Tue 4 Dec 2007
Also read: The letter of RU teacher “If I am jailed”
An account of how the case was conducted and was not reported in the media is here
Today’s breaking news:
DHAKA (AFP) — Four Bangladeshi academics were sentenced to two years in jail each Tuesday for fuelling student unrest in August that prompted the country’s emergency government to impose a curfew, police said.
The professors from Rajshahi University in the west of the country were found guilty of breaking emergency laws banning protests and all gatherings, police inspector Mahbub Siddiqui said.
“They joined protests and marches defying the ban during the nationwide student unrest in August,” he said.
The protests left one dead and hundreds injured and shook the military-backed government, which has been in power since a political crisis in January.
The professors were jailed as dozens of students from Dhaka University held hands and covered their mouths with black badges to protest the detention of the teachers as well as some two dozen students, police and witnesses said.
The students stood silently on the university campus and dispersed after about half an hour, local police chief Shahidul Islam said.
The August 20-22 demonstrations began at Dhaka University after students were allegedly roughed up by army personnel.
The government defused the unrest by imposing a week-long curfew in major cities and blamed the country’s sidelined political parties.
Four leading academics from Dhaka University including two deans have also been detained as part of the crackdown after the unrest.
The government, which is led by former central bank governor Fakhruddin Ahmed, came to power on January 12 and has promised to clean up Bangladesh’s corrupt politics before holding fresh elections in late 2008
December 4th, 2007 at 4:05 pm
What good would separation of judiciary do, if its run by inept, spineless and immoral judges ?
Farhad
December 4th, 2007 at 5:31 pm
It is a perfect decision taken by the judge which will set an example for the future. Any university teacher need to understand that they are not above the law and their job is just to teach the students, not to involve in politics and abet the students in violence. I hope common sense will prevail in those who are opposing the court verdict and will urge them not to keen find conspiracy in every single decision made by the court as well as the present army backed government.
December 4th, 2007 at 6:15 pm
When the course of justice is circumvented to achieve a ‘desired’ outcome by the powers that be, and when the judiciary meekly succumbs to it, condoning such an abuse of authority effectively seals our fate to enduring a fairly long spell of oppression in the years to come.
How did we ’set an example’ ? By torturing the teachers to extract confessions ? By doctoring evidence to bolster the prosecution case ? By the judges taking instructions from its army masters ?
December 4th, 2007 at 7:18 pm
“The August 20-22 demonstrations began at Dhaka University after students were allegedly roughed up by army personnel”
I have nothing but the highest contempt for the AFP reporter, for the word “allegedly” that has been injected into this sentence. “Allegedly roughed up” we are told, even though right after the “roughing up” incident the top brass apologised for everything and instituted an investigation. While the professors have been found guilty of so much, a much simpler incident, easier to confirm is still “alleged”.
December 4th, 2007 at 7:51 pm
By torturing the teachers to extract confessions ? By doctoring evidence to bolster the prosecution case ? By the judges taking instructions from its army masters ?
…can’t accept your allegation’s as there are no evidences available to support them. It is very unfortunate that as a nation our nature is to exaggerate of any incident and try to mislead the people to brand the criminal as a hero. Whenever any court verdict goes against any political criminal we keep saying it as a SHOROJONTRO. This kind of attitude and mentality need to be changed and should show the respect to the judges decision.
December 4th, 2007 at 7:54 pm
Is this called an “independent judiciary”? What a joke!
December 4th, 2007 at 9:47 pm
A good lesson for the university teachers who always keep them busy in politics rather than teaching. I am very pleased to know the today’s court verdict of notorious RU teachers and expecting that the DU teachers will also be sentenced as them. It is very disappointing to see that some people keep criticising the verdicts of the court as they are not going in criminals favour. Before criticising the court and judges decisions it is better to raise some questions about the criminals and their activities.
Did the criminals ever follow their duties properly?
Do they have any democratic right to instigate the students in vandalizing the others properties?
Do they really need to be involved in politics instead of concentrating in their noble profession?
Do they really need to do conspiracy to full fill the political parties agenda?
Past years some university teachers who were heavily involved in politics used to surround by goons instead of the genuine good students. How on earth one can accept this scenario in an university?
Court may not follow their usual rules for each and every single case due to some unforeseen incident and difficulties but it is very silly when some one try to seek conspiracy in changing the date of court verdict and believe in some cheap gossips. Instead of bringing any baseless allegation against the court as well as the judges please let the law take its own course. Only then the justice will prevail in our society.
December 4th, 2007 at 10:13 pm
That’s right, all those darned university professors, who forced us to study and take exams, who even had the temerity to write us letters of recommendation, have finally been shown they are not “above the law.” No longer will they drive around in tinted-glass BMWs and flaunt their palacial mansions.
December 5th, 2007 at 2:33 am
Talat, Please educate me about your so called
“PERFECT DECISION.”
Do you have any idea about silent procession and while they did not find any charge against them in other case, they did verdict against that. This is our so called hypocrisies of Independent of Judiciary on the state of Emergency. In the democratic society we do have the freedom of speech but
now we are watching Punishment has been given even for freedom of silence. I feel your those blanket comments indicated how much bankrupts you are.
December 5th, 2007 at 3:06 am
“Ganer Shesh Neiy, Ganner Chestta Britha Tai”, the catch-slogan of Hirok Rajar-deshey movie. How much a man can know! At least I did give up. I don’t understand different statistics, terms and steps very often I see, listen or read in the media.
So much heard of independent judiciary. What is independent juiciary I don’t fathom it at all. It’s a gimmick word. And CTG had bagged a huge capital on this coin. Seperating judiciary from executive division is nothing but a gimmick of CTG.
Noteworthy to note, law and finance adviser Moinul Hussain commented, government hasn’t tried to intervene in the trial of Sheik Hasina up until now and won’t do it in the future. What does it mean? If judiciary is totally indendent, literaly, there should not have any scope of interference with the judiciary by government. It’s so publicized and said judiciary has given complete independence. But law minister said they won’t influence the trial of Sheik Hasina. This means if they desire they still have the power and ways of doing that. Then how come the judiciary is independent, Quite confounded!
Moreover, if judges don’t have the highest standard of morality and honesty, the independence of judiciary will be more sinisterous.
Thanks.
December 5th, 2007 at 5:40 am
Were the Teachers RESPONSIBLE for fuelling student unrest, and do they deserve being in jail or not?
If they were not RESPONSIBLE, then what interest would this govt have to jail them, other than restoring order and peace in our colleges?
December 5th, 2007 at 6:46 am
KGazi,
the important question is was it PROVEN that that the teachers are responsible. If you see from the description of the court proceedings, no witness was found other than the complainant. Why these four were picked out of the 60 people who were in the silent procession? Why no media people were allowed to be there when there was court proceedings? Why no one was arrested when there was procession during the cartoonist saga? Is this not arbitrary application of law?
