Tue 26 Sep 2006
The following has the first part of the interview of Tareque Rahman who is billed to be the next leader of BNP. I found some of his logical reasoning incomprehensible. However, kudos to him for doing the interview. Such interviews of political leaders are pretty rare in Bangladeshi political context and more leaders from both parties should be able to face such direct questions. Also I thought the interviewer was pretty tough on him.
Choice quotes:
1. “Power problem is a problem in New York as well. When energy price goes up, power problem is natural”
2. Weather is unpredictable, so nothing wrong with Ershad being unpredictable.
3. About price of essential: “Why don’t you tell me why the price is going up? When the GDP is 7%, price will have to go up. You may be complaining, but the farmers are doing fine.
I haven’t seen the last half yet. Here is a link to the 2nd part of the interview
September 26th, 2006 at 11:29 pm
Asi, his logics sound very dumb to our level of thinking. But I found these dumb ( like weather comparison, NY power issues or GDP issues as Asif raised) logics are taken with great admiration to an average Bangladeshi across the political divide. He represents the IQ and cultural level of an average Bangladeshi.
Someone told me, “have you seen how smart he is to return the interviewer his question about price hike?” I had a hard time in explaining that it was not smartness, it was arrogance and lack of sensitivity to public. A good politician ( Well, in our standards) would have answered this very important question differently.
September 27th, 2006 at 8:23 am
I watched the interview live when it was first aired a few weeks back. It felt as if I was watching a debate or an argument more so than an interview at times.
September 27th, 2006 at 9:43 am
Interviewing someone with so much controversy will always sound like an interrogation. The interview conductor JA came across much more eloquent than TR. But I believe he had rooms to be even tougher. This opportunity may not come any time soon, and it is the first televised interview of TR, an important event because people will refer back to this interview and scrutinize his every single answer, TR will not disappear from BD politics as long as he’ll be alive (and create more turmoil in politics).
When the topic of commodity price hike came up, JA should’ve brought up the market syndicate issue, According to Jonokontho report the investigative team had listed several people (many of them relatives and friends of ministers and MPs) who are syndicating the market price. They provided the list to industry ministry but the govt. stayed mum, didn’t even issue a letter of warning or anything. Why is that?
JA should’ve debunked TR on his investment in Kualalampur – ask him about the allegation that Malaysian govt refused his $2.5 mil investment.
One laughable moment was when TR made reference to Brazilians using sugar as car fuel (nearly fell of the couch laughing). If anybody cares to know: I wasn’t laughing at the fact about substitute fuel in Brazil, I was laughing at the way TR talked about it. It’s actually ethanol(can be produced as a biproduct from fermentation of sugar)mixed with fuel as an additive that makes the fuel price affordable in Brazil.
September 27th, 2006 at 10:20 am
Zafa
Why don’t we set up a open air discussion for an interview of Tareq Zia, Mahi , Joy,Sohel Taj and some other prominent young starts of Bangladeshi politics?
I would definitely give you the lead role for interviewing these cunning people.We can pick a nuetral country of place for the meeting and have questions from all around the world and ask them to answer in front of the people and media. USA would be a good place for us to host something like that.
I am not day dreaming its possible.Its just need lot of work but not impossible. Something that should be done before Election 2007.
Thanks
Kawser Jamal.
September 27th, 2006 at 12:13 pm
…lol…
I can totally picture TR weaseling out by his trade mark response “Let’s keep that a secret for now…” as if he’s in the midde of a kids’ game.
September 27th, 2006 at 2:16 pm
Everyone
If everyone really want to find Tareq’s fault one thing I would say I saw this interview long time back a month may be He was winner in the interview. As a politicians he kept everything on the air and didn’t give any info out that could be used against him rather he just make fool of himself. The end justifies the mean. People forget what and how what body gestures were used in the interview rather they remember what being said that can haunt him later.
I am not saying he won’t by honesty I did cheat the audience by not giving any relevent answer to any question.
Anyway’s guys who the hell in Bangladesh has all the answer to our year round borned problem
do you? I know I don’t but yes have some solution for more problem to arise in the future.
thanks
KJ
September 27th, 2006 at 3:01 pm
KJ - You are too naive.. You’re not drinking wine while typing are you?
September 27th, 2006 at 3:29 pm
No brother I don’t drink anyways but while typing no but while I type I keep my eyes on too many windows.
Anyways thanks for the constructive feedback you could have been more open.
thanks
KJ
September 27th, 2006 at 4:06 pm
Frankly, I found that interview to be frightening. Tarek seems like a complete intellectual lightweight, with no convincing answers on the issues that matter to people. Then again, I suspect he doesn’t KNOW any of the answers. I also suspect 95% of the country’s politicians are just as empty and vacuous.
It’s scary that the reins of the country could pass on to a man like this. His very eyes seemed to shine with cunning and deception. I found it ridiculous that he should openly admit that he was trying to evade a question. A callow answer, showing bottomless immaturity. Not the mark of political leadership. Then again, politics in Bangladesh is the same as goondami, so a neta who’s basically a stupid thug isn’t that out of place.
And for those like KJ, who say he was the winner because he didn’t say too much or that he threw back the question to the interviewer, I have this to say (apart from the fact that your BNP bias is showing):
This guy IS part of the government. He is up there to GIVE ANSWERS. The people didn’t elect him to play cutesey with a TV interviewer. Desher lok have valid problems, and they have the RIGHT to hear valid answers from a representative of the government. This is not some schoolyard game - it’s the future of the country and the fate of the nation. My hands were itching to bitchslap the idiot as I was watching the interview.
Somebody on this site said that benevolent dictatorship wouldn’t be such a bad idea. After 15 years of “democracy”, that doesn’t seem so bad to a lot of people either. Just being able to vote every 5 years for a selection of goondas and greedy pigs shouldn’t be the sum total of a democracy, but that seems to be precisely the kind of sham we have ended up with.
September 27th, 2006 at 4:13 pm
Guys, as much as we love our opinion, but please consider when you are posting 3/4 comments in a day in the same thread, you are potentially discouraging others to post comment by dominating the board. It does not look nice when there is comment from the same person thoughout threads. It gives a wrong impression and does not make the board as diverse as we would like to be.
My suggestion is not to hit the reply button so quickly. If you get 2/3 responses, try to address all of them in one reply.
Thanks for your consideration.
September 28th, 2006 at 12:38 pm
I hate to leave a one-liner: but my sincerest compliments to zub for your clarity and astuteness in thinking (whoever you are)!!!
September 28th, 2006 at 12:49 pm
Zub, the public hadn’t elected him for any post yet as he hadn’t run for public office last election. Mommy dearest was so pleased with his special ’skills’ that she made him senior joint secretary of BNP as a reward.
