Mon 14 Apr 2008
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April 14th, 2008 at 6:37 pm
Recent opening Dhaka-Kolkata train line may sound interesting for international transport and communication.
But how will Bangladesh CHECK the illegal transport by train, of AIDS and DRUGS into Bangladesh, which are MAJOR PROBLEMS in India?
Also SERIOUS problems via India of human trafficking, terrorism and crime, of which BD has been a target victim, must also raise questions - and SOLUTIONS from BD authorities.
April 15th, 2008 at 2:47 am
How can we reform profession of politics paving the way for service-oriented good people?
I say politics is the best of profession given it is in the best hands of best people and contrarily, it is the worst profession if it is in the worst hands of the worst people. An individual of any profession can serve only the people who are the stakeholders or clients of that profession or field. But a good politician can serve everybody in the country through his positive humane role being in politics. And if he is a shrewd criminal self-seeker politician he can harm the entire nation instead of helping it.
But how the profession of politics can be reformed in way that only good people can have access to this profession. Now, if we talk to a good a man and propose him to come to politics he is scared and say, politics, this is not place for me. How this trend can be reversed! It’s said ” where there is a will, there is a way.”
If we all, put our brains on the issue, I think, we can find out way to shift the paradigm of politics.
I salute late president Zia thousands times because he used to try to identify our major problems and solve it in radical way and once for all. And that’s why we see him starting the “Khal Khanon Program” to solve the problem of yearly flooding of the country. So, is the “Carpas/Cotton Cultivation Project” in upstae Dhaka like Savar,Jaeydebpur, Shripur. And that was with the aim of solving the problem of cotton import, textile and clothing problems of Bangladesh.
And the best one of his thinking is to bring the best people in politics and that’s why he once said in his most famous but highly criticized quote ” I will make politics difficult” for the citibased elite shrewd self-serving politicians. We are most unfortunate we lost him before he could realize his dream for us.
Now how we can do that most important national job of cleansing politics and get rid of the bad politicians. The current military backed CTG came in power with the rosy pledges and promises of such most needed reforms. But, as of now, they could not prove anything praise-worthy. What they could do can be termed as “Delivery of Asshoyadimmbo”. People lost all their faith in and support for them.
But are we now going to back to the dark days of political anarchy and is the country going back to be hostage of evil politicians, criminals and their god-fathers!
Our profession of politics became the profession of fun, merry-making, gambling with the fate of people and self-seeking and blood-sucking enterpreneuership.
We need to reform the politics in a way so that all the bad people by blood feel disenchanted to and bored in this profession of politics as now the good people feel about it. Politics should be a service sector. Those who love people and feel gratified being the slaves of people, not the masters should have access to politics. We should foreshake politics which make leader-turned demi-god. We don’t understand when we make our once fellow brother-leader as our idol or demigod we in essence diminish ourselves and do self-humiliation.
The perks and privileges for politicians should be drastically diminished so that narcissistic people don’t feel anymore craving for politics. Ministers, MPs, etc shouldn’t have any special residential area, palatial houses, or cars with national flags-on, red passports etc. If those privileges are curtailed I believe greedy self-seekers won’t feel any urge to do politics. But would there be some people left who without these perks and privileges come to politics! Sure we will find many people out in the society who will find pleasure serving people and the society as the slaves, not as the masters.
All the reforms endeavors should focus on devising means and framing policies of politics so that politics would no more entice or allure bad people in it. Just ensuring leveled playing is not enough to ensure healthy politics. What will happen we have the leveled playing field but all the candidates are thief, thugs, ruffians and rascals. Whom the people will vote for?
Thanks.
April 15th, 2008 at 11:17 am
first congrats for the new initiation .
my question is when will Bangladesh be free from any type of political violence?
April 15th, 2008 at 1:23 pm
Only way to take back politics from “bad people” is to stop giving them walk over every possible way and whine about it. If politics is dirty and “good people” are concerned about it, they should take it back. The more “good people” get involved, the cleaner it will be. It will take time, there is no easy, instant way to achieve it.
We don’t have to get involved because we want to get elected, we should get involved because we want to get heard in political process. Join your party of choice at your neighborhood level, spend a few hours with so called bad peoples and attend the meetings. You will be amazed how many of them will appreciate your presence and ideas. To clean something, you need to get involved, whining from outside will change nothing.
April 16th, 2008 at 5:11 am
Bitterboy - great comments.
But there is no such thing as a “good politician”, thats an oxymoron, the word politics itself can mean “bad”.
The US prevents ‘bad people’ in politics by many methods:
1) Impeach bad politicians (kick em out)
2) Division of power (no single person or group is the supreme leader, not even president). Not even supreme court, or speaker, or congress or army - each is under the scrutiny and control of another.
3) Rule of Law - which controls politics. (put them in jail for crime and corruption).
4) Term limits (no life-time titles)
5) Checks and balance - (accountability, transparency, code of ethics).
If we can have similar rules - then the “bad guys” will be given the same treatment for violations, and wont last long. Good guys can also become bad during their term, so beware!!
We can start by disqualifying KNOWN CORRUPT and CRIMINALS - (like Ershad), in order to get a head start, in cleaning up the system.
April 16th, 2008 at 2:33 pm
The two big political parties are talking about launching grassroots movement to get their two leaders released.
But whenever they are asked about political reforms they say they are unable to discuss or carry out reforms due to the prevailing emergency.
Are the politicians really interested in reforms or just interested in grabbing power again?
