Unheard Voices

I am sure there is nothing called a minimum age for someone to become a political activist in BD.

There was a comment by Andrew in a separate thread few days ago about children protesters [comment #10].

The trend is very alarming!

Not only the under aged these days have become a part of the labor force (becoming a fatality when the employer throw them off sixth floor balcony) and now their latest profession has become ‘dangabajee’ in the name of political activism.

Look at the picture below (from Daily Star). Amazing, isn’t it?? The report said he ran right after setting fire to the tires. Does this boy even understand what he’s protesting?

[Note: The name of the photographer to be credited for the above photo could not be found. The photo appeared in the online version of the Daily Star.]

What motivated him to set fires to tires in the middle of hartal these days, especially when one of the parties staging the chaos carries fire arms in broad daylight, and the other party beats the gunman to death in everyone’s view .

How much was this lad paid to do that? Where are his parents/guardians? Does he go to a school? Does he have a dream to grow up and not do a tiring low paid job?

We need to raise our voice in this regard – STOP SENDING THE CHILDREN IN HARM’S WAY!!! Let them grow first! Please.

Some have asked that why we are discussing so much politics at a human rights org’s blog. Well, firstly as Bangladeshis we are all very political in nature and secondly there is a lot at stake in this election and simply no one can afford to disengage from this process. Rule of law, the essence of human rights, is at stake in this election.

A lot of you are also saying that it doesn’t matter who wins the election. They are all the same. I am alarmed at that line of thinking. I think there is a lot at stake in the upcoming election. I am no fan of AL of today. I was elated when they lost the election. But after the last 5 years, I think it is very important that there is a change of guard in Bangladesh. WHY? Here are the three damages that I am concerned about from the past 5 years. I think it will take a long time to fix this.

1. Institutions: All of our much sacred institutions have been destroyed and politicized. Starting from the judiciary to election commission to the post of presidency to each level of administration, nothing was left untouched.
2. Corruption and thuggary has been encouraged from the very top with complete disregard to the rule of law. Simply put — two words — Hawa Bhaban.
3. Rise of political Islam in Bangladesh and appeasement of extremism have been taken to a new level.

If they come back to power, that will mean that there was no consequence of their misrule in the last 5 years and they will be even more ruthless in their implementation in eradicating the opposition. Disregard to rule of law will become institutionalised. Is there any reason to think that they will change their governing style in the next 5 years? This is a risk that is simply not worth taking.

Now, will anything change if AL comes to power? I don’t know. Some of you think it won’t. I am not a fan of their leaders. In fact, I was elated when they lost in 2001.But I think they deserve another chance. We shouldn’t forget that the AL ruled for 5 years of the last 30 years whereas BNP ruled 15 of those years. I can only predict based on past record on how they would perform in the 3 things mentioned above. If I look at the past record of the ONLY time AL was in power after the fall of autocracy, here’s what I see based on which to judge them.

1. Institutions: An impartial man like Justice Shahabuddin was selected to be the President and a competent man like Mr Abu Sayeed was the head of election commission. The sanctity of the chairs were maintained.

2. Corruption: While there were numerous Godfathers all across the country, there is no reason to believe corruption was encouraged from the very top. Simply put there was no hawa bhaban.

3. Rise of political Islam: Bombings did start during AL regime but there is no reason to be believe that Jamati members and fundamentalists were inside the administration and the extremists were appeased.

But on the contrary, what will happen if the same people who are ruling today come back to power?

Next time you say “it doesn’t matter, both are the same”, really think hard about whether who wins the next election really matters.

