a capital offence. Lets call it that, and lets see the murderers prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

A star lost

2009-09-12T10:15:00.002-04:00

Baul Shomrat Shah Abdul Karim passed away yesterday. I had the privilege of listening to him singing many years ago and I still remember how it felt he was immersed in the song that was pouring out of his heart.

Instead of making an unqualified attempt at describing the man and his music, I will link to a tribute video to him, and link to an article by Selim Chowdhury, a singer who had the opportunity to know Baul Abdul Karim from up close, and sing many of his songs.

May he find all that he wrote and sang about for almost a century.

Senator Ted Kennedy: Man Who Inspired Nations

2009-09-06T11:01:00.005-04:00

[By Dr. Abdul Momen, Bangladesh Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the UN and a 30-year resident of Massachusetts]

When we heard of brain cancer of Senator Kennedy last year, we were devastated and this week I was shocked and saddened at his death. I had a vision of honoring him for his dedication and commitment to the people of Bangladesh. This week I assumed the position of Bangladesh Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the UN and naturally I thought now I will get a chance to materialize my vision of honoring a man who was larger than life itself, Sen. Edward Kennedy. Unfortunately, man wishes and God disposes, he is gone from our midst, but not from our hearts.

The author with Sen. Kennedy in 2007

Senator Kennedy was a beacon of light. I first met him in 1971 when he was visiting Bangladeshi refugee camps in India. Over 10 million Bangladeshis had to cross borders to save life due to Pakistani military atrocities on unarmed Bangladeshis. It was the second largest genocide in the world after the Holocaust; nearly 3 million died, over 250,000 were raped, over 10 million became refugees and nearly 30 million were dislodged from their homes including me. He was our hope of ‘fairness and justice’, he was our champion of the powerless, the disadvantaged, the disfranchised and the poor more so as the Nixon administration supported the military junta and provided them ‘weapons of genocide’. It is Senator Kennedy who roared like a lion and demanded cessation of weapons’ shipment to Pakistan in 1971. During the liberation war, he was our hope, he was our courage, and he was truly a liberation fighter. In the U. S. Senate he thundered what Harvard Dean Edward Mason said, “independent Bangladesh is inevitable’. He was truly a visionary.

Senator Kennedy is a household name in Bangladesh. When he lost his bid for American Presidency in which I volunteered, I told him, ‘don’t worry, if you run for the same in Bangladesh, you would be elected unopposed’. He is more than a President in our heart.

I started my graduate program at the Kennedy School of government in 1978. I got a chance to meet Ted Kennedy at the school’s inaugural ceremony of the new campus, its present site. I spoke to him and he invited me to his office. Since that day, I maintained my relationship with him and he was my guide, my hope and my inspiration ever since. I am pleased that I met a man whom I consider the ‘conscience of the world’, and the ‘spirit of America and the humanity’.

In 1992, I visited the office of Congressman Joseph P. Kennedy Jr to meet Debra Anderson, one of his staff, to talk about ‘sale of young boys all below the age of 5 as camel jockey’ and also about trafficking of Bangladeshi women and children into slave-like servitude in many countries. Like his uncle, Joe Kennedy rose to the occasion and assured me of all help. He arranged a congressional hearing on the Asian Slave Trade and camel jockey and nearly 154 U S lawmakers sent letters to the Gulf countries to stop camel racing, an inhuman practice in which nearly 60% kids either get killed or maimed. He arranged a meeting of the supplying countries of camel kids, the victims; Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka and the demanders of the victims namely the Middle East and Gulf countries to resolve the issue, while Congressman Barney Frank arranged funds from the UNICEF for the victims. After nine months of persuasion and repeated mails from Senators Kennedy, Kerry, and Congressmen Joe Kennedy, Barney Frank and Chester Atkins, the Bangladesh government of Khaleda Zia finally gave me and Faith Willard of Cape Cod the custody of 25 children, all below the age of 5 who were sold as camel jockies in the Gulf countries

The author with Sen. Kennedy in 1988

When I explained to Senator Kennedy that trafficking is a regional problem and the regional countries especially the SAARC nations comprising Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka must do two things: adopt a resolution to end it and secondly, set up a fund to help the victims, Senator Kennedy sent ‘personal letters’ to the heads of SAARC governments and I had the pleasure to hand deliver his letters to the Prime Minister of India, Narashima Rao, Prime Minister of Pakistan, Benazir Bhutto and Foreign Minister of Bangladesh Lt. Col (Retd) Mustafizur Rahman. His letter facilitated the SAARC resolutions.

In 1996 there was a change in the Bangladesh government; Sheikh Hasina, who raised the issue of camel jockey and trafficking of women and children in the Bangladesh Parliament as an opposition leader became Prime Minister. She raised the resolution at the SAARC Summit and her proposals were adopted unanimously.

When my colleague Dr. Nazli Kibria’s (of Boston University) father A S M Kibria, a Bangladesh opposition lawmaker and a former Finance Minister and also a former UN Under Secretary General was assassinated in Bangladesh and when the Bangladesh Opposition Leader Sheikh Hasina, daughter of the founder of independent Bangladesh Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was attacked at a public rally with bombs and grenades in which she was wounded, 23 Opposition leaders were killed (including the wife of present Bangladesh President Zillur Rahman) and nearly 370 supporters were wounded, we approached Sen. Kennedy. It did not take time to convince Ted Kennedy what to do. He simply said, “I know the pain of losing my brothers in assassinations." We could only read his expression. No wonder when Bangladesh Home Minister Lutfuzzaman Baber came to visit him to justify the situation, reportedly he showed him a cold shoulder. When Babar's representatives lied in a press note, breaking the diplomatic niceties, Kennedy's office corrected the story. He was always undaunted and courageous. He never wavered on humanitarian issues at all.

When 12 University educators were arrested by Bangladesh military-controlled government on fabricated charges in 2007, he asked for the names and wrote a strongly worded letter to the Bangladesh government for their immediate release.

When Sheikh Hasina, the spirit of Bangladesh and hope of Bangladesh democracy was initially refused to enter her own country and then detained under false charges by military junta, Senator Kennedy spearheaded a movement. He wrote for her ‘fair and transparent trial’, and not in a ‘kangaroo court’. At his initiative, all members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee both Democrat and Republican alike sent joint letter for a fair trial. He always stood for justice and fairness. He committed his life for common men and women and for common good of mankind.

He was a great lover of democracy. Once he told me ‘democracy has its own weaknesses. In a democracy, things are slow but they are solid. More importantly, weaknesses can go away only through the process of democracy, not through a totalitarian administration’. I am convinced of it.

He is gone but his vision endures. His fights live on. He was a true friend of the oppressed and of Bangladesh. I salute you, my guide, my mentor, my inspiration, my friend Senator Sir Edward M. Kennedy.

Good bye, Saifur Rahman (1932-2009)

2009-09-05T14:12:00.005-04:00

Today, the people of Bangladesh and BNP lost one of the saner politicians in Bangladesh.

Former finance minister and one of the founding members of BNP, M. Saifur Rahman, died today in an accident.

As a student, he was active in the language movement, and 24 years after that was hand-picked by Zia when he was forming JaGo Dal and later, BNP.

To me personally, the most memorable thing about Mr. Rahman was his budget speeches. He proudly gave us the budget in his strongly Sylheti-accented Bangla a record 12 times as the longest serving finance minister to three governments.

Regardless of the allegations against him, Mr. Rahman was a patriot, and he steered the country's economy through some difficult reforms, including introduction of VAT and shutting down some money-losing government enterprises.

May he rest in peace.

Why, Madam Home Minister?

2009-09-02T21:10:00.005-04:00

You are not Ershad's home minister. You are not the head of some thuggish student movement. You are not the caretaker government that sent the Army to Dhaka University and faught with the students.

You are the home minister of a democratically elected government. You have personally faced the business end of a police baton, and know what it feels like.

Then why does the police force that takes orders from you behave like this?
The gentleman wearing the white pants is Anu Muhammad, a professor at Jahangir Nagar University. The unnamed person on top of him is trying to shield Prof. Muhammad with his own body.

By all reports, the police attacked a peaceful procession of the National Committee to Protect Oil, Gas, Mineral Resources, Power and Ports. No one threw a brick to provoke the police. But now 70 members are injured, and Prof. Muhammad has fractures in both legs.

The government has issued a very nuanced apology, calling the clash 'unexpected and sad' and promised legal action against the cops if they were to be found guilty of having overstepped their limits.

Madam home minister, the apology is a goodwill gesture and makes a nice change from the previous tactic of outright denial, but if you expect us to believe that the police acted without specific order from its chain of command including the home ministry, you have to try better next time because we are not buying it.

Every time something like this happens, regardless of the party in power, the apologists come out and label this as a conspiracy against the government. Sometimes they even see the fingerprint of foreign agents.

Lets not complicate things by looking at conspiracies. I mean, isn't it as simple as calling the officer in charge and asking him who gave him the order (or clearance) to physically assault the procession? Then find that superior officer, ask him the same question, and repeat until you find the guilty party. Then decide if it was a conspiracy or not.

You may or may not be personally involved, but you can not escape responsibility for police actions like this. For democracy's sake, please clean it up. Or Resign.

Idiots

2009-09-02T15:53:00.008-04:00

Update: New Nation has also reported this story as fact. That makes it 3 idiots, although, New Nation is no stranger to manufacturing news.

First, Manabzamin:

By the time I was done knee-slapping and howling, that other beacon of classy journalism, Amader Shomoy, reported:

Here is what happened. The Onion, a fake news website, published a FAKE story (just like all their other stories) that Neil Armstrong has been convinced that his moon landing was a fake.

I guess the sarcasm in these paragraphs did not get through:

Although Armstrong said he "could have sworn" he felt the effects of zero gravity while soaring out of the Earth's atmosphere and through space, he now believed his memory must be flawed.

or,

"Yes, at the time I thought those thousands of NASA employees were working round the clock for the same incredible goal, but if anyone would know what was really going on, it would be Ralph Coleman," Armstrong said of the 31-year-old part-time librarian's assistant. "He knows a lot more about faked moon landings than I ever could. He's been researching the subject on the Internet for years."

Manabzamin picked up that story and ran it. Amader Shomoy, not to be outdone, also published the same story, although 24 hours later. Amader Shomoy correctly identified The Onion as a satirical news site, but indicated that they were out of depth when they said that The Onion probably did this to spur debate on this topic. Then they proceeded to provide the full translation of the story, lifted verbatim from Manabzamin, without ever hinting that they think this story is false, or that they were stealing the translation from Manabzamin.

So one demerit for the idiots at Manabzamin, and two demerits for the idiots at Amader Shomoy: the first one for reporting this story and the next one for stealing from Manabzamin.

Thank you, Edward Moore Kennedy

2009-08-26T18:26:00.012-04:00

For all those whose cares have been our concern,
the work goes on, the cause endures,
the hope still lives, and the dream shall never die.

Like a childhood friend and mentor who has drifted apart but always held a special place in your heard, Senator Kennedy is being remembered in Bangladesh, and by the Bangladeshis in Massachusetts and rest of USA.

Kennedy's commitment to social justice is documented in every civil liberties legislation, every vote he cast, every immigrant he helped. But his stance in 1971, when he opposed the policy of his country and took the side of the people of Bangladesh still struggling for independence has a personal meaning to the people of Bangladesh and to this author.

Sen. Kennedy, after returning from India in August, told the senate:

A traveler today in eastern India cannot help but see, smell, and feel this misery. It is etched in the faces and lives of refugees in countless ways. It is the malnourished child hanging limply in its mother’s arms - one child out of a half million who, in a matter of hours or days, can easily die from the lack of protein and adequate medical care. It is a young girl, quivering in a refugee camp in Tripura, still in a shock after seeing her mother and father slaughtered by Pakistani troops. It is a 14-year-old boy in Jalpaiguri hospital, whose face is contorted from the pain and anguish that he has experienced since he saw his family shot before his eyes and since he received a bullet wound in his spine which has paralyzed him for life. And it is the expression of hundreds of thousands of refugees living in sewer pipes on the outskirts of Calcutta, while overworked relief officials struggle to provide some food and shelter and hope for a needy and hopeless people.
To drive the roads of West Bengal is to tour a huge refugee camp. For miles along the old Jessore road north of Calcutta toward the border of East Bengal, literally millions of people sit huddled together waithing for food, or line up in endless queues for refugee registration cards, or simply encamp on the roadside under hastily constructed lean-tos. And each day their number continues to grow.

He concluded:

Nothing is more clear, or more easily documented, than the systematic campaign of terror-and its genocidal consequences-launched by the Pakistani army on the night of March 25th. Field reports to the U.S government, countless eye-witness journalistic accounts, reports from international agencies such as the World Bank, and additional information available to the Subcommitte document the continuing reign of terror which grips East Bengal. Hardest hit have been members of the Hindu community who have been robbed of their lands and shops, systematically slaughtered, and, in some places, painted with yellow patches marked “H”. All of this has been officially sanctioned, ordered and implemented under martial law from Islamabad. America’s heavy support of Islamabad is nothing short of complicity in the human and political tragedy of East Bengal.

While Nixon and Kissinger were supporting Pakistan, giving them arms and sending the 7th fleet to the Bay of Bengal to give moral support, Sen. Kennedy, along with Senetors Church and Fullbright, was vocally advocating against Pakistan and for Bangladesh.

He called the world's attention to the genocide and forced the US government to send more aid to the refugee camps in India.

On February 14, less than 2 moths after Bangladesh's independence, Sen. Kennedy arrived in Dhaka. The Washington Post reported:

DACCA, Feb. 14 -- Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.) was mobbed by happy students at Dacca University today as he began a 30-hour visit to Bangladesh.

Finance minister M. A. Muhith described those days in 1971 when they would get unquestioned support from Kennedy, and called this a "loss of a friend to Bangladesh."

More recently, he was one of the signatories of a letter to the military-led caretaker government asking for speedy restoration to democracy in Bangladesh.

Ted, you were a friend of Bangladesh. This did not get you any votes, no one could have blamed you if you did not walk in the mud of the refugee camps in the sweltering heat of August. But you did it because it was the right thing to do. And you helped us because that was also the right thing to do.

Thank you.

Eunice, Jack and Bobby are waiting--I know it will be a great touch football game.

Khaleda Zia's actual birthday

2009-08-25T14:04:00.005-04:00

Looks like we struck a nerve with a post on Khaleda Zia celebrating her birthday on 15 August. A comment suggested Khaleda Zia was actually born on August 15, and that we mind our own business:

And if the blogger expects people not to be born on August 15th, then the best advice for him is to talk to the Almighty for not allowing births on that date.

Celebrating & mourning, both are personal issues. Let Hasina/Rehana mourn their father’s death; and let Khaleda celebrate her birthday. Meanwhile, you can oil your machine, if any!

My friend, therein lies the problem. Since you write English fairly well, I am assuming that you can read it well too. What did you think we were saying by this?

Shifting your birthday to the death-anniversary of the father of your political opponent was down-right mean spirited.

Here is what Gulf Times reported:

Khaleda Zia’s educational certificate shows her birth date is September 5. Her marriage certificate shows she was born in late August. She changed the birthday to August 15 in the 1990s,” health minister A.F.M Ruhul Haque said.
“She did it deliberately to celebrate the killings of August 15,” Haque said.

AFP dug a bit deeper, and sent this report to everywhere:

AGENCE FRANCE PRESSE
DHAKA, Aug 19: The birth date of Opposition leader Khaleda Zia has become a major controversy in Bangladesh, with the education board on Tuesday saying she was born on September 5 and not August 15 as she has claimed.

As the AFP report shows, at least one government body has verified that according to the registration she was born on Sept 5.

Rezwan has posted the images of the relevant documents, and we are posting one here for your perusal. You can see the rest on The 3rd world view.

The typical defense against this is that in Bangladesh people use a fake date of birth any way. True. That is why we have a bunch of people with a DOB of January 1. People typically shift the year of birth by 1 year as well, but no one increases the age by 21 days.

So no, we don't have a problem with people celebrating their birthday on August 15. We would not even care if some low-level BNP cadre did this. But we really expected better from a leader of the nation.

15 August and Khaleda Zia's birthday

2009-08-15T23:39:00.005-04:00

Dear Mrs. Zia:
We hailed your kind gesture when you paid your respects to Dr. Wazed Miah by visiting Sheikh Hasina's residence.

Even though you enabled and encouraged the criminal acts of your sons, we could live with that. There are charges of corruption against yourself, and given what the other politicians do, we are not singling you out for that.

But what kind of petty, vengeful and moronic thought-process led you to agree to start observing your birthday on August 15--the day that Bongobondhu was murdered?

We know leaders of your stature are surrounded by idiots; that is not unique to your party. But you are a leader. By definition, you should lead, not blindly follow any and all advice given to you by those who are supposed to follow you.

Shifting your birthday to the death-anniversary of the father of your political opponent was down-right mean spirited. When the dead person in question is the father of the nation, your transgression crossed the line of civility and entered the territory of questioning the history of the nation.

We know; we know; the declarer of independence is still not resolved.

So you continue to insult Bongobondhu's memory by observing your birthday on August 15? Do you realize that in effect, you are lying to the whole nation?

Rise above this pettiness. If you are incapable of admitting your mistake, at least stop doing this. People will forget, and they might forgive, too.

One day, we all will be dead. Don't let the next generation read about your idiocy in the history books when your time comes.

Dr. Yunus, international recognition and the anti-Yunus sentiment

2009-08-13T20:39:00.006-04:00

Dr. Yunus just received the Medal of Freedom form President Obama. Daily Star and some other Bangladeshi news outlets are reporting the news, but the reception is decidedly muted in Bangladesh.

This could be resulting from the fact that Dr. Yunus was invited to head up the caretaker government after 1/11. He also gave a few statements that almost made him out to be a supporter of the minus-2 formula.

In 2007, Sheikh Hasina labeled him a "usurer" (সুদখোর):

Without naming Nobel laureate Professor Mohammed Yunus, the AL president said she saw ‘no difference between usurers and those who accept bribes’ and added, ‘it is amusing that those who despise politicians are now trying to be politicians themselves.’
‘Why are you so interested in politics after criticising politicians indiscriminately?’ she asked.
‘Those who lend money at a high rate of interest can never fight against poverty; rather, they nurture poverty,’ she told an audience of cultural activists at her Dhanmandi office in the morning.

This post is about the effort to belittle Dr. Yunus' achievements and pump up Sheikh Hasina. It is also about what the government should do about the high interest rates and alleged wrong-doings by Grameen Bank.

First, it started with Akhtaruzzaman Babu, a convicted murderer and loan defaulter who also is an AL MP asking for a resolution that Sheikh Hasina should be awarded the Nobel Prize.

The next high-profile declaration came from the attorney general, who is, at least in theory, a neutral person. Without mentioning Dr. Yunus by name, he said that if anyone deserved the Nobel Peace prize, they were Sheikh Hasina and Sontu Larma for signing the Chittagong Hill Tracts treaty. The clear implication is that Dr. Yunus did not deserve the prize.

Reminds us of the time Anwar Zahid said he will sweep the streets if Ershad asked him to do so, and a string of JP leaders including Shah Moazzem calling Rowshon Ershad his mother.

Sheikh Hasina would do well to tell these idiots to keep the rhetoric down a bit.

But is Grameen Bank creating a land of milk and honey?

We are aware of the suicides (allegedly) resulting from the Grameen Bank loans. At the very least, according to Sheikh Hasina herself, "they nurture poverty."

If that is true, can not the prime minister, the attorney general and the parliament do something to stop this usury that is keeping people in poverty?

First, why are they not capping the interest rate? It would not even require passing a law: a single ruling from the Bangladesh Bank should be enough.

Next: if borrowers are committing suicide, why don't we have laws against these coercive lending and collection practices? Shouldn't MPs call for laws to protect poor women, instead of resolutions for Nobel prizes for the PM that makes them look like idiots?

In short, why aren't Dr. Yunus' detractors proving their point or shutting up?

What about the journalists, thinktanks and various university professors? Whether Grameen Bank is really reducing poverty or not could be a fantastic investigative report, or the topic of a dissertation.