April 17th, 2008 at 12:36 am
mamoon,
Their ‘Grassroot movement’ means hartal, oborodh, mastani and shontrashi. Emergency is declared to prevent such anarchy. If they cannot work under emergency, without “grassroot movement”, then they should find other (real) jobs!
Since these ‘politicians’ are followers of the corrupt criminal group, some of whom are in jail, then, why is it necessary to DISCUSS reforms with THEM? Courts dont make laws by discussion with POTENTIAL crooks.
The whole idea of POLITICAL reform is to prevent politicians from abusing and criminalizing the system. Obviously, if their ‘opinions’ are taken to reform themselves, then that reform will be misguided and corrupted.
Political Anti-coorruption Reforms must be established by JOINT discussion with Judges, Election Committee, Speakers, diplomats, police, army, ALL POWERS, but not with (potentially corrupt) politicians.
Politicians are only as good as the Rule of Law that governs them.
April 17th, 2008 at 4:36 pm
#7: KGazi:
I am not taking side of the politicians…but how can you make such comment? Right now bangladesh is under so-called “Clean, corrupt-free” administration. Can you justify current crisis (food, law & order, etc.)that affected millions of ordinary citizens?
Talking about corruption! Just let the emergency period over…you will hear how our “Surjer Sontanera” i.e. RAB, Army and Joint forces have redefined the concept of “Corruption.”
“Let There be Light.”"”
April 18th, 2008 at 1:21 am
Jodi Kichu - good question.
I am not aware of any WIDESPREAD army/RAB corruption - although I am hearing about some incidents.
But no matter how “clean” the current admin, can we really expect a totally 100% incident-free admin OVERNIGHT? after 35 years of rampant chaos?
I am not taking sides of any group either - I also expect any army/RAB abuse to be disciplined severely.
My question about these incidents are - how frequent are they, how widespread, what scale and what pattern?
And why are these incidents NOT reported in our newspapers? Thats the only way to highlight them to current admin, and prevent further anarchy.
(are these reports real, rumors, or not allowed to be published)?
Will our distinguished MEDIA & Newspaper writers please comment on these questions?
April 18th, 2008 at 10:08 am
It is noticeable that some of us trying to save the skin of crook people regardless of army or any politicians by just blaming on the current interim government. Wondering, how does this blame game help to restore true democracy as well as to resolve the current economic crisis?
The food chaos has not occurred just because of government late or wrong decision. In relation to the food prices our crook political government could not do much better than this CTG if you are aware of the western and underdeveloped country’s food prices. Our incompetent politician’s don’t have any special magic to control the food prices rather they keep trying to manipulate the food prices from the jail to give the CTG hard time. If you do your grocery shopping frequently, you will come to know that in UK and USA rice price changes significantly every other day. Hence, blaming on this government for the food prices will not be justified. Law and order is still much better than 2/3 years ago but before things go beyond the control, government needs to go into hard line to tackle this problem.
April 18th, 2008 at 2:47 pm
KGazi,
I was trying to make sense of this:
“Political Anti-coorruption Reforms must be established by JOINT discussion with Judges, Election Committee, Speakers, diplomats, police, army, ALL POWERS, but not with (potentially corrupt) politicians.
Politicians are only as good as the Rule of Law that governs them.”
Here are my confusions:
1. Is political corruption different than any other type of corruption?
2. Who are these “election committees”? “Speakers” (of the parliament)?
3. All powers but politicians? from where do we get all these politicians? From those power sources, don’t we?
4. Aren’t the politicians who formulate legislation, laws and rules?
Anyway,its a vicious circle of reasoning you are in. Only sustainable change we can achieve is through relying on democratic process. No prophet, saint, or mighty group can purify the system other than our people’s exercise of their judgment (and the are pretty good at that!). It is a long process. Any short-cut will create the state vicious circle of reasoning, and downward spiral of the process which we are trying to avoid.
April 19th, 2008 at 3:46 am
Iqo #11 said,
“No prophet, saint, or mighty group can purify the system other than our people’s exercise of their judgment (and the are pretty good at that!).”
My million dollar question is, do our people have sound or any judgement? I donn’t believe so. I had observed how our people make their political decisions since 1965/66. I’m an educated person at least my certificates prove that. I was one of the genius students of the country at my age and time. While I was a student and thereafter I made grave political mistakes. Not only me, our most educated people who are the guardian of our non-lettered men and women have ben randomly making serious mistakes. Time and again they have been making colossal mistakes. How come our uneducated people afficted with abject poverty having the all phyisical, mental and psychic dysabilities can make correct political decisions while we, educated people do such repeated mistakes.
Our politicians and intellectuals are symbiotic species. They live and thrive on each other sucking the blood of depraved disillusioned common lay illiterate people. That’s why they can easily bluff people. As the rural people have no sense of goodliness and sound judgement they make the so called white-colored people and politcians as their Imams and do whatever and how they are told to do.
Everytime, comes the moment of making critical decision they make mistakes misguided by the policiticians and their symbiotic intellectuals. But we flatter them saying public[janota] make no mistake. It is the greatest of cheat-chips. There is no body in our society who have the guts to say the core truthiness that people are making mistakes. The fake, shrewd leaders and lettered people ballooned the lay public saying that they never falter and always did the right thing so that the people are lain in the self-content and mistakes and the cheats can cheat them decades after decades.
I have to daresay you the very very bitter truth. I was one, the most passionate mini teenage organizer of our liberation war. But I believe from my heart we made the mistake by engaging in the war of independece. We have been bluffed by the leaders of the-then east and west.
We empty our hearts of the blood for a greater cause, greater achievemnt but we gain nothing but indignity and abomination. The so called all independent wars in the world are wrong, damn wrong and nothing but the fights to kill each other out of jealousy and hatred. In war no sensible man can see iota of love and sense.
