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EDITORIAL
Save hungry people, let them survive
That the wretched plight of the poor in this country -- when prices of rice and wheat are nearly beyond the reach of the common man -- is literally miserable beggaring description, does not seem to be comprehended by those in authority studded with renowned economists and other enlightened people. About a year back Finance Adviser said the Caretaker Government (CG) would not take any move to stem the skyrocketing price of rice the staple food of at least 80 per cent people.
Traditionally, Aman has been a major crop after Boro in Bangladesh. But with feelings of stunning shock and amazement the people learnt from him that the colossal loss of Aman crop in the vast Sidr-hit southern Bangladesh would have little or no impact on the nation's critical food situation. It is only deplorable that a person of his stature will be lamentably unconcerned about the hard reality of food insecurity. The Agriculture Ministry must know that Aman production in 2004 - 2005 stood at 98 lakh tons -- not a matter of fun at a time when Bangladesh-India wrangle over 5 lakh tons of Indian rice has continued for months together. Lack of vision is simply lamentable, to say the least.
At the outset the CG began to look for the so-called business syndicate but didn't succeed in that task. Next, they shut down private food warehouses but that too didn't work. Now some of the bosses are prescribing eat less and consume more potatoes. Meanwhile, in the past months some traders were allowed to export soybean oil to India at the rate of Tk. 48 per kg while its price at home was Tk. 90 per kg. This is quite enigmatic, if not quixotic.
Any government is under constant public gaze; and people analyse and criticise its policies and actions. Those who shouted in a deafening crescendo to greet her or him, in no time begin hurling negative slogans for ouster. Popularity is often illusive, and history is replete with unwelcome exit of failed leaders. For the present Caretaker Government (CG), energised by emergency law and Army backing, public support has come without even asking for it because of the administration's hard decisions on some issues such as corruption and commitment to electoral reforms. But, first and foremost what does an apolitical common man want? He wants to survive for which he needs food and other necessities at an affordable price. In the Chief Adviser's recent observation regarding prices of essentials the people will see a kind of despair; and this will not satisfy them.
The cursory glance at the state of the poor in Bangladesh reveals mind-boggling unbelievable statistics. A 2005 study says that around 31 per cent of the rural population suffers the humiliation of chronic poverty -- low food consumption, hunger and malnutrition and other deprivations for more than a decade. About 24 per cent of the total population live in extreme income-poverty. The food situation now verging on crisis point has become unbearable to the overwhelming majority -- say 85 per cent -- of the people. Former civil servant Dr Akbar Ali Khan has sensitively and succinctly said that "the poor people are somewhat surviving like hungry animals". Now the only answer will be to start statutory food rationing known in South Asia over the past 50 years. As of now, rationing outlets serve the armed forces and police. While open market sales outlets should function, ration shops under statutory programme all over the country must be started without delay.
Last but not least, discoursing on Indian poverty scene in the 1960s, eminent economist Galbraith spotlighted the value of education and migration as a means of freedom from poverty trap. In her first term (1991 - 1996) former prime minister Khaleda Zia experimented with primary education by giving incentive like food to children of the have-nots so they could attend school. While this programme should continue in future, immediate relief like VGF is in order and has to be pursued in right earnest.
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Unification talks on Cyprus: Wind of change
Barrister Harun ur Rashid
Cyprus and Korean peninsular states (i.e. North and South) are the two remaining divided states, after the unification of Germany in 1989. The divided states are the result of the Cold War and regional politics rooted in long-term mistrust and animosity.
It seems what seemed impossible suddenly seems possible with the change of leadership of both communities in Cyprus. The diplomatic wheels began to move fast since 21st March.
Cyprus state has been split between Greek and Turkish communities for the last 34 years when the Greek military leaders wanted to integrate with Greece in 1974. Turkey intervened, claiming to be acting as a guarantor of the 1959 Agreement that contemplated a power-sharing agreement between the two communities in Cyprus. The Island-State became independent in August 1960.
Located 80km south of Turkey in the north-east Mediterranean, Cyprus covers an area of 9,251 square kilometers. Its capital city Nicosia is a divided city since 1974 like Berlin in the Communist era. The unification of the two parts of the Island state was difficult because of the mindset of previous leaders. They were not in a mood to compromise and both wanted powers in their hands.
The former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan invested his time and energy to re-unify the island but the Greek Cypriots rejected the peace deal in 2004 because the rejection of their President. It was an opportunity greatly missed by narrow-minded leader of the Greek Cypriot. Turkish Cypriots voted for the peace deal.