(if someone says, ‘ki peyechho tumi - eta ki tomar baper party?’ he can smile and say ‘as a matter of fact it is’)
September 28th, 2006 at 2:19 pm
Zafa
&
zub
hats off to you two.
ati shas bhadralok Tareque vak-len (I know, you are thinking, “nobody speaks Bengali like that.”) that uni Eurup-er ar Emerikar udharon dibenna. Shayta amar budh holo, tha holay uni “schoot choot” pindia keno interview dichchen?!
U’ll have to excuse my Bengali, am not an educated son of a military man.
September 29th, 2006 at 12:23 am
In Bengali, there is a proverb that says ” Jare Dekhte Nari Tar Chalan Baa’ka”/whom you don’t like everything of him/her is bad to you.
This proverb very much fits you. You’re too jealous on TR’s success. Other than Oli and Dr. chowdhury there are so many good educated, respectul people in BNP who appreciates TR.
If you were not too biased against TR you could appreciate that he has the guts to come for an TV interview despite all sorts of jealousy and propaganda against him. He tried to break the tradition of old haggared politicians taking the challenge though.
I appreciate as he at least knows that some latin american country is trying an alternative fuel. What percentage of our total politicians know that information? I am doubtful whether our great legendary constitutional clerk great barrister Kamal is aware of that piece of informantion!
I didn’t see the interview. But it doesn’t
matter too much how he could present himself. I hope he will learn one day if he has any gross mistakes. If you don’t try how can you learn. Even late President Zia could not pronunciate Bismillah arRahmaner arRahim correctly. So what! compared to his short stay in political aerna his rate of achievment surpassed all the leaders in Bengal.
Saifur Rahman can’t speak in correct Bengali, but is the greast finance minister for 2 decades in Bangladesh.
Even late Sheik Mujib’s speeches were full of linguistic flaws. There were always Faridpuri local accents and dialects. You can examine even the great Gattisburg of historic 7th March you will definitely find some. So what, he is respectd by millions.
You, the bloggers can have more knowledge than TR I believe. But using the knowledge in astute way is wisdom. Many doesn’t have that. Moreover you also need your kopal/fate.
Please don’t be funny making fun of others just being jealous. Criticize objectively and constructively.
Thanks.
September 29th, 2006 at 2:52 am
Abuusa, I suggest you actually WATCH the interview first.
You can accuse people of bias as much as you like, but kindly have the courtesy to review the Evidence before making such accusations. It won’t take more than 20 mins of your life, I assure you.
Thanks.
September 29th, 2006 at 10:00 am
Mr Zub and others
I think no one should accuse others of Biases without proper knowledge and evidence about that person or org.
Zub the way you wrote on my comments
(apart from the fact that your BNP bias is showing)
No I am not biased and no bias is shown by my views. I said yes as a politicians if you evaluate his interview he came out winner. This is a very ligitamate statement. At the same time I wrote yes he didn’t answer the question the audience were looking for.
Zub you seems to be very smart intellectual and you wrote in your comments
“It’s scary that the reins of the country could pass on to a man like this”
If people like you would have stayed back in Bangladesh and would have been in the system than this type of people wouldn’t be in the throne any time.But what good is all your intellectuallity when its not bringing the change it needs in our country and we are not even there in the country?
Lastly we should respect other individual I think may be the western world has taught that may be?
You wrote
“My hands were itching to bitchslap the idiot as I was watching the interview”
This is no way of addressing any person or individual on a open forum.Isn’t Bush an idiot? Go tell him write in the blogs of the Western world?
Summary: Grass from the other side looks green.Have seen and lived in AWL regime well enough to understand that both of these dynasty won’t do a single good to the nation.
Mr Administrator:
“Give people food don’t tell them how to eat”
Let the guest decide how they eat with western
spoons or with their hand”
You have set the standards of the guest and the guest list and you well know the guests here are educated and schooled people so they will behave with rules, laws and respect.
The whole world and the super power can’t control the internet I don’t think any one else has the power to do so. It’s 24/7 open store any one can get in and pick or drop anything they want as long as it’s legitamate.
I think let the complains comes from users and the bloggers rather than the administrator.
Freedom of speech with respect should always flow in any democratic country.
Thanks
Kawser Jamal
http://www.changeBangladesh.com
September 29th, 2006 at 10:26 am
KJ,
Quick comments:
1. Regarding censorship: A
Asking people to be considerate by not ramming everyone with one’s own opinion by sending tons of comments is not censorship. Its appealing to their good judgment.
2. Regarding attack on Zubaer on him being an intellectual and being an expatriate.
I will use your words to reply to this. You wrote to me two days ago:
We didn’t leave Bangladesh we came out of Bangladesh for better education.People come from Jessor to Dhaka or from Comilla to Dhaka for education. But that doesn’t take our rights to talk and feel about our country.
People always write why NRB’s who left the country crticize the government or the country when they themselves left the country. Thats a wrong conception.We are the second largest contributor to the federal economy.
These are your words, not mine.
Contradiction, contradiction..
3. Lastly. Please please get it in your head once and for all. Criticizing one side does not mean endorsing the other side. Just because I said I didn’t like Rui mach today, does not mean I like Koi Mach. It means I can equally not like Koi mach. But talking about Koi mach was not necessary because it wasn’t cooked today and hence not in context. When Koi mach is cooked tomorrow, I will tell the world if I didn’t like the koi mach that was cooked. Now replace Rui Mach with BNP and Koi Mach with AL. See if it makes sense.
September 29th, 2006 at 5:05 pm
Asif bhai
apnar third pointer-er jonyo ami apnakay applaud korthay compelled holam.
September 30th, 2006 at 1:30 am
KJ,
Apologies if I have given offence through my comments. Let’s bury differences and smoke the peace pipe for a change. I’m just a natural cynic/worrier is my problem.
September 30th, 2006 at 10:51 am
I am quite intrigued about the fascination some of our friends have over Tariq Rahman. I am shocked that TR have so much impact on rational people that in their zeal to discredit this guy, some are even ready to brand the average Bangladeshi as dumb! I mean did I read it right? A posting few days ago listed, “…his logics sound very dumb to our level of thinking….. He represents the IQ and cultural level of an average Bangladeshi”!
“Our level of thinking”? Dumb? IQ level of an average Bangladeshi? Did I miss something? Is there a hybrid Bangladeshi community that is superior than the rest? Are these people currently living in Bangladesh? Were they born Hybrid or became superior after consuming a zillion BigMacs?
