Lynchin' and be heard

There is much commonality at the core between the current riots in London and a incident of mob violence that occurred in Noakhali, Bangladesh.

True the extent of damages and the fatalities in the UK are much graver than that in Bangladesh – which left only one person dead. However, both incidents pay homage to the atrocities of police indifference and a long marginalised and under served populace.

The incident in Noakhali where a young man, labeled a 'robber' by the police, was dragged out of the police van by the police themselves to allow for mob justice (while they watched from the sidelines), seems little more than mindless violence and a increasingly recurring moment that shows that there is a very thin line between the humane and and the brutal.

Political travesty continues in Bangladesh

I had intended not to discuss politics in this blog... particularly the politics of confrontation that is so prevalent in my native Bangladesh. But it pains me to see the country spiral its way back again into political confrontation that has more to do with who's in power and and who gets the privilege than actual democracy or nation building.

The latest issue is the abolishment of the caretaker form of government. For the uninitiated (and there should be plenty worldwide because the caretaker government is a Bangladeshi homemade solution fed on general distrust by the opposing party for the government in power, whoever that may be on the given moment) the last three general elections in Bangladesh had been observed under the caretaker government, or an interim government, that takes over for three months in order to run government functions and organise a 'fair & free' election.

This arrangement has worked because previously the opposing party was convinced that the party standing down from government would rig the elections to win office back (whether they did or not). I think that the party would eventually rig the election because they would be blamed for it anyway!

Of course the concerns were not entirely unfounded either; even with the provision for a caretaker government, the party in power would retire a 'partisan' chief justice (often early) or delay the retirement of certain chief justices (suspected of partisan sentiments for the opposing party) because the chief of the caretaker government would be the immediate retired chief justice.

Now the provision to hold elections under a caretaker government system has been rescinded and the constitution amended to reflect the change. The amendment was passed 291 to one in favour of the amendment – with the chief opposition party boycotting the parliament to mark their protest.

Normally boycotting the parliament would be considered a strong opposition protest were in not for the fact that the opposition (to whichever government is in power at the time) always boycotts the parliament... only to make a brief appearance (inevitably followed by a walk-out) a day or two before the last day of absence (in this case 90 days) to protect their seat and ensure it not being declared vacant.

Bangladesh is possibly the only country in the world where the parliamentary system of government suffers chronic ineffectivity because parliament is consistently boycotted by the opposing party. Ostensibly opposition is fought on the streets (and the detriment of the masses and business interests) but never dealt with in parliament.

Retracting the caretaker government system will only result in increased anarchy as the current opposition will embrace it as a legitimate reason to shut the country down through violence and strikes... all in the name of protecting the people from the 'dictatorial' influences of the government. No matter that the current opposition party at one point, while in power, condemned the caretaker government system as archaic and unnecessary too (to say nothing of their once strong stand against political violence and strikes by opposition forces when they were in power).

The people of Bangladesh have very short memories but are also hostage to the respective political travesty of the government party and the opposition party. Time has been ripe for our own 'Arab Spring' and taking the country back from the hooligans and the inept.

Unfortunately that's always been easier to say.

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”).

The politics of killing politics

The following article was written several years ago (circa 2000) and was published in the Daily Star magazine. Note that the political climate documented is when Sheikh Hasina Wajed, Bill Clinton and Atal Vajpayee were at the head of their respective countries as PM, President and PM respectively. While the sentiments expressed at the time was urgent, I find it astonishing that the climate has little changed and I hold on to the sentiments with the same kind of ferocity- in the mood of the call of the day it is ripe time to TAKE BACK BANGLADESH!

Although not a regular name on the pages of this magazine, I have proved very regular with my penmanship irregularity. Personally I prefer to write lighter pieces where my sense of humour (what little I possess) comes forth rather than rabid frothy rage articles of how things are faring politically. In fact, so disgusted am I with what my fingers in collaboration my brain have spun out of late, I have condemned those venom afflicted write-ups to the infernal “unfinished” folder on my desktop! Sadly this exercise in self-restraint has only plunged my ever-so-gentle persona into a raging, bitter, haggard and heavy mind-set. It appears that I have destined to become the dreaded over-achiever pessimist when it comes to the future of this great (decaying) land of ours.

