Personal Religion, global repercussion, and local restitution

Religion is a rather personal affair. What I think about my religion should be as personal as how you practice yours. Born and brought up a Muslim, I would venture to say that my point of view on the religion (and most everything else, for that matter) is somewhat “liberal.” My point being is that when I say “liberal,” I do not say “right,” but most people (of a less liberal or more orthodox point of view) act like I did!

But then this is not an essay on religion or my point of view. Although since the subject was brought up, I would like to add that ironically the theology that calls for brotherhood and harmony among men and women is also the excuse behind most of the conflict in today’s world.

For example, take the conflict between the Jews and the Muslims over Jerusalem – the Jews claim that they are the “chosen” people (but the Muslims, of course, know better). My point is that if the Jews want to believe that they are God’s own, and the Muslims believe that they have been chosen to suffer in this life to be given the key to paradise – where of course there is NO space for the Jews – isn’t it enough that the chosen people will eventually burn? The Muslims can suffer for a better after-life, which they are only passing time to attain, the Jews can bask in the glory of being the “chosen” people in this world and in the end the Muslims are given their share of the virgins and wine and the Jews their “just rewards.” Peace is attained. A divine (?) win-win situation if there ever was one.

Of course, the previous passage is totally stereotypical and quite unacceptable, but it is because people believe with a vengeance what they do about these stereotypes, is why everything is wrong. The best example of this is the tarnation that has ripped through the land of the immigrants and every under-achievers dream – the United States of America; once a country of magnificent tolerance and harmony has, through the actions of one of those under-achievers with a rich dad, become largely a country of intolerance, suspicion and racial profiling (this statement itself is a stereotypical world-view). Just like in Bangladesh we got the kind of leaders we deserved, likewise in the US – in a land populated by people who have chosen to remain uninformed about most of the other states within their international borders, let alone other states outside their international borders, there was always that risk of one of those “unenlightens” being elected to the highest office! Of course Americans have to protect their soil from people who mean them harm, but first the American people have to protect themselves from their leaders who mean harm to other countries.

It’s a vicious circle, I’ll grant you – but to quote one of America’s better presidents – not coincidentally a democrat – “the buck stops here.” We were faced with a motley crew of corrupt businessmen and politicians over the last 30 years – however, the ones over the immediate past five years were especially vicious. Our situation today has more to do with reasons of sycophancy than demerit. Over the last 20-odd years we have been voting for the spirit of two people long dead. Truth be told, sycophancy is just another form of religion – more pagan-styled idol worship than spiritual cleansing. Most of us should be aghast, to witness the seeming worship of symbols, monuments and photographs (tiled or otherwise). The laying of wreaths of remembrance and the raising of hands to pray towards a monument! It’s anti-Islamic (but then what do I know, being a “liberal”).

What we have politically in this country is the battle of two “almost deities” – both pure as milk and untainted in the eyes of each respective camp. To borrow a real life conflict: much like the Jews and the Muslims over Jerusalem – none able to see eye to eye on the matter and each regarding the other a terrorist group with little or no legitimacy. The Jerusalem conflict is beyond the scope of this writer to solve, however, it is time that we say that “the buck stops here (!), when we talk about our home-grown conflict.

While the current caretaker government cannot be considered divine, i.e. pure as milk and as untainted as our fore-fathers, fore-generals, or fore-opportunists, they are human – and if you pull religion into the argument – a result of possible divine intervention. So while these ten at the helm of things may not be an appreciated alternative, currently, they are a better source of leadership than what was in store for us through the “democratic” process.

It is probably a rude awakening for those of us who choose to have short-term memories that the situation in the country between November 2006 and January 10, 2007 was borderlining on a possible civil war (and this was going to be the real thing and not one like the “patriotic” Jamaatis had suggested was what happened in 1971). We can’t possibly bicker about these people taking too much time to fix things, and forget the situation that prevailed BEFORE they took over (and not just from when they took over in January this year, but the over the last 30 years prior to). The presence of this administration and the clean-up currently being undertaken is enough to convince me as proof of the existence of a God and that the omniscient hasn’t forgotten about us (but then, I am a “liberal”).