When a country breaks the nation become smaller ; so do become smaller the weight, indentity and dignity of the people. If there could be one nation on the entire world people could be really the humans, the Assharful Muklukhat/the best of creation. The greater the land and population of the country the greater is their idenntiy, pride and prospect. That’s why I have seen one Bangladeshi Pharmacist in the middle east used to take pride saying I’m Hunud/Hindi/Indian despite being Bangladesh as the middle eastern people lend respect to an Indian than other asian countries like Bangladeshi, Pakistani, shrilankan and so on.
What happened to the people of ex-USSR after it has disintegrated into about 15 states. Do they feel dignified being introduced as Russi/Kazaki/tazaki/latvian/georgian? I believe not. Why then people fight for geographical independence and denigrate themselves. Purely misguidede by the leaders and elitists. These groups [elistists] flourish on failing and sucking the common people.
I made it a big and surely annoying piece to the intellect blogers. But that’s the truth about are elites and the umjontata/common people. There is no body out there int the society to tell the harsh truth and open their eyes and make them known that they make mistakes and the leaders and elitists hide it keeping the bluffing field fertile for future.
Thanks.
April 19th, 2008 at 7:14 am
Jodi Kichu, surely you are in hybernation or your only source of news is BTV, otherwise you would not have blamed the current administration for high food prices.
You also complain about law and order!!! More violence takes place during one day of BNP/AL hartal than has taken place since 1/11, in my opinion.
Food prices have gone up worldwide, the price of rice has more than doubled in world market, in the last 12 months. Prices of most food items has gone up worldwide.
I suggest you got to news.google.com and do a search for “food price” and you will get hundreds of articles and expert opinions about rising food prices.
Making unsubstantiated comments just to criticize the current administration is very sad and something we all should try to avoid.
Today’s second most popular article on New York Times website is about worldwide food crisis, under the heading:
“Across Globe, Empty Bellies Bring Rising Anger”
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/18/world/americas/18food.html?em&ex=1208750400&en=73f62256c08fccca&ei=5087%0A
April 19th, 2008 at 5:31 pm
iqo,
answers:
1. political corruption are done by politicians (who you say are supposed to ” formulate legislation, laws and rules”)
2. election commission, E.C., I meant to say
3. I’m talking about current set of ex AL-BNP politicians as “politicians”
4. yes, but THAT WAS the problem - which needs reform - because its against politicians’ interest to reform themselves. So other powers are needed to reform our (corrupt) political system, to establish a better framework for democracy.
Somebody needs to establish the LIST in comment #5, to create a reliable ‘democratic process’ - but current “politicians” took no interest from 1991 to 2006. We mustnt go back to them ALONE to waste another 15 years.
It doesnt have to be a “long process”.
The basic political (anti-corruption)framework for the US democratic system was created by ‘founding framers’ in 1887. It was not a long process.
Many of them DID have political background, and many were (non-political) lawyers, etc.
BD does have a constituttion - but reform needs to be done, by a NEW group of REFORMERS, so that it is FUNCTIONAL and not just a piece of paper.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Founding_Fathers_of_the_United_States
April 19th, 2008 at 9:35 pm
#1 Kgazi
What nonsense. India has millions of people traveling to Europe, USA, Canada, Gulf, Russia, Australia etc every year. Are those countries at risk of AIDS epidemic because of India? You are also perhaps lacking in basic medical knowledge - for AIDS to be transmitted to Bangladeshis by any AIDS affected Indians on board the train, unless they are committing rape, they have to have willing Bangladeshi participants in the process.
2. As for the general questions, why are the problems one way? Indians could ask their government, “what about the train service allowing Islamic terrorists, illegal immigrants, military government lovers and haters of democracy, smugglers, bombers, returning mujahidin from Aftghanistan etc into our country”. If that sounds ridiculous to you, perhaps think about how your comment may sound to Indians and the rest of the world.
And by the way, the train is only carrying 500 passangers each time twice a week. Every day, there are thousands of Indians abdn Bangladeshis crossing the border by bus, train and by foot. The train is more symbollic than funtional, so even if any of your concerns had basis, the tipping point will have been reached long ago.
April 19th, 2008 at 11:07 pm
Arindam #15,
Act of crime and disease may not happen inside the train ITSELF (like rape), but the TRANSFER of crime and disease by passengers at their destination, is my question.
The train however symbolic - still needs criminal, security (and maybe medical) CHECKS also, to make it safer like AEROPLANE flights, agree?
I am asking, is there such checks or is it totally unchecked?
April 20th, 2008 at 12:51 am
Bitterboy #12
When you say “How come our uneducated people afficted with abject poverty having the all phyisical, mental and psychic dysabilities can make correct political decisions while we, educated people do such repeated mistakes”, may be you are overestimating your formal education and underestimating the judgments of the general people.
You talk about their mistake, but don’t give any concrete example what were those. My reading of history says, given the choice and ‘right to take decision’, the so called general public always took the right decision. My experience with those people says that they are the most politically aware group you can get given the circumstances.
KGazi,
I understand when you say: “The basic political (anti-corruption)framework for the US democratic system was created by ‘founding framers’ in 1887. It was not a long process.” But they had the same problem we are facing now - implementing those. Even establishing everyone’s voting rights took them almost 200 years. If even today it is struggling with lots of short comings, and that is part of democratic process. Democracy is not perfect or it doesn’t promise perfection, but the process gives the opportunity to address the challenges.