December 5th, 2007 at 8:13 am
The verdict threw away two more serious charges of conspiracy and so called “leave en masse”. The teachers were in the silent procession protesting the army brutality in DU. How much discretionary power a judge has under the emergency power act? I think the f***** law was broken and proven beyond doubt by the Daily Somokal picture on the next day. The poor judge handed out the lightest punishment permitted by the law.
The jurors and judges are needed to consider surrounding reality in the context of the law; otherwise well written software can do the job. Does that equally apply to emergency power?
Rather questioning the judge, I would question the f***** emergency, which chokes civilization, humanity. Only boot licker maggots can thrive in the dampening darkness. “I hope common sense will prevail in those who are SUPPORTING the court verdict and will urge them not to keen find RIGHTEOUSNESS in every single decision made by the court as well as the present army backed government.” Even the judge admits, “All accused persons are teachers of a highest educational institute…CASE DOCUMENTS SHOWED THEIR PAST RECORDS AND CONDUCTS ARE NOT BAD.”. So, the only thing they did, they silently protested DU brutality. So, “Perfect Decision” is to make example out of them?
My observations, (1) DU VC is lobbying at the highest level for his teachers and students while RU VC was totally silent (2) More vocal and politically active DU teachers (REF: VC’s press conference when silent protesters making human chain in DU campus) and students will be freed soon! While RU teachers were sentenced to jail.
Is this divide and rule? Carefully listen what DU VC said when asked about the silent protest against the RU verdict in his campus, “We do not want to see any act that makes the campus unstable and causes delay in the release of our teachers and students.” I think the army bosses are fathoming the water by gradually attacking the more venerated section of the society before tackling KZ and SH. At the same time, they are slowly breaking the backbone of “student power”, which is responsible for all the glorious moments of this nation, despite its current bankrupt, lumpen status and corrupt leadership.
One more interesting observation, the big political parties needed time to scrutinize documents before giving any reaction to the verdict! But some other smaller party leaders courageously expressed their common sense opinion. Is not the army government somewhat successful in taming the big guns with carrot and whip?
My last observation rather ‘question and urge’, where are those “conspirators” and “money suppliers” for the August incidents? Did not Mainul, Fakhruddin, and UK ambassador have definitive evidence of that? Either those criminals should be brought to justice or the claimants should be tried for false accusation, creating division, distrust, and spreading fear among the people.
December 5th, 2007 at 8:20 am
There were four teachers on dock. Two were convicted by the judge, the other two were released.
I find it childish to question the independence of the judiciary every time the verdict does not conform to the “expected outcome” of some commentators here.
Every time these commentators make blanket comments about the CTG and judiciary accusing them of engineering many of the court verdicts.
The conspiracy theorists will cease any opportunity to criticise the current CTG. Reminds me of the bangla saying “jake dekhte nari tar cholon baka.”
December 5th, 2007 at 10:11 am
Rezwan Haroon , I think If some one is making Blanket comments in here It is none other than you.
Do you have any idea about the independence of Judiciary?
Fact is that administration lower court is guided by the Judiciary. Judiciary is autonomous body if it is independent. It should not be Under Law Ministry. It seems you are speaking as Barrister Mainul.
I really don’t have idea how you can say Judiciary in Independent under SOE. Any Way Tasneem has done an Excellent write up on
E-Bangladesh
http://www.e-bangladesh.org/2007/12/05/we-shall-see-when-the-crowns-shall-be-toppled-when-the-palaces-will-be-demolished/
December 5th, 2007 at 3:55 pm
Jouney to Infinitive
First of all you need to learn from others commenter’s that how to do the counter argument. Your aggressive tone in your writings will not help you to get respect in this blog. Desired outcome of a trial by the political leaders and their supporters can not be the perfection of a judges’ verdict. Regarding T K, he is a hard core supporter of a AL or BNP so as E-Bangladesh. Hence it’s not worth reading their news.
December 5th, 2007 at 5:10 pm
Re #14, there were actually six professors on dock. Out of them, two have been released, one of those two being ex-VC prof. Saidur Rahman Khan who was in really bad health and could have quite likely dies in prison if he stayed there for an extended period of time.
If you read the newspaper reportings, the two year sentence is punishment for bringing out a silent procession. I believe the relevant part of the EPR says that processions are restricted, not forbidden. Given that this was a silent, non-violent restriction, it could very convincingly be argued that this procession did not violate EPR.
Two smaller issues. I believe we have seen vociferous, definitely non-silent processions over cartoons and US warships. Why have they not been arrested?
Also, there are just laws and unjust laws. If a government passes a law saying that a person shall be arrested if they wear green shirts, that is an unjust law. The EPR, with its arbitrary detention powers and discretionary clauses, is also an unjust law.
December 5th, 2007 at 5:37 pm
16#
Talat,
Well I don’t need the respect of people like you. I will be very happy that at least I am not thinking as you. Because I have exceptional respect for the university teachers. It is the shame of Bangladesh Judiciary history that silent procession is treated as Crime. Just Funny.
BTW Is E-BD AL or BNP? Great. Hats off to E-BD that It makes common platform for AL and BNP.
Again I am mentioning I don’t care the respect of people who are against anti Human rights.
December 5th, 2007 at 5:44 pm
Bangladeshis often tend to reject any verdict that went against them. Respecting legal outcome is vital for any civilized nation. Without outright denying a verdict, there should be other judicial process to challenge it.
No body should be above the law. Unfortunately even highly educated often demand extrajudicial clemency of their patrons. These types of demand are part of social diseases that needed to be corrected to make sure rule of law for all citizens.
Bangladesh was a ‘moger mullok’ since independence. People weren’t accustomed of following laws, specially the privileged class. Changing it overnight is impractical. Making example out of inconspicuous people for doing ‘business as usual’ is hardly a justice. Braking laws became social norm for quite some time and people may not know the lawful way. Government needs to educate and train people about the new ways. Only then someone should be punished for a violation.
All of us are taught by respectable teachers. Yet they are not above the law. Teachers have a great power to mold impersonate minds and some teachers are taking advantage of their power. Thus responsible for creating extra educational practices in the institutions and should be accounted for their involvement. All should bear on thing in mind that laws are to ensure peace and justice, not for chaos and demands.
Bangladesh should ponder on what happened in those few days. Why is it so easy to create chaos in the education system? It seems any interest motivated person may misguide student body. What is a blatant misuse of youth power? As long there is no policy to harness this power there would be troubles. And someone would be there to milk the opportunity.