I am also very amused about yet another argument stating that, TR is more corrupt than others because he is the illiterate son of an army officer! This argument goes on to claim that Joy offers a better future for Bangladesh as he is educated in the US! Although educated in the US but presently fighting it out in the “Ground Zero” -Dhaka, trying to directly contribute to the development of the country, rather than playing it safe & labelling the average Bangladeshis as dumb; I truly fail to comprehend the pseudo scientific rationality between illeterate son..army office father..US education & corruption! Guess I am not a high breed Bangladeshi after all !!
While I have my personal theory as to why TR is the corrupt person he is today, I will present it at a later time. I am not afraid to be branded as immoral by some high breed Bangladeshi because I try to understand TR’s actions, but lets save that argument for the rainy day.
I am part of the new genre of foreign educated businessmen who are known as promoters/lobbyist. In absence of efficient & honest government functionaries capable of taking timely decision for development of the country, we are the catalyst that brings the ministers, secretaries, donors & politicians on the table to keep the development pace going. If some of the readers are tempted to call us dalal, no argument there. But please note, we stop working & the country will collapse; TR, JOY, MAHI or NOT!
Involved in the trade for the past ten odd years, I had the opportunity of working with almost all of the so called future leaders and let me tell you; they are all the same. While TR went wild in amassing wealth in both legal & illegal means over the past five years, Joy also had a very early start. As a fresh graduate, Joy was hired as SENIOR CONSULTANT by a promoter called Ron. An expat Bangladeshi, Ron is the CEO of a Washington based firm called RJI Capital. The former US Energy Secretary Kelvin Humphrey is also a partner at RJI. Ooops I almost forgot to mention, at that time RJI was working as promoter for Chevron for the Bangladesh market. After a few off the scene negotiation in Singapore between the Bangladesh Government & RJI headed by a fresh graduate Sr. Consultant, Chevron was awarded Block 9, the most potential of all the gas blocks in Bangladesh! Coincidence? You can do better! The Manager of Collyer Quay branch of HSBC Singapore probably danced in joy because his branch made so much in commission from the large transaction following the BD-RJI meeting. After the Chevron deal, Joy unceremoniously left RJI and went on to promote CMC in their bid for BoroPukuria Cole mine project in cooperation with the local promoter Hosssaf Group. I can go on, but I guess the readers get the idea.
My point is that if you are really worried about the future leadership of the country, please know, the people you are condemning & the ones you are hooting for, are all the same. The only way to bring change is through direct participation in the political process. Patriotism is an essential element that is required to bring change, something none of the politicians we are discussing have. Also labelling your own stock as people of average IQ leaves a bad taste in the mouth. Lets give credit to the millions who never had a chance because people like us, the blessed few never took the street to protect them. If anyone is to be blamed for the sorry state of affair that is todays Bangaldesh, it should be us the educated class. We burn inside with rage but don’t have the courage to take the lead. We prefer to remain paper tigers!
September 30th, 2006 at 12:10 pm
What’s interesting to me is that those who do not disagree that TR and his cohorts are corrupt, still argue that ‘others’ may not be so honest either. It surprises me that people are so quick to compare TR with Joy. If Joy settles in dk at any point and surrounds himself with allegation of loots in the amount of crores and crores of public money then he’d be fair game – not till then.
September 30th, 2006 at 1:15 pm
Zafa,
What did TR actually do to you? The guy is corrupt no doubt, but your comments almost sounds like he did something personally bad to you! Did you go to school with him and you still cant forgive him for the paper missiles or sticking gum on your hair?
FYI, I only promote projects that are actually good for the country. I am quite proud of it.
All of us in Dhaka try to help the destitute in our own way. If that is enough depends on how much you are doing from where ever you are located..
September 30th, 2006 at 2:43 pm
While agree with most of what you said while disguised under the pseudonym of sufibaba, let me try to educate you about some basic culture in BD streets which you probably don’t have out of sheer disconnect.
Those who are (including me and you) storming the tea cup here about BD future do not simply represent BD psyche. Whatever may seem dumb to us (with our eloquent IQ) may not seem so in BD streets. To me Tareque’s arguments sound like very hollow but he can go by as very smart to an average Bangladeshi. Whatever guile you may come out with sufibaba, this is the truth, face it.
And let’s go back to an old argument; disliking TR does not make me love Sajib Wajed Joy (SWJ). I dislike him in similar fashion as I dislike this whole thing called familycracy in the name of democracy. (Although to some non-partisan, it is tantamount to blasphemy to talk bad about SWJ; I dare the wrath)
Getting some financial incentive (may be even as a so called consultant) for facilitating business deal, be it in hawa bhavan, be it in Washington DC, is the same stuff in my view point. Thanks for that info anyway. SWJ is spending too much time in Bangladesh lately, which gave me a clue he must have quit his previous job as IT professional. He has taken the classic track! Take it Bangladesh!!
September 30th, 2006 at 5:14 pm
In Bengali, there is a proverb that says ” Jare Dekhte Nari Tar Chalan Baa’ka”/whom you don’t like everything of him/her is bad to you.
This proverb very much fits you. You’re too jealous on TR’s success. Other than Oli and Dr. chowdhury there are so many good educated, respectul people in BNP who appreciate TR.
If you were not too biased against TR you could appreciate that he has the guts to come for an TV interview despite all sorts of jealousy and propaganda against him. He tried to break the tradition of old haggared politicians taking the challenge though.
I appreciate as he at least knows that some latin american country is trying an alternative fuel. What percentage of our total politicians know that information? I am doubtful whether our great legendary constitutional clerk great barrister Kamal is aware of that piece of informantion!
Even the President Bush could not tell th name of prime minister of Pakistan in an interview before his 1st term election campaign.
I didn’t see the interview. But it doesn’t
matter too much how he could present himself. I hope he will learn one day if he has any gross mistakes. If you don’t try how can you learn. Even late President Zia could not pronunciate Bismillah arRahmaner arRahim correctly. So what! compared to his short stay in political aerna his rate of achievment surpassed all the leaders in Bengal.
Saifur Rahman can’t speak in correct Bengali, but is the greast finance minister for 2 decades in Bangladesh.
Even late Sheik Mujib’s speeches were full of linguistic flaws. There were always Faridpuri local accents and dialects. You can examine even the great Gattisburg of historic 7th March you will definitely find some. So what, he is respectd by millions.
You, the bloggers can have more knowledge than TR I believe. But using the knowledge in astute way is wisdom. Many doesn’t have that. Moreover you also need your kopal/fate.
Please don’t be funny making fun of others just being jealous. Criticize objectively and constructively.
Thanks.
Nota Bene: After writing the above comments I have watched the interview. He didn’t fare very well as I expected. But I am sure he has the ample scope of learning and hope, he will be a better politician than her mother Khaleda, aunt Hasina and some of the so many uncles, like Dr Kamal, Dr chowdhury, Dr. Oli, so on.