April 20th, 2008 at 1:06 am
Anyway, I still believe, if you want to change something, be an agent of change (my post #4). Just relying on somebody else (any power)to do it for you will bring more problems and complicate the existing one. We are watching it right now, and saw it in our short history several times already.
April 20th, 2008 at 8:29 am
From this week’s Economist:
A different sort of emergency
Apr 17th 2008 | DHAKA
A food crisis further complicates the army’s exit strategy
“OUR politicians were corrupt, but we had enough money to buy food,” says Shah Alam, a day labourer in Rangpur, one of Bangladesh’s poorest districts, nostalgic for the days before the state of emergency imposed in January last year. He has been queuing all day for government-subsidised rice. Two floods and a devastating cyclone last year, combined with a sharp rise in global rice prices, have left some 60m of Bangladesh’s poor, who spend about 40% of their skimpy income on rice, struggling to feed themselves.
In the capital, Dhaka, a debate is raging about whether this is a famine or “hidden hunger”. The crisis is not of the army-backed interim government’s own making. But it is struggling to convince people that the politicians it locked up as part of an anti-corruption drive would have been equally helpless. They include the feuding leaders of the two big political parties, the former prime ministers Khaleda Zia of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party and Sheikh Hasina Wajed of the Awami League.
The state of emergency, imposed to silence riotous politicians and repair corrupted institutions, can barely contain the growing discontent. This week thousands of garment workers went on strike for higher pay to cope with soaring food prices. The crisis has emboldened the political parties, which have been calling more loudly for the release of their leaders.
The army’s main headache is Sheikh Hasina, whose party is widely expected to win the election. Her detention on corruption charges has made her more popular than ever. Senior leaders of the League say it will boycott the election if the courts convict her. The threat might be empty. But it is a risk the army cannot afford to take. The patience of Western governments, which backed the state of emergency, is wearing thin. Human-rights abuses continue unabated. And they fear the political vacuum might be filled by an Islamist fringe, whose members this week went on a rampage to protest against a draft law giving equal inheritance rights to men and women.
The election will almost certainly take place. And, unlike in the past, rigging it will be hard. Bangladesh has its first proper voters’ list. Criminals will be banned from running. But to hold truly free and fair elections, the army will need to reach an accommodation with the parties. There is talk of a face-saving deal allowing Sheikh Hasina to go abroad for medical treatment, in return for a promise that the League will not boycott the election. Hardliners in the army will not like it. But they have largely been sidelined. With food prices likely to remain high and rice yields half those of India, Bangladesh desperately needs to secure food aid, investment and trade.
It also badly needs to sustain the rising flow of billions of dollars in remittances, which have lifted millions of Bangladeshis out of poverty. This complicates the government’s stated plan of considering prosecution of those who assisted the Pakistani army in a campaign that left 3m Bengalis dead in the country’s liberation war in 1971. Saudi Arabia, which accounts for 40% of total remittances, objects to an international war-crimes tribunal. If the two big political parties had their way, a large number of leaders of Jamaat-e-Islami, Bangladesh’s largest Islamist party, would stand trial.
It appears unlikely that the army will walk off the pitch and let the politicians run the country without altering the rules of the game. The interim government has already approved, in principle, the creation of a National Security Council, which would institutionalise the army’s role in politics. Last month the army chief, General Moeen U Ahmed, extended his term by one year in the “public interest”. His term now runs out in June 2009. But many Bangladeshis still doubt that he will go down in history as that rare general who gave up power voluntarily.
April 20th, 2008 at 4:25 pm
iqo #17,
US took 200 years because in 1787 there were little communication,no technology, no computer, no police, no security, little knowhow and VERY FEW EXAMPLES of how to run a democracy. They had to INVENT THE WHEEL of democracy, from zero.
But today, all the equipment, facilities, know-how and technology to support a democracy are at our doorsteps. We dont need to spend 200 years to re-invent and get there.
What is needed is an effective framework of police, regulations and system that maintains law, order and governance in parliament, in secretariat and on the streets. Current CTG has made a huge advance in less than a year, if that mementum is kepr - it shouldnt take even 2 years to establish the framework.
#19 Economist article, does not even mention the basic framework, which is non-existent in BD. All their concern is “election, army and islamist fringe”!!
BUT, Until BD achieves that effective framework, there will no democracy even in 2000 years!
because, JUST an election and a bunch of hooligans posed as MPs and ministers, does not produce “democracy”. You need a Rule of Law framework to govern them.
April 20th, 2008 at 4:42 pm
Re # 13, “Making unsubstantiated comments just to criticize the current administration is very sad and something we all should try to avoid.”
I agree. But let’s discuss a few points:
What has the government actually done to counter this crisis? The comments of Food Advisor Shawkat Ali about “hidden hunger” are well know by now. How about Commerce Advisor Hossain Zillur Rahman’s comment that prices were going up because of price hoarding by local businessmen? Should he be sent the link to the NYT article too?
The government has made the import of five lakh tonnes of rice their signature foreign policy deal so far. As far as I know, only 20% of that has arrived so far. And that too after multiple price increases by the Indian authorities.
Is the government trying to secure rice import from Myanmar, our other neighbor who still have not banned rice export? Or from Thailand, the world’s largest rice exporter? Have they tried to secure cheap oil from friendly Middle Eastern countries?
Lastly, what is the message sent out to all of us when potato festivals are held at five-star hotels?
April 20th, 2008 at 6:14 pm
#13:
“Jodi Kichu, surely you are in hybernation or your only source of news is BTV, otherwise you would not have blamed the current administration for high food prices”
-I don’t even have access to BTV. If you look at the chronology of events, current administration is partly responsible. Also, a political government could have handled the situation more responsibly than this group of “Puppets”, who has no understanding of the situation whatsoever. Just look at the game played by india regarding rice supply.