December 5th, 2007 at 7:23 pm
Mr. Journey to Infinitive
Quoting from the Mr. Abuwardha’s comment, “Respecting legal outcome is vital for any civilized nation. Without outright denying a verdict, there should be other judicial process to challenge it. No body should be above the law. Unfortunately even highly educated often demand extrajudicial clemency of their patrons. These types of demand are part of social diseases that needed to be corrected to make sure rule of law for all citizens”.
Perhaps you got your answer from the Abuwardha’s comment as my reply was going to be similar as his one. It is pointless to show respect to the teachers if you can not respect a judge’s verdict. FYI Physiologically haughtiness and blind support restrict the people think rationally regardless their level of intelligence. Teachers have still chance to fight against the decision of the lower court.
December 5th, 2007 at 8:08 pm
Bravo to army backed CTG and army backed judiciary.They have done something Ayub Khan and General Ershad failed to do. All people who
took part in any kind of protest defying ban during 1952, 1969, 1971 and 1990 should be arrested and sent to jail.What about the “Islamists” who protested a cartoon by Arif during emergency ? I am waiting for a “perfect decision” by a judge in this regard.
bd watcher #7
Those “notorious” teachers were not arrested because of their involvement in politics or they have failed to perform their duty properly. They were arrested because they exercised their democratic rights to protest against some actions of the CTG.However, you are right in the sense that its a good lesson for those who speaks up against this extra-constitutional military backed Govt.Its a clear message that whoever will speak up against the CTG has to embrace the fate of those “notorious” teachers.
Talat #16
“Regarding T K, he is a hard core supporter of a AL or BNP so as E-Bangladesh. Hence it’s not worth reading their news”
As Tasneem and E-Bangaldesh are hard core supporter of AL or BNP,will you please give us some reliable sources that are worthy of reading. I hope those sources are not hard core supporter of Army backed CTG.
This is irrelevent here but I have to ask this question. Is it true that Pak army is in Bangaldesh now to help the cyclone victims? can anyone verify this? could not find it in newspapers.
December 6th, 2007 at 2:54 am
Yes Borsha, the day after the cyclone, 75 members strong Pakistani army medical crop came with two C-130 transport plains full of emergency supplies that include tents, food and medicine. They are still helping the affected people with collaboration of BD army.
By the way, if you haven’t heard about it, US Marine also came with air force carrier armed with dozens of war plains, helicopters and hundreds or army personals. They confirmed that they will stay in BD as long they think we need them.
December 6th, 2007 at 7:02 am
Quoting from the Mr. Abuwardha’s comment, “Respecting legal outcome is vital for any civilized nation.”. Exactly how many civilized Nations are running under Emergency Law suspending fundamental rights for indefinite period? In how many civilized nations the commanding officer still remains in the armed forces after his people attacked unarmed civilians? In how many civilized nations head of the government come to national TV claiming huge conspiracy and instigation and then swallows it? In how many civilized nations fanatics are allowed to gather and try to proceed towards a newspaper office week after week and university teachers are prosecuted for violating the same law? Kudos for the law(!) abiding citizens.
December 6th, 2007 at 7:12 am
The problem is not the verdict against teachers, rather no action were taken with similar cases. Only significant difference is no destruction, human causalities, chaos were instigated in other cases, hence comes the question of selective. Even it was suppose to be a ’silent procession’ their lips were not taped at all to chant out ‘irrelevant’ political demand as the news reports of those days indicate. The teachers should learn the lesson well, from the incident in August ( if not from this verdict ) that ‘auto respect’ towards them came to the dust in the society, tahnks to their decade old glorious tradition. The news report on political corruption ( almost ) in every ‘house-hold’ uni. says their true story on their own. And yes as usual not everybody is ‘criminal’, neither in a state that can be ignored anymore.
However, I don’t believe this verdict will last long as it is now, those teachers still has chance to appeal in higher court, and the possibility of discharge recommendation from president is still open. Since SE is in action ( this time ) in a complete different situation / scenario ( hope no need of explanation here ) other than those we have experienced, its more likely to see action has been taken more and more selective way.
Borsha #21
Yes I also read somewhere on Prothom-alo or Ittefaq that PAK army is in Bangladesh, and operating medical aid to injured people with 50 beds or something.
December 6th, 2007 at 7:32 am
#12 Asif S. - the proceedings shown above are not complete, but the tail-end of longer court sessions, they dont give full picture of court verdict. Some more days of court session appears to have taken place PRIOR to those shown above, (where the crucial evidence and confession? may have surfaced).
2. werent these teachers charged for fuelling massive student riots, which burnt and destroyed major public property? Why are we talking about ’silent processions’ here, and comparing to the totally non-destructive anti-cartoon processions?
3. For all those who think the “glorious” students of 1952 wewre still in DU, pre 1/11, please realize that those days WERE gone. DU and RU were no longer ‘institutions of pride’ they used to be, but instutions of crime and anarchy. Riots, shooting and corruption were daily affairs, like in ghettos of inner city.
Teachers and students thrived in those lifestyles and wrongly believed THAT was the normal and ‘glorious’ lifestyles of ACADEMIC institutions.
Trouble is, even today, students and teachers dont know what is the correct CODE OF CONDUCT, in terms of definition of violence, crime, terrorism, discipline and disruption in academic institutions, which we incorrectly describe as “student politics”. This maybe why many of us still find it hard to understand what were the teachers’ CRIMES?
Perhaps the authorities should broadcast openly - Hear Ye , Hear Ye, “the crime was fuelling a student riot. This is NOT permitted in the college rules. So, please learn”.
December 6th, 2007 at 7:34 am
Dear abuwardha and all who said no one is above the law. I wholeheartedly agree with you. You know it very well that no one is claiming here that the teachers should be let go just because they are teachers. No one should be above the law and at the same time it can not be that this standard is applied for only some and not others.
But let’s go beyond the rhetoric and be a little more analytic on our observations.
There are two major issue with the verdict. First one is general — the arbitrary application of the law. Of the so many violations of EPR since 1/11, only these 4 people were targetted. If you have a poor memory, here are images from September from the cartoon controversy.
None of the above people were tried. Should they be above the law. If you agree that they shouldn’t be then the questions arise, why did the govt want to make a case out of the teachers?
The 2nd point is how fair was the trial. I have said it before. If you check out the link provided on the top which describes the prceedings in the court, it says how media people were not allowed in the court and how there was only one witness (the accuser himself - the police officer). There was no corroborative evidence other than a picture from newspaper. The weakness of the case has been highlighted in the recent ds piece.
http://www.thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=14402
K Gazi bhai, please read the news reports to find out what they were charged off without asking me. Putting up random comments is fine but we owe it to ourselves to do a little bit of research and asking questions before randomly believing the rhetorics. They are the full proceedings. After Nov 8th, the verdict was set to be given on the 26th when it was mysteriously postponed when the judge had to go to Dhaka because of “training”.