Some people said that we should root for the 3rd party and not any of these corrupt parties. To them I say, remember Ralph Nader? The supporters of Nader said Gore and Bush are all the same, vote for Nader - the alternative. Boy, were they in for a surprise. They might comfort themselves thinking they did not compromise with their ideals, but in reality, the damage they did by bringing in Bush to power is irrpairable. I believe that until there is a viable third party, we have to pick between these two parties and try to change the party towards our need. If you want example, look at how they are doing it at dailykos.com. A group of people who are not happy with the direction of the democratic party in the US have taken it upon themselves to make them such a strong voice from the grass root level that their party is forced to listen to them. They did not form a new party. They are working in cleaning the party from inside by building a movement. We can do the same in Bangadesh. But not if we just disengage and complain that “They are all the same”. What happens in our lives is directly related to politics regardless of whether we live in US, UK or Bangladesh or anywhere. The cost of disenagement is just too high. If you don’t trust me, just ask the American voters who are raring to vote the republicans out of power next week to make amends.

In April 2006 the inhabitants of Kansat, a village in central Bangladesh, had had enough with the persisting power shortages and corruption which were blighting their lives. They decided to unite under ‘The Action Committee for Rural Power Development’ and lead a peaceful movement for their rights. But their attempt to remedy the power shortage situation and bring about greater justice through protest was met brutal suppression. Last April when Kansat, a remote village in Rajshahi, was on fire, I was in Dhaka. I was distraught like anyone else seeing the news of such injustice. These poor farmers were getting beaten, killed, battered for demanding their very basic right.

In spite of all odds, under the leadership of Rabbani, a non political leader, they kept on fighting. Although they won an eventual victory, there was absolutely no accountability of the killings. A few of us in Dhaka got together and protested during the new year celebration against this atrocity. However, we wanted to do more. Just as the news fell off the headline, we didn’t want this story of amazing courage and injustice to be forgotten. That’s when I met Omi and Ritu of Counter Foto. I saw some amazing work that Omi had done on political violence. He did have the heart in the issues. We got together and thought of doing something to capture the Kansat incidents. I came home and wrote to a few well wishers to help this project and people like Rumi, Zafa, Litu bhai and others enthusiastically did. In the meantime, OMI got his group together in Dhaka. Akram, Maruf, Omi, Ritu, Mridul in Dhaka and Shahed, Shumon, me, Zafa, Rumi, Tariq in the US got together. Those of us in the US, helped with the research and the funds raised and also created a blog to document our thinking and the making of the film. In the meantime, we managed to convince ASK to get involved in the project. Finally after months of efforts all across the globe, Drishtipat and Counterfoto are ready to tell the story of Kansat tonight. “Mondrito Kansat” or “Roaring Kansat” is ready to premier tonight in London. We picked up the film last Saturday in London after the last minute rush and saw glimpses of it. Boy am I glad that we pursued the project! This story is simply AMAZING ! Since then Omi won the National Geographic award and he will be presenting some of his works along with the movie in London tonight as well.

If you are in London, please do come and check out this unforgettable story of courage tonight, if you are elsewhere, there will be a screening hopefully near your city soon.

Screening details: http://www.drishtipat.org/london
Making of the film and the background on the issue: http://www.drishtipat.org/kansat
Some Pictures: http://www.flickr.com/photos/tags/kansat/

This also tells you a bit about our organization. We like to find likeminded people and WORK (not just talk) together for a change for the better. No matter how much we argue over our political beliefs , at the end of the day we work for the common cause of speaking for the unheard voices from bangladesh.

We hear, we speak out and we help.

Earlier when Awami League president Hasina handed over the demands on behalf of the 14-party alliance to Iajuddin Ahmed, one of the demand suggested closing down of private media like radio and television channels during the election that came in existence in the last five years. I will rephrase it for simplicity and say the suggestion was to close down all private media that flourished during the past BNP government rule. This may sound absurd but I can see the concern of neutrality that brought up this demand.

This is tricky context as media development in Bangladesh in the last five years is far from comparison to the remainder of the nation’s media history whether it is television, radio or printed media. The standard of Bangladesh mainstream media is nothing short of the standard of many developed nations. I think there should be zero compromise with the demand to close down private media during election when the CTG starts the election reform negotiations. There maybe valid neutrality concern; however, without going into measuring the neutrality level - compared to only choice of a state run television station (BTV) that we had, the mainstream private television channels are light years more neutral now. This is ridicule even suggest this when for most living outside of Bangladesh, the private satellite channels have become the primary source of news these days. If the concern still remains, let’s not forget that there are more than a few such channels now and people aren’t fools to be able to decipher from different viewpoint if it exists in the first place. Thoughts/Wrangle?

