Sat 7 May 2005
The lady who seats high in the PMO.
Does she know?
Does she know!
Sunday, 8 May, 2005. The Daily Star reports,
20 hurt as cops club freedom fighters
Staff CorrespondentAt least 20 people, mostly war-maimed freedom fighters, were wounded in a baton charge by police in the capital yesterday when they were proceeding towards the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) to submit a memorandum.
The police swooped on the procession of about 1,000 members of the Welfare Association for War-Injured Freedom Fighters and Families of the Martyrs near Prodhan Montri Bhaban at around 11:00am, witnesses said.
Witnesses said the police intercepted the procession immediately after it started from its office on Gaznavi Road in Mohammadpur, but the war-injured freedom fighters in wheelchairs and on crutches marched forward.
The police put a barricade on Mirpur Road near the Prodhan Montri Bhaban, the official residence of the prime minister, as the procession was marching towards the PMO.
The crippled freedom fighters and their families ran for cover as police continued indiscriminate baton charging to disperse the procession, the witnesses said.
Some 20 processionists, including freedom fighters Modassir Hossain Modhu Bir Protik, Monsur Ali and Sukkur Ali, were injured in the police action.
After the attack, the agitators sat in front of the Prodhan Montri Bhaban to protest the police action, observing a two-hour sit-in.
The police later allowed a four-member team of the organisation, including its President Amir Hossain Molla and General Secretary Belal Uddin, to go to the PMO. The sit-in ended after they submitted the memorandum.
In the memorandum, the freedom fighters demanded setting up a plastic plant for Tabani Beverage, a sister-concern of Muktijoddha Kalyan Trust, which, according to them, is incurring a loss due to absence of the plant.
Was supposed to file a different post. One, you know, of ‘enlightening’, ‘refreshing’ kind. Instead.
I think commenting on this story is dispensable.
All disgust and all pain smeared on newspaper, every morning, every single day.
— Tasneem Khalil, Dhaka
May 17th, 2005 at 3:18 pm
Do you have a picture showing a maimed freedom fighter being beaten by police? Could you please post it? Even an url to a newspaper pic will do. The picture you posted here does not have anything relating to the story. Thanks.
-Ruby.
May 18th, 2005 at 3:30 am
The picture I posted here, ‘have things relating to the story’. If you have checked the URL you would know.
Anyway, here’s the url again http://www.thedailystar.net/2005/05/08/d50508011613.htm
May 18th, 2005 at 9:37 am
What a shame. Do yo uthink that’s why these fighter fought during 1971? what did they do to deserve this. Thanks for giving a good headline “…… Does She know?”
Breaks my heart to see pictures like these. What a country ??????
Well done Rulling party.
Thanks
-Zabed
May 19th, 2005 at 5:52 pm
The honorable Freedom Fighters have been mistreated from the very first day the freedom fighiting was over. I still remember a story written by Rizia Rahman about the ill treatment of a wheel-chaired freedom fighter at a stall in the “Shilpa Mela” just after the liberation. Though there are significant number of genuine freedom fighters still alive, we have to admit that most has found themselves flowing with stream of the tradition of corruption and unlawful activities and brough bad name to the genuine ones.
Bangladesh is the most unfortunate nation in the world, where people raises controversy over “father of the nation”, the so-called “father of nation” proved himself to be the “Fuc’er of the Nation”, as if that’s what his target was all through his political life, disrespected the freedom figthers and national interests like paternal properties. This tradition was followed by most other national leaders at all ages. I can not forget the incidence of,I believe was 1973, when at the Shahid Minar the lights were turned off and hundreds of women and young girls were mishandled, raped and even taken to boys hostels at DU.
I hope the freedom fight would continue for 9 years instead of 9 months. It was too short for us to understand the real meaning of freedom and the sacrifice needed for it. I now consider “Jamaat-e-Islami” less criminal despite all their criminal acts, as their agenda during liberation war was to keep the country together (which I did not endorse, as I wanted freedom from Pakistan) and consider the other ruling parties after the liberation as more criminal as they did not hesitate and are still trying to sell the country for their short term personal interest.
I feel sorry to observe our nationals within and outside Bangladesh can never be neutral to critisize any political parties and their actions. We are too much influenced by our political affiliation. When the party I like is in power, we find justification in all their criminal acts. First time we lost freedom of expression and press was during the first four years after our liberation. We had man made calamities, highest level of corruption in the history of Bangladesh during that period. The trend never stopped. Our blood has been contaminated by the leader/s that could bring the most positive changes and establish a high standard of morality. We did the opposite. They could not do it as they were not ethical themselves. We are unfortunate. We have/had the most corrupted leaders the world can ever think of.
But I still see light at the end of the tunnel with organisations like your ones(unless you be neutral) trying to change the morality of the Bagladeshis around the world. I do not believe in quick change. It will be slow with a revolution from grass root level. I am optimistic.