Right now we have claims from Grameen that it is indeed reducing poverty, and Dr. Yunus' international award and recognition supports that claim.

If indeed that is a fraud on a global scale, lets have at him. Lets figure out if microcredit really works or not.

If the ruling party's lawmakers and the attorney general are going to sling mud and accusation at him without any proof, we will be inclined to believe that the reason no proof is being produced is because there is no such proof.

Until that proof is presented, please stop the innuendo and hinting that Dr. Yunus is conning the whole world.

Not only is he innocent until proven guilty, he has done more to improve the image of Bangladesh in the world than all the politicians combined in the last 30 years.

Celebrate his being honored. Be proud as a compatriot.

Madam PM: Scratch the underground railway plan

2009-07-28T19:02:00.003-04:00

Each mile of underground railway costs about US$10 million, and on-ground costs $1 million. Elevated train lines cost somewhere between $2-3 million per mile. (these are rule-of-thumb numbers, actual numbers may be a little more or a little less)

The advantage of subways is that above ground rail-lines need land, which subways don't--the ownership of the land above does not extend underground more than 10 or 20 feet. But given the horrible drainage situation in Dhaka as shown up by one night of rainfall, an underground rail-line will turn into an underground canal very quickly.

Hey--that's an idea: may be the underground tunnels could be used for drainage? Only problem is the pesky 600 volt electricity running down the 3rd rail, but after the power-grid is blown it should be fine.

So, dear Madam Prime Minister: scratch the plan, and build above ground mass transit: elevated trains or monorails, first.

Congratulations to Bangladesh, and to Shakib Al Hasan

2009-07-28T18:33:00.006-04:00

Bangladesh beats West Indies by 3 wickets and wins the ODI series. This was Bangladesh's 200th ODI, the first series win against a test-playing team, and of course, this is a new record for run-chase for the team (previous best chase and win: 250/5 against Australia in 2005)

Of course, another major find has been Shakib Al Hasan, the accidental captain after Mashrafi was injured. He handled the responsibility in style, showing how a captain should lead, and how a captain should win. No wonder he is the #1 all rounder in the world in ODIs, and #5 in test ranking (this is sure to improve when the new rankings come out in August)

Now the question is, what is he going to do with all the Blackberry smartphones he is winning?

বাদল দিনের প্রথম কদম ফুল

2009-07-28T15:33:00.006-04:00

At least she seems to be smiling. The inconvenience of walking through knee-deep dirty water did not vanish, but I think the flowers made her day. (photo courtesy of BDNews24.com)

Everyone could not have been in such a mood though. Notice the open manhole cover in the photo. The (lack of) height of the water makes it visible, but someone could easily fall into it in the dark. Not to mention what is coming out of it instead of going into it with the rainwater.

The newspapers are full of photos of the city caught in the grip of water. The Daily Star is reporting hundreds of cars completely submerged in underground garages (another casualty of poor planning).

Daily Star is reporting the some Uttora residents enjoyed fresh fish from the lake for free courtesy of the rain:

But on the brighter side, lakeside residents in Uttara had the joy of catching fish with their bare hands. It was possible because the water of the lake bloated up inundating the adjacent roads and fish started gliding through the streets alongside motorcars and rickshaws.

"I caught two shol (snakehead) fish from the street after the water receded enough by 10:00am," said Helal, driver by profession.

A gatekeeper caught dozens of telapia fish. "I will put these in my landlord's refrigerator and eat one daily," smiled Delwar, the gatekeeper.

There was a festive mood on the streets of sectors 3, 5 and 10 of Uttara as kids were seen running here and there to catch fish.

Some fish even became lunch for jolly apartment owners. "I had a nice lunch with a fresh shol fish bhuna," said Rokeya Begum smilingly.

For the people with ruined furniture or cars this is small consolation. People are also dying from electrocution and snake-bites.

PM Sheikh Hasina called to carpet some DCC and WASA big-wigs and dressed them down. Result? After the water recedes, other priorities will take over, until this happens again.

Back to our happy girl at the top. Or am I mistaken, and is that a mark of irritation on her face? If so, who can blame her?

Dr. Abdul Momen: ambassador and permanent representative to the UN

2009-07-27T12:06:00.010-04:00

Update 1: Tuesday (Jul 28)'s Boston Globe published a story on the appointment, with reaction from some other Bangladeshi professors from the area.

Earlier today, the foreign ministry in Bangladesh announced the appointment of Dr. Abdul Momen as the new permanent representative and ambassador to the United Nations. (relatedly, this also lies to rest the speculation that Gen (rtd.) Moeen U. Ahmed was slated for this post)

We have occasionally published writings by Dr. Momen in this blog.

Dr. Momen is currently the chairman of the Business Administration and Economics Department at the Framingham State College, Massachusetts. Before that, he has a long history of teaching at Merrimack College, the Salem State College, the Northeastern University, the University of Massachusetts, Cambridge College and the Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University and MIT. He also worked at the World Bank during 1981-83.

But it is Dr. Momen's humanitarian work that sets him apart. While working as a US economic adviser to the Saudi Ministry of Finance, Dr. Momen saw a group of people lying on the roadside in the scorching Saudi sun. (read Dr. Momen's article on Drishtipat)

He stopped to talk to them, and discovered a new type of indentured servitude where workers from Bangladesh were brought to Saudi Arabia with promises of a job and good salary and then dumped in virtual slavery. After talking to the laborers who were starving, he took the story to Arab News, Al Jazira and other media, and all the way up to the Saudi Labor minister. This resulted in food and lodging for the laborers and arrest of the people involved. In a conversation yesterday, Dr. Momen stated that the people involved "made money faster than drug smugglers." Naturally, the people making millions by ruining the lives of the Bangladeshi laborers did not like this, and Dr. Momen's life was threatened.

Undeterred, he started a movement to end trafficking of women and children into slave like servitude and due to his persistence plus media and others; abuse of young boys as ‘camel jockey’ in the Gulf countries reduced and he repatriated and rehabilitated a few victims. His issue received bipartisan support under the stewardship of U. S. Senator Edward Kennedy and John Kerry plus Congressmen Joe Kennedy II and Barney Frank. Nearly 154 U. S. lawmakers sent letters to the Gulf governments to end abuse of young boys and Massachusetts lawmakers repeatedly sent letters to the heads of the SAARC government to take corrective actions. He launched a campaign to have a SAARC Resolution and a SAARC Fund for the victims and to create public awareness on trafficking. The Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina raised the resolution at the 10th SAARC Heads of Government Summit in Male and it was approved unanimously.

United Arab Emirates, the worst offender for camel jockey abuse, refused to contribute to the SAARC fund. When the government of UAE was poised to donate $2 million to Harvard University to endow a chair, Dr. Momen launched a campaign against Harvard's acceptance of that fund, and as a result Harvard refused to accept the grant.

Dr. Momen testified before the U.S. Congress and the US Department of Labor in 1993, 1994, 1995, and 1996 to end Asian Slave trade, to end Sexual Exploitation, to stop Sexual Mutilation of young girls, and also against Child Labor. Important newspapers like the Boston Globe, the Boston Herald, the Eagle Tribune, the New York Times, LA Times, the Christian Science, and weeklies like the Time Magazine, the Newsweek, the Economist, the Lawyers, at al exposed the issue of trafficking and camel jockeys worldwide. In addition, ABC, NBC, CBS, CNN, BBC, and major media covered it. Owing to pressure, President Bill Clinton signed two bills into laws that made it a criminal offense to have sexual abuse of minor children or genital mutilation of girls by Americans both home and abroad, and in addition, the U. S. government created an Office of Assistant Secretary of State for Trafficking to report and monitor trafficking of women and children country-wise. Because of his humanitarian and social works, he received many awards namely, the “Home Town Hero” by the Eagle Tribune, the “Humanitarian Award’ by the North America Bangladesh Medical Association and ‘Friend of the Poor’ by the Probani, Inc of New York, the ‘Mukto-Gaaner Paki’ by the Marupalash, Saudi Arabia.

Recently, Dr. Momen was instrumental in getting 15 US senators to send a letter to the then caretaker government asking for a speedy return to democracy.

Myanmar and India are encroaching into the territorial waters of Bangladesh and that will end up in the UN soon. Tipaimukh could go to the UN as well. We are very glad that the interests of Bangladesh at the United Nations will be in the capable hands of Dr. Momen. We hope and expect that his faith, humanity and intellect, and lets face it, personal relationship with US politicians, will serve Bangladesh well.

We wish Dr. Momen every success.

Gen. Moeen's last act: Disciplinary action against some army officers

2009-06-27T21:51:00.007-04:00

Amader Shomoy reported this two days ago, but it was strangely absent from any other newspaper in Bangladesh. As a result, we were waiting for some confirmation before reporting it.

If you heard the audio of the Shenakunjo meeting, you know that some officers behave like rowdy school children. We have also heard eye-witness reports of young officers manhandling Gen. Moeen, ripping out his insignia and epulates (not just their own, as reported above). But the absolute last straw was the recordings made during the meeting, which were then uploaded to various Internet sites, including YouTube.

We now have confirmation that Gen. Moeen, on his last day of work, signed the order that expelled some of the officers involved from the Army. President Zillur Rahman, the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces, approved the dismissals the next day. While the exact number is unknown, one source puts the number of officers at under 15, with ranks ranging from captain to at least one full colonel.

This is pretty significant. But what does this mean for Bangladesh?

On a short-term, Gen. Mubin inherited an Army free of known troublemakers, and the government showed some backbone here. But this was not done automatically. Throwing out an Army officer out of the Army requires due process, better known as a Court Martial. If court martials did take place, why is the government afraid to show to the nation and the world that the civilian elected government governs the Army and not the opposite? Why does this have to be done stelthily?

Lastly, what are the newspapers still afraid of? Come on, boys, grow some backbone, and report this properly.

Diarrhea of the mouth: Sajeda Chowdhury

2009-06-27T14:46:00.005-04:00

If you squeeze a baloon from one side, the air inside pushes out another area. Looks like Awami League has a similar issue: when one person shuts up, the diarrhea of the mouth just moves to another person. Now that we don't hear Farook Khan making unsubstantiated claims any more, it is Sajeda Chowdhury's turn for the foot-in-the-mouth award.

"তার খাবারের মধ্যে বিষ মিস্রিত হতো"--Poison was being added to her (Sheikh Hasina's) food. A very, very serious allegation from Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury, an AL presidium member and deputy leader of the ruling party in the parliament. This is the topic our our new section, ShadaKalo commentary.

The major dailies are reporting that Mrs. Chowdhury has already claimed that she had not said Hasina's food was poisoned--rather, she is now claiming, she said Sheikh Hasina suffered food poisoning. Daily Star:

"Poison was mixed in her [Hasina's] food. Girls there [prison] would tell her, 'Do not eat this food'," Sajeda said while addressing a discussion to mark the 84th birth anniversary of the slain national leader AHM Kamruzzaman.

However, no one in the government has ever made such a claim let alone Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina herself.

Sajeda's comments have drawn sharp criticism from different corners.

But, when reporters contacted Sajeda, a senior member of the AL Presidium, at her Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban office, she denied having made those comments. She said, "I did not say she [Hasina] was provided with poison-mixed food. What I said is she suffered from food poisoning after having food supplied to the sub-jail."

But the footage of a report of private TV channel ATN Bangla shows her saying Hasina became ill after having the "poison-mixed food" served to her. She also alleged that the AL chief was tortured in prison.

"After I heard the news, I requested her not to take any food there," Sajeda said. "Since no food from outside was allowed in prison, she had to eat flattened rice, puffed rice and banana.

"Because of the quantity of poison mixed in her food, her eyes…one of her ears had already been damaged…and her face got swollen," Sajeda said, adding that Hasina's face still gets swollen sometimes.

So her saying that the female guards at the sub-jail warned Sheikh Hasina, and that she ate 'chira, muri and kola' was also a mistake? And if this was true, then why isn't the government locating and trying the responsible parties?

Mrs. Chowdhury: since you are in a policy-making position, please understand that it is one thing for some junior ward member to make such a claim, and an entirely different story when you say such things. By saying things like this and then retracting, you make a fool of yourself and your party.

Act now to stop these cockroaches campaigning against Dr. Zafor Iqbal

2009-06-23T18:37:00.007-04:00

There is a coordinated misinformation campaign going on against Dr. Zafor Iqbal on FaceBook (thanks to Sajib Paul for informing us).

Dr. Zafor Iqbal is well-known in Bangladesh and abroad for his stance against the war criminals, and his work with the math olympiad.

With the innocent-sounding name, "United 1000 members to save our future generation" starts by claiming that Dr. Iqbal's grandfather was a rajakar. Since Dr. Iqbal had no control over his grandfather, we fail to understand what that has to do with saving the future generation.

After meandering through Dr. Iqbal's Physics background and his current job as a professor of Computer Science (another non-sequiter), the mission statement goes to the crux of the complaint: they claim that Dr. Iqbal is an atheist, and he is subtly inserting his atheism in his books to corrupt the young minds.

I am not aware of Dr. Iqbal's religious beliefs. But the agenda is clear--they express their disgust that Dr. Iqbal was at the forefront of naming one hall after Jahanara Imam.The group was started by Habib Imtiaz and Raihan Rahi, two people who do not have a single friend on FB.

These jamaat/shibir snakes can not stand Dr. Iqbal, because he has exposed them again and again, and he fearlessly campaigned against them. Even threatening his life did not shut him up, so they are running a campaign on FaceBook.

And this is not the only group. There are others with the same illogical, outright lies.

Zafar Iqbal is working against ISLAM
Zafar Iqbal : Mr corruption in SUST
Zafar Iqbal is working against our culture & value
Zafar Iqbal is working to destroy the future generation of BANGLADESH

As usual, these groups are formed by people without a single friend. i.e. these are fake profiles.

Act now. Inform Facebook and ask them to shut down these groups.

Do the following in sequence:
Reprt Abuse: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=48884725490&ref=share#

Go all the way to the bottom, and find the link (on the left side) that stays "Report Group"

From the drop-down list for Reason, select "Attacks individual or group"
Then for additional comments, explain why you want this group shut down. If you wish, you can use the text below, or use your own text.

Dr. Zafor Iqbal is a highly respected professor of Physics and Computer Science in Bangladesh. He is also a renowned author of fiction and non-fiction.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muhammed_Zafar_Iqbal)
There is a concerted campaign on FaceBook by Islamic fundamentalists because he opposed their agenda. The group page is written in Bengali to avoid FB review. Please ban this group so this slanderous attack on Dr. Iqbal stops.

There are a few other groups started by the same people (hiding behind fake user names--note that they have no friends) and I will be sending in additional complaints about those as well.

Thank you.

Now do the same for the other groups

Zafar Iqbal is working against ISLAM
Zafar Iqbal : Mr corruption in SUST
Zafar Iqbal is working against our culture & value
Zafar Iqbal is working to destroy the future generation of BANGLADESH

Madam Prime Minister, what are your advisers smoking?

2009-06-23T14:44:00.005-04:00

Madam Prime Minister:
Greetings, and congratulations on your handling of the BDR mutiny and subsequent near-revolt in the Army.

I must say, I disagreed with your decision to evict Khaleda Zia out of the house at the cantonment. Lets face it--even though some functionary signed the letter, it did not happen without your approval. Yes, it is within the law, but by doing this you gave BNP an issue.

But if the reincarnated "Father of the Nation's Family Members' Security Act, 2009" law really awards you and your sister two houses, that would be a ~~big~~ HUGE mistake.

I am not arguing the need for security for you and Sheikh Rehana. By all means, provide SSF or other security for to Sheikh Hasina and Sheikh Rehana as long as they live. But why bring in the houses to the equation?

Let me tell you why you, and anyone with an ounce of political wisdom, should hate the idea.

Why is this any different than the house awarded to Khaleda Zia? Ignore for a moment that she was not supposed to conduct politics from there, because in the eyes of the people, it matters not a whit. It just looks like the fat-cats taking care of their own.
You have been in politics for a long time, and served the people of Bangladesh. Even you do not deserve a house given by the government. What has Sheikh Rehana done for the country? I am sorry, but being the daughter of the father of the nation does not qualify her for a house, just like it does not qualify you.
Why are you giving a golden gift to BNP and the opposition to use against you and your party?
After your government's action against Khaleda Zia's house, do you really believe when BNP comes to power they will not repeal this act, just like they did the last time?

You are the sitting prime minister, and as such, your own house (Sudha sadan) can and should be secured at state expense. The security measures may remain in that house for your lifetime, as part of the other security measures. But do not award yourself and your sister the houses.

Whoever is advising you to award the houses to you and your sister either wishes you harm, or is so blinded to political reality that they are putting the legacy of you and your father in jeopardy.

Get away from these boot-lickers, and take a look around you: 6+ hour of power outage in the capital every day, dirty brown water out of the taps, escalating crime everywhere. Oops--I forgot: you don't see that in your prime minister's residence.

Madam Prime Minister: don't stomp on the people's faces. They elected you because you promised a better future and justice for all. If you are taking part in the land-grab (through a law passed by your parliament), you are no better than the opposition leader who your administration claims stole a house.

Show us you are above this pettiness. And fire the idiots who are doing this.

Restructuring Intelligence Agencies

2009-06-17T23:01:00.003-04:00

All the major dailies in Bangladesh are reporting that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina told the parliament that the intelligence agencies failed to give advance warning to the government before the Pilkhana massacare. From Daily Star:

On the agencies' failure to warn the government about the BDR mutiny on February 25-26, Hasina said it is true various intelligence agencies could not come up with advance information.

Reviewing the functions and jurisdictions of National Security Intelligence (NSI), Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI), Military Intelligence (IMI) and Special Branch (SB) of Police it was determined that the internal matter of BDR was not under their jurisdiction, Hasina said.

"These agencies do not have necessary manpower to do such a task," said Hasina adding that only a four-member small team of DGFI get involved in BDR at its sector level to collect information on trans-boarder issues.

The national probe committee on BDR mutiny also pointed finger to the "failure of the main intelligence agencies, their inefficiency and organisational failure, collusion of the Rifles Security Unit (RSU) with the mutineers…" as some of the subsidiary causes played direct/indirect role behind the mutiny.

The committee in its report submitted to the government gave some long-term recommendations including "Redistribution of responsibility and duty of all intelligence agencies and formation of a permanent Central Intelligence Coordination Committee (CICC) at highest level".

The committee also recommended "Formation of counter intelligence forces for all intelligence agencies including the Rifles Security Unit (RSU)".

We discussed the futility of the counter intelligence unit--if the RSU can be co-opted, why would the counter intelligence unit be immune?

But there is an even more urgent reason to restructure the other intelligence agencies, and not just the RSU. We have been reading with alarm about the involvement of two former director generals of DGFI and NSI with the 10-truck arms smuggling case, and how the DG and some directors became the puppets of ISI and the military attache at the Pakistan highcommission.

First, let the parliament clarify the charter of DGFI. Is it allowed to conduct domestic spying and manipulation of politics and politicians? Then what is the point of having an elected government? It is time to curb the unchecked meddling of DGFI into politics, TV, newspapers and all other spheres of civilain life.

Next, stop the practice of appointing an army officer as the head of NSI. Having two army officers running the two most important intelligence agencies in the country sets up the possibility that if one is up to no good, he may get cooperation from a brother officer running the other agency. Having a police officer or civilian run NSI does not totally eliminate the possibility, but it reduces that significantly.

So lets see these restructuting, and lets establish once and for all that the elected government runs the country, not some men in the shadows.

Former DGFI No. 2 seeking asylum in the USA

2009-06-09T07:32:00.008-04:00

Update 1: The Daily Star is reporting that Brig. Bari is denying applying for asylum.

"I did not apply for any political asylum as it needs huge money and it is also difficult," Bari said in reply to a question.

Former deputy director general of DGFI and more recently the defense attache at the Bangladesh Embassy in Washington DC, Brig Gen Chowdhury Fazlul Bari, has been in the news lately for his refusal to return to Bangladesh.