Greek Cypriots became bold when their part joined the European Union (EU) in 2004; and as a member Cyprus can veto any decision of the EU including Turkey's accession to the EU.
Wind of change
Seldom has Cyprus seen such a wind of political change with the victory of Demetris Christofias of the Left-Wing Party, in the presidential election in Cyprus on February 28 last. He defeated the incumbent conservative President Papadopoulos who was a barrier to the unification of the island state.
In 2005, Mehmet Ali Talat won the Presidential election in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. He is a new leader with fresh ideas and has no past baggage. Soon after victory, President Christofias wanted to meet Turkish Cypriot President Talat to start talks aimed at reunifying the island.
They met on 21st March for three hours at the official residence of the UN Representative on the island-the first such high-profile talks since 2006. The announcement to reopen Ledra Street of Nicosia was intended to foster reconciliation and encourage a positive climate for the forthcoming negotiations.
Ledra Street, in the middle of the old walled city of Nicosia, has been cut in two since the 1960s, when violence erupted between the Greek and Turkish Cypriot communities. Before the thoroughfare was blocked in the middle, with military posts on either side of the line dividing Nicosia, Ledra Street was at the centre of the island's leading shopping district. But its fortunes declined with the division of the capital
Plans to reopen Ledra Street were rejected by President Christofias' predecessor, Tassos Papadopoulos. Both Presidents have been effusive in the prospect of the future talks. In a joint statement, the leaders said they agreed that advisers from both sides would meet next week to set up working groups to work out detailed agendas for peace talks.
Both leaders would meet in three months' time to "review the work of the working groups and technical committees and using their results to start fully fledged negotiations." The peace talks would be held under the UN auspices.
According to a BBC reporter, perhaps the best omen ahead of 21st March first meeting at the UN residence came in a quip from President Christofias as he walked towards the entrance. Asked by the reporter whether he would be drinking Greek or Turkish coffee during the discussions he replied: "Cypriot coffee, we will both be having Cypriot coffee."
British High Commissioner Peter Millett said the 21st March meeting provided "a clear sign that the two leaders have the political will to tackle the issues and work for a solution". The light in the tunnel seems to be that minds of new generation of Greeks and Turks communities together with their leaders of the island are more liberal now than that of their older generations. They are broad-minded, mostly secular, and have little racial prejudice.
In this context it is amazing how white people in the US enthusiastically vote for Senator Barrack Obama in the Democratic Presidential nomination contest against Senator Hillary Clinton. In a globalised world, strength of a state lies in unity, not in disunity of people and both Greek and Turkish Cypriots fully realise it.
Thorny issues
The difficult issues are (a) the right of return of Greek Cypriots to their homes in northern part of Turkey, (b) withdrawal of Turkish soldiers and settlers in the northern part of the island and (c) control and exchange of territory.
Finding a solution may be difficult because of their inherent complexity for a long-standing dispute. Vested interests arise as time passes and they are thorny to resolve.
However with the new mind -set of leaders from the two communities, it is hoped that they will find a political solution for the people of all Cyprus. No doubt Turkey and Greece will have to play a positive role in assisting the two communities.
The writer is a former Bangladesh Ambassador to the UN, Geneva.
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VIEW POINT
RESISTING ISLAM ISN'T SECULARISM
Not disruption, dialogue with political opponents needed
Abu Rawsab
One of the conspicuous contours of Bangladesh politics these days is the hey-day of ultra-secularists. Secularism is a political ideology characterised by "this worldly orientation" and the separation of religion and the state. Though the ideology wants the religious dictations away from the state affairs, it does not necessarily negate or displace religion altogether. This sort of political ideology emerged in Europe because of dire corruptions of Christian churches, and their conflict with science, which posed a great hindrance to development and progress.
Most secularists in the West want this separation because of the religious obscurantism of the Church, but they want to confine religion in the private affairs rather than discarding or banning it entirely. They cherish a great love for Christianity and its millions of followers; but think that the religion does not have enough political and social resources and philosophies to run a state in the era of democracy and pluralism.
Religion, politics in West
Nevertheless, almost every country in Europe and North America has religion-based political parties which incorporated democratic principles. Notable amongst them is the ruling party of Germany: the Christian Democratic Party (CDP).
Bangladesh: Wrong route
Unfortunately, the development of secularism in Bangladesh took entirely a wrong route. Those who claim to be secularists in Bangladesh are often seen to maintain an extreme rejection and a total antagonism towards a particular religion -- which is Islam -- Therefore, the development of secularism in Bangladesh started through an abnormal psyche, which is extreme opposition to and a deep-rooted desire of annihilating Islam and its symbols.