“You also complain about law and order!!! More violence takes place during one day of BNP/AL hartal than has taken place since 1/11, in my opinion.”
-Wait till emergency lifted. Since, the State of emergency is still in effect, you do nto hear much of these “Ram Rajotto”-r event.
“I suggest you got to news.google.com and do a search for “food price” and you will get hundreds of articles and expert opinions about rising food prices.
Making unsubstantiated comments just to criticize the current administration is very sad and something we all should try to avoid.”
- Again, I did not say current group of puppets are responsible for worldwide food prices. They could have taken some steps to alleviate the ill-effect of food prices.
You may have some soft corner for this group of puppets, but believe me they are doing much more harm to the nation than previous political governments. However, the current group (or, their master) is effectively using “Goebbles” style to picture politicians generally as corrupt.
Just analyze events with open mind!!!!
April 20th, 2008 at 11:47 pm
“Jodi Kichu, surely you are in hybernation or your only source of news is BTV, otherwise you would not have blamed the current administration for high food prices”
- are you kidding me? why would BTV provide that information to Jodi Kichu? Do think KGazi’s prophets in Dhaka would allow such news?
“US took 200 years because in 1787 there were little communication,no technology, no computer, no police, no security, little knowhow and VERY FEW EXAMPLES of how to run a democracy. They had to INVENT THE WHEEL of democracy, from zero”
- So you think technology, computer, police and security brings democracy? And how army knows to run a democracy? Especially Bangladeshi army?No wonder you support CTG!
April 21st, 2008 at 3:18 am
An excellent analysis of the food price situation by Dr. Mahbub Hossain can be found here
http://www.prothom-alo.com/index.news.details.php?nid=MTU1MTE=
April 21st, 2008 at 5:42 am
Raihan #23,
If you read the whole context then you might get the answer.
April 21st, 2008 at 10:10 am
Raihan
There is no harm to support CTG which is consists of all good and competent people at least they are not like the crook and incompetent BD politicians.
Jodi Kichu
There is no doubt that the most of the politicians are corrupt in Bangladesh. No one needs to portray them as corrupt. The magnitude of their corruption is widely known to the BD people. Enough harm was done by the so called politicians last 15 years and similarly we can also blame the politicians for the current economic disaster in BD. Because of their last 15 years of anarchy, army got the chance to take over the power. Now we are trying to blame on this CTG. Basically we do not know what we actually want. Whoever will come to the power we all will keep blaming them rather than assiting them to resolve the problem.
April 21st, 2008 at 11:47 am
Rush,
No, there is no harm in supporting CTG. Military governments in Bangladesh and abroad never had lack of “blind supporters” like you and KGazi. So what the heck…. why not two more? I think even Hitler deserves a defence and you are defending bunches of social engineers who are most certainly going to fail but why not letting them play the country… after all its only a country…big deal!
But one thing that has made me laugh a quite a bit about your comment is your failure to find anything good about last 15 years and how easily you completely ignored pre-democracy era. I will not go about Hasina-Khaleda’s success ( although I should… after all this is a blog for unheard voice..lol)but I must say all these good people in Dhaka were parts of both AL-BNP governments and perhaps have little responsibility to share!
KGazi,
I read it few times. Complete waste of time buddy! complete waste of time!
April 21st, 2008 at 5:25 pm
Make no mistake, politics of rice and politics of punishing corrupt politicians are two different agendas. One shouldn’t be overlapping the other. It is not so difficult to understand why business community has decided not only not to cooperate the government, but also to disgrace them. It’s their dirt culture of business in close association with corrupt politics…
April 21st, 2008 at 7:12 pm
The debate is going nowhere as usual. But its great to see some old timers back in the blog.
April 21st, 2008 at 11:03 pm
Raihan #27, “failure to find anything good about last 15 years and ….about Hasina-Khaleda’s success”
————————
1) On doing “GOOD THINGS” - It would be truly shocking if AL-BNP did nothing good in 15 YEARS pre 1/11, thats a long time to do NOTHING with a govt budget of $BILLIONS.
But their failure to introduce democratic frameworks, and DEVELOP the parliamentary, academic, and national, economic SYSTEMS, FAR OUTWEIGH their “good things” they did. (Please DO list their good things of 15 years for the record!!).
2) On their “CRIMES” - Criminals are not sent to jail for all the “good things they did in life”, but for the crimes they committed.
3) On their “DEMOCRACY” - The Last 2 AL-BNP govts may have been “excellent people”, but the way they ran the govt was a “mogher mulluk”, to quote a Dhaka friend.
That was neither democracy nor “pre-democracy”. Those were formula-one grossly corrupt civilian govts, thriving on anarchy, and extortion (mastani).
Their leadership was based on FRAUDULENT cult followings cheating people in the garb of “democracy”, while winning “most corrupt nation” awards. They managed to convince folks (for 15 years) that this was “how USA took 200 years, so we will also take 200 years to bring on democracy”
Well, Whether we support CTG or not, NOBODY can deny that the AL-BNP pre-1/11 govts were a DISGRACE, a shameful history of our past. A history that did more damage to our heritage than good.
Now, we ALL want democracy (whether we support CURRENT CTG or not). The question is, do we want to achieve it the pre-1/11 way (which would NEVER happen), or in a way which CRACKS DOWN on crime, corruption & anarchy?