So who will be the other 10 advisors? Asking for “guesses” here. Not disclose inside info.
I don’t have much to say myself – just wanted to open the thread so you all can chime in..

Dr Yunus will probably make everybody’s wish-list. But may be disqualified if he emerges with his own party.

Sheikh Hasina along with her top leaders meets President and CTG chief Professor Iazuddin Ahmed.

Sheikh Hasina uses elaborate SSF security, Presidential Guard Regiment protocol with multiple flag cars, motorcycle guards on her way to Bangavaban.

14 Part postpones all the hartal and blockade until Nov 3rd.

Peaceful rally by AL at Purana paltan, Muktangon, and by BNP at Naya Paltan. RAB, BDR , police is in full control of the area. No logi, boitha visible in Dhaka streets anymore.

Ershad somersaults again. Now he says he is going with 4 party alliance. Just 3 days ago he mentioned he was not going with 4 party.

People head home, normal life slowly resumes in Dhaka.

Election nomination mad rush begins; slowly.

LDP press conference held. Again B Chowdhury’s mild mannered gentle speech is cut short by Col Oli’s crude trash-talk.

I must say I am quite surprised and impressed by the AL reaction. Their response was very measured. It was following the argument that “we can not agree to the process through which the head of the CTG has been chosen but we are willing to give it a go and see if the President can be impartial.”

This has done a few things for them:

1. Shows AL in a positive light. They seemed politically wise and compromising
2. They were practical and showed that violence is not their only tool
3. Gives them bargaining power to have a strong say in selection of the caretaker advisors, and to extract other compromises. (eg reform of the Election Commission)
4. Has not pushed the AL to the corner viz a viz the Army

I am sure over the next few days we will see AL getting the upper hand in the political process.

The mood in general in Dhaka is that “yes the President has used a very Clintonesque argument in naming himself to the position, but hey, give him a chance to prove himself.” Onus is now on the President to rise to the occasion. The AL (and most of media/ civil society) will no doubt now putting everything the President does under a microscope. And if the choice of the other advisors is correct, then the room for one-sided manoeuvrability on his part is severely curtailed.

I also hope (though do not believe) that the AL shows such maturity when it comes to events leading up to the elections.

Dhaka, Oct 29 (bdnews24.com) – The Awami League Sunday night lent quiet support to President Iajuddin Ahmed taking over as head of the caretaker administration and said it was up to him to prove if he was “acceptable”.

“It’s not about accepting him or not. At least not for now … He did not go by the constitution … now that he has taken over we’ll wait and see. It’s now up to him to prove if he is acceptable,”

“We wanted him to appoint a caretaker government by Sunday. He’s done that. But if he hadn’t made himself the head of caretakers, it would have been better.

“He’s violated the constitution which he’s pledge-bound to uphold. There were options in the constitution.”

Hasina criticised the way the President handled the swearing-in ceremony. She said she had received the invitation card “only five minutes before the ceremony”.

“We could have welcomed him if he had done that following the principles of the constitution.”

(more…)

Can we trust this man to be fair and non-partisan after he deliberately violating the constitution and his office lied repeatedly since Friday starting?

From Daily Star:
Bangabhaban did not strictly follow constitutional provisions
Julfikar Ali Manik

A part of the controversy over the appointment of the caretaker government chief was the result of Bangabhaban’s not strictly observing the constitutional provisions and could have been easily avoided if the president’s office simply followed the steps laid out in the constitution.

The first twist surfaced soon after former chief justice KM Hasan expressed Friday night his unwillingness to the cabinet secretary to head the caretaker government. The Bangabhaban told the press that the oath taking of Justice Hasan scheduled for Saturday had to be deferred as he was “indisposed”.

(more…)

BNP betrayed with democracy and started the process to kill what remaining of it we had.

Awami League is a pathetic failure, failing to deliver any hope for the country.