September 30th, 2006 at 5:39 pm
Abuusa Bhai
So he needs time to learn how to give a interview? But did he need any time how to start corruption? And he also didn’t need to much time to learn how to start flexing political muscle in the administration far beyond his legitimate domain.
I am with you in most of points you make. I hear and in most cases understand your concerns.
But here I do not understand you at all, why you are not at all concerned about corruption.
Corruption is the worst enemy of Bangladesh. You may never remain right to your conscience unless you raise your voice against corruption by politicians, starting with the leader in political corruption, Mr Tareque Rahman.
September 30th, 2006 at 10:33 pm
First comment
Asif bhai
Your first point make sense. I agree and I am following.
Your second Point you are not playing by the rules. I am fine that you put my personal email’s comments to you to the blog because that’s a fact and I agree and admired the truth not too many people would be so ease about it and this is the second time you did it. I agree on that but at the same time that’s doesn’t give us a blank cheque to disrespect our future leaders. Please let specific people response to the comments specific to them. We are all adult here and we are all capable enough to take care of our own actions and behavior.
Your third point yes sir I got it in my very head but never seen those very often in here. It’s very easy to say that KOI mach is the worst mach unless you have ever tried the ROI mach.If you compare both mach all the time or just talk about one mach.In DP blogs I don’t see tasting the ROI mach that much. So the question would come and its very natural. Now replace KOI mach with BNP and ROI mach with AL. See if it makes sense and just wanted to make sure we have tasted ROI mach.
Please don’t send or give the Joynal Hazari link.
Zub
No offence brother its all good. We are here because we love Bangladesh.We will discuss disagree and at the end work together to a common goal as a Bangladeshi to do some good for our mother land. As much as I disagree with Asif bhai I do respect him for his deeds he is doing and at the end we are working together for Better Bangladesh. That’s real education and knowledge.
Sufibadi you wrote
“ But please note, we stop working & the country will collapse; TR, JOY, MAHI or NOT”
Please what ever you said about our future leader it makes sense but I am sure the country can still run on its’s own even if people like you ( so self called DALAL) are not there and any way what else you define the collapse of the country ? haven’t you guys done enough? Haven’t you guys have done enough damage yet? What else going to collapse that didn’t collapse till now? What the hell is left behind in the country by the corrupt AWL and BNP and JP regime to collapse more? Please let me know.
What needs to collapse is the parliament and the secratariate and Hawa Bhaban and Parralled goverment of AWl and BNP and the Business group run by Gulshan and Banani people.
You wrote:
FYI, I only promote projects that are actually good for the country. I am quite proud of it.
Who define the good and bad for the country people like you ? are you an economist? Are you a social scientist? Are you a Amarto sen? What the hell are you? Are you a research and development team of the country? Are you a grass root level researcher?
Tell me one of your project.
What is good to you might be the worst for the country who knows because all of you guys have a short term vision. When Bastard Ershad made Bangla compulsory and banned English it was good for him and his political image but worst for the nation. Now the educated Bangladeshi graduate lack in English cost us outsourcing job loss from the India every day for call center, programming , customer service where English language is important..
Please don’t come to a conclusion by making one or two projects that you only promote projects that are actually good for the country
Here you wrote :
“I am part of the new genre of foreign educated businessmen who are known as promoters/lobbyist”
Yeah because there is a saying ( In ten blind people the person who is one eyed blind is the king) so now as the English was banned in Bangladesh and the social and educational institution was damged and ruined and people like you who is also a rich man’s son came abroad and learn the business language and tricks and got a Business degree and learn how to deal with foreign people and there in Bangladesh the Bastard AWL and BNP calling hartals and ruined the educational institution and made the students moral to zero and they became low level picketers and used by the political parties as a medium of object to kill and create chaos and so no competition was ever created from the local schooled students to come up and get to the top in the nation.
It was all planned so people like you and other MP minister’s son both from AWL,BNP, JP , Jammat, Menon party, can go back with their bought luxury degrees from the west and control all the top Foreign Investment and high level institution and rule the uneducated undermined poor class like a king.
It was all preplanned 25 years ago and the people like you now reaping the benefits.
Rumi Bhai: I agree with you.
Kawse Jamal
http://www.changeBangladesh.com
October 1st, 2006 at 9:33 am
Hey Guys:
We can do better than this! There are many different points of view expressed here - there is much for everyone to agree with and, of course, much to dispute. If I presume that we all wish to help our old country, we can do it best by working together, sharing resources and ideas - even when we may have significant disagreements over certain ideas.
Please consider not making personal attacks and/or challenges - or at least minimizing them! I personally, like both Rui machh and Koi machh. Unfortunately, what we seem to have a lot of in Bangladesh is pocha machh - of all different kinds! So perhaps an alternative, for the moment, is to become a vegetarian.
Dont’ lose the passion - but consider directing it to areas of common interest. Instead of trying to convince an AL supporter that AL is bad or a BNP supporter that BNP is bad, see if you can find a common point of agreement like “corruption is bad”. IF you can agree on that, consider putting aside for the moment who you might think is more corrupt (just agree to disagree for the moment) and see if you can also agree on what could be done to reduce the corruption - regardless of which party might be in power. Similarly, instead of arguing about which party has more human rights violations, assuming we can agree that human rights violations are not a good thing, can we do anything at all to better protect human rights?
Sorry to be preaching … and sometimes it is hard for me to take my own medicine … but it is worth trying, isn’t it?
Best wishes,
Muhit
October 1st, 2006 at 12:06 pm
Well said Muhit bhai.
Lobbying is a perfectly legal, and in some cases an essential process to help cut the red tapes of bureaucracy. I personally deplore the term ‘dalal’ – it has too much condemnation associated with it, I prefer lobbyist or promoter or an agent. It’s very important that people in this profession be honest , also not lose sight of what is good for the country.
KJ, I’m sorry, but I have been having hard time following your logic lately in your posts. Often you go on rambling, and more times contradict what you wrote probably even two days ago – and it may be something you don’t realize. Some of your comments have started to seriously hurt DP’s image. DP admins have tried to reson with you without much success. I do not wish to ban or anything like that.
I’m posting this response here instead of sending you personal e-mail because the people surfing DP blog for the first need to understand that we do not encourage personal attacks on another poster. You said “…I agree on that but at the same time that’s doesn’t give us a blank cheque to disrespect our future leaders.” Yet you once wrote in DP blog that all the politicians in BD should be killed, because….”
You have made many judgmental comments like “business run by Gulshan-Banani people”, or “rich people’s children coming to USA” …etc. Your direct comment to Sufi was “people like you who is also a rich man’s son came abroad and learn the business language and tricks” is not nice and DP do not encourage comment of this nature.