Brig. Bari was involved in the arrest and torture of a number of politicians, academics and journalists during the last interim government. With the recent arrest of two retired major generals, it is clear that the indemnity Army officers enjoyed in Bangladesh is cracking, and it is time to pay the piper.

Brig. Bari has served in the Washington embassy for just under a year, and he was recalled to Bangladesh in April. But he used various excuses to delay the return until now, although he left his job in May. It is important to note that he has not been charged with any crime.

BDNews24 is reporting that he has asked for political asylum in the United States. A straight reading of the law puts Brig. Bari's chances of success at slim to zero, because he has to prove that his life will be in danger, or that he may be tortured, if he is forced to return to Bangladesh. This will be one of the ultimate ironies of Bangladesh politics if he cites examples of torture based on his own intimate knowledge of the subject.

This is probably the biggest obstacle he faces:

An asylum seeker will be barred from a grant of asylum pursuant to INA § 208(b)(2) if it is determined that he or she:

Ordered, incited, assisted, or otherwise participated in the persecution of any person on account of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion;

But the immigration judge who will rule on this application has no incentive to seek out information. It is the job of the attorney working for US Immigration to show why the asylum should not be granted. It is unlikely he or she will have access to list of Mr. Bari's misdeeds unless the government of Bangladesh informs US Immigration. The Bangladesh Foreign Ministry should immediately send a letter, via the US State Department, to the US Department of Homeland Security, under which US Immigration operates, enumerating why Mr. Bari should not be granted asylum, and why he should be handed over to Bangladesh.

And Brig. Bari: You tortured Tasneem Khalil and untold others. You threatened Prof. Anwar Hossain that even light could not escape the hole you threw him into. Surely your buddies in the Army will treat you better.

Go back and face the music. Show the country you can be a man without the uniform protecting you.

BDR Report II - The Uniform Did It

2009-05-22T09:06:00.006-04:00

The investigations committee led by former secretary Anisuzzaman Khan submitted its findings to home minister Sahara Khatun yesterday. The report contains nothing surprising:

- Primary cause was decades long resentment
- Operation Dal-bhat was the last straw
- No foreign, political or terrorist links
- Repeat of the 1973 and 1991 mutinies, but the killing spree escalated

This post is not a rehash of the report, but a criticism of some of the recommendations from the Army report and the Civilian report.

Bangladesh Airforce has mutinied at least once. Bangladesh Army has mutinied a number of times, one of which caused significant number of civilian deaths. Yes, we are talking about Sheikh Mujib's murder. People as far away as Mohammadpur died when stray shells fell on houses on 15th August, 1975. When Zia was murdered, he was a civilian, the elected president of the country.

Bangladesh Army's name or uniform wasn't changed because of these mutinies. Only the responsible battalion or division was disbanded in a few occasions, but not all of them.

Having said that, we agree with changing BDR's name. What does "Bangladesh Rifles" mean, any way? A new name that explains its mission of protecting the border would be an acceptable change.

But why the recommendation to change the uniform?

Surely the uniform is not being blamed for the carnage?

BDR is a 67,000 person force. A very conservative estimate for each uniform, excluding boots, is Tk. 2000. Since the uniforms have to be washed, each soldier needs a minimum of two sets. So the expense per person becomes Tk. 4000. 67000 x 4000 = Taka 26,80,00,000 -- almost US$4 million.

Can someone explain why the country needs this expense? Is this another way to give some retired general a fat contract?

Another nonsensical decision: a counter-intelligence agency to prevent future mutinies like this.

Ahem. If the Rifle Security Unit was co-opted by the mutineers, why would the counter-intelligence unit be immune? In other words, will we see a counter-counter-intelligence unit in 2 years, and a counter-counter-counter-intelligence in 5?

This is treating the symptoms instead of treating the disease.

And while we are at it, how about making both reports public? Since the Army is leaking like a sieve these days (Hasina meeting audio, photo from Darbar Hall, video surveillance footage), let it all out, and let the people judge instead of spewing conspiracy theories.

BDR Massacre: is the veil lifting?

2009-05-13T19:43:00.006-04:00

The investigation conducted by the Army is over, and a 311-page report has been submitted to General Moeen U. Ahmed. The civilian report is due any day now, probably tomorrow.

The Army report has one major revelation. The leaflets that were distributed were actually in circulation from February 23, and the BDR command staff were aware of the brewing unrest. But they did not want to cancel the Prime Minister's visit, so additional guard was assigned to protect the arsenal. So without naming names, the report lays some responsibility on the Army officers.

It identifies 7 root causes for the mutiny:

Operation dal-bhat (share of income, perceived insult of working as storekeepers)
Disparity in benefits and facilities between Army officers and BDRs
Disbursement of income from various BDR stores
Not getting paid for the overtime duty during the parliamentary election
Control of contracts inside the BDR HQ
Disbursement of funds derived from admission to BDR schools and colleges
Shutting down avenues of illegal income for the BDR soldiers.

It names retired BDR non-commissioned officer Torab Ali, who is a local Awami League leader in the Hajaribagh area and his son, a local mastan named "Leather" Litton, as being directly involved in the planning. The report states that other political leaders were aware of the mutiny plan, but claims the inquiry commission did not know if they notified the BDR command staff about this (presumably becasue the senior BDR officers who may have known about this are all dead).

Daily Star reports:

Sources said the committee however did not draw any conclusion about whether any one or any quarter patronised or masterminded the mutiny from outside the Pilkhana headquarters. However, it has mentioned of some outside links of the BDR mutineers.

It did not find any link with terrorists, Fundamentalists or otherwise. [ We hope that commerce minister Col. (rtd.) Faruk Khan will now shut up.]

The report names one MP from Awami League, who heavily campaigned in the Hajaribagh area before the parliamentary election, with the assurance that the grievances of the BDR will be addressed. According to the report, a group of BDR soldiers and NCOs were scheduled to meet with the Home Minister on February 20th to discuss the grievances, but the meeting could not take place because of a grenade explosion in Gazipur, which kept the home minister busy that day.

Interestingly, the report further speculates that the politicians may have acted out of revenge. We are surprised by the speculative nature of this, and feel that it should have stayed limited to the hard facts, which seem abundant.

While the report does not address the specific allegations of corruption against the officers and their families, there are some interesting tidbits sprinkled in the section addressing the root cause. It states that BDR soldiers were upset that they were asked to sign receipts for payment (for duty during the parliamentary election and operation dal-bhat) but did not receive the funds. As a result, they suspected that the officers were taking their payments. While the report makes clear that there was no additional payment allocated for operation dal-bhat, and the payment for the election duty was making its way through the home ministry, it does not explain why the soldiers are asked to sign the receipts, or by whom.

The report states that another reason the BDR soldiers were upset was because of the incorrect notion that the DG, his wife and Colonel Mujibul Haque were earning a steady income by arranging admission to various BDR schools and colleges.

Because of the lack of transparency in the running of the BDR stores, the soldiers also developed various imagined scenarios of rampant corruption.

But it does not label as incorrect or imaginary the notion that the soldiers were also upset about the meddling in BDR administration regarding promotions and transfers by the relatives of some officers.

The report adds that removing civilians from the vicinity and the fact that the lights were not on, allowed many mutineers to escape.

It criticizes the fact that RAB could have made a difference early on the morning of February 25, but did not launch an attack. It laments the lack of actionable intelligence, and the fact that the airborne commando unit was located in Sylhet, and thus not available for an assault. Other army units also took time to deploy, thus rendering an early frontal assault impossible, which was subsequently nixed by the political leadership. It also concludes that the BDR mutineers were instigating an attack by the Army to cause maximum loss of life among the civilians and Army personnel who would have mounted the assault.

Lastly, the report criticizes the lack of experience by the home minister and others involved in the negotiation process.

In conclusion, the report recommends that BDR should be reconstituted under the Army Act, and modeled after the Army. It further recommends that all allegations of corruption should be investigated separately, and that the BDR should not be engaged in any duty outside of its primary mission, which is border protection.

So what will be the outcome?
We suspect one reason the report is being leaked to the news media is so that the civilian investigation report can not be suppressed. No matter how ugly the truth is, the nation deserves a clear answer. We hope the prime minister will uphold her promise and let the law take its due course. Publishing the full report would be the first step towards that transparency.

A death, and a (momentary) return to civility

2009-05-09T21:24:00.007-04:00

Dr. Wazed Miah, husband of the prime minister of Bangladesh, passed away earlier today. Our condolences to Sheikh Hasina, and their son and daughter.

But in his death, Dr. Miah contributed to one of the rarest things in Bangladeshi politics: a civil gesture between two political foes: Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina.

Khaleda Zia is under siege by the present government: it is trying to have her evicted from a house, proceeding with various corruption cases against her and her sons, and in general making her life difficult.

But for at least half an hour. the politics was postponed. Khaleda Zia and her entourage visited Sheikh Hasina's residence, and expressed their condolences in person. Witnesses reported that Khaleda Zia hugged Sheikh Hasina, who was crying at that time.

This is a very nice gesture on the part of Khaleda Zia. Politics has become personal in Bangladesh, and the result is a lot of mud-slinging from both sides. Perhaps tomorrow it will be business as usual. But for a brief period of time, we caught a glimpse of what is possible.

We congratulate and thank Khaleda Zia for rising above politics.

Respectable is as Respectable does

2009-04-29T21:39:00.006-04:00

"Was born in a respectable Muslim family" is a common phrase when Bangladesh's homra-chomras are described.

A famous quote from Forest Gump was, "Stupid is as stupid does." So what makes a person respectable? Is respect earned, or is it inherited?

Searching for this in Google, with Bangladesh thrown in, yields 162 results, including the official biography of the president of Bangladesh. Should we care if a person was born in a Muslim family or not? Or are these people so insecure about their religious identity and current standing in life that they need to declare the religion of their parents and the parents' social standing?

And what exactly is "respectable"? A farmer's family is not "respectable"? How about a fisherman's family then?

We need to stop this stupid practice of inserting religion where it does not belong, and inferring the quality of a human being based on his or her family background.

Since the Khatib of Baitul Mokarram needs to be Muslim, I see no reason to add his parents' religion in his bio. So here's some free advice for the people who write the biography of the president, and the other people found by Google: if your subject is so famous that he or she deserves an official biography on the web, then he or she is successful enough. No one really cares what the family lineage is.

I have been meaning to write about this topic since watching, in 2007, a Banglalink advertisement containing a brief bio of Mr. Abul Kalam Azad, chairman of Azad Products in Bangladesh.

Mr. Azad used to sell coconuts, transporting them on a boat from one village to another. His business in Dhaka started with selling posters on a footpath in front of Dhaka Stadium, and slowly, slowly grew that business into a major corporation in Bangladesh. What was exceptional that he does not try to hide it, unlike many other "respectables". In that advertisement, for almost 90 seconds, we saw the reenactment of a young man struggling to make a living, then it cut to the face of a multi-millionaire standing in a fancy office, and the narrator told us that he was the street vendor we just saw. Mr. Azad did not hide his humble beginnings. That makes Mr. Azad "respectable."

Today's post was kicked off by a widely circulated email containing the remarkable story of Dr. Atiur Rahman, the newly appointed governor of Bangladesh Bank. Dr. Atiur Rahman made a life out of nothing, and he is not ashamed of his roots. Dr. Atiur Rahman is "respectable." (click on the images to enlarge and read)

Bangladesh Army's Website Hacked

2009-04-29T21:18:00.008-04:00

Update: 09:00 AM GMT the site has been restored.

Bangladesh Army's official website is hosted at http://www.army.mil.bd/. As of 1:14 AM GMT on April 30, 2009, this website seems to have been hacked by someone claiming to be a Turkish Hacker.

This is a partial screen capture of the site, as seen after the hack. Go to the actual site to read the text if it has not been fixed yet.

Instead of the actual site, as captured in Google's cache:

The rest of the site seems to be OK, just the front page has been hacked. Clicking on the links from the Google Cache seems to show the correct pages.

We don't know when this hack happened. But we do know that as of this writing, the hack has been undetected by the people who maintain the site.

Even large companies like Microsoft have been hacked, so I guess this is not that uncommon. But I sure hope this is discovered soon and fixed.

Dear Madam Prime Minister

2009-04-19T12:03:00.007-04:00

Madam Prime Minister:
The whole country, and large parts of the world, watched, as you dealt with the massacre at Pilkhana. Many people applauded the your handling of the situation. Others disagreed. They saw the fingerprint of Awami League in the deaths of citizens of Bangladesh and its military officers.

Depending on who was talking, JMB, RAW, Jamaat, BNP, your MPs, even you--no one was outside the scope of suspicion.

Your commerce minister wasn't helping. On March 12, he announced to the world that some arrested BDR soldiers had something to do with JMB. Then he found the involvement of "several millitant organizations." Then, he had to backpedal, and say that these were his "personal observations."

As the coordinator of the various investigations going on, Mr. Khan should know better. Anything he says on this matter becomes official. If he has personal views they should remain personal, or he will risk influencing the investigation by his utterances. If JMB (or some other organization) is involved, then lets arrest them instead of giving these statements and lame explanations to the media. He is doing a disservice to the country and your government.

So Madam PM, please tell Mr. Khan to zip it.

On March 31, the investigating committee got its fourth extension--another 30 working days--to submit its report.

The people of Bangladesh has a better chance of seeing fish fall from the sky with the rain than they do of ever seeing this report.

And while that goes on, more and more BDR soldiers are either "committing suicide", or succumbing to "heart attacks."

Now news outlets are reporting that the Indian Foreign Secretary recently came to Dhaka to warn of an assassination attempt on your life.

It goes without saying that Mr. Menon's visit was caused by something big; an unplanned visit always is.

We also note that while initially the government claimed that this visit was just a friendly visit to discuss items of mutual interest (not a lie, so it happens), since the attempted assassination reports came out, no one from the Bangladesh government has claimed it was inaccurate.

Would it be, then, accurate to assume that the purpose of Mr. Menon's visit was to warn you of a plot against your life?

We know that on February 25, Jamuna, your official residence, was guarded by the police, not the army. We also know that the army tanks positioned in front of Pilkhana could have just as easily turned around and headed to Jamuna that fateful day.

Several hundred people witnessed how Gen. Moeen U. Ahmed was verbally abused by some junior army officers at the first janaja of the slain officers. Hundreds of thousands of people have heard how unprofessionally a section of officers yelled in the background as you faced some other officers who survived the Pilkhana massacre.

After the dumb decision to block YouTube was riscinded, more people in Bangladesh also listened to that audio. And you know what? Nothing happened. The sun continued to rise, people went about their business, babies cried, old people died. Your reputation did not get hurt.

The point I am trying to make is, give the people of Bangladesh some credit. After all, they elected you and your party to power. Release the BDR investigation report. If JMB, ABCD, EFGH or whatever is involved, let the people know and decide on their own. If some of those implicated are affiliated with AL, then do it too--do it even more urgently before it appears that you are aiding/abetting in a cover-up.

Adopt the same sunshine policy about the threat on your life. When it is plastered on the front page of newspapers, what is the point of being coy? Aren't you confident that your voters would support you if they found out your life was in danger?

After all, your government is the one that passed the right to information law. Show us it is not just lip-service.

বেহায়া

2009-04-17T00:08:00.014-04:00

প্রশ্ন: পাগল না পেট খারাপ?
উত্তর: কোনটাই না। সঠিক উত্তর: নির্লজ্জ বেহায়া

Pardon us as we rehash something we wrote only 4 days ago, on Apr 12, 2009:

Wondering why I included an image instead of just linking to her bio? Because "Ms." Paul's bio has a mysterious habit of changing, just like some of her writing has a habit of disappearing (more on that later)

Continuing:

... would also use the phrase "Twice masters" to describe two masters degrees--the common usage is "double masters" or simply "two masters."
....
....
Turns out our dear "Ms." Paul, this "twice masters" in Political Science and Journalism, would have one hand up in the air. Because there is no city/town/hamlet/village in India called Kochin. There is, however, a famous city called "Cochin", since 1967 called "Kochi." However, in its many incarnations, it has never been spelled "Kochin."

I am laughing so hard I am having a hard time typing. Because see the "new" spelling of Ms. Paul's birthplace, and how her two degrees are described, in the bio version of April 16, 2009, and compare it to the version from April 12 and my comments.

Check it out while you still can on the American Chronicle site, because I suspect it will not be there for long now.

Like I said: Shameless. নির্লজ্জ বেহায়া

Serial Plagiarism

2009-04-15T21:09:00.006-04:00

I have been asked why I am beating this dead horse. The reason is simple: Sunita Paul is still being widely quoted by a section of the "intelligentsia" in Bangladesh, and we need to prove to them that anything said by this person can not be trusted.

I noticed something in Sunita Paul's bio today that I missed before.

Her works have appeared in Sunday Ledger, African Times, Global Politician, Jerusalem Post, Women's World, Insight Magazine, Europe Post, The Asian Tribune, Countercurrents, American Thinker, Intelligence Reporteur, Daily Post, Daily Sun, Times Herald, Daily News, New York Sun, Newsday, New Yorker ...

Getting published in The New Yorker is extremely prestigious; even established authors would consider it a honor. Sunita Paul's work has appeared in the New Yorker? Fortunately, their full archive goes back to 1925. So I searched, and found 4 instances of the word "Sunita" in their archived. Predictably, none of them were about or by our intrepid friend Sunita Paul. But one article was the abstract only... could the full version have her name somewhere?

Fortunately, my local library provides full access to the New Yorker's archive. So I went to the library, thinking perhaps the online version may be incomplete. Nope, no luck there either.

Can't really say I was surprised. Can you spell L-I-A-R?

With that out of the way, lets do one more Sunita Paul plagiarism story. I will try to make it the last one, since it looks like the message is slowly getting through.

In an article titled "Integrity of India", our friend wrote:
The India TV opinion poll gives 187 seats to the NDA and 178 seats to the UPA. However, parties like RJD, LJP and Samajwadi Party (SP) are featured in the Fourth Front section. If they support the UPA after polls, the combine may go up to 235, said the opinion poll.

The opinion poll also predicted very good results for the Third Front. They can win up to 120 seats and may even decide the fate of the next government. Interestingly, it has been predicted that Congress will gain in Andhra Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan, Kerala, Delhi and West Bengal. The poll gives BJP an edge in Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Assam and Karnataka.

BJP and JD(U) will win maximum seats in Bihar, while the battle between BJP-Shiv Sena and Congress-NCP will be even in Maharashtra. The Congress may still half of the seats in Punjab. In West Bengal, Congress and TMC will gain good numbers of seats, but Jayalalitha's AIADMK front will sweep Tamil Nadu, says the opinion poll.

Unfortunately for Sunita Paul, BreakingNewsOnline said:
The India TV opinion poll gives 187 seats to the NDA and 178 seats to the UPA. However, parties like RJD, LJP and Samajwadi Party (SP) are featured in the Fourth Front section. If they support the UPA after polls, the combine may go up to 235, said the opinion poll.

the opinion poll also predicted very good results for the Third Front. They can win up to 120 seats and may even decide the fate of the next government. Interestingly, it has been predicted that Congress will gain in Andhra Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan, Kerala, Delhi and West Bengal. The poll gives BJP an edge in Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Assam and Karnataka.

BJP and JD(U) will win maximum seats in Bihar, while the battle between BJP-Shiv Sena and Congress-NCP will be even in Maharashtra. The Congress may still half of the seats in Punjab. In West Bengal, Congress and TMC will gain good numbers of seats, but Jayalalitha's AIADMK front will sweep Tamil Nadu, says the opinion poll.

But we can not blame our Ms. Paul for not mixing it up: she likes to spread her theft around.

Sunita Paul, in "Integrity of India":
In its first detailed critique of the BJP manifesto — two days after it was released — Mr. Mukherjee noted that barring references to Ram Mandir, Ram Setu, cleaning the Ganges, cow protection and Article 370, it was a copy of the Congress manifesto. "In a perfect example of competitive populism, they have only inflated the figures without any basis whatsoever."

