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1. Why this website? What do we want to accomplish?
This is our constructive form of protest.
As a nation we still debate about our identity. Our
young generation still doesn’t have an unanimous
answer to the question of our national leader of independence.
We forgot our history because we don’t have
a reliable account of many important national events.
Let us give you an example. The killing of Siraj Sikder
comes up frequently in our political debates. Politicians
describe incidents from their point of view for their
own petty political gain. There is no comprehensive,
balanced compilation of facts and figures about that
event, only newspaper clips and hearsay. Then think
of events of 3rd November or 7 th November and the
killing of Colonel Taher. We also hear about Rakhkhi
Bahini atrocities or killing hundreds of freedom fighter
army officers in failed coup attempts during Zia's
rule. Where should we go for a disinterested version
of our history?
With this lesson from history, Uttorshuri and Drishtipat
has decided to focus the anger and passionate protests
surrounding current events into something constructive.
In an effort to chronicle these important events of
our time, we decided to archive information pertaining
to the violent bombing campaign in Bangladesh in this
website. This archive will look at it in a nonpartisan
point of view. We will compile the facts and figures,
and while we can’t promise to be neutral, (should
we have been neutral during 1971?) we will let voice
of different perspectives be heard through this website.
On this issue of great national importance, facts,
data, our analysis and your opinions will be recorded
permanently in this website. |
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2. Isn't information contained in this website going to
harm the image of Bangladesh?
What harms the image more - the bombings, or a civilized
protest to these bombings? If we do not document these
events, someone else, possibly with interests against
Bangladesh, will do so. And for a lack of a credible
source of information, it will be easy for those with
ill intent to mislead Bangladeshis at home and abroad
by taking advantage of their deep sense of patriotism.
As a global community of concerned Bangladeshis, Uttorshuri
is in a unique position to address these concerns
in this manner. Furthermore, efforts like this website
will only enhance the image of Bangladesh by showing
to the world that this sort of watchdog forums exist
in our society and dissent is not only accepted but
practiced actively. |
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3. Who we are?
We are concerned citizens living both in Bangladesh
and abroad. We love Bangladesh with a passion, are
emotionally attached to its daily happenings and emphasize
on a non-partisan approach in trying to understand
and analyze current events. A happy, peaceful and
prosperous Bangladesh is always in our dreams, and
we try in our own little ways to turn that dream into
reality. |
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4. Why it is not anti-state to talk about a policy failure?
When we criticize a government's policy, we do so
with the aim of helping it become better. When we
raise our voice, the government realizes that those
whom it serves are watching. One's country and the
government are not synonymous, and any attempt to
suggest that criticizing a government is tantamount
to denouncing one's own country is simply disingenuous.
By questioning the government’s actions, we
show that we care. |
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5. Does talking about one's country's
own problems destroy the image of the country?
By speaking openly about our country’s problems,
we encourage the government to be more accountable,
and thus help it perform more effectively. The “image”
of a country is a reflection of the reality on the
ground, and unless that reality changes, neither will
the “image”. Improvement in governance,
law and order, an independent judiciary and a free
media are important to identifying the problems that
create a negative image, and unless we can identify
the problems, we have no hope of solving them.
It is not a crime to be poor, but it is criminal not
to fight poverty. It is not a sin to live in a corrupt
society, but it is sacrilegious not to resist corruption.
And there is nothing overtly shameful about the growth
of extremism in our country, but it is despicable
when one hides the truth and refuses to fight the
extremists.
Addressing the problems that beset our society is
the only surefire way to improve Bangladesh’s
image abroad!
For further reading on the “image” issue,
and how to protect Bangladesh's image abroad, please
read the following:
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| Bangladesh's image problem: Six Questions
and answers. |
Bangladesh
has an “image” problem,
and it’s not a pretty one. Foreign
newspapers and electronic media, while
referring to Bangladesh, usually add
a prefix to identify it: the most corrupt
country, the most polluted country,
the most impoverished country, etc.
Our government leaders – and some
intellectuals of mixed stripes -- love
to brand such epithets as “foreign
conspiracies” and kick them right
under the carpet. Sitting in their comfy
chairs, it is so easy for them to close
their eyes and turn on Zee-TV. As, here
comes O. Rai!
Since
I live outside Bangladesh, my situation
is a little different. Each time I introduce
myself as a Bangladeshi, I have to be watchful
about that little smirk, that slowly fading
grin, on people’s faces. They don’t
have to say, I just know what is behind
that smirk.
Last
month, at a meeting in San Jose, California
of Bangladeshi engineers and architects,
we were confronted with a simple question:
what can the non-resident Bangladeshis
(NRBs) do to improve Bangladesh’s
image? My task was to look at the question
from the media’s perspective and
come up with some suggestions. For good
or bad, here are my thoughts, organized
in six questions and answers.
More...
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