I’m not sure why you should make comments like that without knowing anything on Sufi’s background except that he was educated abroad and now worked in BD. You went on saying, “It was all preplanned 25 years ago and the people like you now reaping the benefits.” Isn’t it a bit presumptuous? How can you say someone is just reaping benefits - and not helping the country at all in increasing the FDI in Bangladesh in recent history.
KJ, I have nothing personal against you, I admire your passion for helping BD prosper, my only concern is the way you randomly make accusation without substance. I do not appreciate your know-it-all attitude; trust me it’s got really old (just my personal opinion here, as DP blog admin).
Please be a bit considate…..
October 1st, 2006 at 1:34 pm
Hello Kawse Jamal
When a friend in Dhaka recommended DP as a site for sophisticated & matured contributors, I took it by heart and tried it. From what I have seen in the past few days, it is indeed sophisticated, including bitch slapping (sorry Mr. Administrator-its just too funny!!). But I am not too sure whether all participants are matured. while I will hate to indulge in personal attacks on a fellow poster, I am very sorry to note that, in consideration of your sophomoric ramblings, I will restraint myself from expecting anything better from your postings in future. If you have any rational point to argue I will be glad to entertain.
FYI, I am not a son of any politician, or MP or Minister. An average middle class guy with education in Political Science and Comparative Commercial Law . A 100% self made man, I guess my strength is my middle class background which taught me to be compassionate, respectful regardless of differences & honest to myself. So I have no problem someone calling me dalal, this is what I do & proud of it. Professional dictum will not allow me to disclose my clients on an open forum, you should know better!
Rumi: Your constructive criticism noted.
Muhit: Well said.
Zafa: Thnx
Moderator: No offense taken on KJ’s comments. I was basically laughing my guts out. Its always fun to have his type in any “adda”. Life will be boring without people missing a few ….!!
Cheers
October 1st, 2006 at 3:01 pm
Administrator and Zafa,
Admit what you wrote and no more personal attack from me and also you have the right to disregard my comments as an admin.No offence from my side and there is nothing personal.
Sufibaba:
“Opinions expressed here are not necessarily of the organization”
Please I would request you not to make any comments on DP by looking at my comments and posting in the blog. These are solely my own and nothing to do with DP.I would also abstain from any personal attack to any person.
I don’t know who you are but I would just say onething the way you described your self of you as a person it has lot of similarities with me too.
Please on my posting rather than implying it to you personally please replace you with
“Faisal Khan”
“Romo Rouf”
“Rezwan”
“Ron”
“Tanveer”
“Andalib”
I am pretty sure the name I mention and the work that you are engage in this name should be very
familiar to you. So was I totally wrong?
Sorry if I have hurt you but it hurts me to when people say my country will collapse if they don’t do what they are doing. My country is not
paper made ship that it will sink for one captain not being in the ship. We have enough captains on the soil of Bangladesh who has more better track record than the captains who are running the ship now but never given a chance to run the ship.
Muhit bhai: I wish it could be vegetarian dish good idea though but just beef and chickens every where it’s hard for the vegeterian to be seen.
Sufibaba: thanks for the last comments but I won’t be only in this addda I would be in Bangladesh too with same beliefs and thoughts.
KJ
October 1st, 2006 at 5:23 pm
Zafa said, not to compare Tariq with Joy as the later has not yet settled in Bangladesh.
That’s absolutely true and if we do that it wil be a comparison of an ADORSHWAlILIPI BOOK with a kid’s CARTOON MEGAZINE.
Later (SJ) has couple of problems of fully focusing on Bangladeshi stuffs. Firstly he is presumably an American citizen, so not eligible to contest in parliament election in Bangladesh unless he renounces his Americian citizenship. Secondly, he has American wife and moreover, he
has hardly any experience of Bangladesh as if alien as he was almost for whole life out of our land from India, German to America.
If it’s not fair to be cynical about Joy why it will be so proper to margarine him so advance! Is this due to some common stakeophilia?
Thanks.
October 1st, 2006 at 5:33 pm
AbuUsa (29/9/06)
Liking and disliking someone doesn’t arise ‘ex nihilo’ like a godhead. In the case of a politician, it has to do with their behaviour in the name and interest of the jonogon.
Don’t hold the jonogon as reprehensible if they chose to dislike an unsavoury and shady character of a politician. This isn’t a popularity contest, so, people like me aren’t using ‘ad hominem’ arguments when we are being serious.
“You are too jealous on TR’s success.” Envy, to me, implies a certain level of familiarity with the envied object (otherwise, what exactly are you trying to be envious about?). You might find that some Bengalis haven’t the slightest inclination to be familiar with TR, even if he was to parade the streets of Dhaka burdened with blingbling.
“If you were not too biased against TR you could appreciate that he as the guts to come for a TV interview…”
This sounds like he’s part of the Japanese royalty. What should the jonogon of Bangladesh do for TR’s act of benevolence? Give him a cookie? For god’s sake, if the people of Bangladesh pay their taxes (like most democratic countries), they would expect TR to own up when he’s probed by the interviewer. It’s not the people of Bangladesh who need to express gratitude, on the contrary, TR needs to express his gratitude to the people of Bangladesh for letting him get away with it.
So, Zia couldn’t enunciate Arabic words? What are you insinuating here? Are you saying he altered the constitution for nothing?
No disrepect to anyone but the notion of a “kopal” is simply cack.
Sufibabu_1967 (30/9/06)
“If anyone is to be blamed…it should be us, the educated class.” Not necessarily.
I don’t think it’s a question of courage, other factors deter some Bengalis from reducing themselves to the status of a politician.
Rumi (30/9)
You’ve just reminded me of a scene in Syriana (starring George Clooney). There’s an amusing dialogue on corruption. I’d recommend it to anyone.
Zafa (1/10)
banning someone from posting doesn’t achieve anything, it would install resentment in a person. It’s in our nature to be incohesive, inconsistent, and even topsy-turvy, sometimes. From reading your posts I’d guess that you are of a certain calibre that would allow you to help another person to be consistent and fine tune their thought processes.
No matter how unwholesome someone’s manner of communicating, banning them defeats the objective.
October 1st, 2006 at 5:46 pm
ML:
My exact words on the banning issue were that I did not wish to do so.
abuusa:
To me responsing to your comment is waste of time.
–Zafa
October 2nd, 2006 at 1:13 am
Rumi, I have the deep down beleif, there is no panacea for universal corruption epidemic in Bangladesh. Our indegenous scientists should try for it’s vaccine.
I mentioned in my one earlier blog that one late Ex-Supreme Court Cheif Justice and ex-president of Bangladesh and who was, by the way, friend of my late father-in-law, being my best benefactor advised me to get a house in Dhaka city by any means clean or corrupt. And I had gathered all my spit to throw on his face, but restrained me somehow thinking the consequences of my act.