Lastly,
if you think that leading a non violent silent procession is reason enough to get two years in prison term then it is a very scary Bangladesh that you envision for future.
You may now very well say that they should appeal and get out of jail via verdict from Supreme court. But if you say that then you admit the independence of judiciary is a sham. Remember the story of sholo anai britha?
Also who will pay for the legal bills of the teachers who are meagerly paid in first place (they are not from DU, remember). I am leaving out the mental and emotional trauma this has caused to the family and the amount of time they will remain behind bar until the appeal process goes through.
Yes, thank you all for your beautiful words. But they ring hollow without proper analysis and context.
December 6th, 2007 at 8:47 am
#25 KGazi
The verdict is supposed to consider all the evidence. Yet you are in fishing expedition with statement like, “Some more days of court session appears to have taken place PRIOR to those shown above, (where the crucial evidence and confession? may have surfaced).”. Vendetta against university teachers?
#2. “werent these teachers charged for fuelling massive student riots, which burnt and destroyed major public property? Why are we talking about ’silent processions’ here,”
Yeah they were charged with and proven not guilty of instigation, conspiracy or secret meeting. They were punished for stepping on EPR by participating in a silent procession.
Or merely charging is enough?
#3. Those who think that our educational institutes are rotten because of some bad apples, and fatherly generals are saviors are on the wrong boat. Those university teachers and students are the best we have, not the army. Please note that, our constitution and nation was molested by the generals again and again.
Trouble is that many of us do not understand that army is just like any other paid servant of the government. That’s why we do not see the continuous violation of a nation (now army is giving their input in election rules)!
Perhaps someone should shout even LOUDER that these teachers are not punished for fueling a student riot.
December 6th, 2007 at 12:32 pm
The editorials:
Daily Star
Harsh and disproportionate
WE are shocked and surprised at the sentencing of four teachers of Rajshahi University (RU) to two-year rigorous imprisonment. It is beyond our comprehension how university teachers can be treated with such triviality, and marched off to serve their term like some petty criminals, particularly when the so-called ‘proof of the crimes’ does not meet rigorous standards of our own laws It is unprecedented, unfortunate and uncalled for. With full respect to the judicial system, we are compelled to ask the question — what was the gravity of their crime? Was awarding rigorous imprisonment truly compatible with charges brought against them? Regrettably, this is for the first time in Bangladesh that university teachers have been given such harsh sentence for ventilating their grievance in a peaceful manner.
The facts on hand suggest that three charges were brought against the four teachers. But after four months of investigation the authorities failed to substantiate two of the charges. And now the judgment has been dispensed evidently on the basis of only one charge, that of bringing out a silent procession on the campus. A large number of teachers had taken part in the procession in which the accused happened to be present. But ultimately a few of them got picked up by the law enforcing authorities. Technically speaking, they might have overstepped the emergency rule but given the fact that they did not resort to any violence and that they were respectable teachers having no criminal record, a more liberal approach to the case would have been justified. Moreover, was not their being in custody for four months punishment enough?
University teachers in their role of conscience keepers are known to raise their voice of sanity and express solidarity with students in pursuit of righteous causes. This is at the root of the legacy of teachers and students being in the forefront of all major national movements, be that for the establishment of Bangla as the state language or defying the curfews and bullets of the autocratic regimes in this country. The creation of Bangladesh is the manifest result of such valour and legacy. Therefore the punishment meted out to the four RU teachers has been very unfortunate.
We would like to say once again that the honourable judge could have taken the social standing of the senior teachers of RU into cognisance and taken a more lenient view. Such stance would have gone a long way towards settling the issue and upholding the respect and regards we show to our teachers. The punishment meted out deepens a wound that would have better healed.
New Age
A blow to public intellectualism
The conviction of four Rajshahi University teachers – Moloy Kumar Bhowmik, Dulal Chandra Biswas, Selim Raza Newton and Abdullah al Mamun – on charge of instigating student protests on the campus on August 21 and 22, in violation of the Emergency Powers Rules, is appalling, to say the least. The court of the additional chief metropolitan magistrate, which sentenced the teachers to two years in prison and fined Tk 1,000 each, we must say, put on display a complete lack of historical and political perspective in passing such a verdict. When the Rajshahi University teachers and four of their Dhaka University counterparts were picked up in the wake of the campus protest for ‘violating the state of emergency, making provocative statements against the government, and instigating student demonstrations and violence,’ we commented in these columns that they were ‘prisoners of conscience.’ We said so because they were ‘imprisoned for articulating their opposition against the prolonged state of emergency in general and the assault on students by the law-enforcement and security forces in particular.’
We argued then and do so now that, in a country such as ours, where literacy, let alone education, is anything but pervasive, teachers, especially university teachers, have come to be the mainstay of public intellectualism, working as a potent vehicle in the expression of public will. In this particular case, they spoke, and perhaps acted, against the perpetuation of the state of emergency in general and the repression on the students in particular, not out of self-aggrandisement but genuine concern over increasing infringement by the state on the space for freethinking, which a university – any educational institution, for that matter – is. The verdict, therefore, appears not just an indictment of certain individuals but of the very concept of public intellectualism as such. Besides, the court’s action fits so smoothly into the scheme of the military-driven interim government of perpetuating the state of emergency and thus keeping the people’s democratic rights to freedom of speech, thoughts and expressions, freedom of association and assembly, etc in abeyance indefinitely, one may very well wonder how independent the lower judiciary is from the executive.
Crucially, and curiously, still, the court, a la the government, did not take into account the circumstances that led to the August 20-22 protests in the first place. As we have said before, although the protests did begin over the assault of some students and a teacher of Dhaka University by some army men, they came to be the manifestation of the simmering discontent among the public over the government’s failure to contain the soaring prices of essential commodities and take effective steps to create a democratic environment in society and the state, among others. The government has refused to accept that genuine grievances led to the spread of violent protests between August 20 and 22 and the court’s verdict may only reinforce its state of denial.
The verdict has been received with denunciation. Teachers and politicians have branded it as a ‘blatant infringement’ of the freedom of expression. An uneasy calm prevails on the Rajshahi University campus. The Dhaka University students brought out a silent procession. The reaction may have been subdued so far, but with the government in denial about the resentment simmering beneath the surface, one wonders how long it will
remain so.
December 6th, 2007 at 2:03 pm
#26 A. saleh
You know it very well that no one is claiming here that the teachers should be let go just because they are teachers. No one should be above the law and at the same time it can not be this standard is applied for only some and not others.
But the banner carrying out by the university students written that ‘Teachers are our fathers, release our fathers’ slogan like this send the wrong message to the general public as they may think Father’s are above the law irrespective of their level of crimes which exactly had happened in our country in last 36 years.