From The Hindu:
In its first detailed critique of the BJP manifesto — two days after it was released — Mr. Mukherjee noted that barring references to Ram Mandir, Ram Setu, cleaning the Ganges, cow protection and Article 370, it was a copy of the Congress manifesto. "In a perfect example of competitive populism, they have only inflated the figures without any basis whatsoever."

Next time someone quotes this heaping mound of bullshit, slap them with a smelly fish and send them to this page.

Interesting and Incisive does not Truthful Journalism Make

2009-04-14T21:52:00.015-04:00

SunitaPaul: Plagiaristgreat free widgetsWidgetbox

Some readers (MH, Zia) have left comments on a previous post about how Ms. Paul is a one-woman opposition party, and how her commentary is interesting and incisive. MH actually suggested that we were attacking the messenger instead of the message. Instead of responding in the comments, let us expound on this on a more prominent forum.

There is one tiny element missing from Ms. Paul's most incisive writing: something called "Truth". Lets examine that claim a bit.

Weekly World News is probably one of the most "interesting" news outlets out there. Why, right now they are asking you to register because "ALIENS ARE COMING! Be the first to know. SIGN UP NOW!"

And you must take them seriously too: they are, after all, the World's ONLY reliable news. If you don't believe me, check out their masthead.

So "interesting" does not make a commentary or news "truthful."

Before diving into the "incisive" claim, let us look at evidence of Sunita Paul plagiarizing the writing of others: Mashuqur Rahman, the New York Times, The Daily Star, The Hindu, and multiple other Indian news outlets.

The fact of the matter is, to paraphrase a famous quote: what is truthful in Sunita Paul's writing is not original, and what is original is not truthful.

Do you value incisiveness more than the truth? Do false, made-up stories attract just because they are incisively made up? Then this post has no value to you. But if you believe truth is an integral requirement of a commentary, then read on.

As MH, Zia and others did not challege the logic and evidence presented to show that "Ms." Sunita Paul is a plagiarist, a cheat and a fraud, can you tell me why we should believe anything else he/she writes?

In other words, if the integrity of the messenger has been proven to be fake, how can we believe the message?

It is easy to agree with the "message" if we do not look at it analytically, and may I suggest that you are falling in that trap. Being a rational person, I can not help but analyze what I read. And I must say, most of the claims do not even pass the smell test.

Allow me to cite some examples:
From her April 14 article, Suppressed trip, hidden meeting and treatment luxury of Bangladeshi politicians, we will analyze some passages.

You be the judge:

Check here two points! Sajib Wajed Joy could not bring his former wife Christine Ovemarrie as they already got separated long time back. Secondly, on April 13, 2009, he had two-hour long closed door meeting inside the ministry of Home Affairs with none but Tanjim Ahmed Sohel Taj, the junior minister for the ministry.
...
Joy was very dissatisfied to see long list of Awami League leaders and activists as collaborators and conspirators of the massacre, which came out from the statements of the BDR jawans during interrogation. He gave instructions to Sohel Taj to brief Kahar Akhand on twisting the information for trying to salvage as many as possible BAL men. There were also discussions on strategizing to save Barrister Fazley Noor Taposh, Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim, Sahara Khatun, Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir, Jahangir Kabir Nanak, Mirza Azam, Liakot Sikder and other BAL men.

Mr. Wajed's wife's name is spelled incorrectly. Besides that, what does Mr. Wajed's marital
status have to do with this story? Unless Mr. Wajed is trying to get married, this is irrelevant.
Still not good enough for you? Then check out this report from the New Nation (or your favorite online Bangladeshi newspaper for Jan 11, 2009)

Sajib Wazed Joy, son of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, arrived in Dhaka at early Saturday from United State of America (USA).

Joy was accompanied by his wife Christine and their daughter Sophia and mother-in-law and brother-in law landed. This is first visit of Joy to Bangladesh after the landslide victory of the AL-led grand alliance in the December 29 national election.

Reporting this married couple (at least 3 months ago) as "already got separated long time back" is nothing but yellow journalism.

But let us ignore this journalistic ethical lapse for a moment, and apply the smell-test to this reporting. Since "Ms." Paul is "deaf and dumb" according to her own bio, it would be fair to assume that her primary means of communication is via email.

In another post, she has also written that she has never been to Bangladesh.

Are we being asked to suspend disbelief, and believe that not only someone emailed her the news that such a meeting took place, but also emailed her specific information regarding what Mr. Wajed tasked Sohel Taj to brief Kahar Akhand?

Presumably, if the meeting at all took place, these hand-picked people who were present must have found Ms. Paul so fascinating (having never spoken to her in person or even via phone, since she is "deaf and dumb"), they are risking their loyalty, job and possibly freedom to pass her these secrets over email as soon as the meeting is over?

Do you buy this? In that case, my great-grand-father left me a huge white building across the street from Curzon Hall in Dhaka that I want to sell to you at a very good price.

But what of "Joy was very dissatisfied to see long list of Awami League leaders and activists as collaborators and conspirators of the massacre"? Did Joy forget that our
fearless journalist had already exposed him? If so, let me refresh Joy (and MH and Zia's memory): on March 29, 2009, in an article titled "Bangladesh: Manipulation of BDR massacre probe", our Ms. Paul wrote:

14. Why Prime Minister´s son Sajib Wajed Joy came to Dubai on February 27 to meet some of the fleeing mutineers,

15. Why Joy handed over thick envelops to each of the fleeing mutineers at the Dubai airport,

17. Why Sajib Wajed Joy has been instructed by her mother not to come to Bangladesh before the investigation issue is over,

("her mother"? Fine; people make mistakes, let it slide)

I don't know if Mr. Wajed was at the Dubai airport on Feb 27. But I will play the Devil's advocate, and agree that the questions described above may be, just may be, true. I will even ignore for a moment how this self-described "never been to Bangladesh" journalist knew this. (We will get back to this in a minute)

One problem that liars have is they forget what they lied about, and a future lie often ends up contradicting a past lie. Looks like our "Ms." Paul is no exception. Because if you compare the March 29 and April 14 articles, these inconsistencies become clear.

So Mr. Wajed defied an instruction from his mother to return to Bangladesh?

According to this article, it was known (to "Ms." Paul and "her" loyal readers) that
Mr. Wajed was at the Dubai airport giving thick envelopes (presumably containing cash) to fleeing mutineers. Then why, oh why, "Joy was very dissatisfied to see long list of Awami League leaders and activists as collaborators and conspirators of the massacre" as described in the April 14 article?

I mean, if he is the paymaster of the fleeting murderers, why would Joy have to "see" the long (or short) list? Shouldn't he already know about who was involved? Why would he have to defy his mother's orders to return to Dhaka so he could instruct Sohel Taj what to tell the CID officer about the investigation? He should have known all this by February 27, and not wait until the information came out during the interrogation.

The person hiding behind the Sunita Paul pen-name fell in the typical liar's dilemma, and forgot the previous lie.

Now let us get back to Sunita Paul's unbelievably good sources. I have received many emails explaining that the journalists in Bangladesh have the same information, but they are afraid to publish it. But Ms. Paul, being outside Bangladesh, is immune to such intimidation, so she can write about these.

Right.. do you really believe that the BNP-backed newspapers and journalists are such cowards that they would sit on such explosive news and not use it to topple Awami League from power? We saw BNP leaders claim that the BDR massacre was caused so Khaleda Zia's house could be taken by AL. Even they are not making these acquisitions, because even BNP does not believe this information.

The explanation? Ms. Paul is making these out of thin air. We have already proven that she is a liar, cheat and a fraud, so this fits perfectly.

Or, if all this does not make any sense to you, here is another explanation.

Sajeeb Wajed Joy was born in an affluent family. He has two masters degrees, or "twice masters" as it is uncommonly known. Who would know better than Joy himself where he was on February 27, and what was he doing that day, or what transpired at the meeting with Sohel Taj? Lastly, who will be immune if the story of the meeting between Joy and Sohel Taj leaks? Surely only Joy has that level of access and privilege.

And why didn't he just instruct Sohel Taj by phone about what to do, instead of coming to Dhaka in secret? Why, he is deaf and dumb, and can not use the phone (just like "Ms." Paul can not give us a phone interview, because she is deaf and mute.)

Conclusion: Sunita Paul is none other than Sajeeb Wajed Joy. All the accusitions against Joy? What a pefrect cover!

What? You don't buy this either? Then we will have to go back to the original explanation: Sunita Paul, when "she" is not plagiarizing from others, just makes stories up.

If you are still in the interesting and incisive camp, may I suggest some books by Tom Clancy or Dan Brown? I believe you will find them far more interesting, incisive, and clearly labeled as "Fiction."

Sunita Paul: The International (Wo)man of Mystery

2009-04-12T19:49:00.015-04:00

Sunita Paul:

Deaf
Dumb
Born in an affluent family in Kochin
Twice masters (what the hell is that?)
A Fraud
A Plagiarist, and
A Liar

The first 4 are very easy to prove. Let's see what "Ms." Paul put up as her biography on American Chronicle, a website that regularly publishes her writing.

Wondering why I included an image instead of just linking to her bio? Because "Ms." Paul's bio has a mysterious habit of changing, just like some of her writing has a habit of disappearing (more on that later)

Can we agree on the first four items in my description of Ms. Paul? Then lets move on to the other three.

Sunita Paul: Fraud
Rest assured, I do not call Ms. Paul a "fraud" without any basis. First, a little lesson in American identity, and usage of English. I have spent half of my life in the USA, and people never, ever, describe someone in a publication with reference to their family background, simply because it is considered [a] rude and [b] having no bearing on a person's ability to perform. "Affluent family" is a strangely Asian affectation. Calling a mute person "dumb" is also typically an Asian trait. Lastly, no native speaker of English would also use the phrase "Twice masters" to describe two masters degrees--the common usage is "double masters" or simply "two masters." So we can safely conclude that this description was not written by an American who works for American Chronicle.

Question is, did "Ms." Sunita Paul write this? And if "she" did not write this, did "she" never see a glaring inaccuracy in her own bio on a site where she regularly publishes?

I am, of course, referring to the wonderful town of "Kochin" where "Ms." Paul was allegedly born.

See, this has been nagging me for a while. Paul is a Bangla last name. There is no rule that a Bangali from India could not be born in Kerala, where "Kochin" is located, and there is no reason why it could not be an established and "affluent" family there. But seemed a little unusual. But I dug a little, and to understand the implications of the results, let's play a little game. Raise your hand if you know the name of the town you were born in. Keep it raised if you don't know how to spell it, and lower it if you know how to spell it. How many hands do you have up?

Turns out our dear "Ms." Paul, this "twice masters" in Political Science and Journalism, would have one hand up in the air. Because there is no city/town/hamlet/village in India called Kochin. There is, however, a famous city called "Cochin", since 1967 called "Kochi." However, in its many incarnations, it has never been spelled "Kochin."

Could this be true that "Ms." Paul does not know how to spell the name of her city of birth? Conclusion: "she" has never been to Kochi/Cochin--only heard it mentioned in conversation and decided to use that as the birthplace of "her" fictional persona. "She" did not do any research, but just started using that in the fictitious bio.

Verdict:

Sunita Paul: Plagiarist.
Mashuqur Rahman, a blogger who has done ground-breaking research into the genocide of 1971 by the Pakistani Army against the civilians of Bangladesh, broke a story about the Chief of Staff of the Bangladesh Army being involved in transactions at an Army-owned bank that clearly violated banking regulations. His writeup on this was published in 2007, and was picked up by the media.

Mashuqur wrote in October of 2007:
Not only are General Moeen and his brother, Iqbal, on Trust Bank’s board of directors, they are also borrowers of large sums of money from the bank. According to a prospectus filed by Trust Bank before its IPO, General Moeen had a loan with an outstanding balance of Taka 9,969,215 at the end of 2005. By the end of 2006, the outstanding amount had been reduced to Taka 3,315,323.

Sunita Paul wrote in 2009:
General Moeen and his brother, Iqbal, on Trust Bank´s board of directors, they are borrowers of large sums of money from the bank. According to a prospectus filed by Trust Bank before its IPO, General Moeen had a loan with an outstanding balance of Tk. 9,969,215 at the end of 2005. By the end of 2006, the outstanding amount had been reduced to Tk. 3,315,323.

Notice the usage in the first sentance. After the 2nd comma, Mashuqur's sentence continues with a "they" and it fits perfectly.

Not only are General Moeen and his brother, Iqbal, on Trust Bank’s board of directors, they are also borrowers of large sums of money from the bank.

"Ms." Paul's writing contains the same "they" after the same comma, but it makes no sense. The pronoun appears out of nowhere.

General Moeen and his brother, Iqbal, on Trust Bank´s board of directors, they are borrowers of large sums of money from the bank.

Compare other sentences in the same paragraph for word-for-word, punctuation-for-punctuation, similarity.

I could cite other examples, but I will leave it to you, dear reader, as an exercise.

Conclusion: "Ms." Paul lifted this from the post by Mashuqur Rahman, made a minor change and did not bother fixing the grammatical error resulting from "her" change. She is a plagiarist--a thief and a cheat.

Are you wondering where the article by "Ms." Sunita Paul is, and why it is not linked in the quote above?

Funny you should ask. Since Mashuqur Rahman accused "Ms." Sunita Paul of plagiarism, the article, titled "Ruling party getting set to try Bangladesh Generals" has vanished from the American Chronicle site. But due to the wonderful Google Cache, the bane of existance for all online liars, it still lives on. You can find it here, and see the Google result here. "She" actually tried to destroy the evidence when accused of being a plagiarist.

But wait.. what is this I see? Oh my! "Ms." Paul may have been able to remove the article from American Chronicle, but it is also on Global Politician, Priyo.com, and some other sites. So you would be able to make the comparison after all.

Sunita Paul: Liar
In "her" hatchet job trying to defend the plagiarism allegation, "Ms." Paul launched a vicious ad hominem attack against Mashuqur Rahman, that mostly revolves around Mr. Rahman's alleged allegiance to Awami League. While saner readers may ask what Mr. Rahman's political philosophy has to do with "Ms." Paul's plagiarism, it is obvious that such plain logic escapes "Ms." Paul.

Mr. Rahman may actually be the first to agree that he has questioned the transparency of General Moeen's finances, or criticized certain mainstream newspapers and their editors. After all, "Ms." Paul cites examples of Mr. Rahman's harsh criticism of New Age:

Mashuqur Rahman is also a harsh critic of Bangladeshi press. Commenting on Dhaka´s prominent English language newspaper, The New Age, he wrote "most progressive English language newspaper in Bangladesh, The New Age, published an editorial yesterday that offered no support to the cartoonist and backed the government´s decision to jail the young man for retelling a joke that even Islamists themselves have published before."

What does that have to do with the price of tea in China, I mean, the documented allegation that "Ms." Paul is a plagiarist? Had she cited Mr. Rahman falsely accusing others of plagiarism, then at least "she" could establish a pattern.

Let's see if we can parse this logic. Mashuqur Rahman criticized the press and the Army chief in Bangladesh. Ergo, his statement that Sunita Paul is a plagiarist is [a] True, or [b] False.

You would be correct in concluding that "Ms." Paul being a plagiarist has nothing to do with what Mr. Rahman thought of certain newspapers and their editors. Obviously, at least the Daily Star seems to take the criticism in good grace--they just published Mr. Rahman's op-ed where he charges that "Ms." Paul is a plagiarist and a cheat.

So while "Ms." Paul is trying to defend the Daily Star from Mr. Mashuqur Rahman's criticism, they themselves are publishing Mr. Rahman's article about Sunita Paul. Oh, the irony.

"Ms." Paul ends "her" rant with this graph:

Mashuqur Rahman calls me a plagarist and cheat. He did not cite one example behind such nasty allegation. I have never violated any copyright of any publication, ever. Wherefrom he invented this plagarism theory? Why he terms me as a 'cheat'? Just because I am not also one of the lap-dogs of Bangladesh Awami League like him?

Mr. Rahman cited chapter and verse, including links to the actual articles that he wrote in 2007, and "Ms." Paul plagiarized in 2009. "Ms." Paul lied outright in the above paragraph.

So we resolve that "Ms." Paul may not have "twice masters" and may never even seen the city of "Kochin" with her own eyes, let alone be born there, but she is a "thrice masters": Fraud, Plagiarist and a Liar.

Mission Statement

2009-03-10T08:48:00.003-04:00

The following is from Amar Blog, and is probably one of the best Mission Statements I have read, although it was not intended for that purpose. (If the text below is not displaying properly, you may need a Bangla font and configure your browser)

তৈলাক্ত বাঁশ ও পরিশ্রমী বানরের গল্পটি আর সমাপ্তি পায় না ।
আমরা ক্রমাগত উঠতে থাকি , উঠতে উঠতে পিছলে যাই ।
আমাদের জন্মক্ষন , আমাদের ধর্ম কোন কিছু বেছে নেয়ার অধিকার নেই ।
সার্টিফিকেটে জন্মতারিখ বসাচ্ছেন মূর্খ স্কুল শিক্ষক ,
কোথায় শ্রম দেব সেই সিদ্ধান্ত নেয় মামা-কাকার দল ,
কাকে বিয়ে করব কি করব না , সিদ্ধান্ত দিচ্ছেন রাশভারি অভিভাবক ।

আমাদের ভাবনার দায় নিয়েছে কর্পোরেটরা ,
তারা বলে দিচ্ছেন কোন পন্য আমাদের প্রয়োজন , কোনটা দরকারী নয় ।
রাষ্ট্র বলছে ভাতের বদলে আলু খেতে , কর্তৃপক্ষ বলছে চুপ থাকতে ।

আমাদের কন্ঠ চেপে ধরেছে সুশীলতার খসখসে মোড়ক ।
আমরা ভাবতে শিখছি না , ভাবার ভান করছি ক্রমাগত ।
বুকের মাঝে জন্ম নেয়া প্রশ্নগুলো গিলে ফেলছি গলার কাছেই ।
আমাদের সম্পাদকরা নতজানু হন জাতীয় মসজিদে ,
পান খাওয়া দাত বের করে কেউ একজন বলে দিচ্ছেন আমরা কী ভাবব , আর কী ভাবব না ।

আমাদের চিন্তার জালে তাই মাকড়সারা মৃত ,
আমাদের নিউজপ্রিন্ট তাই সুশীল টয়লেট পেপার ,
আমাদের দূরদর্শনের পর্দা মূর্খ মালিকের গায়িকা স্ত্রীর রঙঢং ।

আশ্রয় ছিল অন্তর্জাল ।
হায় , সেখানেও মুখের উপরে ক্রমাগত স্কচটেপ চেপে ধরছেন সুশীলের ঠিকাদাররা ।
লিখতে চেয়েছিলাম অনেক কিছুই , কিন্তু কানের কাছে ক্রমাগত হাউস দ্যাট চিৎকার করে
যাচ্ছে মূর্খ ইতররা ।
কেউ দরজায় আগল দিয়েছেন , কেউ ঘুম ভেঙ্গেই আমার সাজানো লেখাকে পাঠাচ্ছেন
কারাগারে ।

এখনই উপযুক্ত সময় কিছু একটা করার ।
এখনই তৈরী করতে হবে নিজের বাকভূম ।
গলা ছেড়ে বলার মতো একটা মঞ্চ চাই , বুক ভরে টেনে নেয়ার জন্য চাই একটু বিশুদ্ধ
বাতাস ।

আমারব্লগ.কম সেই প্রস্তুতি ও নিরীক্ষারই একটা পর্যায় ।
এখানে কর্তৃপক্ষ বলে কিছু থাকছে না ।
সাইটের জ্বালানি যারা আপাত: সরবরাহ করছেন তারা থাকবেন অন্ধ মূক ও বধির ।
এখানে পূর্ব পরীক্ষা দিতে হয় না যোগ্যতার , মেধার , মননের ।
ইগো দিয়ে ফুলানো আইনের বেলুন এখানে নাকের ডগায় ঝুলিয়ে রাখা হয় না নিরন্তর ।

কথা হোক ইচ্ছেমতো ।
যা বলা যায় , আর যায় না , সবই উঠে আসুক এখানে ।
হোক প্রস্তাব , আলোচনা ,তর্ক , বিতর্ক কিংবা গালাগালি ।
নিজের পায়ে দাড়ান শক্ত হয়ে ,অবস্থানকে রক্ষা করুন নিজ উদ্যোগে ।
বাধা কিংবা সমর্থন - কোন কাজেই কর্তৃপক্ষ এখানে দৃষ্টিগোচর নন ।
আত্মবিশ্বাসে চিৎকার করে বলুন -এই ব্লগ কর্তৃপক্ষের নয় , এই ব্লগ -আমারব্লগ

Empty Vessels and Barishallya Logic

2009-03-08T11:46:00.011-04:00

We occasionally profile a few insightful comments on the front page of this blog.
One of our recent posts, Accountability and Distorted Truths" generated many comments on Shadakalo and E-Bangladesh that also merit space on the front page.