May 20th, 2005 at 5:52 pm
Dear Tasneem Khalil: Thank you for your response. The picture you posted here does not show anyone being mistreated or beaten. The Daily Star reguarly publishes anti-Bangladeshi propaganda, hence, I don’t have any trust in their trash. That is why I was asking if you could point us to a more convincing picture relating to the story. I am not questioning the authenticity of the story one way or the other. Thanks.
-Ruby.
May 21st, 2005 at 10:42 pm
Dear Ruby,
Could you please define what is anti-Bangladesh propaganda and which newspaper in Bangladesh you find authentic since you regard Daily Star as trash? Was it also a trash when it highlighted the plight of Tipu Sultan and jainal Hajari 4 years ago. Was it also anti-bangladesh propaganda?
Thanks,
Asif
May 23rd, 2005 at 8:47 am
Dear Mizan,
Thank you for your briliant comments. You are spot on on your observation on the lack of morality among the political leadership and yes the change has to come from within. But do you think a third party movement will work in BD? I really don’t think so unless there is a rise of a charismatic leader.
So we have to do our lobbying within these two parties. The central problem is none of these two parties have democracy within. So there is no way for a sincere leader to come out of the system. So the only way to make your way up in the party is by saying everything the netri wants to hear and also by having lots of black money or muscle to win election.
You cannot produce sincere leaders like this. Because of that, regardless of which party is in power, you are bound to get the same result. The biggest hope I saw in the last few months for a change is the rise of Mohiuddin in Chittagong. Mohiuddin has showed what sincerity can do for a political leader in Bangladesh. The rise of Mohiuddin should be closely followed by anyone who is trying to change the existing political status-quo in Bangladesh. He is in such a position where he will not need any backing from either of the parties to win election. He can do so on his own.
Drishtipat is a very small effort in showing that certain things like basic rights of human beings should be beyond politics. Everyone should be able to agree on certain things beyond their political affiliation. I have found that mindset only exists among the young generation who does not have any emotional or political hangup. That’s why we still have been able to steer dp in a sensible course. Of course we get regularly labeled as agent of certain countries destroying the image of Bangladesh etc etc. But any sensible people can see how the image is dependent upon good governance more than anything else. Hopefully, we can at least show that there is unanimity on certain issues among the diaspora which will eventually push more people to think differently. That’s a long shot.
May 25th, 2005 at 5:12 pm
They’re Mukti Juddhas. They put their lives on the line for us to be calling ourselves Bangali. For us to be speaking our mother tongue. And this is what they get in return? Is this how we repay all that they have done for us? If it weren’t for the Freedom Fighters, we wouldn’t be around. We’d probably be calling ourselves Pakistanis. I have to sadly admit that this makes me ashamed of what my country has become.
Sarah
MI, USA
May 25th, 2005 at 6:31 pm
Dear Asif: I was trying to communicate with this Tasneem Khalil here. But, since you have asked, I can give you hundreds of examples of Daily Star’s anti-Bangladeshi propaganda. I truely believe that they are run by Indian special interest money and assistance. Taken at random, here’s an example from today’s edition. They use a blatant lie in the headline here, that has nothing to do with even the news itself. The news, as covered by many other publications, has nothing relating to the propaganda deliberately added by Daily Star. It’s just like the picture posted at the top of this page. All bogus.
” US blasts Dhaka for extra-judicial killing, HR violations
BDNEWS, Dhaka
The United States Tuesday blasted Bangladesh for extra-judicial killings, human rights abuse, repeated bomb blasts, dilly-dally in investigating and finding out the perpetrators in the August 21 grenade attack and former minister SAMS Kibria killing.
The criticism came at a briefing on Bangladesh at the US Congress in the Washington DC where the US Congressional leaders recommended Bangladesh’s inclusion in the Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) and allocated about $100 million in assistance for Bangladesh to be disbursed through the USAID this year.
If included in the programme, the quantum of US development assistance to Bangladesh is expected to be doubled within a year.
At the meeting, overall political, social and human rights issues came up for discussion that witnessed both appreciation and criticism. In a report placed before the briefing, country’s political and social issues received mild criticism while empowerment of women and social sector development was highly appreciated.
The congressional hearing expressed doubt over the election system of the country and proposed for UN election observation.
Congressman Joseph Crowley, presiding over the session organised by the Congressional Human Rights Caucus, urged the US administration to help Bangladesh sustain its democratic and economic strides through increased development assistance.
Crowley said Bangladesh should be included in the MCA assistance programme as it has demonstrated a strong ability to effectively apply development funds.
A panel of administration officials were present to brief the Congress on recent developments in Bangladesh that included Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South Asia John Gastright and USAID Mission Director for Bangladesh Gene George.
The second session constituted by independent experts including NDI Resident Director in Bangladesh Owen Lippert, South Asia expert at the US Institute of Peace Christine Fair and US Chapter of the Amnesty International T Kumar.
Awami League’s senior leader Suranjit Sengupta and top US leaders of ruling BNP and AL were present at the briefing.
After the hearing, Foreign Minister M Morshed Khan and Suranjit Sengupta met Crowley. Khan was not present at the hearing.
The BNP leaders expressed their satisfaction over the hearing but Suranjit told BDNEWS that the report placed before the hearing did not reflect the reality. “The report did not contain adequate information.”