December 6th, 2007 at 3:33 pm
MRA, When you generalize the teachers with politicians, you get into the same vicious circle of generalizations that we so dislike. I will give you some sample generalizations that we come across.
“All Muslims are terrorists”
“All business men are crooks”
“All Bangladeshis are beggars”
This is the kind of generalization that we hear and hate all the time. Yet we like to make similar generalizations when we talk in Bangladesh’s context.
“All teachers are crooks and do politics”
“All students are mastans and cadres of parties”
Such generalizations are flawed to say the least.
Let’s stick to the point about the case. Court’s job is not to make examples out of cases. Its job is to provide justice based on evidence and hard proofs and on the laws of the land.
December 6th, 2007 at 3:57 pm
Lemme tell you something guys….as a du student….everytime we spoke out against injustice,even in 1971…we did nt require our teachers directing us or instructing us on what to do…we did it bcuz it was our concious that led us…yes we protested..when an army personnel thought he can stride on our campus and slap around everyone they please…..and you know what?….yes OUR TEACHERS were behind us 100%…they can be imprisoned…but our spirit with our heads held high…well IT CANT BE!!!IT WONT BE….EVER!!!
December 6th, 2007 at 4:59 pm
#21 Brosha
It is quite apparent that some particular persons in this forum deliberately keep sending the link of e-bangladesh and T.K’s report to achieve their own goal. They do not deserve so much attention of the public as their reports are full of hatred song of the army back CTG and their rivals political party. Try some popular national newspapers rather than going after E-Bangladesh. But if they are your friends and you like to listen their old broken record no one is going to stop you.
December 6th, 2007 at 5:24 pm
SC
You are right. There are more questions we could add to it. How many nations out their have people get killed in front of media and so called humanitarian wouldn’t express regret for it? How many nations out there have media twist a well known stories and charge the victims for the crime? How many nations out there stages silence protest that kills people and government would be harassed for charging protest organizers? How many nations out there have teachers who use students to make their points? How many nations out there let media play with public sentiment that caused chaos over and over? How many nations out there have educated elite who thinks they are above the law? Kudos for all of us.
K. Gazi elaborated very well. There are hardly anything done right in Bangladesh since independent. Most of the problems would be solved once people realize that law would be enforced. Some people believe that they have a right to break laws since others are doing so. This mind set needed to be changed.
As long as we believe that in the eyes of law everyone is equal whether Muslim, Hindu, poor, rich, ordinary citizen, government official, rejakar or muktijudha there would be no peace in the society and we are doomed.
December 6th, 2007 at 5:55 pm
Abuwardha/Talat,
please comment specific to this case. Had enough of your generalizations and speeches. Stick to the subject, please. We are not talking about tasneem khalil or ebangladesh, neither we are talking about what is wrong with bangladesh. Neither is this about being pro or anti ctg. Those are simply irrelevant.
We are talking about these 4 RU teachers getting a fair trial. If you believe things have not been right in Bangladesh, how does another wrong make it right? I am baffled that people in this board are actually suggesting that it is right for someone to go to jail for showing dissent in a peaceful manner and that too in a seemingly unfair trial. What kind of country are you looking at establishing? Would you accept the same at the country you are residing at? Would you accept it if you are thrown into jail just because you said America should withdraw from Iraq or for saying they should not torture detainees in Guantanamo?
December 6th, 2007 at 6:31 pm
when will you accept the fact that there is no justice in bangladesh? the judges are corrput, or worse yet, afraid, and the wheels of justice are broken. bongadoo boagnadoo, hasina, joy, zia, et al have ruined bangladesh. it is time to start over . . . if only there was a leader willing to step up. Until then, we will see more of the same.
December 6th, 2007 at 6:54 pm
Asif
Calm down. If someone ask for a reply in this thread where do you want me to post it? Please see Borsha’s message.
You have the 110% right not to accept or dislike other’s comments but can not insist others to express their views the way you like to see them. Size of the 5 fingers of a hand are not same. If all commenter’s express the same views as yours then it will be difficult to differentiate between good and bad.
December 6th, 2007 at 9:18 pm
It is with great disappointment that I’m watching the familiar faces cheer on the government’s one-sided application of the law as a “rule of law” rather than the arbitrariness that it is.
But I should expect NOTHING LESS from people who say “there was hardly anything done right in Bangladesh since independence”; but then go on to blame only the “media”, the “students”, the “humanitarians” and the “teachers”. (Comment #33)
There is of course no mention of the bureacracy, the politicians, the police force, the ever-pliant judges, and of course our dear friends, the HuJis and the war criminals. Apparently those are the things that have gone right in Bangladesh. Indeed, many of the same commenters ask for STRINGENT evidence against war criminal killers while willing to sacrifice educators on the basis of one photograph and a handful of witnesses.
Cheers to people who think this is the way forward for Bangladesh. Cheers.
December 7th, 2007 at 3:38 am
Asif #30 - I appreciate your concern for the need of transparent justice, despite BD’s primitive justice system.
On the issue of generalization, when someone says ‘DU teachers are too corrupt’ or ‘DU students are mastans’ they dont necessarily mean EVERY SINGLE one of them.
Its a wider statement meaning at least one, or more, meet that criteria. So ALL students or ALL teachers need not despair - because it does not apply to all of them. Not all teachers or all students are bad.
Its like if we go to a grocery store and discover a rotten tomato, few times after you return home, we might say “man, their veggies are all rotten”! and may never go there again.
Doesnt mean ALL their veggies, or all their tomatos, all the time, are rotten. But its a qualifier that specifies our DISapproval of the low standard and quality of their product.
In the context of DU teachers and students, unfortunately there are a lot of rotten tomatoes. Of course there are also uncountable sincerest of academicians.
But as DS editorial says “the root of the legacy of teachers and students being in the forefront of all major national movements”, then my question is - WHY do we accept even a SINGLE rotten tomato in our LEGACY colleges and unis? If our colleges are the highest pride of our society, our teachers next to God, our students our pride posessions, then there should not be a SINGLE mastan, or a single crook teacher permitted in those places. I am surprised that both DS and NewAge are “shocked” that teachers can be sent to jail, not shocked so much of the quality of the judgement, but teachers?!!
Why do we continue to allow the holy reputation of our colleges to be smeared by one (or more) professional mastans and crook teachers?
Countries where students played an insignificant role in their national history, have SPOTLESS universities with students like marble statues - symbols of perfection.
Is it because our students played a role in 1952, that we allow our colleges to be an embarrassment for our society? Is that why its a crime to punish our crook teachers and mastan students?
We must take disciplinary action against crime and terrorism in our unis, until there is NOT EVEN ONE SINGLE mastan, one crook teacher left in there, if we are really so proud of them.