I also said in my another posting that just making ill-gotten money is not the only type of corruption. To me, being elected as MPs and boycotting the assembly months after months but enjoying all the perks and previledges including red passport is the biggest form of corruption. That’s why we need so called care-taker gov. to conduct fair election. And that really stigmaized constitution meaning our so called sacred document accepts corruption for MPs who are by normal norms should be the most trustworthy people.
This is the country where, I believe, not only CEC Aziz, rather most justices are also crooked and dishonest. So how can you expect others to be honest and corruption free.
No medicine, no surgery, no psychotherapy, no hydrotherapy, no aromatherapy, no radiation therapy, or even no rab-therapy will work here.
Please don’t get, hurt [once I myself was greatly hurt] when my two medical college professors, Late Syeda Feroza begum and Late SGM chowdhury commented on our nation saying, “Bangaleer Rokta Kharup.” Now I am fully with them.
How can you get rid of this blood cancer? I believe, we have to do extensive research on gene mapping and figure out the code of corruption gene and then decode the corruption gene from our all future generation kids.
A country would never be corruption free if politicians are not corruption free and we should not wish for honest uncorrupted politicians unless people are corruption free and do understand what is corruption and do love truth and loathe lies.
For that end, nation needs at least 50 years scheme to impart such education that will make our future homosapien kids Ashraaful Mukhlukat/the Best of Creation.
But the questioin is who is to bell the cat? Who can do that gigantic job! I’m entirely lost to find the answer!
Thanks.
October 2nd, 2006 at 7:24 am
Sufi,
Tareque Rahman is a corrupt and clueless thug, whose only qualification for power is that his dad was Zia and his mom was Khaleda. He has engaged in corruption on a truly vast scale, and appears to treat the country as some kind of personal jomidari. Bitchslapping would be too good for such a crook. What he needs is to see the inside of a jail.
October 2nd, 2006 at 8:35 am
I watched the 2 part interview with much interest. The questions were good, but it was obvious that he didn’t know the answers. His description of the arsenic problem was very funny. Did he think he could fool the whole nation with such empty words. He appeared as arrogant and dumb. It was obvious why he flanked in school and was expelled not in one but two schools.
A friend wrote, “…he’s our sanjay gandhi without the brains. he is, in my opinion, the most sinister phenomenon in bangladesh politics
today (yes, i think he is more sinister than nizami or sayeedi). he (and his coterie) will be the biggest threat to democracy in the next few decades.”
- sohini
October 2nd, 2006 at 10:19 am
Ask not what the country can do for you,
ask what you can do for the country.
Abuusa,
List 2 things that you have done for the country in the past 10 years surrounding the problems that you are complaining about.
October 2nd, 2006 at 6:42 pm
As a US citizen, but regular visitor to Bangladesh, I have generally just watched the circus. Having left Dhaka after ISc, I was fortunate to miss out most of the politics. But it is silly to think that a single party or individual is to be blamed. Through our actions and inactions, we all contributed to what is now Bangladesh.
Six years ago, you may have forgotten, but I haven’t, Bangladesh was reeling from the corrupt rule of AL. When I visited Dhaka, the only word that I’d hear on the streets and the living rooms was how corrupt the AL government was and how ANYTHING would be better than them. Looking around, I couldn’t help but agree. The list is long but also pointless.
Well we got what we wished for (at least the majority of the country did). In elections that were generally held to be fair, AL lost power and BNP & friends came back to the throne. I was mostly amazed at how well democracy seemed to have worked. In a singular bit of bad form, misjudgment and plain idiocy, AL, however, went on to boycott the parliamentary process while, as it has been pointed out, enjoying the perks of office. Worse, party leaders began a campaign of hartals as well as propaganda and inuendo that caused many more neutral persons to further lose respect for AL. It seemed that BNP was poised to lead the country into a new age!
But surprise! BNP and its friends began to feast at the trough. Starting slowly but gathering momentum rapidly, BNP stalwarts created an enviable tolling system that became as corrupt as any system we’ve ever seen. The fact that there was no opposition present for most of the time made it even easier. And in their efforts to hang on to power, they made a pact with the devil who showed up in white robes and long flowing beards. And these folks stole like everyone else- no worse!
And now, many of the folks in Dhaka can’t wait to see the end of this government. Surely, ANYTHING has to be better! But where have I heard that before?
Do I have any magic solutions? Unfortunately, not a single one. But don’t despair - it is not all bad. Politically, we are several hundred years behind more established democracies. The US of 70 years ago (think prohibition era Chicago) was fairly corrupt as well. Some would say that the US of GWB remains massively corrupt. But what has happened in the intervening years is that many basic rights and standards have improved greatly. Most of the time, not because of the government, but in spite of it.
Call me a dreamer - but I am a believer in individuals and the private sector. They are not perfect - in fact, far from it! And they too represent the Darwinian survival of the fittest. But face it, throughout history - including natural history - might has been closely related to right (in both senses of the word). It is not useful to get all wrapped up in who happens to be right. Like might, right too is transient.
My advice, skip the politics and work at the grass roots level. Pay homage to whoever happens to be in power but smile and decline to get too close to it. Pay your dues and do your thing. But while doing your thing, if you truly love the country and its people, make sure you do the right thing by them. Create jobs so people can find work. Pay them a fair wage. Share your prosperity. And protect the poor and the helpless when you can. Use your conscience to tell you what is right and what is a waste of your and others’ efforts.
But do consider giving up the pro Tareq/anti Tareq rants. There are so many other things that are more important that you can actually do something about! Believe me, for the vast majority of the people of Bangladesh, BNP retaining power or AL & friends sweeping them out is not going to make the least bit of difference. There will just be a different toll collector at the door. Pay the toll and get on with your work.
Let me suggest an unusual exercise:
For those of you ready to ‘bitchslap’ Tariq, watch the interview again and see if you can find anything good about him. If you cannot, find anything good, then i believe that you are blinded by your bias - for there are many reasons to admire how he handled the interviewer. If you cannot see the elegance and poise in his comparing Ershad to the weather then you are incapable of being a rational observer. The point he made was that you’d prefer the weather to be predictable and forecastable - but it isn’t - and you have to deal with that reality; the same is true for Ershad, or for that matter, anything else. You’d like them to be reliable - but they are not. So you don’t cry about it - you deal with it! Reliable or not, Ershad and his constituents could very well provide the decisive votes.