Where email addresses were provided, we tried to to communicate with the commenters but in vain; looks like all of them provided fake email addresses so the emails bounced.

We thought we would respond en masse, and at the same time [a] acknowledge valid points and [b] refute obviously incorrect or untrue comments. The comments are in a shaded box, followed by our response.

As this post was being written, we came across this piece of news that we hope you will agree supports our position. The news is simple: Army officers on deputation to BDR are resisting going to their duty post, and instead asking to be transferred back to the regular Army.

From Ittefaq:

Anonymous said...

retired army officers r in limelight??? what do u mean by that??? who r "us"? in a massacre RELATED to army, retired or serving army personnels will be highlighted, that's very natural...bcoz they r the ones who r experienced...what do we know, what do u know??? do u think u can help the country out of this problem?? or i can? NO. but they can coz they r experienced people...they r retired, doesn't mean that they r useless now think before talking about something...don't cross the limit...

March 3, 2009 11:40:00 AM EST

You are picking a fight where one does not exist. Since you can write English, I assume you can read it too. I sugges you go back and read what I wrote.

But what exactly do you mean by "don't cross the limit"? Is that a threat? I guess it burns you up that the "bloody civilians" are questioning the Army's motive--the Army whose officers have so far killed two sitting presidents of the country.

Also, allow me to ask another question.

Are you saying you actually think retired officers should have a role in the running of the current Army?

Perhaps by now you have heard the audio of the dialog between Sheikh Hasina and some Army officers. If so, you have heard Lt. Col. Syed Kamruzzaman yelling about Maj. Gen. (rtd) Tarek Siddik's role in promotion and posting. I happen to agree with Lt. Col. Kamruzzaman about curtailing the role of retired officers.

Do you?

Anonymous said...

On you first point, where you again basically tried to justify something with some words of an retired Army officer:

1. your article assumes that the Army attack would be somewhat like 'Panipother Juddho'. You possibly have no idea of modern warfare. In modern times they don't line up and shoot at everything.

There are ways of attack while there are own people around. A team can rescue & others can contain the enemy or there are many many options to do it.

If Army says they can means they can, you and me don't know more than them. Haven't you seen or heard of hostage rescue ioperation all over the world?

2. Even if majority of the officers were killed in 90 minutes, not all were killed. More over it's not only about killing: Mutilation, Mass grave, Looting & Raping etc etc also are concerns that could be avoided. More over a badly injured person can be saved if they could be taken to hospital. One only dies instantly if he is shot in Brain or the blood supply to brain is 0. So many officers injured could have survived if Army would have attacked.

3. I can go on with each of your sentenses. You are a blind supporter of some corner and putting all 'Barishallya Logic' devoid of knowledge of what you are talking about.

God bless u

March 3, 2009 1:44:00 PM EST

Dear Sir or Madam: Unless you claim you know more about warefare than the retired Brigadier General whom I quoted, you are a poser, and have no right to make the claims you did.

But lets leave that behind for now, and concentrate on your comment, "Haven't you seen or heard of hostage rescue ioperation [sic] all over the world?"

Yes, I have. But you don't have to believe my claims. I will direct you to this thesis by a US Army Major on Hostage Rescue, titled "ANATOMY OF A HOSTAGE RESCUE: WHAT MAKES HOSTAGE RESCUE OPERATIONS SUCCESSFUL?"

Just so you don't think this is an academic talking, the author states: "I have personally been involved with tracking some of these AMCITS (american citizens-SK) and trying to recover them." Remember that this is a serving officer writing his thesis for a Navy post graduate school, someone with personal knowledge about "modern warfare" that you allege to know so much about.

I quote:

"The principles of hostage rescue operations presented in this thesis and used in the biorhythm model—surprise, intelligence, operator’s skill, and deception—are derived from looking at numerous planning models from special operations, from personal experience, and the thorough analysis of six historical cases. The historical cases show that in every instance any one of these four principles was overlooked, the operation was doomed."

I know for a fact, based on conversations with serving Army officers, that Bangladesh Army has not trained in Hostage rescue operations before, but that is going to change now. Perhaps you care to enlighted us how, without any practice or skill, and ZERO
surprise, how this operation was going to be successful without getting the hostages killed in the process? (even if you ignore the "bloody civilians")

Also, you are blatantly ignoring the rest of the country. We know there are confirmed reports of the BDR taking up arms in Shatkania training facility, Khulna and Sylhet. We know all Army officers had by then fled from their commands. On March 9, an Army officer reported to the new DG of BDR that:

"At a battalion outside Dhaka some soldiers took arms from the armoury to attack the officers following rumours of military attack on the jawans," said an officer who left his office outside Dhaka on security grounds on February 26 and has not returned yet.

Like this officer, other officers are also afraid of going back without one platoon of Army soldiers to those areas. So my dear arm-chair general, answer me this: if 10 days after the so-called mutiny Army officers are afraid to go back among the BDRs in other districts, you think on the day of the rebellion the BDRs would have just sat back and let their fellow BDRs be over-run by the Army?

Don't give me a line about cutting off the mobile network. BDR has its own radio network, and its own Telephone network.

Even cutting off the radio network wasn't enough; if the BDRs at, say Sylhet, could not communicate with the rebels in Dhaka, they would know something was wrong.

Lastly, 'Barishallya Logic'--I am not sure what it is but since Sher-E-Bangla was from Barishal and a great debater, I think you meant that as a complement.

Yes. God Bless.

Anonymous said...

Can anyone answer following questions that has been hunting me, please do not elaborate but agree/somewhat agree/disagree/somewhat disagree, etc
1) Never seen any “mutiny or hostage” situation dealt without deployment of “superior forces and equipment” – not even in cinema. Probably some military equipments are “for show to physiologically deter the criminals and create divisions among them”. If we look at the timeline, BDR fell apart in the afternoon of 26th when Tanks/APC etc reached to their visible distance – so couldn’t we do that on 25th (deploy only)?

2) Civil administration can assist BUT CANNOT deal with Mutiny, ONLY ARMY is authorized to do so – check the procedure. Govt of Hasina dealt Ansar mutiny this way in 1996 at Shafipur/Khilgaon

3) How come questionable people like Nanak, Mirza Azam, Inu, Menon, Jalil, etc were allowed to deal that too keeping the army 3km away? This was surely not their playing field! Then why??

4) Agree that media’s role is to find out the truth but NOT at the expense of destroying the country! How come media keep telecasting BDR’s view that created “sympathy for the mutineers and helped spreading it to fellow jawans across the country”? Mobile networks were disrupted, only media spread it – adventure with real lives!! In the past, we heard ONLY the ISPR press releases until situation calmed down.

5) Why the media didn’t show ANY grieved family of the victim officers or those missing before the end on 26th? Deliberate degradation of army??

6) Why didn’t the home minister tried to talk to any army officers when she entered Pilkhana? She could have learnt more by discussing with one of them.

7) How come home minister come out with the key of ordinance dept when the
rebles reportedly killed the guards to break it in earlier – can’t they break the door/lock?
Why didn’t she arrange proper guards (police/rab) before coming out?

8) Lights were off “due to absence of electrician”......ha ha. Couldn’t the “negotiators” arrange electricians from outside and restore lights so that forces could observe activities from outside??

9) How come thousands of jawans flee when it was cordoned off by Police/Rab? Inexcusable! Probably 2nd major failure after intelligence.

10) How come govt quickly form “inquiry committee headed by home minister”? No one can form committee with departmental head of that department committing crime. Why?
May Allah bless us; we need too much patience, mercy and wisdom to survive as a nation.

March 4, 2009 4:41:00 PM EST

Great questions. Allow me to answer where I know the answer.

1. Read the paper linked on the above response. The author is a Major in the
US Army, and based on his case study and personal experience, he does NOT mention superior force as a success factor.

As a matter of fact, if you think back to Antebbe and all the other successful operations,
the hallmark always been through a surprise attack by a very highly skilled small team, not superior force.

Hasina stated that the Army chief told her it will take time to position tanks and other heavy weapons. Since even the most vocal critics at Shenakunjo did not dispute that, I am assuming that was true. Do you agree?

BDR did not fall apart because of the tanks/APCs getting there on the 26th; they were there on the 25th as well.

2. Which "procedure" is this? Seriously, enlighten me. BDR is under the home ministry,
and the Army has no role in its running or quelling of the Mutiny beyond what the government asks it to do. When Army officers are sent to BDR, they become BDR officers, outside the chain of command of the Army. This is a basic fact.

3. First, BDRs were shooting at the Army. If not the politicians, the Army could not negotiate with fire coming at them. Who else was going to go in and negotiate? University professors? Doctors?

Please cite one newspaper report showing the Army was asked to move back 3km. Civilians were asked to move back 3KM as a preparation for the final assault, not the Army. One of my relative's house is about 300 yards away from gate 2, and their garage became an Army camp, like all neighboring houses.

Go back and read some newspapers--there are hundreds of photo showing Army right outside the walls on day 1.

4. I am not sure I understand. The "Truth", whatever it is, can NOT destroy the country. However, Lies can, and will, destroy to country. If you are saying the media
broadcast the BDR lies, I am with you 100%. At the very least, they needed to report both sides of the story equally

5. I don't know. Perhaps you can ask the Media. Since DGFI actually approves who gets to go on talk shows these days, perhaps you can also ask DGFI about the people
on various talk-shows.

6. Do you seriously believe it would have been safe for the officers if one ventured out from hiding to talk to her?

TV cameras showed her being escorted by armed BDR personnel. If she tried to talk to an Army officer, his life would have been in danger. I guess then we could blame her
even more? On the night of the 25th, Sahara Khatun left Pilkhana with at least one injured Army officer. At Shenakunjo, Sheikh Hasina described how the BDRs guarding the gate were ready to shoot him, and Sahara Khatun convinced them to allow him to leave. Are you saying after this officer was safely out of BDR, no one asked him what
was going on, or he did not volunteer any information? If you still believe that, no logic will convince you. But if you are a logical, rational person, ask yourself.

7. Proper guard? In case you have forgotten, this was a war-zone on the night
of the 25th. If police/RAB could be sent in to guard the Kote, the crisis would have been
solved by then

8. Ha ha ha indeed. First, come up with an electrician who knows where the switches were (remember: there were 22 different main switches).
Then you convince him to go inside among thousands of people with loaded weapons. Then lets deal with convincing the BDRs.

You are seriously not suggesting they were just going to agree to someone coming in and turning on the lights, when they were planning to flee under cover of darkness? Given what we know about officers still afraid to go back to their command posts, the electrician would have been very brave (or foolish) indeed. Are you still laughing?

9. Yes--Inexcusable. This is something both investigating committees (Civil and Army) should look into.

10. I agree, but for a different reason. Sahara Khatun's actions are being
questioned, and she can not investigatre herself neutrally. So she can not be in the committee

(from E-Bangladesh): someone says:

March 4, 2009 at 1:47 pm

I think someone should not comment about something in a forum about which he is not fully aware of.
"Empty vessel sounds much" and that is proved by the author of this writtings. He said, "perhaps they have forgotten that BDR is the most battle-hardened force in Bangladesh that faces regular live fire from BSF, while for most army soldiers the only gunfire they see come during exercises."

The author does not know that the army officers are trained to understand the troops psychology.
Thats why most of them were in favour of entering Pilkhana immediately after the incident except
those who fulfill some political agenda. Thats why the lead BDR in borders. He quoted Major General Salam.But we know which politics he is in practice with. Probably the author does not also know that Bangladesh army is the largest troops contributing force in UN peace-keeping mission.Such a pride for this small country is only gained by this army because the world have seen this army in the battlefield.They are also leading BDR troops in the borders and thats why BSF is afraid of them.Probably the author does’nt understand the importance of a leader in the battlefield.He feels that a battle is like a movie!The Indian forces saw our army in 1971 also when they were fighting together.Thats why they are afraid.They know that if the army does not lead and guide this troops,they can easily win over.Probably that is one of the objective of such incident.

The author said, "What would have happened to them in the cross-fire if the Army attacked? What of the Army soldiers taking part in the attack? What about the civilians outside Pilkhana? What about the BDR forces in other districts and the border, where the tensions were rising and reports of rebellion was rising? In the event of an assault, who would have prevented bloodbaths in those locations? We submit that however painful
the death of the officers in Dhaka, an armed assult on Pilkhana would have been many times worse and caused a country-wide firefight.”

This time I must say that the author might be the son of a RAZAKAR or AL-BADAR who were afraid of fighting in 1971 and doing everything in favour of pakistan. .He wants to sacrifice lives of some military leaders who ensure the sovereignty of the nation. He does not know that he can not create a military leader all on a sudden like the political leaders.I am sure that the author is going to join our opponent if there is another liberation war.
(read the rest at E-Bangladesh)

I guess you were looking at a mirror when you wrote about the empty vessel. Because if you knew how the BDR operates, you would know that the border outposts (BOP) are manned solely by BDR personnel, and commanded by BDR JCOs and NCOs. The Army officers commanding them stay back from the border, and conduct their work via inspections and monitoring. Do you know who I am quoting? The newly appointed DG of BDR. So be careful before you dispute this.

Army officers know the psychology of the BDR Jawans? Really? A rebellion that killed 51 officers, 3 still missing, women murdered.. Army officers are familiar with this psychology? Is this why they are now not willing to join their commands outside Dhaka without additional protection?

Get your facts straight, empty-vessel.

Bangladesh Army is not the largest contributor to UN peace-keeping missions, it is the Pakistan Army. Bangladesh is 2nd. The difference is small, but when you accuse others of inaccuracy, it is important to get your own facts straight first.

Ah.. name-calling. The last resort of the person who can not defend his position with facts or logic.

Our Army officers are still afraid to go back to their posts outside Dhaka without additional Army soldiers for protection.

Let me see if I get this right. I said civilians in other districts may have been killed if Pilkhana was attacked. You disagreed. Now Army officers are saying they are worried about their own safety. If a trained Army officer who understands the psychology of the troops (your words, not mine) is afraid, and another officer reported that BDRs were taking up arms at his duty post, what chance did the unarmed civilian population have?

Are you calling these officers sons of Razakars?

Accountability and Distorted Truths

2009-03-01T14:38:00.024-05:00

There are four major charges being leveled against the government's handling of the BDR massacre.

The first one is general: The government held back the Army, who otherwise could have prevented or minimized the murders

The second one is much more specific. This accuses that after the amnesty was announced, and while Nanak and Sahara Khatun were inside Pilkhana, the majority of the murders happened. From an email allegedly from an Army officer that is being widely circulated:
• RAB arrives at Pilkhana gate at about 10am and ready to move in. Home Ministry said a stubborn "No".
• Troops of Mirpur Cantt and Dhaka Cantt arrives at Pilkhana by 11:30am. they seek permission to go in. Again a big "No"
• Innocent Media people, bluffed by the BDR jawans, focus to the nation the good side or the "right cause" of rebellion BDR. they ask for BCS officers....!!!
• Govt sends nanok and others and they enter courageously into BDR Pilkhana and safely come back and they are not held hostage.
• At 4:30pm, army tanks are ready to go in, briefing done, again a big "No". The army is told to go 3 km away from Pilkhana.
• Night comes. sahara and nanok enter BDR and all lights are off. sahara visits families of army officers without nanok as seen on TV channels through BTV footage. She does not; we repeat DOES NOT meet any army officer of BDR.
• Media people telecast live sound of firing from inside Pilkhana when sahara is inside.
• sahara comes out and faces the media. some channel representative asks her "Apni jokhon vitorey chilen, amra goolir shobdo shunlam, apni shunen ni?" she say "No. I did not hear any firing". sahara did not mention anything about the 168 officers inside, nor the media asked her where were the officers.
• THIS WAS BECAUSE AT THAT TIME BDR WAS COMPLETING THE TOTAL KILLING OF ALIVE OFFICERS AND THIER FAMILIES UNDER THE EYES OF NANOK AND MASS GRAVES WERE BEING PREPARED. Please refer to the Ntv exclusive with major Mokarram on 28th evening. He said that he heard the voice of home minister entering into the kote when BDR gunmen surrounded him.
• IG police freely moved in because his daughter and son in law capt haider was inside. He ensured the rescue of his daughter, married 82 days earlier.
• only police is allowed to enter pilkhana and throughout the night they find only 7 dead bodies and suggest that search could not be done due to darkness.
The third charge is grave. The same email states that ambulances entered Pilkhaka and took away some killers under the guise of removing the injured. From the same email:
• NON-MILITARY AMBULANCES ENTER AND LEAVE PILKHANA A NUMBER OF TIMES AND TAKES AWAY SO MANY DEAD BODIES...BUT THE TOTAL STILL REMAINS 7. Only 5-7 other bodies appear from canal behind BDR naturally floating. IT WAS BECAUSE THOSE AMBULANCES TOOK ABOUT 32 KILLERS AWAY.
The fourth accusation is absolutely incendiary. It charges that Sahara Khatun let the murderers go, and that under the direction of the Home Ministry, the power was cut off in the area during the night of Feb 26 so the BDRs could escape. From someone whose father is a senior retired army officer, and who has may family members in the armed services:
Majority of them knew this was going to happen but Home Ministry allowed them to shut the light in BDR and allowed them to escape

All of these accusations were expressed in various forms when Sheikh Hasina met with Army officers on March 1. One survivor from the massacre specifically mentioned that if Sahara Khatun went to the Quarter Guard and asked about the women, then they would not have faced any abuse. In a chaotic scene, the officers accused that the killers were allowed to escape in the name of negotiations, and demanded the resignation of Mirza Azam, Nanak and Sahara Khatun

Let's examine these charges.

1. To start with, the outcome of an Army-BDR firefight is known--the Army would have won in the long run. But at what cost? If the author of this email, and others bemoaning this fact truly believe the BDR would have fled in the face of an assault, perhaps they have forgotten that BDR is the most battle-hardened force in Bangladesh that faces regular live fire from BSF, while for most army soldiers the only gunfire they see come during exercises.

Yes, the Army has superior heavy weapons, including tanks and helicopter gunships. But lets not forget the civilians, family members and officers still alive who were inside Pilkhana, who would have been used as human shielf. Even the author of the email is claiming most of the officers were still alive. What would have happened to them in the cross-fire if the Army attacked? What of the Army soldiers taking part in the attack?

What about the civilians outside Pilkhana? What about the BDR forces in other districts and the border, where the tensions were rising and reports of rebellion were coming? In the event of an assault, who would have prevented bloodbaths in those locations? We submit that however painful the death of the officers in Dhaka, an armed assault on Pilkhana would have been many times worse and caused a country-wide firefight.

A retired Brig gen and a former DDG of the BDR agrees. Note that this person is intimately familiar with the capability and mentality of the BDR.

Sheikh Hasina essentially reiterated the same points, and for the first time she mentioned that she had asked the Army chief how long it will take to launch an air or ground assault. General Moeen had replied that it will take a few hours to get the units in position. By the time (11:30 AM on Feb 25) the Army units took position, they had learned that most of the officers were dead, and decided to take the route of negotiations in order to protect the families who were still alive.

2. If that is so, then why are there any officers alive at all? We are not talking about the officers who were hiding; we are talking about the officers who were confined by armed BDR personnel at quarter-guard or other locations, at least 18 of whom were released on Day 2 (see our timeline, Feb 26, 4:30 PM). The only explanation that makes sense is that most of the murders had happened in an initial burst in the beginning. Lt Col. Shams, who escaped out of the Darbar hall and was hidden by some BDR soldiers, tells us:

"It was between 10:30 am to 11:00 am and I assume most of the officers were killed during that time," he said in the interview.