December 7th, 2007 at 5:42 am
[...] AsifY bhai rightfully complains about Mainul Hossein’s statement about the filing of the cases against the Jamaat leaders “belittling Bangladesh”. It’s meaningless rhetoric, insulting both to the speaker and the audience. I’ll tell you what belittling Bangladesh is. It’s the clear injustice of this (and he’s still not free, it must be added). And the absolute disproportionality of this. [...]
December 7th, 2007 at 10:26 am
1. #30 Asif S
My comment does not convey any generalisation of any particular group since I did not mention that all the teachers and students of our BD universities are bad. Slogan like “Shik-khok amar Baba and Amar Babar Mukti Chai” generalising that all Baba’s are innocent and above the law which obviously gives a wrong message to the society.
Every professional has their own duties. Politicians will do the politics, journalists will report the news, students will go to uni/colleges for study and teachers will tech the students. Similarly it is the duty of the police department to catch the criminals and judge will give the final verdict about the criminals regardless of our liking or disliking. It is also the duty of the court to decide whether all the due process has been followed in the trials. Neither I nor anyone here can label anybody as innocent since this is not our job.
December 7th, 2007 at 3:40 pm
“Countries where students played an insignificant role in their national history, have SPOTLESS universities with students like marble statues - symbols of perfection.”
I see.
Did you mean the universities have marble statues made of their spotless students? Or they have students who are like marble statues? Maybe the DU and RU authorities should introduce more, a lot more calcium in the university hostel diet for our students.
December 7th, 2007 at 6:31 pm
Ring! Ring! Ring!
Dhaka University Teachers Association (DUTA) at an emergency general meeting which ended half an hour ago, demanded the release of all arrested university teachers and students by Dec 12.
The meeting said DUTA would be compelled to take up a “tough action programme” if the detained teachers and students of both Dhaka and Rajshahi universities were not released by the deadline.
The meeting also drew up a two-day programme that includes the wearing of black badges by the teachers on Sunday and a mourning procession by the teachers from the Aparajayo Bangla monument at 11am Monday.
Acting DUTA president Tajmeri SA Islam told reporters: “If the detainees are not released by the Dec 12 deadline we will be compelled to go for a tough action programme.”
Prof AAMS Arefin Siddique, Prof Aktaruzzaman, Prof Md Samad, Prof MM Akash and DUTA acting general secretary Dr Mamun Ahmed were among the nearly 150 teachers present at the DUTA University Club meeting room.
Courtesy: BDNews24
December 7th, 2007 at 7:29 pm
Talat,
“Physiologically haughtiness and blind support restrict the people think rationally regardless their level of intelligence.”
Are you thinking rationally?
December 7th, 2007 at 9:06 pm
KGazi at #38, you say:
You have gone far afield and are also ill-informed.
First, who are these “crook” teachers? Certainly not the 4 men - Moloy Bhowmik, Selim Reza Newton, Abdullah Al Mamun, Dulal Chandra Biswas - who have been imprisoned for participating in a silent procession. If you have any other evidence against these professors please inform us and the government, otherwise do not engage in slander, sir.
Second, you are seriously misinformed about student politics in other countries. The United States, where I live, has a long and rich history of student activism. To refresh your memory read up on the 1960/1970s protests about civil rights and the war in Vietnam across America’s most prestigious universities (”hey hey LBJ, how many kids did you kill today!” was a familiar refrain). In the early 1980s, I with thousands of others in American universities, marched and protested American investment in Apartheid South Africa - a consequence of which was American divestment from South Africa and the eventual fall of the Apartheid regime. That tradition of student protest continues today at American universities. Student activism in America has reshaped American politics in the late 20th century. So, I am not sure how you define “SPOTLESS” or “perfection”. Where are these countries you speak of?
Finally, just to make sure the history is clear, Bengali students not only had a role in 1952 but had a significant role in liberating our country in 1971. It is on the backs of young men, women, boys and girls that Bangladesh became independent. This country has asked our young people to carry the heaviest burden and pay the highest price in blood. It was not “SPOTLESS”, it was very bloody. And I dare say those students who fought and died so Bangladesh could be free are themselves symbols of perfection.
Students and professors are not “tomatoes” sir. So do not cast aspersions about these professors or some unnamed students to make a political point when the specifics of the case are untidy for you.
December 8th, 2007 at 6:32 am
Gazi-
“Is it because our students played a role in 1952, that we allow our colleges to be an embarrassment for our society? Is that why its a crime to punish our crook teachers and mastan students?”
Ans: Just give me one proof of your such comments that teachers are crook. Mash bhai has already described beautifully of the USA student politics & Silent procession.
But My question to You Gazi
Just tell me
” is Non violent silent procession Crime? according to you?”
I guess you may speak about SOE.
But My 2nd part of the question
” How many Huji Fanatics were arrested during the Cartoon issue for Violet procession?”
December 8th, 2007 at 6:42 am
Mash,
I obviously didnt make myself clear, or you misunderstood me. I am a full supporter of student protests and student politics, and am totally proud of our 1952 and 1971 history.
But all across the world, student politics is also governed by the rule of law. Yet in Bangladesh student politics is synonymous with crime, mastani, terrorism, riots, session jams, tire burning, bomabaji, you name it. The campuses are war-zones.
What I refer to SPOTLESS in other nations is the absence of such war-zones in campuses, while protests and politics go on. They are governed by a strict CODE of conduct, with campus police, legal standards and college rules, any violation of which will lead them to disciplinary action even jail.
I too was a student abroad, and I too worked with teachers in Bangladesh Universities, and I am not prescribing we stop protesting or campaigning in our colleges.
There is student politics worldwide, and we have been in them. But unlike in BD, I havent seen anywhere else teacher corruption, gross abuse of govt funds, student crime, govt tender crime, as much as in DU. Sadly, in many occassions teachers are DIRECTLY involved, or responsible for those crimes.
I personally witnessed large godowns of expensive equipment procured by professors, but never used, as they only procured the equipment just to make a percentage money from the supplier!
But in how many US/UK universities do you see bomabaji, students carrying guns, and virtual NO-GO ZONES around campuses? Nowhere except in Bangladesh. Why is that? One answer is that we give students and teachers TOTAL IMMUNITY to all crimes, just because as you said - they did a great job in 1971 !!
In this teacher jailing case, I give the Court the benefit of the doubt, that their judgement is supreme.
Like Al Gore said after US Supreme Court decided against him - “I totally respect the Supreme Courts decision, but I may not agree with them”. Because the Law and Supreme Court comes first, teachers next!
December 8th, 2007 at 11:48 am
Gazi again you are off track. Here it is not the discussion of the history of student politics in Bangladesh. we are Just pointing here the silent procession and quality of verdict of 4 professors. They were not involved in bombing or any thing. Still they faced 2 years imprisoned and our funny bar at law Mainul is telling they have still chance in high court which means we can’t accept any justice in lower court.