They subscribe to their own brand of secularism not because Islam lacks political and social resources to run a state, but because Islam is the only religion that has the most comprehensive and humanistic political philosophies to run a modern state into an exemplary welfare mode. This is why these secularists devote their entire efforts not to propagate their political philosophy, but to oppose Islam and its active followers. In their writings, speeches and other political activities, they spend more time and energy in attacking Islam rather than presenting their own brand of secular philosophies. Therefore, they are not the secularists, but the "ultra-secularists".
Slaves of dominant powers
The traces of this brand of ultra-secularism can be found in every epoch of human history. In order to get material advantages, they -- as docile slaves of the dominant powers -- always danced to their masters' tunes. After 9/11 where opposing Islam becomes a huge market currency to gain dominant power's blessings, these ultra-secularists currently become very desperate to oppose and attack Islam and Islamic political parties. For gaining favours and material benefits from the dominant powers by opposing those whom the dominant powers want them to oppose, they never hesitate to go against national common interests. Historically therefore they have been seen to remain docile and subservient to the dominant powers such as Moscow, Washington and New Delhi.
As they do not have appealing political philosophies to engage in fruitful and healthy dialogues with other political philosophies and thereby to gain public support, they usually take the alternative routes.
One of the routes they take as we see these days is the "social genocide". What I mean by "social genocide" is a systematic effort to targeting a particular political community and deliberately ostracising them through discursive concoction of lampoons and intentionally imposing negative and derogatory connotations.
It generates the culture of extreme hatred, division, tension and retrogressive politics which are continuously driving Bangladesh backwards, and posing a great hindrance to development and progress. Since many of these ultra-secularist people are holding positions of power patronised by the axis of super-powers and controlling the sector of media, they are trying to divide the nation in a deeper manner to play a popular game of "divide and rule" taught by their colonial masters.
The first and the most common political decency which every political party should uphold is a mental readiness and a minimum tolerance to engage in dialogue with political opponents.
Bangladesh is now submerged in a horrible impasse because of the deadly combination of these ultra-secularists and their method of social genocide.
The writer can be reached at: aburawsab@gmail.com
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LETTERS
Senile governance
Dear Editor:
There is a similarity between the coming elections in the US and in Bangladesh - change. In Dhaka, we are the victims of senile governance and dynastic regimes. Duality has only one option: choose one of the two political parties. The young generation has been gagged; and spoiled; with bakshish and favouritism. The evil practice has been institutionalised. The campus has been contaminated; and the civil service tainted. Why make rules which cannot be enforced? We are alive one day in the year - celebrating anniversaries!
Sick leaders are flying to overseas hospitals more than once a year. The lawyers, barristers and doctors are getting rich indirectly- easy come, easy go!
In every individual's life, a time comes to voluntarily retire from various activities. The current political syndrome is: 'the nation cannot do without me'. Why do they think they were indispensable? In Indonesia, two dictators ruled the country each for over 30 years. We note more examples in Africa and S America.
In the United States, the Americans seem to have realised that the time for changes is ripe; hence the unexpected leaning towards Obama, regardless of colour and faith. The Americans in Iraq are struggling in knee-deep mud. It is a moral lesson from the spiritual side (Iraq has a background of saints, Sufis and derwishes). This civil war is also a lesson for the Muslims to unite around the globe.
The evil political entrenchments in Dhaka have to be wiped out. The communication gaps are huge-no human touch. Emerson appears to be inimitable.
The Caretaker Government in Dhaka is not armed with the magic wand. There are two hostile camps: the voters and the politicians on trial. The next government has to go for change.
Alif Zabr,
Dhaka.
Be tigers at home and abroad
Dear Editor:
Although it was a great opportunity, yet Bangladesh couldn't at all put her valid case at the Bali conference. The southern part of Bangladesh will be submerged under seawater within the next few decades; what more do we want? But our delegate and foreign delegates were just silent about the impending serious crisis. We must not be submerged for other peoples' crime and economic migration to other countries will happen.
But after coming back to Bangladesh environment adviser C S Karim has told about lots of achievement. Surprising? No, miserably it's our tradition. We don't understand outsiders' strategy. The civil servants/politicians of Bangladesh must learn patriotism --- they must not forget the treachery of the East India Company of Britain in 1757.
As a conscious citizen I expect both politicians and bureaucrats to be tigers both at home and abroad, as much as possible. Bali conference delegate is an example only. Same also applies to Gen Moyeen's visit to India and its achievement in solving different irritants and issues with the close neighbour.