High drama and the original sin

This article is another from my Daily Star Magazine contributions from the turn of the century 2000. I do believe that history does repeat itself, but I would have thought that history repeats itself after the passing of a generation or two! In Bangladesh we are so possessed with "history" that it seems we repeat ourselves (commentary-wise, at least) every turn of a regime. Read and see that nothing has realy changed in the last six years.

This being an election year it is a year of high drama. A year where it’s termed ‘undemocratic’ that the opposition party says it will win in the same sentence that the party in position ‘democratically’ declares its expected victory. I can understand and condone the statements because an election result in this country has traditionally been only as fair as the party that wins declares it to be. After all each party competes with the tacit understanding that it will only lose if the elections have been rigged! Therefore the forthcoming elections will be both “fair” and “rigged” – the quotes will be attributed according to results. If there is one sure statement that will encapsulate the up-coming election results in a nutshell it is that “the Awami League will not lose; but neither will the BNP.”

There will be a loser in the next elections, and it will sadly be the people who do not feel the need to politicise their day-to-day living. These people choose nothing more than to lead an economically-sound and relatively crime-free existence between work and family (I say ‘relatively’ crime-free, because you can never be too sure of the tax equation). These people are not busy trying to con the upper-hand or milk the ‘connection’, they lead an honest life and pay more than their fair share of dues to society. They are the educated middle-class – a class most countries swear by, a class that builds nations and brings down regimes. Sadly though in this country, they are the forgotten and neglected majority. The brunt of the face-saving hartals and the crime falls on them – they far from the palatable comfort of “easy come easy go” because it has never been “easy come” for them. They are the people who repay their bank loans on time, balance their budgets and report most of their income for taxes.

As another new batch of eligible voters enter the fray, unfortunately they are condemned to live the rest of their natural lives in political turmoil. Given the life expectancy of the average politician and the short-term memory of the average voter, Bangladesh will wallow in the depths of political ineptitude and corruption for still some time to come. The residue of political dregs that will be left in the wake of our current leadership will take years to drain away and die out, leaving in its path scum that will be harder still to wash away. Short of an act of God or the sudden rude awakening of the dreaded and defeated middle class, will the political culture of unaccountability and profit be stopped in its path. As our corrupt leaders bury themselves in the “my turn” cliché of political depravation and the unfounded lust for material accumulation, we people do little more than watch and engage ourselves in nothing more than arm-chair politics of discontentment and belated erudition. The average Bangladeshi is comfortable in its make believe nest of security, we have little desire to upset whatever semblance of balance we dearly hold onto. Historically we have proven to be people who take to the streets for our rights, not anymore. Suddenly we believe we have too much to lose, choosing to forget that we DO have too much to lose with inaction.

The people that the politicians so earnestly speak for is being tried of their patience – the leaders should remember what they try to remind in their rhetoric that the people will rise for their rights if pushed too far. The people want a democracy, but first they must earn it. The only way to understand the value of democracy is through an educated (and civil) electorate. An electorate that is not only willing to listen to others speak but also willing to act on their own judgement. Sadly the people know what should be done and how they should exercise their voting franchise – they however do not protest even in the full knowledge that their ideas have not been respected. Unfortunately, between the AL and the BNP we have a poor choice in leadership. The next elections will most likely be rigged. Either way, like Zimbabwe, the present ruling party will win and stand in front of their people and declare their allegiance. Unfortunately, when the time comes we will fail to remember to ask what (or who) they are alleging to.

Good governance comes from good leaders, and good leaders from good people. Just as “a nation deserves the leadership it gets”, we deserve whatever future lies in wait for us under the “able” leadership of the two bickering matriarchs of hate and displaced egocentricism. What more can we expect from a democracy run by parties that do not believe in democracy from within.

The original sin of politics in this country has sprouted from the fact that voters are mesmerised with icons and images that outlive its use. Just as Shiekh Hasina, in all her “good” intentions, will be unable to retire from active politics because the “people” will not let her, Khaleda Zia will not be far behind in that her “people” will not follow the BNP without her leadership. Meanwhile the people will wonder as to who has “betrayed” them and are actually stopping these two ladies from stepping down.