December 8th, 2007 at 7:06 pm
Journey,
1. If no newsmen were allowed in the courtroom, how do you their crime from reading the newspapers? You have to RESPECT the court’s decision, because there may be other evidence that you, me or the papers dont know.
2. The riots, which is what these teachers were initially charged for fuelling, caused 1 death, 300+ injured, 3 days of nationwide terror, shutdown of universities, burnings and widespread destruction.
What casualty and damage was done by the cartoon procession?
December 8th, 2007 at 7:34 pm
Journey,
3. Also, its not that we give immunity or excuse JMB or other (islamist) terrorism, as this year 6 JMB bombers were tried and executed.
December 8th, 2007 at 8:05 pm
RE#42
“The meeting said DUTA would be compelled to take up a “tough action programme” if the detained teachers and students of both Dhaka and Rajshahi universities were not released by the deadline.”
The teachers are going for agitation instead of respecting the court of law. I wonder what “tough” means!! Are they going to incite more violence? Not Teach?
December 9th, 2007 at 12:53 am
No, teachers are not going to incite violence. They are going to use the unique moral authority that they have to condemn the government.
Allow me to explain. In this state of emergency, the risk of street agitaion is really high. The potential danger is great. But there remains some things for which people will always stand up for, no matter the cost. Religion is one. Freedom is another.
And a third is to ptotest the disrespect of an honored educator. I urge all of you again to look at the picture of the teachers protesting in the DU campus. They are all deeply respected.
December 9th, 2007 at 12:54 am
KGazi,
Can you give us a name of a newspaper where reports of the trial were published WHILE the trial was going on. Dude, you don’t even know what you are saying. This one even beats the “Who is Mamunur Rashid” post that you did a few months back. You sound too desperate. This teachers were responsible for a silent procession for which they have been charged and sentenced for. There was no witness other than a the police officer who said he was not present during the procession. Know your facts.
December 9th, 2007 at 1:09 am
Rezwan,
Before we go to the validity of the DUTA ultimatum, I want you to respond to the charges posted above. Do you believe the trial was fair and it is justified to give 4 academics 2 years prison for showing dissent through a silent procession? Do you think the case was proven based on a single witness, the police officer, who admitted to not seeing the procession and was it fair to base this entire judgment on a single photograph for which even the photographer did not vouch for? Why don’t we start there and from there we can go into other finer points like “rule of law”, “respect the courts decision”.
December 9th, 2007 at 2:46 am
A little more background on the teachers is in this very resourceful piece
http://www.shamokal.com/details.php?nid=82173
December 9th, 2007 at 4:36 am
Gazi I am not surprised to see your those comments . As we are visiting DP long time.
while you can’t put any logic , you are straight away going to your secret source even
no media man has Idea .if the courts have other “evidence” other than the conviction, then it truly is a kangaroo court.
then
“2. The riots, which is what these teachers were initially charged for fuelling, caused 1 death, 300+ injured, 3 days of nationwide terror, shutdown of universities, burnings and widespread destruction.
What casualty and damage was done by the cartoon procession?”
Ans: oh what a logic! you are really a big boss. But I don’t know why you are changing your standing time to time.
So according to you there is no harm to protest even loud procession in SOE but you can’t do silent procession.:D
December 9th, 2007 at 4:40 am
Also Please note that the teachers were not convicted with inciting a riot. Just because you charge someone does not make it so. You have to convict someone. That is part of what is called due process - something this government does not understand.
December 9th, 2007 at 6:15 am
KGazi,
The riots sparked out due to an incident of a student of DU getting manhandled by the army personnels. I was in Dhaka at that time and knew how enraged the general students became after this incident. They started a spontaneous protest which went violent once the police tried to use force on the protestors.
The teachers took a stand from their moral viewpoint and silent processions were brought out in different universities. Now the RU teachers were just a part of the silent processions, they were not involved in the riots or instigated it in any way.
Besides, such silent protests took place in other universities as well. And many non silent protests against the cartoonist, prothom alo, US troops etc. took place. Sadeq Siddiqui brough out ‘anondo michhil’ once Sheikh Hasina got arrested. Ferdous Qureshi arranged motorcycle rally during EPR. Why was the govt silent on these matters ?
Lastly, please update us about what punishment was provided to the army personnels involved in mercilessly beating up the students in DU gym ground.
December 9th, 2007 at 7:10 am
Three DGFI’s representative met DUTA and as per different newspapers, gave some sort of proposal for releasing the teachers/students. Does that bother anyone? Even after that, Fakhruddins will call themselves as the government of the country? Shame on us! Either we stop them here or we are in for a grueling long haul against the Gestapo.
It shows KGazi is partly right; our Universities lost their moral authority little bit. They are sitting down with army to free their colleagues, not with the head of the government or the head of the state.
I agree with KGazi’s spirit that we should not have single bad element in our pride institutions like DU and RU. But that is Utopia at best. Universities, academics, students are part of the society and susceptible to the same all pervasive corruption. The western universities share the similar share of drug, rape, and other crimes that prevails in their society. The law of average works out in most cases.
It is unfair to compare the method of protest in Western Societies (including universities) and ours. The untenured Columbia Professor could not be fired after wishing death and defeat of the American soldiers in Iraq, just when the war support was as high as 71%. After all sorts of pressure from the highest level of government and media, Columbia did not buckle. While UC’s president expressed his revulsion with the professor’s opinion, he refused to fire him. Do we need Jalao Porao in such environment?
On the other hand, when law was clearly unlawful, we have seen public riot and lots of death (Rodney King, LA). We have seen violent protests and death in campus during anti-Vietnam war protests.
Are we content with the student and teacher politics in the past 10+ years? NO! Most of it was plainly disgusting. We have to push for better academic environment and contractor free student body, but not by giving up the freedom of speech. In our social condition, given the illiteracy and lack of opportunity for most of the society, academics and students still bear the responsibility to be the conscience of the nation and to be in the forefront of any struggle for the people. Remember, the whole concept of ‘tenure’ was invented so that intellectuals can freely opine without the fear of powerful and Royalty.
In this particular case, according to the court, these teachers are guilty of only “silent protest in a procession”. KGazi, going headstrong with your belief, “they must have done something else which the government is not telling us”, is irrational and kind of acting against many other truthful opinion you have. When police is looking for the teacher involved in the corruption (recent black sheep from BUET) we are not raising our voice. If police goes after the people who is behind the “prosnopotro fash”, I am all for it.
But I would not give up an inch of ground when voices are choked for dissent with the military and for having different political views. If this repression can not be stopped in a peaceful manner with civilized protests, so be it. If we have to bite the bullet let it be sooner than later. Only frustration is, the corrupt crooks will ride the boat and comeback as victorious.