He is also the officer who described the mysterious grey pick-up entering through gate 5, bearing arms and ammunication

3. We know Red-Cross/Red-Crescent ambulances evacuated some of the injured, and those ambulences went to CMH with the injured and the dead. If the author of this email is claiming that the killers went to CMH and escaped, he has access to information that we don't.

4. We now know this: the main lights in the Pilkhana are not on a timer; they have to be turned on manually via various main switches by an electrician. Because of the firefight, there was no electrician in Pilkhana, hence there were no lights on the streets and perimeter.

We agree that it was short-sighted of the home ministry to not arrange for flood lights. At the very least, just turning on the headlights of all the army and police vehicles would have provided some light. But to accuse a person who risked her own life to go in and bring out families of the army officers of aiding and abetting criminals is reprehensible. Perhaps before leveling such charges, they should talk to Lt. Col. Kamruzzaman, who acknowledged that his wife and children were extracted by Sahara Khatun

For the investigation committee:
Now, emotions are raging inside the serving and retired officers of the Armed forces, and Bangladesh once again stands on the brink of a precipice. So allow us to ask some of our own questions, and point out some other facts that we hope the investigatin committee will examine.

1. What were the various intelligence agencies doing? Lt. Col. Kamruzzaman is on record that the field agents of the intelligence agencies were involved in this. Even if this is not true, this indicates a massive intelligence failure, and we need to see some accountability from the people who head up these agencies
2. What happens to the corruption allegations? We hope that those will not be buried along with the dead bodies. If there is a systematic corruption, let us uproot at as well. And if there was no corrpution, then let the investigations clear the names of the deceased.
3. On March 1, 2009, the police forces of Bangladesh suddenly started receiving 100% ration, which was one of the 22 demands of the BDR. Was there any credible intelligence regarding a similar threat at the Police force? If so, from whom?

Lastly, we end this post with a call for patience from all quarters. The sad truth is, Bangladesh has lost some brave men. But this is not the first time this has happened, and every time the killers walked away free.

The Army is bringing great pressure on the prime minister. We understand their anger and outrage.

But asking for resignations from MPs and ministers, people who risked their lives to save Army officers and their families serves what purpose? Who gains by removing the people without whose involvement the death-toll would have been higher? (We hope we have already laid to rest the wisdom of an attack on Pilkhana). Instead, the Army should focus its energy on investigating and capturing the masterminds of this murder.

If this results in an Armed uprising and overthrow of the government, then the people who planned this massacre wins.

But we believe the worst of the crisis is over. Gen. Moeen U. Ahmed stated categorically that the Army is under the authority of the elected government, and the PM has faced off 300+ angry, emotional officers for three hours.

If this democratically elected government can withstand the pressure to act hastily, we believe the truth will shine through. And only then the death of the officers will not be in vain.

BDR Massacre: A Timeline

2009-03-01T10:12:00.030-05:00

We start this post with our sincerest condolences to the friends and families of the fallen. For the record, we are calling this a terrorist act: not a mutiny.

In any war, the first casualty is always the truth, and it is happening in Bangladesh right now. We believe truth and justice are the best ways to show respect to the memories of the dead, so let us go back and try to do that.

We start with a timeline of the incidents. Please note that this is not a blow-by-blow account but the major points. While this timeline can, and is, self-standing, it is also an integral part of our next article, Accountability and Distorted Truths

Feb 25 09:30 AM - 10:30 AM:
(Lt. Col. Syed Kamruzzaman's interview, partial screen-shot below).
Mar. Gen. Shakil Ahmed, DDG Brig. Gen. Bari, Col. Anisuzzaman, Col. Emdad, Col. Zahid, Col. Moshiur, Capt. Mazhar and possibly Capt. Tanvir shot and killed. (10:30 is an assumption. The incidents Col. Kamruzzaman described probably ended before 10:30 AM)

Major Monir describes a slightly different timeline, but that the major points are the same, and the differences are understandable in the fog of war.

Feb 25 between 9:30 AM - 12:00 noon
Various civilians injured or killed by gunfire or splinters from mortar as far as Dhaka university.

Army units take position near New Market around 11:20 AM, and attempts to enter gate 3, but retreated after stiff resistance and massive fire from BDR

Feb 25 around 2:30 PM
Bodies of Dhaka Sector commander Col. Syed Mujibul Haque and 36 Rifle Battalion commanding officer Lt. Col. Enayet's dead body was discovered near the Nababganj drainage canals (the drain runs under Pilkhana). One of the dead bodies had a letter from presumably the BDR soldiers that asked that the message be sent to all media that they have been oppressed by army officers, and their backs were against the wall.

Prior to that, BDR issued ultimatums that if the Army came into Pilkhana, there would be massive bloodshed. They also demanded that the Army helicopters be moved away.

Prothom Alo reported that the some of the BDRs were asked about the status of the DG around 2:30 PM, and they reported that he, as well as another 150 officers were under arrest. We now know that to be untrue.

Feb 25 2:45 PM - 3:30 PM
Jahangir Nanak and Mirza Azam enter pilkhana after some negotiation via mobile phones and through TV channels. MPs Waserat Hossain and Mahbub Ara Guini statys outside the gate. 14 BDR personnel, including Deputy Assistant Director Touhidul Islam, goes to the PM's residence for a meeting. (this is the same Touhid Lt. Col. Kamruzzaman said saved his life)

Feb 25 approx 4:00 PM
A BDR solider announced on a loudspeaker that they will give their life but will not compromise on their demands. This was on Moneshwar Road, about 200 yards from the Darbar hall, where the killings started. Civilians present there clapped and cheered at that statement.

Prothom Alo reported that while all other gates were covered by the Army, this gate had no Army presence.

Feb 25 approx 6:00 PM
Prime minister Sheikh Hasina announces general amnesty. Before this, she met with the 14-member BDR team from 3:45 - 5:45 PM

Feb 25 7:30 PM
As a result of the amnesty announcement, firing stops briefly. Many injured, including women and children come out of the BDR headquarters.

Feb 25 9:00 -11:00 PM
12 BDR members in meeting with negotiators at Ambala Inn in Dhanmondi. They demand that army personnel be withdrawn from Pilkhana as precondition for laying down arms. Army units start moving back by 10:40 PM.

Feb 26 12:10 AM - 6:00 AM
Negotiation meeting ends at 12:10 AM.
Sahara Khatun enters Pilkhana at 12:15 AM

Feb 26 2:30 AM
Sahara Khatun exits Pilkhana with at least one injured officer, and about 40 other family members.

After that, we accelerate our narrative:

Feb 26, 9:45 AM
Agriculture miniter Motia Chowdhury and State minister for Law Qumrul Islam meets with 10 rebels again at Ambala Inn.

Feb 26, 11:45 AM
PM meets with the three service chiefs

Feb 26, 1:45 PM
Another team lead by Abdul Jalil meets with the rebels. Rashed Khan
Menon asks the rebels to let the family members go, and if necessary keep the politicians as hostage
Between 50-60 family members were released after that

Feb 26, 3:20 PM
Afran, daughter of a Major Zia, was released.

Feb 26, 4:20 PM
BTV camera men invited inside to witness and record the surrender of arms.
200 hostages released

Feb 26, 4:30 PM
White flag is raised. 18 injured Army officers were released

Feb 26, 4:30 PM - 6:00 PM
Final stages. Hasina in meeting with the 3 service chiefs.
Surrender and end of violence announced at 6 PM

The BDR Massacre

2009-02-26T08:43:00.015-05:00

A pre-planned attack and pre-meditated murder:
I watched in stunned disbelief as a BDR soldier (I hate the word Jawan--what exactly is that?) justified the mutiny and shooting of the officers in front of TV cameras.

He said that they were upset about the pay disparity between the Army officers who commanded them, and the rank and file BDR. He claimed that the DG's wife and lots of other corrupt officers stole from the operation Daal-Bhat (a chain of fair-price shops run by the BDR during 2007-2008). He went on to claim that the first shot was fired by an Army officer, and the rest just spontaneously happened.

There are a few major problem with this story. First, we know from accounts form some officers that not all BDR soldiers participated in this, and some of them died while trying to prevent the massacre. We all saw the red bandannas being worn by the attacking faction. This served as a uniform so they could easily identify friend from foe. Second, now we know that the involved soldiers did not turn in their weapons to the ordnance officer after the Prime Minister's speech and inspection parade, but falsified the storage records to show that they were turned in.

What where they thinking? Insanity? Complete collapse of reason? Why would a group of soldiers start an armed mutiny and killing spree in a campus surrounded by the general population? They had to know that the news would get out quickly, and that they would be vastly outnumbered by the heavy armor of the Army. By all rational thinking, this was nothing but suicidal. If they thought their demands would be met and everything would got back to barracks to just carry on their duties, they were delusional. All possibility of a peaceful resolution disappeared after the first drop of blood was shed.

Again, this was not something that got out of hand--this was planned and designed. I am ruling out mental incompetency--it is possible in one or two people but not for the large group. At least the leaders had to know that there will be no going back from this--their actions will result in court martials. Knowing that, why would they still do this?

The weakest excuse was the demand to have an officer cadre of BDR's own, and not Army officers sent by deputation. Of all our armed forces, BDR has the most interaction with their counter-parts from India and Myanmar. It is unthinkable that the government would reduce the requirements for becoming an officer (which is now HSC and a 2 year course from Bangladesh Military Academy). Did they think their own officer cadre will be their brothers, and that the soldiers in Bangladesh Army enjoy some cozy relationship with their officers?

The leaders of this massacare had no chance of becoming officers in the BDR. When the Army officers came to BDR, they became BDR officers--plain and simple, and I don't buy that excuse for a minute.

Motivated by money, protesting against the oppression by and corruption of the Army? I don't think so. People do not take on a suicidal course of action for money. However, I am not ruling out some fanatical elements, or even the influence of mind-altering drugs.

Government knew the extent of the killings soon enough. The Darbar (a open forum--from the colonial times, where the commanding officer hears questions and grievances from the soldiers) started at 9 AM on February 25th, the 2nd day of BDR Week. There were about 3000 soldiers and 165 officers in the hall. After the shooting started around 9:30 AM, one of the officers present, a Major Zayedi, called Maj Gen (Rtd.) Tarique Siddik, the prime ministers security advidser and described the scene.

Unexplained brutality. We saw dead bodies that were beyonett charged. Dead bodies where hacked into pieces and dumped into sewers. There are unconfirmed reports of the DG's wife being burned alive. There are reports of rape of women, substantiated by the TV images of women coming out in torn clothing. This is from the notes of the son of an Army officer, who wrote from Dhaka:

Wives of the BDR officers(yes, they were BDR officers) were scared to death after they heard about the massacre at Dorbar Hall. They started breaking into quarters and looting around 12.30 pm. They dragged many women and girls with them. I don't want to explain any farther.Most of them didn't know that their father or husband is already dead. But what they didn't know something even more uglier is about to happen. I would've write this whole thing in full details but there are some people I know who will never forgive me if I do so. But these are truths, please try to except it. As I did.

Why this inhuman behavior? Forget Geneva convention--every soldier knows that he might face an enemy in the battlefield, and abusing a dead enemy is simply not done. So why did they beyonett the dead officers? Why did they cut them up? Surely they were not dumb enough to think they can just hide the evidence and claim the officers were never there in the first place? I don't even want to contemplate the burning alive (regardless of her alleged crimes) or rapes.

Soldiers are trained to kill--that is part of their job description. But this brutality defies all explanation.

The 4:00 PM Deadline: The following is from one of the people involed in the negotiations.

Gen Moeen came to the PM's residence around 10:30. He was joined by the Navy and Air chiefs around 11:30. By 12:30, everyone in Jamuna (PM's current residence) knew that more than 10 officers were already dead, and the others may be killed any time soon. Gen. Moeen informed the PM that the situation in the cantonment was getting explosive: Army officers there were not going to sit idle as their brother officers were being killed. He said that if things didn't improve by 4:00 PM, the situation may get out of control. This is when the PM asked for 12 volunteers to go in and negotiate.

Jahangir Nanak and Mirza Azam, and other brave men and women. Nanak and Azam were the first to respond, and went into the battle-zone. Nanak returned with a team of 14 BDR soldiers to the PMs residence, but Mirza Azam was kept as a hostage by the rebels to ensure the safety of the 14.

Later, other MPs, including at least two female MPs, also went into Pilkhana. What these men and women did was above and beyond the call of duty. Specially Mirza Azam: he had to know that elements within the Army may act without permission and detain or kill the 14 BDR soldiers, which would have put his own life in jeopardy.

Amnesty: A group of Bangladeshi bloggers were discussing this online as the events were unfolding. We agreed that announcing the general amnesty was probably necessary to defuse the situation, but at the same time (this is before the extent of the massacre was known) argued that killers simply could not be let go scott free. Here is what Mash said in an email:

Amnesty is a very bad idea. Let's turn the tables and examine this. Do you want amnesty for Mujib's killers? I am pretty sure the answer is no. Giving amnesty for pure murder will lead to breakdown of law - as Bangladesh history shows.

That summarizes the sentiment pretty succinctly. The answer to pay disparity or corruption by officers is not murder, and murderers can not, should not, be allowed to go free.

I stated that I will personally proffer a pen to Sheikh Hasina to sign the order withdrawing the amnesty.

The government has since clarified that statement and said that the amnesty was extended to the general rebels, but anyone involved in the killings will face trial.

Moeen under pressure: Gen. Moeen was under tremendous pressure from junior officers to act with decisive force against the BDR, but he followed the chain of command. We commend Gen. Moeen for this

Hasina--this is leadership. Under tremendous pressure, the PM opted for the difficult path of patience. It would have been easy for her to order the Army to go in to the Pilkhana with their tanks and turn the heart of Dhaka into a war-field, but she kept her head. Finally we see some of the steel and lion-heart that her father had.

Khaleda Zia and BNP: One of the first statements from BNP was that it will work with the government and help it to resolve this issue. Later BNP raised their standard refrain of looking for external enemies (which in this case is an entirely valid demand), and overall, BNP behaved like a responsible opposition is supposed to behave.

Escalation scenario. We now know that Mrs. Zia did not spend the night at her Cantonment residence, so it is obvious she was concerned that this could spread further. One early speculation was that this was engineered by the Army so they could impose marital law in the name of keeping law and order. We could have seen hundreds of dead civilians.

What is going on now. Buses and other transportation are being searched by the Army and RAB, and men with crew-cuts are being dragged out and being taken away. We just hope no vigilante justice is not served on them.

What should have happened. BDR's demands are not new. They staged a mini-munity during the last BNP tenure, but that was quelled without any blood-shed. But the scale of the 2009 mutiny defies all logic. There is obvious finger-pointing towards the DGFI, NSI and MI--were they all asleep?

We know that DGFI was responsible for the arrest and torture of some of the MPs on both sides of the isle. Knowing that, allow me to present some scenarios, and matching recommendations or comments.

DGFI and the other intelligence agencies did not have a clue. Hard to believe, but not impossible. If so, the answer is simple: fire the leadership. That should have been done anyway as soon as Hasina came to power.
DGFI and the other intelligence agencies did know, and did warn the government, but it did not reach high enough. Possible, but unlikely. If DGFI knew, they would not have let their brother officers die
DGFI and the other agencies knew about this plot, but kept it secret to advance their own agenda, or were involved with the planning themselves. Possible, but unlikely. DGFI can not keep their involvement secret after this massacle
DGFI and the other intelligence agencies did know, and did warn the government. The government sat on it in order to discredt DGFI. This is just ridiculous. Again, DGFI would not have just sat back and let other officers die
Other theories: RAW did it, because by weakening the BDR, India gains.
Ulfa did it, because the government is extraditing Anup Chetia to India
ISI did it, because they wanted to stage a full-scale coup and overthrow AL
Jamaat did it, because they want to stop the war-crimes trial

But here is my own conclusion (without any documentary evidence): the leaders of the mutiny were promised some sort of immunity deal by someone very high up--someone they had reason to trust and believe who could deliver on his promise. Follow that trail, and the mastermind(s) will be found.

Field-grade officers are explosively angry. Gen. Moeen had a series of meeting with the officers, who are demanding a solution (in other words, an eye for an eye). The Officers are very angry and frustrated, and they didn't even let the govt officials and ministers to attend the janaja of the first seven officers. Reportedly Abdur Razzak and Tofael Ahmed where man-handled at the Contonment mosque. They are blaming the government for letting the BDR jawans get away.

Was there corruption by the officers? It is well-known, and accepted by most officers, that the 3-year posting to BDR is an opportunity to make a lot of money. Operation Daal-Bhat allegedly resulted in Tk. 40 crore profit that never saw the light of day. Some other snippets from a list of allegations:

The director general of the BDR has smuggled Tk 30 crore to his mother-in-law’s account in the United States. His wife was caught at the airport, but the whole incident was suppressed
22 army officers have embezzled Tk 2 crore of Operation Dal-Bhat through bank signatures of BDR personnel. They embezzled another Tk 60 crore from the profits of Operation Dal-Bhat.
A relative of the DG went missing with Tk 50 crore of Nur Mohammad Rifles Public School, but the matter was never investigated.
[Former] director general Rezaqul Haider Chowdhury took away Tk 40 crore and that incident was not investigated either.

(before anyone accuses me of dragging down the names of good officers who died, remember that just as corruption does not justify killing, death does not wipe the slate clean either. I am not saying everyone was corrupt, but not investigating the corruptions has no excuse either, and both the CTG and AL has at least some of this blood on their hands)

Next steps: This seems obvious to us, but in the land of politics nothing is as it seems. First, ensure justice. Find those with their hands on the guns, find who did the planning, all the way up the chain. Then try them in open courts and court martial, with reporters present. The country needs to know how deep and wide the rot is.

Sunlight is the best disinfectant.

The BDR Revolt and Role of Bangladesh Intelligence Agencies

2009-02-26T08:06:00.005-05:00

- Dr. Abdul Momen

Today’s revolt in the BDR HQ in Dhaka is an eye-opener. Due to revolt, reportedly 50 lives were lost. Many civilian died owing to stray bullets. Whatever the causes of the revolt, it is a fact that there has been a serious lapse of intelligence failure and secondly the death of civilians, closure of schools and postponement of exam demands a serious debate on the merits of keeping headquarters of security forces or cantonments inside crowded localities of the nation’s capital.

In USA, the forefathers of its independence nearly 230 years ago decided not to allow heavy weapons within the borders of capital i. e. Washington D. C or the District of Columbia. However, it allowed individual citizen to bear arms for their self protection. In the case of Bangladesh given its history of coups and counter coups, it may be necessary to forbid heavy weapons within 50 miles radius of the capital city of Dhaka. The recent BDR revolt and especially killing of innocent civilians and bystanders once again reminded the Bangladeshi nationals to seriously discuss this issue of relocating both the Dhaka cantonment and the BDR HQ away from the city limit.

If the BDR Headquarters would have been outside Dhaka away from Pilkhana, an overcrowded area of civilian population surrounded by schools and shops, such casualties could be minimized. Therefore, it may be recommended to relocate BDR HQ away from capital city.

Similarly, there is hardly any rationale to have Army Cantonment within the capital city. This may be relocated 50 miles away from the capital city to a remote locality. In that case, prime and expensive lands will be made available for growth and expansion of Dhaka city. Moreover, fear and tension of revolt within the cantonment causing disruption of normal life would be lessened.

In Dhaka, civilian vehicles are not allowed to go through the cantonment area and such is an additional cause for bumper-to-bumper hour-long traffic jams on the VIP road. If the Cantonment is relocated away from its current location, such horrendous traffic congestion could be lessened. Bangladesh Army is a part of Bangladesh society and it desires to improve quality of life of its countrymen. In spite of this, it is unfortunate that they have not opened up their roads to the general public yet on their own initiative. Since army fails to open them up on its own, it may be necessary to relocate Dhaka cantonment for the good of the nation.