Some may still find hard to follow what Im saying - because some people PREFER to have the WORST crime, corruption and anarchy, than “army” (which they equate with current CTG), even if the army are assisting the govt to recover from the anarchic past.
And that is why, Asif S, this debate goes nowhere.
April 22nd, 2008 at 2:55 am
iqo# 17,
You asked me to put some examples of where people did some mistakes.
Now, under the new un-or-quasi-constitutional government some people renewed the demand of trial of war-criminals[rajakers, albodors and so on]. The demands seems to have some significant momentum after the demise of late Jahanara Imam and those especially the sector commanders’ forum, the new version of Ghadani [Ghatak Dhala Nirmul Committee] have the claim that the demand of trial of war criminals are now the demand of the whole nation.
Now look at the fact that the alleged war criminals, killers/rapers[rajakers/albadars] whom they are demanding trial are the elected
leaders of our national assembly and some of them get elected from more than one constituencies. But ironically those who are our so called war heros, sectors commanders or veterarn Muktijoddas or its organizers like Shafiullah, AK Khondhker can never get elected.
Our so called constitutional author Dr. Kamal Hussain had to lose his Jamanats time and again after 37 years of our independence.
Now our people under democratic elections choose Niazami, Mujaheed, Salahuddin Quader Chowdhury etc as the leaders of the country while they reject the so called pro-independence alliance leaders like Kamal, Enu, Menon so on.
Now tell me did the people make the right decision/choice? If so, how shameless we are in demanding trial of people’s elected leaders of country and claiming that the whole nation is with the people who were rejected all through after independenc.
Please, respond truthfully if anybody want to.
Thanks.
April 22nd, 2008 at 4:41 am
Bitterboy,
It is easy to blame people for the failure of some of the respected personalities in wining election. Being successful in one field doesn’t translate into political success automatically. And the examples you have cited could be termed as outliers not the trend. Look at the election outcomes (nationally), you will see what I was trying to say.
KGazi,
You always get the wrong interpretation of the “200 years” argument. The bottom line is: to create, build or establish something good there is no short-cut (which you are advocating). Even in our personal life, we had to work hard to get the good things (i.e.I haven’t met anyone who has useful education through short-cut, may be someone can get some useless certificates). Taking the short-cut will give us some useless ineffective ‘reform’. To be effective, it has to come through democratic process, not from some power or groups - irrespective to how well intentioned their efforts are.
All the great democracies in the world was build through the struggle of the democratic process, not hampering it. Look at Pakistan (who looked for short cut) and India (who went through the struggle), how far they achieved their intended goal. Which one have better democratic institutions?
Again Democracy is not perfect or it doesn’t promise perfection, but the process gives the opportunity to address the challenges. I am against interrupting that process to try some futile short-cuts. I think we disagree there, and I don’t think we can change each others view point in this regard. But I like any respectful disagreement!!
April 22nd, 2008 at 2:15 pm
iqo #32,
I totally agree with the “no short cut to democracy” argument, but
1) that doesnt mean we have to give LICENSE to total anarchy and corruption, during that process. When the process reaches anarchy then it’s a sign that the process is on the wrong track, and needs a SERIOUS MODIFICATION. That modification is what CTG are trying to do, to bring the process back on track.
2) That is why we need to wait for CTG to reach that right track again, before re-starting. There should be no “shortcut” to this process either.
3) Each country has its OWN circumstances in reaching that “RIGHT TRACK” to democracy. To compare with the LENGTH OF PROCESS in India, Pak, UK or USA may not necessaril;y apply to BD.
We can set our own goal of performnance and EXCEL in our unique path.
4). But if we still want to compare with India, we can see that they never had such a lengthy span of (15 years) crime, chaos & anarchy. They have their imperfections and corruption, but they set their groundrules and frtamework - BEFORE they began the process of democracy, and can capture those MAJOR problems systematically. (BD could not, because was the core was faulty).
BD needs to establish those groundrules and framework - and CTG must now be given support for that.
April 22nd, 2008 at 4:42 pm
#33: KGazi
Is this how your MBG/CTG laying groundrules or framework for “Clean Politics”?
Please see below:
EC invites Hafiz to dialogue
Star Online Report
The Election Commission (EC) today sent an invitation letter to Maj (retd) Hafizuddin Ahmed, standing committee appointed secretary general of the BNP, to sit for the electoral reforms talks on April 27.
Terming the EC decision a part of a blueprint, acting Office Secretary Rizvi Ahmed quoted Khandaker Delwar Hossain, secretary general appointed by party chairperson, as saying, “We are not surprised at the EC decision. This has been done to legalise the interim administration’s design to hold an election with a BNP manufactured in a government factory.”
The EC is working to implement the conspiracy of a certain quarter, Delwar alleged.
April 23rd, 2008 at 1:52 pm
KGazi
Here you go again!! You agree “no short cut to democracy”, but advocate the short-cut you like. Even want your short-cut for a longer period!!
You talk about framework, our constitution (1972) is on of the best in the developing countries who got independents after WWII. We experimented with different path to achieve our goal (tried several shortcuts - Baksal, presidential systems), and at last came back to the system we began with. In the mean time wasted valuable time to develop the democratic system. My point is we already have a good framework. The problem was always implementation like any other democracy.
By the way, guardian of democracy is the people, not any special interest groups. The anarchy, corruption you are concerned about are the challenges of our country. We have to deal with those. Those were with us before your myopic view of 15 years time frame, and is with us during the CTG period,will be with us after that.