And for those of you who think that Tariq walks on water and that BNP can do no wrong, watch the interview again and see if you can’t spot some things terribly wrong. If you can’t, then you too are blinded by your bias and partisan faith. All you have to do is see the uncommon power and authority wielded by Tariq - a person who, to the best of my knowledge, was not elected to such position of power and nor appears to be accountable to the people. A position of power that he accessed primarily through our penchant for ‘Rajputra worship’. This is wrong, and if you don’t see it, you should slap yourself until you wake up from your dream.
I didn’t mean to be so opinionated. I have connections to all the parties: I got my first box of marbles from Sheikh Moni - and lots of free tea from when he used to be a salesman for Aroma Tea. At the other end, my father and Ershad used to fight with hockey sticks at Carmichael College, mostly on the same side. My aunt is a classmate and buddy of Sheikh Hasina, while an uncle is very close to the heirs of Zia clan and I have a personally signed commendation from Zia himself. But I don’t want anything to do with any of them because I think that they are basically all the same - just like Kerry and Bush are really, much the same (I’d still prefer Kerry!)
But in Bangladesh, I prefer to let them do their thing while I do mine. In the end, I’ll look only to see what I have accomplished and I’ll judge my success or failure by measuring that. Stay focued on what you can contribute and then, just do it!
My apologies for my own long rant!
Best wishes,
Muhit
October 2nd, 2006 at 8:35 pm
Thank you Muhit Bhai. Thank you so much.
Once a while we need a voice of hope and sanity and you definitely fill in the blanks.
Tired of fighting blindness, I was frustrated whole afternoon. I just found out, I should not be that much hopeless.
Rumi
October 3rd, 2006 at 2:27 am
Dear Muhit,
You may think Kerry, Bush, Al Gore all are same, but is it really? Just look around and see the damages that Bush has made to not just his own country, but to the whole world, most of which are irrepairable. You may choose the path of not caring like most common people do, but, sorry, I cannot join your band.
It’s your life, your country. You must let others know loudly and clearly what you want your country to be.
In Bangladesh, if the issue were just corruption, I’d not have argued with you. But the problem here is much deeper. Jamaat is slowly and silently strengthening their base. Anyone who knows about their ruthless nature cannot help but fear. Anyone who has seen their brutal side in 1971 cannot help but fear.
Common people do not care whether our country remains a secular one or not. They do not realize Jamaat’s power, Jamaat’s grass root organizing ability. But people who has the intellect and desire to see beyond what you can see with your two eyes, must worry for our future. How can you not worry when Tarek Zia announces to the nation that Jamaat and BNP are the members of the same family. And please don’t tell me that AL would have done the same. They wouldn’t.
It’s really nice that you want to help your country, but, time has come for many who are not allowed to help the way they want to. Good people are forced to be silent. Good deeds are being stopped.
We must help our country with whatever means we have. At the same time we must warn people, we must create an awareness, we must fight back so that the world remains to be a livable place for our future generations.
First they came for the communists,
and I did not speak up —
because I was not a communist;
Then they came for the socialists,
and I did not speak up —
because I was not a socialist;
Then they came for the trade-unionists,
and I did not speak up —
because I was not a trade-unionist;
Then they came for the Jews,
and I did not speak up —
because I was not a Jew;
Then they came for me —
but by that time there was no one
left to speak up for me.
Pastor Martin Niemöller
October 3rd, 2006 at 2:51 am
One more thing Muhit, if you believe that joining hands with Ershad for the decisive votes and letting him go free against all his corruption charges are morally corrupt plans, then looking for elegance and poise in Tarek’s BS is also immoral. In today’s Bangladesh, you cannot afford to be that naive. The interview was not just an interview, you have to see through it.
October 3rd, 2006 at 6:04 am
Dear Sohini:
The way to counter Jamaat is by giving people an alternate way - by finding orphans an alternative other than Madrasas and by NOT tolerating intolerance. Much of Jamaats power comes - not from their alliance but at the grass roots level.
I think you are being naive in thinking that AL has not been and/or will not be expedient in their own alliances - principles be damned! As far as Tarik and Ershad, I believe that AL would have given an arm and a leg to get Ershad over to their side. Tarik just outplayed the Bidisha wing of Ershad’s party that was AL leaning. Nothing great about that, just the way it is!
Wish life was so simply black and white - it isn’t.
Best,
Muhit
October 3rd, 2006 at 8:15 am
PS:
Re. Kerry and Bush, the precise phrasing I used is that they are “much the same”. And I believe that I also said that I prefer Kerry.
My family and I had spent countless hours campaigning for Kerry in 2004. I spent all morning on election day in 2004 calling democrats to make sure that they had voted and the rest of the day standing out in the rain with my 15-year old son and his friend handing out the democratic slate to voters entering polling stations. And we are active today in many arenas in the mid-term elections that are five weeks away. We do so because over here, the small differences can matter. But the Iraq war (which Kerry voted for), although built on presumptive lies, remained quite popular over here until recently and still enjoys huge popular support. Part of the reason is that acts such as the Iraq war are the end products of decades of short-sighted and self-serving US foreign policy that Bush had little to do with and that Kerry is almost equally [perhaps even more] a part of. The biggest difference between Bush and Kerry is who they get their campaign financing from and who they are beholden to.
In Bangladesh, step away from the university dorms and the unemployed or underemployed thugs loitering the city streets and the circles of political appointees and the differences fade. The average village farmer (and that is what most Bengalis are) struggles to cultivate his land and produce enough to feed his family and perhaps have a little bit left over to sell so as to pay for other things. Their lives are largely unaffected by who is stealing the aid money and who is getting the free Pajaro.
And you want to hear something funny [as in strange] about prices? A secular rise in the commodity prices in Bangladesh (chal, dal, ata, oil, eggs), while devastating the urban poor, can actually help most of the rest of country - the farmers who produce these goods. The single largest complaint I hear in the villages is that the price of rice [dhan] has not gone up proportionately to the price of other [non-agricultural] goods. Consider the following fact: the cost for my grandfather to educate his children [my father, my uncles and aunts] in college/university or medical school averaged 4 maunds of dhan per month per child. The same today costs 12-14 maunds of dhan! So no wonder that the villagers cannot afford to educate their children. I use the above just as an example - not a lot of villagers had 48 mds. of extra dhan before and even fewer have 150 mds. of extra dhan today to pay for a year of a child’s education. But the point is, higher commodity prices is not necessarily bad across the board - it potentially restores some of the equilibrium that has been lost in the effort through the last several decades to buy urban political support through subsidized food prices.
And another bit of information that you can make what you wish of: India still produces basic agricultural products cheaper than we can. Prices of rice, oil, eggs, wheat all go down when the borders [and trade] are open and climb when they are shut down. I have not yet formed an opinion on how this lever ought to be used - I need to educate myself further before doing so. But not surprisingly, whichever political party that happens to be in power [and their business cohorts] has used this lever to serve its own ends.