Now President took over the CTG.

A Supreme Court petition is coming. For sure. ( Or very less likely, AL will accept Iazuddin, demand removal of CEC and other EC etc)

What our Supreme Court can do?

By constitution, is it true no one can sue the president? I know at least he can not be held in contempt of court. So does that that mean he does not have to listen to Supreme Court directive?

Can Supreme Court then give a guideline, which will save all the faces ( Those needed a salvage) and at the same time ensure a free and a fair election involving all the parties?

Now It’s Official.

Iajuddin Takes oath.

And No advisors has been declared. No word of any cabinet.

Then who runs the government now? Iajuddin alone can’t.

****************************************************************
President sworn in as chief of caretaker govt

Opposition absent at ceremony, Khaleda happy; Iajuddin seeks blessings, prepares to name 10 advisers

(more…)

I just got very reliable information that as I am writing this entry, President, the PM and the chiefs of the military are meeting now at Bangabhaban at a highly secretive meeting. If this is true, it completely destroys the credibility (whatever is left) of the president as a neutral figure. All day today his office lied about exhausing all the options of choices of Justices. Mahmudul Amin/Hamidul Huq was never invited. He is not following the constitution and instead going by the party line stand of the Jote. What a shame !

In any times of emergency or martial law, the first casualty is information. The media will be shut down. But we do want to hear from the people on the ground and the following info came in courtesy of the somewherein website.

Should your ISPs goes down in Dhaka tonight and you want to send news to rest of the world and to us:
send sms SHOUT message.

example SMS: SHOUT clashes in paltan observed at 17:46, several bomb explosions heard.

The number to send the message to is 5455.

The messages will be viewable at http://wap.aawaj.com

For the time being, you can use the shout sms and let your wapping friends share what you know or have seen.

Farhan and I had a chat on the latest just now. Here is the transcript:

[02:40:47] asifsaleh says: Hi Farhan, just saw your recent entry regarding the President promoting himself as the CTG head. Why is he not calling Mahmudul Amin as per constitution?

[02:41:35] Nazim Farhan Choudhury says: I don’t know why he isn’t. The constitution is very clear on it. I believe the hard liners in BNP are not sincere in their desire of seeing a free and fair CTG

[02:43:43] asifsaleh says: Just to give you a glimpse of what’s going on in the London Bangladeshi community…the TV stations are constantly playing the pictures and people are calling in live shows. Some are crying and some are
showing outrage at both parties.

[02:44:37] Nazim Farhan Choudhury says: A vast majority of voters here are fed up with both the parties. They are crying out for a third force

[02:44:40] asifsaleh says: I don’t know about you I think I would blame the latest crisis solely on BNP.
[02:45:02] asifsaleh says: Have they even given any reason to reject Amin? At least AL had a reason.

[02:45:12] Nazim Farhan Choudhury says: I believe BNP is being ill advised here. They are digging themselves deeper with no way out

[02:45:21] Nazim Farhan Choudhury says: and giving AL the moral victory

[02:45:39] Nazim Farhan Choudhury says: No no reason on Amin as yet
(more…)

It’s not everyone who gets the chance to go overseas to study for two years, and she was delighted about it. But my friend A. was also a little melancholy over coffee, two days before her departure. ‘On my way here’, she said, ‘I saw an old man walking under a palm tree, and noticed the way the tree moved in the rain. Then I realised I would not be seeing them for a long time. And of course never in that exact same way again’. And so was born a new concept for those of us who spend our lives away from home: to ‘pre-miss’ (vb) meaning ‘to start missing something before you’ve actually left it behind’.

And indeed her pre-missing was prescient, for here she is a mere two weeks later, writing from her distant new home in New Zealand: “…not only the man under the tree, I miss the things that used to make me annoyed, like traffic jams, horns on the road, domestic conspiracies, etc… Everybody likes it here, because it is quiet and peaceful. But for me, it is too quiet to bear. And here I have to be so sophisticated that I should not laugh loudly, should not stare at strangers, should not talk much…”

Click here to read the rest…