If the leaders cannot keep up with the aspirations of the people, the people will depose them. People have shown their maturity during the 15 years by alternating the parties to power. People can make the leaders act responsibly, and thats how democracy develops. Any short-cut is nothing more than the worthless degrees we talked about in my previous post. I know you are skeptical about people’s power and the struggle of the democratic process, but relying on military to fix democratic process is worst oxymoronic idea one can think of.
April 24th, 2008 at 12:50 pm
Iqo,
Could you please drop a line with a valid email address at blog at drishtipat.org
thanks,
April 24th, 2008 at 8:49 pm
Iqo #35
I see serious flaws in your perception of democracy, which is widespread in mainstream BD political misconception, (often drummed into people by BD politicians) that democracy is just having an election (rigged or whatever), every 5 years for an indefinite period of time, by any lawless civilian govt.. After an indefinite time, one day, democracy will automatically fix itself, but no other shortcut can be applied to disturb this (lawless, mindless, corrupt) process!
I will post a longer response soon.
April 28th, 2008 at 4:28 am
Iqo,
The MOST serious flaw in Bangladeshi concept of democracy is the absence of Rule of Law in governance and politics.
Deposing failed govts, implementation of anti-corruption, applying constitution in parties, elections, parliament have all have been FAILURES in BD - because of the misconception that “democracy will evolve after elections”. It doesnt evolve by itself, if parliament ITSELF is unruly.
No democracy has ever been successful if corruption and anarchy has been rampant INSIDE members of parliament and govt.
Corruption and anarchy have always been in BD (you agree), BUT it will only continue to stay IF you dont set-up Rule of Law and anti-corruption INSIDE governance BEFORE ELECTIONS, to prevent ministerial, PM and MP corruption.
THE most rudimentary and fundamental requirement (PILLAR) of a working democracy is accountability, and until you establish and implement this - there will no democracy.
Democracy is a whole new culture for entire society - its not just a paper constitution and a civilian election.
Heres a good read on “what is democracy”:
http://usinfo.state.gov/products/pubs/whatsdem/whatdm2.htm
Thats all from me!!
August 7th, 2008 at 2:53 pm
SEEKING HELP & SUPPORT FOR CHANGE OPPRESSIVE LAWS
Dear Sir
Immediately after independence 1972 many of the Bangladeshi Citizens started to establish small & medium size INDUSTRIES investing family resources as self earner
And Government started to help these rapidly growing PRIVATE SECTORE INDUSTRIES having fund from International Loan giving Agencies, etc. through different Bank.
But unfortunately the Bank Official & Policy Maker started harassing the Entrepreneur extending non-co-operation, negligence’s throwing these Industries out of production and became interested to occupy the Mortgage Properties & Co-Lateral Securities of Industrial Owner of Private Sector
Due to Such Non Banking Activities of Bank Official and Policy Maker, The individual owners of these Industries have lost their Cash Capital, Expatriate Capabilities, and became helpless victims of deep rooted conspiracy having similarity to the
HISTORY WHICH REMIND US THAT THE HANDS OF THE TECHNICIAN OF MUSLIN FABRICS “ ,THE FINEST QUALITY FABRICS WHICH WERE EVER MADE IN BENGAL ONLY “ WERE CUT DOWN BY THE THEN COLONIAL RULER OF UNDIVIDED INDIA.
And there are about 35 (Thirty Five) millions unemployed person in Bangladesh. In 1992 & 1996 these Industries were Identified and Registered by the Government through the process of examination as SICK INDUSTRIES / DISTRESSED INDUSTRIES who were victims of Violation of Contract, Negligence, Fraudulent Activities, ,Malpractices including Abuse of Power of Bank Officials including Policy Maker / Law Maker due to absence of accountability in any form .
Industrial Entrepreneur were deprived of LEGAL RIGHT due to enactment of BANK RUPTCY ACT in 1997 and ARTHA RIN ACT of 1989 – 1990 period and as amended on 2003 and on 2007 treating the INDUSTRIAL ENTRPRENEURS OF PRIVATE SECTOR as like as SLAVE of Primitive Age.
Surprisingly these Laws are not applicable for NATIONALIZED / GOVERNMENT SECTOR WHERE much of the Bank Money are lying & Millions of US Dollar received from INTERNATIONAL AGENCIES OR OTHER SOURCES ARE INVESTED TILL DATE WITH OF NO RESULT
THERE ARE NO PROVISION FOR APPLICATION OF LAW OF TORT which are most common law even in neighboring countries not to speak of USA , EUROPE or AUSTRALIA DUE TO WHICH BANGLADESH HAS BECOME A HEAVEN FOR REPRESSION / EXPLOITATION BY OFFENDERS / WRONG DOERS INCREASING the number of poor people in multiple ration .
OWNER OF INDUSTRIES OF PRIVATE SECTOR CAN NOT CLAIM ANY SET OFF or COMPENSATION FOR VIOLATION OF CONTRACT, NEGLEGIENCES, MALPRACTICES, FRADULENT ACTIVITIES, ABUSE OF POWER BY BANK OFFICIAL or any other type of Loan Giving Agencies or POLICY MAKER . ON THE SUIT FILED BY BANKS/ Loan Giving Agencies for realization of Bank Loan till date. Of Bangladesh.
And are not permitted for simultaneously hearing of Compensation Suit in ARTHA RIN COURT of Bangladesh , Although THESE ARE WIDELY APPLICABLE IN EVERY COUNTRY INCLUDING NEGHBOURING COUNTRY.