We should not be skilled in begging only; rather we shall have to be skilled in establishing our rights on the basis of fair agreements. All of us should be servants of our country.
Dr Azizul Karim,
General practitioner, Australia
email mounaj@optusnet.com.au
Barbed wire fencings
Dear Editor:
What are the basic assets and liabilities of Bangladesh, without getting lost in detai1s in specific sectors? Two basic foundations: elbow room; and footprint. The top leadership does not believe in the phi1osophy of plain living and high thinking. Society is not homogenous in the LDCs; and the cracks and barbed wire fencings could be easily detected using common sense.
Suppose the population density were one half of the current 1,000 persons per sq km; then the daily fight for living space would have lessened the burden of the government and we could have concentrated on long-term development projects without bias and favouritism.
The middle class shoppers are ignored contemptuously. Due to misuse of power and position, a section of society are getting rich in short spans, creating resentment in the left-out groups. The communication gap between urban and rural residents is huge. This is accentuated by break in continuity of development projects once a political regime is replaced.
Above is a general pattern replicated in the poor and newly emerging nations. The UN is a bloated cipher, thanks to Western gagging techniques. The winner takes all. In Pakistan, the voters revolted. Let us ignore the barking of the hyenas, not in the Sunderbans, but from the air-conditioned towers in Dhaka. The higher, the rise, the greater the fall.
A Mawaz,
Dhaka.
Metro Rail: We don't have skilled engineers
Dear Editor:
In Dhaka city traffic jam is intolerable, so Metro Rail is an excellent idea. But we must ask ourselves whether we can afford it. Can we have a solution to the problem of traffic congestion without the super expensive metro?
Our experience with Jamuna Bridge tells us that Bangladesh does not have the engineering knowledge or skill to even supervise the construction of a flawless bridge. We cannot even maintain the bridge. A Metro Rail is many times more complex than a simple bridge.
If we do not have the requisite skill to maintain a simple bridge then how can we even dream of having a Metro system? In my view it will be a colossal wastage of public money even to attempt to build this white elephant.
I can foresee that if we start working on it the project will never be completed in time and the cost will escalate; and we will end up without the Metro Rail but with a huge debt. I feel it will be prudent not to touch this project even with a barge pole. We will be better off without the Metro. We could consider a whole new capital for the country but not the Metro Rail for Dhaka city.
Salahuddin Ayubi
sayubi786İyahoo.corn
A multicoloured politician
Dear Editor:
In a joint statement some Muslim scholars demanded exemplary punishment of a veteran Awami League Presidium member recently. They alleged that he grabbed 150 bighas of Waqf estate at Dirai upazila of Sunamganj, where he established a hatchery under the name of "Dirai Sallah Swamannita Matsya Khamar (Pvt) Ltd." They urged the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) to arrest him and recover Waqf land immediately. (The Daily Naya Diganta, dated 16 February, 2008).
Another vernacular daily reported that the abovementioned Awami League Presidium member grabbed vested property worth Tk. 6 crore by forgery vide Khatian No. 2277, 2274, 2275 of Chanpur Mouza No. 343 at Dirai Municipal Area in Sunamganj district. According to S.A. record, one Nagendra Dev, son of late Haricharan Dev, was the owner of this property. Nagendra Dev was childless. He left for India in the year of 1947. This forgery appeared at Land revenue office on verification of record recently. (The Daily Ittefaq, dated 23 February, 2008)
This Awami League Presidium member at first joined Muzaffar NAP and then Ekata Party. Later he joined Ganatantri Party. Afterwards he joined Awami League and became its Presidium member. The veteran Awami League leader, along with Akhtaruzzaman Babu of Awami League, became a guest of Mohiuddin Ahmed Jantu, BNP President of Sweden branch in the year 1998 while visiting Sweden. He is a multicoloured man.
Constitutionally, President is the head of State. He is the symbol of sovereignty of the State. He is an institution. He is the most respected person in the country. President Prof. Dr. Iajuddin Ahmed is no less qualified than this veteran Awami League Presidium member. But this man addressed President as 'Yaziddah' with smug smile.
We do not know whether land grabbing allegation against this man is true or not. Since this man is a non-Muslim this allegation may break communal harmony. It may lead to a clash between the Hindus and the Muslims. The Anti-Corruption Commission should not keep mum on the matter. The ACC should give topmost priority to investigate the case without further delay.
A.M.K Chowdhury,
West Masdhair
Narayanganj.
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