In any case, a starving man will vote with his stomach - for whoever promises to feed him - ideology be damned! Get him food and perhaps he’ll vote with his brain. But as the two Bush victories in the US show, even that is hardly guaranteed.
Muhit
October 3rd, 2006 at 11:39 am
Muhit,
I don’t think I ever suggested you to support AL blindly. If AL sells the country to Jamaat when they come to power like BNP did, I’ll be equally vocal. But I still have hope that they wouldn’t be that bad. I haven’t seen any sign yet. So what’s point of speculating! BNP just didn’t make strategic alliance with Jamaat, they have placed Jamaat at every phase of administration and universities. Jamaat is far more clever than we can even think of.
I admire anyone who helps the poor. But please don’t suggest to stay away from politics (in a previous post you suggested to skip politics). There is no conflict between helping the poor and getting involved with politics. Both can go hand in hand. We must criticize the govt in power - clearly and loudly. Otherwise, a day will come, no one will speak up to save us.
- sohini
(US foreign policy is always to blame, but I can’t agree with you that Bush had little to do with the Iraq war and everyone else was equally responsible. You shouldn’t have campaigned for Kerry then and skipped US politics altogether. No?)
October 3rd, 2006 at 2:05 pm
There are many paths to similar ends (and most paths that start out together, ultimately diverge). AL may or may not sell the country to Jamaat - they might find a different buyer - but that would be a very narrow interpretation of my argument which is that AL’s track record isn’t any better.
I do not believe that there HAS to be a conflict between politics and helping the poor. It is, however, my opinion that the politician’s in Bangladesh mainly seek power and riches and have done very little and care very little for the poor. If you have the ear of AL leaders, please give them a personal message from me which is that for all practical purposes, hartals are economic terrorism. But perhaps it would be best that with respect to politics and social welfare in Bangladesh, let’s just agree to diasagree.
With respect to the Iraq war (and American politics) the issues are a bit more complex. While little Bush lit the match that started the war, in many ways, Bush Sr. (and Cheney and Rumsfeld from his cabinet) as well as Kerry and the rest of the US Congress are culpable in supporting and propagating a geopolitics that led to the Iraq war. I campaigned for Kerry with mixed feelings and not a lot of confidence that he was going to make things right. I was also concerned about Supreme Court vacancies - a concern that has since, unfortunately, proven to be right. As you may know, Kerry conceded Ohio before all the absentee ballots were in and when he was behind by about 100,000 votes and there were serious questions about voter intimidation by the Republican Secretary of State, Ken Blackwell - a concession that surprised many of his supporters who though it was way too early. I jokingly theorize that the decision for Kerry to step aside was made late, the night before, in the cavernous hall of Skull & Bones, the Yale secret society that both Kerry and Bush belonged to in overlapping years.
Muhit
October 4th, 2006 at 10:02 am
Asif bhai
“Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.” That’s some sort of a tautology.
AbuUsa
“nation needs at least 50 years scheme to impart such education that will make our future homosapien kids Ashraaful Mukhlukat/the Best of Creation.”
Are you suggesting Allat is a flawed creator?
October 4th, 2006 at 7:40 pm
ML:
I don’t mean to answer for AbuUSA (or anyone else) but there is a belief in Christianity (and perhaps elsewhere) that God crated us in His own image. Looking around, though, I don’t see much perfection (may be the Dalai Lama - but I don’t really know him)!
Bernard Shaw has a slightly different take: that Man created [invented] God in his own image. Hence, depending on what chapter of what [holy] book you read, God’s character appears to be wide ranging.
But if we are indeed the best of the best, the bar didn’t appear to have been set terribly high now, did it?
I have pondered the above and decided that I’m smart enough to know that I’m just not smart enough to comprehend it all.
Muhit
November 15th, 2006 at 6:07 pm
I was appaled by the way TR was replying questions. He did not reply any questions concretly cleverly trying to Avoid the answers. His interview shows arrogance. When the interveiwer asked question about the price hike , TR redirected the question to back to the Interviwer. The interviewer was so scared I thought he was going to piss in his pants. TR does not say BNP he says “AMAR DAAL”, clearly shows he thinks BNP as his own property. ALL in all everyone should relaize than when a person gives interview that persons behaviour is always at his best. But arroagnace of TR was clearly evident in the interview , plus I was conviced TR lacked proper intellectual capabilty to be a leader.
December 28th, 2006 at 10:49 pm
I think TR just introduced a new chapter to BD’s politics by this interview. I have never (Yes, never) seen any interview like this one by any politician from Bangladesh, so I give him credit for that. I think other political parties young stars should come out to do this type of interview as well, so we can compare in between them.
January 15th, 2007 at 3:34 pm
It is sad and scary that Tareq Zia may end up running Bangladesh end day and possibly leading or paving the way to transforming Bangladesh into a Taliban like Islamic country. You can support him all you want now, but if it continues this way be prepared to have your mothers and daughters to wear borkha. Take my words, something gotta change…
January 19th, 2007 at 2:50 pm
Hi guys:
If you ask me, I want the CTG to stay for 1 year (maybe more) to clean up the mess created both by BNP and Awami League.Think we can afford to stay away from the democratic process in the meanwhile. Reconstituition of the election commission, granting Anti-Corruption Commission ammunition to go after corrupt politicians, bureaucrats and business persons and implementing an effective crime prevention force should be in the agenda for the CTG for one year. I also recommend that the tenure of CTG should be ratified from 90 days to one year. If anyone disagrees please let me know.
February 2nd, 2007 at 12:43 pm
The two parties have demonstrated sufficiently that they are unfit to run the affairs of a viable state. They have turned into groups of goons proliferating organized crime mafia style. To set the stage for these goons via so called fair elections means nothing anymore. Neither does the average citizen is in any hurry put these idiots back into office. If Fakhruddin plays it right, a third and a more viable option headed by learned men/women with a strong accountability force should be carved out and let the people of the country decide who they want in office. To further dismantle and unseat the previous power mongers (BNP/AL) it is high time the current govt go directly after Tariq and his likes as well as Jalil and his likes on the other side. One would not have to dig very deep to uncover their misgivings and fortunes. Putting as many of these goons away for a long time will pave the path for progressive politics to move us forward. Bangladesh can easily surpass Vietnam’s momentum or Thailand for that matter. Our entreprenuers and business men are intelligent and forward thinkers. Providing a level field for them and a much needed stability will spell great advances for this country. One doesn’t need further proof that the politics of the old is over and it is past time to crystalize a determined and aware force that will operate under the premise of accountability and responsibility. Good riddens Tariq and Joy - Let Bangladesh take on a new course and new faces.