Industrial Entrepreneur of Private Sector can only file a separate suit for compensation in separate court under common civil law spoiling valuable time of the Judges of the Court, creating more complicacy for life long litigation WITH OF NO RESULT due to restriction to obstruct or resist any order / decree of ARTHA RIN ACT / COURT by any other DECREE OR ORDER OF CIVIL COURT or even of HIGHER COURT misguiding / or misleading the vast majority of Bangladesh citizen due to the ignorance and illiteracy about industrial process and of technological complicacy which exist in Industrial system.
The Expert Person are in opinions that such Laws have been enacted TO HIDE OUT EXISTING HIGH PROFILE CORRUPTION, FRADULANT ACTIVITIES,NEGLEGIENCIES WHICH EXIST IN BANKING SECTOR OR OF POLICY MAKER OF BANGLADESH like all other sector .
THE RIGHT OF EQUITY OF LAW HAVE COMPLETELY BEEN DENIED TO THE INDUSTRIAL ENTREPRENEUR of Private Sector as per Section 12, 12 ( khan ) 18, 19, 20, 21, 34,40, 41, 42, 44, 47 and 50 of ARTHA RIN ACT. WHICH ARE COMMONLY KNOWN AS OPPRESSIVE LAW and direct violation of ARTICLE No: 8, 15, 26 and 27 of BANGLADESH CONSTITUTION
( ******* Details of above sections of ARTHA RIN ACT in short have been given as below including SECTION 29 of Banking Company Act, )And similarly the Door of Higher Court have also been closed to the Industries Owner imposing terms for 50 % amount of as claimed amount in advance which are not applicable upon any Bank or Loan Giving Agencies.
These few example of oppressive laws how the citizen are repressed and depriving legal right by the policy maker / miss - guiding the innocent or ignorant vast majority of the country very cleverly
Now there are no other option, but to draw the kind attention of Concerned Authority Including All International Community / Organizations seeking help to save and protect the OWNER OF SICK OR DISTRESSED INDUSTRIES OF Bangladesh of Private Sector, including their properties from such oppressive laws as well to protect the interest of large number of workers, staffs of the Private Sector and also for CHANGE of such oppressive laws
Our humble appeal before the Government of Bangladesh to kindly allow Industrial Entrepreneur to claim Set off or run Compensation Suit Simultaneously with suits file by Bank Officials under ARTHA RIN ACT -2003 with equal opportunity and equal right between Banks / Loan Giving Agencies and of Industrial Entrepreneurs keeping space with on going process of ECONOMIC ,Administrative ,REFORMS PROGRAMME OF GOVERNMENT. And to remove the existing system of MORTGAGE OF
LAND & PROPERTIES TO BANK for any type of Industrial or Agricultural Loan.
And also the above mention SECTIONS OF ARTHA RIN ACTS should be abolish immediately including Section 28 ( Ka ) of BANKING COMPANY ACT AS AMMENDED on 2001 by the VESTED CIRCLE And similarly the system of keeping mortgage of land & Properties should also be abolished to established accountability or to check malpractices or corruption of bank officials.
It would be highly appreciated if your good self also kindly collect the PRINTED COPIES OF THE ABOVE MENTIONED LAWS for confirmation of facts.& to help the suffering groups by circulating this appeal among Honorable Member of your Organization and Partner’s Organizations and Publish in the WEBSITES or News Bulletin or News Media, Electronic Media of your territory to bring to the knowledge of Concern Authority including International COMMUNITY / ORGANIZATION working for HUMAN RIGHT & FUNDAMENTAL / Democratic Right of people for immediate help and support to protect the Owner of the Sick Industries of Bangladesh and their properties from such OPPRESSIVE LAWS for which they all would be ever grateful as well for change
*** N.B. the Summery of above mentioned Section of Arthatha Rin Act at a Galance:
!- In section 18 Defendant or Owner of Industries will not be able to claim any set – off or to make counter claim against the Bank or Bank Official nor will be allowed to claim any Compensation by submitting any Suit against Bank ( Plaintiff ) analogously or simultaneously in Artha Rin Court due to violation of contract, fraudulence activities including negligence, malpractices of Bank officials.
11. - Section 21: Settlement Conference between Borrower and Bank is a misnomer of Law of arbitration or just to divert the attention of common people in the name arbitration.
111- - -As Per Section 19 (6) of Artha Rin Act of 2003 no suits can be declared to be dismissed or discharged for default or above mentioned fault of Bank Official.
As per Section 20 regarding any order or proceedings of Artha Rin Act can not be raised to Higher Court or to any Other Superior Authority without paying 50 % of claimed or Decretal Amount if the order is totally misleading or against any law or illegal one even .
1V- As per Section 34 Defendant or the Owner of Industries in Artha Rin Adalat Case can be put to the Jail for compelling or forcing him to pay the Bank Money without considering the fault or negligence’s of Bank Official without allowing him to proof the matter of violation of contract, fraudulence activities , negligence, malpractices of Bank officials.
V- As per section 41 and 42 - The Owner of Industries are not allowed to file any appeal or revision to High Court or Superior Court against any order of Artha Rin Court of 2003 without paying 50 % of the claimed amount or Decretal amount in advance , But the Bank Official are not require to pay any amount in advance in the Higher Court, allowing A Great Disparity of Law and Justice.
V! - Under section 47 and 50 , The learned Court under Artha Rin Act of 2003 have been bared to make any exemption of principal loan amount for Violation of Contract , Negligence’s Malpractices, including fraudulent activities or any fault of the bank official uni laterally
V11- Section 12 ( Kha ) Imposed a bar for filling write petition to Higher Court which are direct violation of human right and constitutional right of the citizen and reflects the negative attitude of the law maker
.
Suffering Groups of Industrial Entrepreneurs of Bangladesh