The BDR Revolt that occurred following Prime Minister’s trip to the BDR HQ is mind boggling. If this would happened during Prime Minister’s visit, it could have created a national crisis. Naturally, serious questions could be raised as regards the efficiency of the Bangladesh intelligence agencies. According to many, the focus of the Bangladesh Intelligence Agencies both the DGFI and the NSI have been basically pivots around finding and codifying information regarding civilian opinion leaders and political leadership. The rationale for secretly recording phone, fax and mobile calls of politicians, journalists, opinion leaders and talk-show participants in Bangladesh in addition to lawyers and businessmen has been designed with a view to collect information about civilian activities. Even their everyday activities and mobility are being watched in the name of nation’s interest. Unfortunately, such appears to be uncommon in the area of security forces. No wonder, Bangladesh Intelligence Agencies miserably failed in protecting its founder President Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman or founder of the BNP party, General Ziaur Rahman. It even failed to provide intelligence information regarding the terrorist bombing attack of a public rally of Sheikh Hasina on August 21, 2004 in which 23 people were killed including the wife of current President of Bangladesh, Zillur Rahman and nearly 370 were wounded or maimed for life. It failed to provide intelligence information regarding grenade attacks on the former Finance Minister ASM Kibria or on British High Commissioner Anwar Chowdhury. It also failed to furnish intelligence information regarding jehadi bombings in 493 towns and cities of Bangladesh simultaneously.

In fact, the performance record of Bangladesh Intelligence Agencies till to-date is very poor. It gets an F grade. The recent BDR revolt is a case in point.

Bangladesh Intelligence Agencies are mostly headed by military personnel unlike industrialized countries. Most of the heads of the DGFI and the NSI in Bangladesh have been active duty military officials. In contrast, most of the heads of U. S. and the British Intelligence Agencies, for example, FBI, CIA, or MI5 (British) are non-military personnel.

The current FBI Director is Robert Mueller. He has been a lawyer. The current CIA Chief is Leon Panetta, a former congressman and a head of a Public Policy Institute at the California University. He was formerly Chief of Staff of President Clinton.

If we investigate the personal history of the heads of FBI for the last quarter century, one will be surprised that most of the intelligence heads were lawyers or judges. For example, there has been a total of 7 FBI Directors from February 23, 1978 till to-date of which three were Acting Directors. All four Directors were lawyers/judges, and among the Acting Directors, two were career intelligence officers and one was an accountant. William Webster (1978-87), William Sessions (1987-93), Louis Freeh (1993-2001) and Robert Mueller (2001-current) were Directors and all of them were lawyers/judges. The Acting ones; John Otto (26/5/87-2/11/87) and Floyd Clarke (19/7/93-1/9/93) were special FBI agents, and Thomas Pickard (25/6/01-4/9/01) was a CPA.

Given the limitations, the performance record of FBI and the CIA that are mostly run by civilian authority is much superior to that our DGFI or the NSI which are mostly headed by active-duty military officials.

Take the case of the British Intelligence Agencies. The British Military Intelligence Section 5 known as MI-5 or its agencies like SIS, MI-6, GCHQ or DIS are again mostly headed by civilian officials unlike Bangladesh. For example, the current head of MI5 is Mr. Jonathan Evans, a career intelligence officer. Prior to him Baroness Manningham-Buller (2002-07), a former school teacher headed it for 5 years. During 2000-02, Sir Stephen Lander, a PhD in History was its head. Prior to him, Dame Stella Rimington (1992-96), a diplomat’s wife headed the British intelligence organization. It may surprise Bangladeshi military leaders that a well known football player, Sir Patrick Walker headed MI-5 from 1988 through 1991.

There is no denying that the Intelligence Agencies of USA and UK are superior to that of Bangladesh. Admittedly they have more resources and superior information technology vis-à-vis Bangladesh. However, they have also more restrictions as they have to work within many legal limitations and restrictions unlike Bangladesh. Instead of this, their performance record is superior.

This raises a valid question. Should we stop appointing active-duty military personnel in the intelligence agencies that mainly focus their attention on political or civil leaderships? Instead should we follow that of the USA and UK for the greater interest of the country?

It is a fact that in Bangladesh, two of its Presidents were assassinated not by their political supporters or by any public citizen. They were assassinated by members of active-duty security forces. It is unfortunate, and it looks odd when in the name of security, a head of the government for example, Sheikh Hasina is kept at a distance from public thus denying her from mingling with her electorates in Bangladesh. This was true in the case of Khaleda Zia as well. In addition, it looks odd when security personnel stand next to the head of the government in all public events. This custom must be done away with to improve nation’s image both home and abroad. Remember, such practice is not common in civilized countries like USA, UK, France, Italy, Switzerland, Finland and the like. Remember, their heads of governments in no way, less exposed to security risk. The custom in USA is that once a person is allowed to enter the premises through checking, he/she is allowed to meet the President freely. The security forces stay at a distance unlike Bangladesh. The way the Bangladeshi security forces behave is deplorable. They literally keep the Prime Minister away from the public. It is a disgrace in the name of security. When the Prime Minister is surrounded by security officers overlooking her shoulder, it lowers our image in the free world. Such basically shows that the political leadership of Bangladesh is still under military subjugation or control in spite of a free, fair, transparent and credible election. Under such aggressive security guardianship, it can neither improve its image nor can attract increasing Foreign Direct Investment.

Dr. Abdul Momen is a professor of economics and business in Boston, USA

What happened at BDR HQ? Why?

2009-02-25T08:10:00.004-05:00

We know at least one innocent rickshaw-puller has died, and there are reports of heavy casualty among the command staff of BDR.

First it was reported that the director general of BDR was killed, then it was reported that he was taken hostage.

This armed uprising did not happen on a moment's notice. This happened during the annual gathering of BDR commanders from all borders--the so-called "Darbar", and given the large number of BDR soldiers involved, we believe this was in the planning for a while.

Why? Latest reports indicate the prime minister has pardoned the rebels, but they had no assurance of that before opening fire. For all they knew, court martial and swift death awaited them. What drives a group of man to a course of action that will lead to their own death?

The following are unconfirmed at this stage:
Stories are slowly emerging that the deputy director general of BDR is dead. Allegedly, there was major resentment among the ranks because of the corruption of the wife of the DG. Questions were raised during the Darbar about the fair-price shops BDR ran during the care taker government, and the money obtained from the sale of rice and other staples there. This is where the story gets a bit strange. One source claims that the DG shot and killed the soldier who was asking the questions, including the questions about his wife's corruption, on the spot, and then the soldiers took up arms.

The Invisible Government

2009-02-08T15:32:00.005-05:00

Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI) is an intelligence agency in Bangladesh that manages to poke it's nose in everything. Every government since its inception by Ziaur Rahman has abused it to gain an upper hand in the game of ruling Bangladesh. We saw the worst of its excess during the caretaker government--DGFI left all pretense of staying in the background and actively participated in the interrogation and torture of various politicians and journalists, and people from other walks of life.

We covered the interrogation of Abdul Jalil, AL presidium member, the torture of Tasneem Khalil, a journalist. We talked about the torture of Dr. Anwar Hossain, a university professor.

With offices in every district, an ear on every door and control of the media, DGFI is the invisible government that greatly influences, and in some areas dictates, how Bangladesh's power-structure operates.

Now that an elected government is in power, the veils of secrecy are being slowly lifted. Mr. Jalil described his torture and demanded in the parliament that DGFI be confined to policing the Army. Sheikh Selim and others described similar treatment and stories.

Yesterday, Rashed Khan Menon, the consummate political insider, demanded a parliamentary investigation of DGFI. He said that DGFI's media wing controls the media, the political wing forms new political parties, breaks established parties in the name of reform.

So what gives? Are these politicians suddenly becoming fearless and growing backbones, or do they believe that there is very high-level support for finally reigning in DGFI?

The answer lies with Major Gen. (Rtd) Tarique Ahmed Siddique, the security adviser to the prime minister with a full minister's rank. Gen. Siddique is the brother-in-law of Sheikh Rehana, but for this discussion, one of his other roles is relevant.

Gen. Siddique also happens to be a former director general of DGFI, and according to another retired general, "hates the guts of the current DGFI leadership."

Of course, he will not lift a finger without the assent of Sheikh Hasina.

So with the pronouncements in the Parliament, is Sheikh Hasina (and her proxy Gen. Siddique) sending a strong signal that DGFI is not immune any more?

Will finally the invisible government's powers be trimmed back?

Bangladeshi to Lead major Canadian University

2009-01-15T09:59:00.004-05:00

Dr. Amit Chakma will become the president and vice chancellor of University of Western Ontario from July 1, 2009.

Among this good news, I am feeling a little unease. Most of the discussion I have seen among Bangladeshis is about congratulating a Chakma, an adibasi, reaching this pinnacle of success. So it is my honor to congratulate Dr. Chakma for being the first Bangladeshi to reach such a milestone.

From the university's student newspaper:

Chakma’s father was the only member of his family – he had 10 siblings – to attend school, rather than following the Chakma tribe’s tradition of living off the land.

The foresight in this decision allowed the family to persevere when a hydro-electric dam built in their traditional area submerged the land. While a large segment of the tribe moved to remote areas for a fresh start, Chakma’s father took the family to work in a nearby town, where Chakma was able to enroll in school.

“As I was growing up, it became very clear life was going to be very difficult for us ... and the only way out of it was education,” he says. “Early on my parents instilled in me the need to study.”

When Bangladesh (formerly part of Pakistan) became independent in 1971, many students were encouraged to study in allied Russia. Although Chakma was tempted by a scholarship to pursue post-secondary education in Moscow, it was his father who solely supported his decision to attend the Algerian Petroleum Institute, from which he received a Dip. Ing. in Chemical Engineering in 1982.

“That was a fateful decision for me,” he says, adding his fascination with the French language and Algeria’s unique culture, as well as the energy crisis in the 1970s, influenced his choice.

I must say Dr. Chakma's father showed remarkable foresight. Our heartiest congratulations to Dr. Chakma, and we wish him all the best.

My Hero

2009-01-12T17:25:00.003-05:00

Begum Monnujan Sufian, the newly appointed state minister of Labour, came to Dhaka as a newly elected MP, and stayed at a hotel for Tk. 138 per night. She went to Bongobhaban for her oath ceremony from that hotel, and returned there as a newly minted state minister.

As reported, she did not stay with any relative because she did not want to take any favors from anyone. All she had to do was hint, and there would have been a crowd of rich people fighting over each other to put her up at luxury hotels or other accommodation.

I believe as a result of this newspaper report, she spent last night at a Bangladesh Railways guest house.

Begum Sufian will soon move to her state-owned residence. But in the few days she stayed in a modest hotel and paid for it out of her own pocket, this simple woman has set an example.

All the fat cat current and former ministers should be ashamed.

The lady doth protest too much

2009-01-11T17:27:00.012-05:00

Yesterday, we started writing this post with the following opening paragraph:

"Awami League does not like us, and we don't like AL. (Sheikh Hasina's son)
Sajeeb Wazed Joy lives in Virginia, which is next to Washington DC. Joy's wife
is a lawyer. Lawyers practice in courts. There is a court in Washington DC. The US government brought a case in that court to repatriate funds that allegedly Mr. Arafat Rahman Koko took as bribes.

Joy->Joy's lawyer wife->Court near Joy's house->Case to take back bribes that Koko allegedly took.

Follow me? It is plain as daylight. This is all part of a vast, worldwide conspiracy to steal the election that BNP rightfully won by a 90% margin, and undermine BNP leaders and their families." - Unnamed BNP leader.

This, of course, was a joke and untrue when it was written. After writing the whole thing, it was deleted from the article prior to publication because [a] it did not seem fair and [b] we were concenrend that some people will miss the disclaimer and think this was actually said by someone from BNP.

Looks like our humor was not too far off the mark, because lo and behold, Prothom-Alo is reporting that BNP secretary general Kh. Delwar Hossain is claiming that there is no case in the USA about bribes accepted by Khaleda Zia's youngest son, Koko.

According to BDNews24:

The BNP secretary general on Sunday night said US federal district court filed a
case against the Siemens company, not Arafat Rahman Coco who has no connections
with the case. "But the media has exaggerated the case," Khandaker Delwar
Hossain said at a media briefing at the BNP chairperson's Gulshan office. The
briefing followed a meeting of the BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia with her lawyers.

Only one problem: the US department of justice clearly said:

The forfeiture action was filed Jan. 8, 2009, in U.S. District Court in
the District of Columbia against funds located in Singapore held by multiple
accountholders. The forfeiture complaint relates primarily to alleged bribes
paid to Arafat "Koko" Rahman, the son of the former prime minister of Bangladesh.

Oh, we must be mistaken then, and this must be the son of some other prime minister. The worthy Mr. Hossain further added that this was just a press release based on assumptions by a US department.

Mr. Hossain, we know you need help to keep your pajama tied even in public, so the quote from the press release may be too complicated for you. Allow us to break it down. See the word "filed" right before a date, which was followed ny the word "Court"? (those are the fat words in green). That probably means they are talking about something that was filed in a court. Since it is not a basketball or tennis court, it is safe to assume they are actually talking about a legal action. Next notice "bribes paid to Arafat "Koko" Rahman"?

Care to tell us why you think there was no case filed?

As the infomercials say, "But wait--there's more!!!" The Daily Star and other newspapers are reporting that the scope is much, much bigger than Koko's alleged bribes. Ready for this? The total figure that the US and UK governments are trying to repatriate is US$200 million, about 1380 crore taka. To put things in perspective, Bangladesh's annual budget is about 99,000 crore taka.

A delegation comprising the United States justice department's deputy chief Linda M Samuel, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agent Deborah Heprevotte and UK Institute of Management consultant Ferdous Ahmed made the request for help at a meeting with Law Minister Shafique Ahmed at his secretariat office.

They handed him a list of the persons suspected of receiving the sums during the immediate past four-party alliance rule. Shafique last night told The Daily Star, “We have assured the delegation of help in getting back the money."

Mr. Hossain, meet two new words: Libel and Slander. There is this wonderful law called libel in all the countries involved: USA, UK, and of course, Bangladesh. If you feel you can not get justice in Bangladesh, instead of half-baked assertions, put your money where your mouth is. If all these allegations are false, why is BNP, Mrs. Zia or Mr. Arafat Rahman not filing libel cases against the US department of justice? This is the surest way to prove to the world that you are right and BNP may raise a lot of funds in the process as well.

Talk is cheap. If you are confident about your position, show the world. Otherwise all your bluster rings hollow.

We will end with Fuzzy Math, Koko edition.

While BNP is trying to make bumbling excuses, they have raised one question. The US Justice department complaint against Siemens states:

1. Between March 12, 2001 and September 2007, (the "Relevant Period")
2. Between this period, Siemens made thousands of payments

So BNP is saying:

"Siemens had worked during 2000-2004 when bribe was exchanged through consulting company ABC. Siemens had first bribed on May 4, 2001 when BNP was not in power," Delwar explained.

Another fact pulled out of thin air. The SEC complaint linked above covers the whole world when it mentioned that period, not just Bangladesh. It has no mention of May 4, 2001 as Mr. Hossain asserted. On the other hand, it clearly states in section 5 (47) regarding the bribery in Bangladesh:

"Between 2004 and 2006, Siemens COM paid approximately $5.3 Million in bribes"

Why make up lies when they are so easily proven to be false?

How soon we forget: Shahara Khatun edition

2009-01-10T14:59:00.009-05:00

Update: Thanks to a reader comment, we see Shamokal reporting that Hasina scolded Sahara Khatun, and now other ministers are also being careful about their tongue wagging. Good.

We have to watch our newly minted Home minister, Shahara Khatun closely.

Here is a person who faced brutality from BNP members while the police looked the other way. Now that she is in charge, and thugs from her own party and its affiliates are terrorizing BNP members, can you guess what this person, who took an oath to uphold the laws, said?

Thursday night, she said during a TV interview that all the clashes going around the country are results of internal strife of BNP, generated by their landslide defeat in the election.

Right. All the newspapers and TV stations are owned by BNP, so they are blaming AL cadres who are as pure as fresh flowers.

Dear Ms. Khatun: what the hell just happened? I mean, it typically takes a few months of power to completely lose one's sense of fairness and justice and become a robot. How did this affect you so quickly? Did you forget Altaf Hossain's "allar mal" comment and how he was ridiculed?

Even this blog defended you a few days ago by quoting exactly that. We don't exactly feel betrayed, since you did not promise us anything. But on live TV, you took that oath. At least try to live upto that for a few months before becoming yet another partisan hack destined to end up in the garbagepile of history at the next election.

And here we were, naively thinging this time it will be different.

Slowly, slowly, the wheel turns

2009-01-10T14:39:00.007-05:00

All the early editions are carrying the news in some shape or form that that the US justice department is requesting a court order to return the money paid out as bribes either in US dollars or went via US banking institutions. This includes at least portion of the Tk. 11 crore we reported on before.

Here is what the Department of justice is saying:

The forfeiture action was filed Jan. 8, 2009, in U.S. District Court in the
District of Columbia against funds located in Singapore held by multiple account
holders. The forfeiture complaint relates primarily to alleged bribes paid to
Arafat "Koko" Rahman, the son of the former prime minister of Bangladesh, in
connection with public works projects awarded by the government of Bangladesh to
Siemens AG and China Harbor Engineering Company. According to the
forfeiture complaint, the majority of funds in Koko’s account are traceable to
bribes allegedly received in connection with the China Harbor project, which was
a project to build a new mooring containment terminal at the port in Chittagong,
Bangladesh.
"This action shows the lengths to which U.S. law enforcement will
go to recover the proceeds of foreign corruption, including acts of bribery and
money laundering," said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew Friedrich.
"Not only will the Department, for example, prosecute companies and executives
who violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, we will also use our forfeiture
laws to recapture the illicit facilitating payments often used in such
schemes."
Siemens Aktiengesellschaft (Siemens AG), a German corporation, and
three of its subsidiaries pleaded guilty on Dec. 15, 2008, to violations of and
charges related to the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA). Specifically,
Siemens Bangladesh admitted that from May 2001 to August 2006, it caused corrupt payments of at least $5,319,839 to be made through purported business
consultants to various Bangladeshi officials in exchange for favorable treatment
during the bidding process on a mobile telephone project. At least one
payment to each of these purported consultants was paid from a U.S. bank
account.
According to the forfeiture complaint, the bribe payments from
Siemens AG and China Harbor Engineering Company were made in U.S. dollars, and
the illicit funds flowed through financial institutions in the United States
before they were deposited in accounts in Singapore, thereby subjecting them to
U.S. jurisdiction. Money laundering laws in the United States cover financial
transactions that flow through the United States involving proceeds of foreign
offenses, including foreign bribery and extortion.

Thailand (where he is now) has extradition treaties with the USA, so that may not be safe for Mr. Arafat Rahman for too long.The traditional country to abscond when US law enforcement comes after someone is Brazil, as there is no extradition treaty between Brazil and USA.

Ticket to Rio for one, please. Yes, one-way.

The Cabinet of Curiosities

2009-01-08T09:29:00.004-05:00

The backstabbing has begun. Various senior AL leaders who did not get a portfolio are already bad-mouthing Sahara Khatun and Dr. Dipu Moni off the record.

Even among the populace, there is a lot of talk about how there are too many new faces in the cabinet, and it would have been better to have at least a few more experienced faces.

I beg to differ.

Here is the dirty secret about ministers in Bangladesh. If you believe the ministers run the ministry, your really need to go back and watch episodes of "Yes Minister" and "Yes, Prime Minister." Ministers are not involved in the day-to-day functioning of the ministry; they set high-level policy and then the secretaries do whatever the secretaries wish as long as they are not seen to be contradicting the minister.