Deputy Assistant Secretary John Gastright said Bangladesh has “a democracy that has been most notable over the years for its moderate approach.”
He, however, stated that Bangladesh has some problems relating to the broad governance issue and the US policy would be to point out those problems “sympathetically” as a friend.
He applauded the recent action by the government to ban two extremist groups and commended government’s recent actions to protect the rights of Ahmadiyyas.
UNB adds: The United States said that democracy in Bangladesh is vibrant but cited some issues involved in the country.
State Department spokesman Richard Boucher told a questioner at a regular press briefing in Washington that he does not have anything new on the status of democracy in Bangladesh.”
If you want to see more of the same TRASH, read it regularly. Propaganda is not journalism, it does not help anyone but the anti-Bangladeshi special interest. Thanks.
-Ruby
May 26th, 2005 at 3:16 am
You did not cite any other report to contradict what daily star has said. In fact what’s covered in the headline is also in the news. I just checked New Age coverage on it. New Age is more pro-governent as I understand.
In their report they said:
” Extra-judicial killing, human rights abuse and repeated bomb blasts, dilly-dally in investigating and finding out the perpetrators in the 21 August grenade attack on the opposition leader and the killing of former finance minister Shah AMS Kibria were bitterly criticised.”
This actually exactly fits what is in the headline. Blaming India and terming everyone as India’s agents has become a favourite passtime
for some of us. I hope we can snap out of it.
May 26th, 2005 at 5:21 am
Mr Mizan,
I am confused here about your own agenda. You’re blaming
the “father of the nation”, praising the Jamaatis, talking
about the corruption of the freedom fighters and everything
that happened in the first four years after our independence.
You seem to be drifting away from the main issue.
Our “father of the nation” disrespected the freedom fighters
– that’s a news to me! Are you trying to bring a new theory
here like so many that are floating around now-a-days.
Corruption, violence have never been so rampant in Bangladesh
like they’re now. The lives of poor people have become
the cheapest of all. Can you disagree?
You find the corruption of the first four years after
independence the root cause of all problems, but you find
the Jamaatis “less criminals” than others. How so! If you
were ther in 1973, you should have known their crime in
1971. These Jamaati bastards not only believed in the unity
of Pakistan, they actively participated in the mass killing
of the Bangalees with their Pakistani brothers. They’re the master mind of killing the best sons of our soil from which Bangladesh could never recover. Jamaati leader Nizami was the commander in chief of Al Badr, the most notorious group of
all. When these freedom fighters were risking their lives
for the love of their counry, these Jamaati bastards
were killing their own countrymen and raping their
sisters and the worst thing is they did all these in the name
of religion. Nizami openly said in 1971, to protect Islam
they had to keep Pakistan united at any cost. And see, while
he’s seating there in the ministry of free Bangladesh, the
freedom fighters are getting beaten up. These Jamaatis were
hiding in the first four years as they very well know people
would tear them apart for their crime and they dared to come
out in public only after 1975.
But the main issue here is, why are the freedom fighters in wheel chairs are beaten up now! Were they committing violence, were they charged for corruption? Please do not seek justification in the history. Where do the
police get the authority to beat up those who should get the utmost
respect from the nation! They should inspire the young generation to protect their country at any cost when time comes. These Jamaatis in the
administration surely wouldn’t want that.
Do you loathe this beating or not?
- Tasneem
May 26th, 2005 at 2:38 pm
Dear Asif: In you response, you are actually saying that the “New Age” report matches with the “Daily Star” headline. Intriguing, isn’t it? Are they the same newspapers? Or, do they both support anti-Bangladeshi propaganda? Please remember, there are Bangladeshi enterprises that monitor all anti-Bangladeshi publications and propaganda.
Regardless, as I indicated in my post, I did not intend to carry out a conversation with you, I was asking Tasneem Khalil to provide and authentic picture related to the otherwise bogus story printed by Daily Star. So, this will be my last response to you.
Just an end note about the Daily Star bogus news of yesterday: the full account of the Congressional Hearing will become public information. You may want to keep your eyes open for that.
Thanks.
-Ruby.
May 26th, 2005 at 2:51 pm
Ahh….so the the newspaper of hardcore nationalist Enaytullah Khan is also anti-Bangladeshi!!!
I gues Inquilab and Shangram now the only authentic pro-pakistani thukku pro-bangladeshi newspaper?!!
I think I have a sense of where you are coming from by now. So no use arguing with you.
Don’t trust Daily Star, just read this year’s Amnesty report or last year’s CPJ report .
But then again je jai boluk, oi thakur betai chor!
May 27th, 2005 at 4:24 pm
We have lost our conscience. We are a silent mass. It is a mass of people dejected, bereft of feelings. We have given up. We are old and tired. Will anyone rise from among the young and make a difference ?
Zoro
June 23rd, 2005 at 8:50 am
[...] The US congressional testimonies on hr abuse in Bangladesh are online now. There was a debate few days ago on whether the people blasted the GOB as Daily Star [...]