December 9th, 2007 at 7:25 am
[...] print media, especially Daily Star and Prothom Alo, different Bangladeshi websites have been abuzz with anger and shock at this outrageous disregard for [...]
December 9th, 2007 at 5:44 pm
DUTA has every right of dissent and freedom of speech.
If DUTA disgrees with the judgement, of course, they have 100% right to protest in a PEACEFUL ACTION. As long as, their ACTION does not disrupt business (shutdown), violate the law (SOE), or destroy a single piece of private or public property (violence).
I guess, DGFI as the law unforcement under SOE, has clarified exactly those terms in meeting with DUTA. And the govt will therefore ALSO have the right to charge and arrest ANYONE responsible, IF those terms of peaceful action are violated.
This should be the Law&Order understanding at any time during a college session, not just during SOE, or CTG, or regular govt, but always.
Now, the govt ALSO has every right to maintain court’s decision (law), and stated earlier that the superior court will decide whether there has been a blunder in the lower court, or not. Based on that, a final decision will be made.
What we are seeing is a very dynamic and powerful DUTA, they seem to have a lot of power to challenge the govt, and ASK for changes to their community. I am proud of that.
So here is yet another question from me:
If DUTA is so powerful and concerned about the college community then what actions have DUTA ever taken, (today or in the past) to bring CHANGES and clean the campuses of mastans, crime, corruption and bomabaji, so that teachers and students can pursue education with pride and dignity, in an environment free from violence terrorism and insecurity?
December 9th, 2007 at 6:36 pm
Thanks Journey to infinitive, for the link of Tasneen Khalil. I commented on the post of TK and I’m pasting my comment here as it’s relevant and hope it will get clearance from dear admin.
“Never did I agree with any thing that came out of Hasina’s historic mouth but when she once said, “Bangalee Jaatee Huujeger Jaatee.”
Bangalee Jaati since I started to know about it from mid-1960s, had been behaving in the same stereotypical way of extreme emotional labilities. I enjoyed the piece of TK and some body has commented it’s a splendid piece, I agree with. Yet, I see it’s teemed with emotionality despite dare-devil depiction of truth of Jolpai-rule.
I want to remind all of us who are now showing our abject disgust about Jolpai-take-over on 1/11, we most people congratulated them and had a deep-long sigh as if the nation had been saved from the death-chokes. And Tasneen rightly commented we saw the messiah-mint in their breaths and vocalities. This is a nation who we are, very fickle-minded with least foresightedness.
Now we are swayed by sympathy of the teachers for their provision of perdition. I don’t insist that they were catered justice they deserved. But neither do I agree with the TK’s notion that just by being virtue of teachers in the university are all respectable good guys and they are conscience of the country. I don’t say all or most of them are bad, corrupt and unduly politicized but what is sad and silly about them is many of them are.
We should not encourage political lackeyism in the educational institutes. BTW, Dhaka univeristy was once called the Oxford of the East but now what!
We see, too many criminals are spawned out of these hatecheries due to the politicial pies spewn out for them by the parties . Recently, a report came out, on the best universities of the world and paisntakingly, we saw no name from us among the 500 best universities of the world. Shouldn’t we do anything about! How long we can get sedated and it’s time to wake up!
GOLAPI BEGUM, you wanted to know where are our all veteran lawyers! Don’t you know most of them including our Dr. Kamal Hussain [ TMCC, the most coward constitutional clerk] are now the DUDOOK attorneys with the carrot of fat fees. Perhaps, many of them are unhappy being not able to include them in D-team of lawyers. Here, we see money masters their moral armamentarium.
BADAL, why you didn’t have the mention of the ever-green universal hero of our nation Gen. Hussain Mohammed Ershad , the father of Immorality and Corruption !
What I can urge us hence, is to put more weight, not on our bodies but our minds so that we become less unstable in our thoughts, words, actions, behaviors, characters and identities.
Thanks”
December 9th, 2007 at 10:55 pm
SC #58, “I agree with KGazi’s spirit that we should not have single bad element in our pride institutions like DU and RU. But that is Utopia at best. Universities, academics, students are part of the society and susceptible to the same all pervasive corruption.”
————-
I went even further than that. I said if we treat our students and teachers as our holy saviours of 52 and 71 etc, above the general public, then they CANNOT be part of the same society. Then their INTEGRITY and anti-crime, anti-corruption must be far superior to general public.
In fact they should be far superior to western univs, not just the same, because the west doesnt treat their teachers and students as saviours.
But in reality our colleges are WORSE than general public, with war-zones and terrorism.
December 10th, 2007 at 10:04 am
K Gazi bhai,
You really ought to know a little more about Bangladesh before making such sweeping remarks. Comments such as all Bangladeshi colleges are infested with terrorism are so sweeping and offensive that it will definitely bring in harsh responses. Another example of your naive comments — DGFI is responsible for law enforcement. Its not. DGFI is military intelligence equivalent of CIA in the US. They are not responsible for internal law enforcements and hence should not be representing Bangladeshi government in the negotiation with the teachers. The law should take its own course with full transparency.
Amen to SC for how he explained the whole issue on 58.
December 10th, 2007 at 10:31 pm
Asif S at #63, KGazi is correct when he says “DGFI [is] the law unforcement under SOE”. In a nutshell, KGazi has captured what some of us have been saying is the problem since 1/11/2007. I think KGazi could have made a much broader statement about the role of DGFI and still have been accurate. Thank you KGazi.
December 11th, 2007 at 3:07 am
Asif,
Comments from SC #58 agrees with mainstream student community, which contradicts the behaviour of academics and students which are exactly what I have been repeating above.
e.g SC comment “academics and students still bear the responsibility to be the conscience of the nation and to be in the forefront of any struggle for the people”, does not explain why academics and students nurture the culture of mastani (social terrorism, not religious) in our universities.
If our academics really intended to clear the infestation of mastani, they along with DUTA could have taken actions decades ago, and have truly signified the “conscience of the nation”.
My comments may be offensive, but anyone who disagrees with me are the ones who are being naive. The fact that ALL our universities are infested with mastani social terrorism is a fact that too many people are scared to voice, in the fear of being silenced.
December 11th, 2007 at 9:40 am
Gazi
end of the day My opinion about you that You are educated but I am sorry to say that you are far away from the root.That’s why you guys are really misguided.
December 12th, 2007 at 4:53 pm
ourney,
Personal comments are not healthy for a meaningful discussion. I can handle it, and I welcome all comments, but a lot of people are shut down by personal comments.
Besides, commenting about ME will not help the situation in our universities. If you have a comment of guidance for our students and teachers - lets hear it.