The truth is, with a few notable exceptions, we have always put novices in charge of ministries. The exceptions traditionally are: Finance (an economist or accountant, for some strange reason from Sylhet), Law (a lawyer), Health (a doctor) and Religion (a mowlana). No disrespect to Abdus Samad Azad or Morshed Khan, but I will take a Doctor/Lawyer educated in UK and USA over either of them as the foreign minister. I can not see how Dr. Dipu Moni will do worse than any other politician whose only diplomatic experience would have been drinking free booze at various embassy parties. Of all the AL leaders, there was only one person with better credentials: Abul Hassan Chowdhury, former state minister for foreign affairs. Anyone else has no better claim than Dr. Dipu Moni.

How is Sahara Khatun any worse than Mohammad Nasim, "Allar mal" Altaf Hossain or Lutfuzzaman Babar? Altaf Hossain at least came with a history of commanding men at arms; what did the other two know about running the home ministry when they took office?

Sahara Khatun knows the laws, and has faced the business end of police batons. If she keeps her head and does not let the old boys club intimidate her, she will do fine. But like the old Iranian story, she has to kill the cat on the first night by making an example of a few corrupt cops and yes, Awami League mastans. Otherwise she will be in trouble.

I do have reservations about two: Begum Munnujan Sufian and Dilip Barua. On the surface, Begum Sufian is a great pick. We can now add another subject matter expert to the above list. This seasoned labor leader is now the state minister for Labor. Good for her, and if she does not let the secretaries and her former trade union colleagues bully her around, she will be OK.

But where do I start with Dilip Barua? So we gave this life-long anti-capitalist the Industry ministry. Is he going to proclaim victory over the class enemies and declare the rule of the proletariat? We saw the failure of command economy in the former Soviet Union. Even India was puttering along and really took off once they decided to open the markets. I hope Mr. Barua keeps these in mind.

Perhaps I will be wrong. The Chinese seem to be doing fine (at least until the US economy tanked) with their model. The old joke about comrade Barua and his cohorts was that they unfurled umbrellas if it rained in Beijing. Perhaps he will learn from China and usher in the true industrial age in Bangladesh.

New or old, experienced or novice, I don't care. I know and believe that a smart and dedicated person can do anything they wish, including learning new skills and running a ministry. So I wish the new cabinet good luck, since the future of my country is tied with their success.
--------------------------------------
A footnote: BTV used to show "Yes, Minister" in the days of heavy censorship. Our esteemed ministers probably did not care because they probably thought it was making fun of a British politician. Good thing they did not understand it was making fun of them, too.

Analog Bangladesh

2009-01-07T13:30:00.013-05:00

My day job, how I earn my living, is technology, and my passion is the effect of technology on society. As a result, I feel I am qualified to make the following statement: People can not eat bytes, and I can assure you that they will not care one little bit if Bangladesh is digital or not if they are hungry and struggling to make ends meet.

When Bill Clinton was campaigning against George Bush Sr. in 1991 (who had 90% approval rating at that time), a Clinton adviser, James Carville, hung a sign in his office that said "It's the economy, stupid." This referred to the fact that Bush's 90% approval rating came from winning the 1991 Gulf War but the economy was getting bad and it will hurt Bush soon. That's exactly what happened--in 1992 Bush had 64% disapproval, and "It's the economy, stupid" became immortelized as the phrase that best describes what voters care about the most. We saw another example of this when Clinton was president: despite personal scandals, Clinton oversaw a booming economy and is still hugely popular in the USA--the voters really did not care what he did that did not affect the country or the economy.

There is no reason to think that Bangladeshi voters are any different. They punished AL in 2001, BNP in 2008, and will do it again in 2014 if AL can not delliver on its promises.

So here is my humble suggestion: take care of building a solid Analog Bangladesh before trying to go digital.

In the Bangladeshi context, what does this mean? The answer is simple: Food and essentials prices, law and order, transportation.

First, kill Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB). Since 1974, TCB has never been able to control market prices--so why carry this white elephant?

Second: remove the requirement for government licenses to import food. Why would a marchant need a new license to import Onions or Rice if he already has a license to trade? This only keeps out competition, and makes the Khatunganj syndicate stronger. AMA Muhith spoke last night about breaking up the syndicates. Give everyone the power to import, and the syndicates will vanish on their own.

Third: Accept that police officers are sometimes corrupt. Change the current process called "closing" when a police officer is caught. That is nothing but a joke. The current laws of the republic are sufficient: just enforce them. Establish an "Internal Affairs" department under the ACC, give them the power and the task to root out police corruption and misdeeds, and see what happens. Start with Kohinoor Mia and the other corrupt police officers who framed Joj miah for the bus bombings.

The PM has kept defense in her own hand, and a former DGFI chief, Major Gen. (rtd) Tarique Ahmed Siddik is now her security adviser. Can we expect that crimes committed by the Army will not be swept under the rug any more? Specifically, I am referring to Chalesh Ritchill Sangma's death, and the judicial commission that was set up to investigate it. Let us, for once, see that a uniform does not grant a virtual indemnity, and that justice is served. Set one example, dear Prime Minister, and the rest will follow.

Fourth: Ask each Minister to take a public oath that they will not call any police officer and ask them to release any criminal.

Fifth: Establish an efficient mass transit system in Dhaka. Please, I beg you. Just an overhead light rail will do. Start with Mirpur to Motijheel by 2012, and add routes in the next few years if possible.

Then we can talk about a Digital Bangladesh.

Cabinet Sworn In

2009-01-06T08:46:00.008-05:00

Updated with the portfolios. Our commentary coming soon.

Ministers:
Sheikh Hasina: Defense, Public Works, Religion, Housing, Power and Energy
Abul Maal Abdul Muhith: Finance
Motia Chowdhury: Agriculture
Air Vice-marshal (retd) AK Khandker: Planning
Abdul Latif Siddiqui: Jute and textiles
Barrister Shafique Ahmed: Law
Advocate Shahara Khatun: Home
Syed Ashraful Islam: LGRD
Rezaul Karim Hira: Land
Engineer Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain: Labour, employment and Expatriate welfare.
Abul Kalam Azad: Information minister
Dr Dipu Moni: Foreign Affairs
Dr Afsarul Amin: Shipping
Dr Abdur Razzak: Food and Disaster Management
Syed Abul Hossain: Communications
Col (retd) Farooq Khan: Commerce
GM Quader: Civil aviation and tourism
Romesh Chandra Sen: Water Resources
Dilip Barua: Industries
Raziuddin Ahmed Raju: Telecommunications
Enamul Haque Mostafa Shahid: Social Welfare
Nurul Islam Nahid: Education
Abdul Latif Biswas: Fisheries and livestock,
AFM Ruhul Haque: Health and Social Welfare

State Ministers:
Mostafizur Rahman: Forest and environment
Capt (rtd) Tajul Islam: Liberation war affairs
Tanjim Ahmed Sohel Taj: Home
Dr Hasan Mahmood: Foreign Affairs
Begum Munnujan Sufian: Labour
Dipankar Talukder: Chittagong Hill Tract Affairs
Ahad Ali Sarkar: Youth and Sports
Yafes Osman: Science and ICT

BUILDERS OF THE STATE

2009-01-03T13:42:00.003-05:00

Our leaders should read and remember this poem.

BUILDERS OF THE STATE
Richard Watson Gilder (1844–1909)

WHO builds the state? Not he whose power
Rooted in wrong, in gold intrenched,
Makes him the regent of the hour;
The eternal light can not be quenched:

This shall outlive his little span;
Shine fierce upon each tainted scheme;
Shall show where shame blots all the plan;
The treachery in the dazzling dream.

He builds the state who builds on truth,—
Not he who, crushing toward his aim,
Strikes conscience from the throne, and ruth,
To win a dark unpiteous fame.

Not he, thou' master among men,
Empire and ages all his thought—
Tho' like an eagle be his ken:
Down to the ground shall all he brought.

For this I hold, and shall for aye,
Till Heaven sends death, that they who sow
Hate, and the blood of brothers, they
Shall harvest hate and want and woe—

The curse of Earth's dread agonies
Whereto they added, in their hour,
And all the unheeded tears and cries
They caused in lust of lawless power.

He builds the state who to that task
Brings strong, clean hands, and purpose pure;
Who wears not virtue as a mask;
He builds the state that shall endure —

The state wherein each loyal son
Holds as a birthright from true sires
Treasures of honor, nobly won,
And freedom's never-dying fires.

Fuzzy Math / শুভঙ্করের ফাঁকি

2009-01-03T11:12:00.009-05:00

Recently I was listening to a conversation that went something like this:

1. There are 35,000 polling stations in Bangladesh
2. There are 81 million voters, 87% of which, or a total of 70 million votes were cast
3. The polling stations were open for 8 hours = 480 minutes
(all numbers are approximate)

Hence, there were an average of 2000 votes (70 million / 35000) cast per polling center in 480 minutes,
which means each voter had (480 x 60) /2000 = 14 seconds per vote.

So the theory being proposed was: massive fraud and ballot-box stuffing, since 14 seconds to cast each vote is absurd.

Alas, the calculations are correct, but the data is wrong, because one polling center does not equate to only one polling booth. According to the Election Commission, there were 177107 polling booths, and that changes the calculation to:

Average votes cast per polling booth = 70 million / 177101 = 395 votes.
Time to cast each vote = (480 x 60) / 395 = 72 seconds

72 seconds is much better than 14 seconds per vote, right?

Let's take a look at the 2001 election. According to the Election Commission there were 56185707 votes cast in 149288 polling booths (29,978 polling stations). Using the same calculations:

Average votes cast per polling booth = 56185707 / 149288 = 376 votes.
Time to cast each vote = (480 x 60) / 376 = 76 seconds

4 seconds per vote less time required in 2008 compared to 2001 may seem like it is significant. But consider this: in 2001, a voter would have to go to the polling officer, and give his name and father's name. Then his record would be pulled up from a printed list, his address and age would be asked and his answers would be verified, then he would be handed a ballot paper and seal.

This time, a voter went to vote with a laminated ID card with an unique serial number. This number would be compared against the printed list. This is much faster than looking up by name, even manually, and there is no scope for confusion between Abdul Alim, son of Abdul Halim and Adbul Alim, son of Azizul Alim, etc.

Then the voter's photo and other biographical data would be compared on the voter list and photo ID, and he would be handed a ballot.

The saving in time for using the photo ID would easily exceed 4 seconds per voter when compared with the time required in 2001 to verify the identity of each voter.

Our conclusion: a 2008 voter had more time available to cast the vote than a voter in 2001. So people looking for a conspiracy using fuzzy math should look at the 2001 vote first.

Update: Prothom Alo is reporting that Khaleza Zia's Bogra-6 and Bogra-7 seats saw voter turnouts of 87.98% and 89.10% respectively. The two seats that Jamat won saw 86.59% (Cox's Bazar-2) and 88.10% (Chittagong-14) turnouts.

Various BNP leaders, and Jamaat's Amir Motiur Rahman Nizami has asked for an investigation of all the seats where 80% or more votes were cast. Of the 32 seats that BNP and Jamaat won, 26 saw turnouts of 80% or more, including the 4 listed above. Does this mean BNP and Jamaat are now questioning the validity of Khaleza Zia's two wins, along with 24 others, of their own?

Happy New Year

2009-01-01T08:49:00.001-05:00

Appointment Letter

2008-12-30T15:40:00.006-05:00

To:
Sheikh Hasina Wazed
C/O AL

Dear Mrs. Wazed:
Congratulations. We are happy to inform you that your employment application for the position of Prime Minister of Bangladesh has been accepted.

You have been accepted to lead the country on a five-year contract employment basis.

During the application review process, we considered your previous employment history from 1996 to 2001, and your performance during that period. Upon review, we found that you did an adequate job.

But don't get too elated. To be honest, the applicant pool was rather thin this year. Your toughest competition came from your immediate past predecessor, who left such a wide swath of destruction around her that we had no trouble making up our mind and rejecting her; after which there was only you left to be picked.

Given your predecessor's performance, note that we will keep a very close watch on you and your cohorts, and we will exercise our option to remove you at the expiry of the contract if your job performance is not adequate.

We do sincerely hope that you will not disappoint us. If you do, learn from your rival what fate awaits you.

One suggestion: go easy on trumpeting 1996-2001 as the 'golden era'. We still remember that Bangladesh landed at the top of the list of corrupt countries during that tenure for the first time.

On election night, there were reports of violence perpetrated by your supporters. This is the time to rein them in, or you will forever lose control of them.

But let us focus on the future and positive outcomes. Know that we wish you well and hope for your success in the future.

Sincerely,

Voters of Bangladesh

Rejection Letter

2008-12-30T15:27:00.006-05:00

To:
Mrs. Khaleda Zia
C/O BNP

Dear Mrs. Zia:
We regret to inform you that your employment application for the position of Prime Minister of Bangladesh has been denied.

During the application review process, we considered your previous employment history from 2001 to 2006, and your performance during that period. Upon review, we found that not only you did not do a good job, you brought along relatives who stole from people and profited at the expense of this country.

You also underperformed as manager--you hired people with little skill based on their friendship with your son, and let them flaunt the laws and regulations at will.

Your government landed Bangladesh at the top of the list of corrupt countries four years in a row.

Lastly, you allowed, with your full consent and knowledge, the establishment and growth of a colony of blood-sucking leeches also known as Jamaat, and their even more dangerous cousins, HUJI and JMB. You and your ministers denied the existence of a terrorist named Bangla Bhai, and your ministers directly aided and abetted this extremist.

As such, we are awarding the job to another candidate better suited for the position.

Please note that this denial is not final: you are welcome to apply for the job again in five years when it becomes available again, but you have to prove that you are better than the incumbent if you wish to gain employment.

Until then, we wish you well and hope that you will use this time constructively for the betterment of your governance and managerial skills, and not on destructive practices such as hartals, etc.

Sincerely,

Voters of Bangladesh

Landslide is not a mandate for one-party anarchy

2008-12-30T14:53:00.008-05:00

Decades ago, Sylhet municipality (before it became a city corporation) had an admittedly crazy candidate for the position of chairman: A Mr. Saiful. The whole town knew he had mental problems, and he openly discussed it. His campaigning was novel, too: he declared, in open meetings, that he was going to take a total of one crore taka in bribes, after which he will do real work.

Would you be surprised to hear that Mr. Saiful, a crazy person with a declared menifesto of taking bribes, defeated major party (AL, BNP, JP) candidates and was elected? The heavily favored AL candidate and the challanger BNP candidate both lost despite rigging the vote in many polling centers.

People were so disgusted with politics as usual, they voted for Saiful (also known as Chokka Saiful) as the Chariman.

People have power to vote, and they wield that power thoughtfully. This cartoon was published on Nov 5, 2008, after Obama was elected, and we thought this would be appropriate for Bangladesh as well.

We saw this in 1991--pundits were predicting an AL win, but people remembered that AL formed an alliance with Jatyo Party/Ershad and punished them by voting for BNP. BNP went to power and abused it, so people voted for AL in 1996.

You'd think AL would learn by then. They conducted business as usual, and was kicked out of power in the 2001 election. Which brings us to 2008, and the massive boot given to BNP by the voters in Bangladesh.

Awami League leadership and specially Sheikh Hasina will do well to remember this history. A landslide victory does not mean a license to mess with the constitution or the civil rights of people. It does not mean an unrestricted license to steal for the petty thugs in the party (or the big thugs in the party). It does not mean a massive revenge campaign against BNP rank and file members. Above all, it does not mean the laws of the country won't apply to Awami Leaguers any more.

May AL and Sheikh Hasina find the wisdom to govern wisely.

1991 Redux?

2008-12-30T11:31:00.004-05:00

[Occasionally (but rarely) we post a reader comment on the main page. The following is one such post from RA in New Hampshire. We agree with RA that it is a matter of time before elements of the victorious AL resort to corruption, just like BNP. -ed/Shadakalo]

While we are popping the champagne bottle (or pepsi bottle as the cases may be) and congratulating each other on our achievements, let us ask ourselves what has really been achieved beyond a peaceful and fair election after 1991. So, we are at back to 1991. Great progress. Hurray!

Jamat was always in the coat-tail of BNP—they did well when BNP did well, and they did poorly when BNP did poorly. Granted that this election is not an earth-shaking change for fundamentalist politics, the fact that BD has not degenerated into additional religious extremism (beyond what is already too much for my taste—with minorities routinely suppressed and muslim “heretics” such as kadianis being persecuted) is something to be happy about.

Looking at the big picture, the parties had a chance to sideline their known corrupt leaders and bring in fresh faces, the people had a chance to reject corrupt politicians by voting “none of the above” or voting for independents or voting beyond the symbols of nouka or dhaner shish. Did any of that happen?

What is worse, this election will award the highest amount of power to a single political party since BAKSAL. Even mature democracies, such as those of USA and India, cannot handle that much concentration of power, let alone an occasional and partial democracy such as Bangladesh. It won’t be too long before Shadakalo becomes all red and blue with the stories of misrule, corruption, nepotism and travesty of justice of the new government.

- RA / New Hampshire

Congratulations, and Thanks

2008-12-29T18:56:00.003-05:00

As you must be well aware, Awami League and its allied parties (Mohajote) is headed towards a historic win. BNP was buried in that landslide, and Jamaat was nearly obliterated. Even in the typical BNP/Jamaat strongholds, Mohajote candidates have won. Ershad-led Jatio Party, part of the Mohajote, has won almost as many seats as BNP, which is an astonishing sign of BNP's decline.

But this post is not a recap of the election results. Blogs like E-Bangladesh and Unheard Voices has done an excellent job providing live results. So we will use this post to provide some well-deserved thanks.

First, we thank the people of Bangladesh. Not for electing the Mohajote to power--mind you--as far as we are concerned, there is not much difference between AL and BNP. But our congratulations and hearfelt thanks go out to the categorical rejection of Jamaat and their murderous, racist, fundamentalist politics.

You waited patiently for two years. You stood in line for hours to get your voter ID card, and you again stood in line to cast your vote. You made us a democracy again, and we salute you.

Next, we thank Gen. Moeen U. Ahmed and the Bangladesh Armed Forces. Yes, this blog has made fun of the general and his various major- and lieutenant generals many times. At various times, we have also expressed the opinion that Gen. Moeen wants to lead the country. But after engineering a coup, Gen. Moeen and his soldiers stayed away from a power grab, and they contributed to what is arguably one of the most peaceful elections in Bangladesh history.

We don't know if the Armed forces managing a peaceful transition to elected democracy is a first in the history of the world, but we are proud of what they did.

Thank you, Gen. Moeen, for your leadership. After you retire and take off your uniform, should you wish to enter Bangladeshi politics, we will remember that you did not abuse your power to ascend to Bongobhaban using a shortcut, and that makes you a patriot in our book.

Next: Our much-maligned CA, Dr. Fakhruddin Ahmed. You were picked in the middle of the night, and made the best of a bad situation. We heard you want to go live in a country without a single Bangladeshi. Sure--you earned it. Thank you, and enjoy the sunset years of your life.

Last, but not least, our congratulations go to Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia. Yes, one of you is going to whine that the election was rigged, and the other will form the next government. But you campaigned without slinging too much mud, did not try to buy too many votes, and did not sell the nominations too obviously. You two did it so many times, we were pleasantly surprised when you saw the writing on the wall and behaved.

We know you two behaved because that was the only way you could compete in this election. OK--we will accept what we can get. But will you at least admit that it was not too difficult to follow the rules and behave like civilized human beings? See, that wasn't too bad, right?

So we congratulate and thank you two, too--one the leader of the opposition and the other the prime minister. Just don't forget--screw with the country one more time and your roles will be reversed in the next election.

Election 2008

2008-12-28T07:44:00.002-05:00

Stalin's famous quote about election engineering is still valid: "It's Not the People Who Vote that Count; It's the People Who Count the Votes".

Bangladesh will start voting on Monday. BNP is claiming they will win, and AL is making the same claim. Shameless Ershad is plugging away for himself and AL.

We are cautiously hopeful that we will see the administration and the armed forces will be neutral this year and let people express their will.

Local polling is showing a landslide by AL, but we suspect the impact of the "NO" vote is being discounted, and that will upset lots of predictions.

We hope the eventual winner, AL or BNP, have learned from their past mistakes and will not repeat them once in power.

We are eagerly waiting for the dawn of a new era of democracy in Bangladesh.