I must admit that I am astounded with the staggering amount of ‘loath’ that I have coursing through my finger-tips as I watch in trance-like motion the words flying – trying to desperately keep up with my uncontrolled nocturnal emissive thoughts. It’s not that I hate this country, but that I hate what this country is becoming. The wrong people are at the helm – these wrong people are making the wrong decisions for the wrong reasons. The newspapers scream of wrongful deaths in the half-dozens, one political party accuses the other of pro-Pakistan sentiments, while the other accuses the first for pro-India. I ask you which of them are pro-Bangladesh!

In my previous write-ups I have made no statements that in retrospection may read as ambiguous – clearly I have no fond feelings (personal, political or respectful) for either the two ego-tripping lady birds of kin worship. Without any doubt their agenda will serve little but their own needs and the needs of those who have chosen to selfishly stand by them in positions of power. The nation’s wealth is being siphoned out slowly, the hundi business is in business to expatriate dollars – these are rarely yours or mine. Think about it.

The elections are due next year. If we had an alternative leader, I would be campaigning to vote the two ladies ‘out’ not ‘in’. Problem is, if not them then who do you vote for. Unfortunately no decent man (or woman) is in the race to power possession. I say vote for new leadership within the party. We need educated leaders not leaders whose claim to education is questionable. These women demonstrated their right to be the biggest gender-degrading statement ever, they have single handedly (each in her own right) taken the women’s liberation movement in this country back many hard-earned steps!

Politics has taken a ludicrous turn, corruption has been “controlled” to now be available at the grassroots level. Every shred of human decency has been abandoned for a piece of the gravy train. Restaurants are serving dog meat in lieu of lamb, burnt engine oil is used to give certain edible oils that zing, puffed rice is fried in urea for whiteness, horse feed is imported and sold in the open market for human consumption… the list goes on. Given the kind of people we have become, Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina are the right kind of leaders. But for the morally righteous, which I would like to believe comprises of the majority in this country, the BNP and the AL need new heads.

As each party accuses the other of corruption and unhanded deals, the words of the Christian Lord Jesus rings loosely “let the person who has not sinned cast the first stone.” The BNP is not more corrupt as the Awami League. Bad vibes emit from the two parties, nothing good can come to the country under the auspices of the ladies that never were. Even when we see we see nothing and look to religion to console our state, disastrously the lesson we chose to follow is not “mind thy brother” but “turn the other cheek”. As a people we are being walked all over like a cheap carpet laid over a busy intersection – walked over any which way.

From the beginning this essay was destined to be caustic and spitting of miasma (look it up), but then this essay can be more than that. It can be a practical example of what is theoretically possible in politics – it can turn around about face. You see, things are not as bad as they seem. Yes the political situation is rather bad at the moment, but national development is like a two-dimensional plane where there is only an up and a down. Like the laws of physics, what goes up must come down and hence the reversal is also true. The country may appear to be rock bottom, but things can only look up. Just as Mother Nature abhors a vacuum, politics abhors bad political culture. Like Frankenstein’s monster bad political culture, if allowed to gestate quietly, will eventually destroy its own maker.

The leadership and the respective cronies are busy making the hay as the sun shines, but if history of person-kind is anything to go by the weatherman promises incessant rain. Just as our Prime Minister invites her own demise by pushing for extradition rights from the United States, our former prime minister invites her own political end by refusing to see beyond her nose. The ladies surround themselves with advisers as garnish – their sole obsession it seems is with the chair and keeping their respective bottoms as close to it as they possibly can. Bangladesh is a country like no other in the world, not only is it surrounded by a single region-domineering country but its economy is essentially powered by the begging bowl. Nothing will get done (or has been done since independence) that is independent from either the interests of our neighbour or the credit line. There are so many strings attached that its can be safely said that ironically it is those strings that are holding this nation up!

Clinton says “bravo Bangladesh for democracy” only as long as the gas is concerned. Vajpayee calls for transit only as long the industries of his nation are served a 120-million man market on the ride back. Politically this country is a dead entity, no amount of foreign affairs planning can be done at this point to counter the actions of the what will be. Whether we like it or not, the gas is not ours to do as we please. As the nation goes deeper into debt it will be “suggested” that the only way out would be a “lucrative” gas export deal.

The future of this country is beyond what Begum Zia or Sheikh Hasina can deliver. If the leaders wish to demonstrate an inkling of the patriotism they claim in their hearts, they should retire and call it a day. The money is in their bank; now if only our votes would come in…