EDITORIAL

Indispensability of Opposition

Recognised as an alternative government in a democratic system, the Opposition has a significant role to play regardless of its numerical strength. Every pluralistic democratic legislature includes both supporters and opponents of the executive. This is because Parliament is essentially about making debate on crucial issues while conducting the people's business in public. The Opposition, without which politics backs off, is indispensable for the functioning of a parliamentary political system. In sum, political opposition is a mandatory element of democracy.
   On several occasions in the past Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina stated that her government would not only listen to the views of the Opposition but would work with it to take this country forward. People thought and hoped that the new prime minister and her government would stick to that promise and allow the Opposition the chance to play a constructive role inside parliament and outside.
   It spoke of the maturity of its leadership when BNP decided to join the first session of Jatiya Sangsad. It can be recalled that when the Awami League (AL) had rejected the results of the 2001 general elections -- in which the BNP had won a landslide victory -- the AL had refused to join the first session of the eighth Jatiya Sangsad altogether. But BNP after its crushing defeat and a small number of MPs opted to join the parliament session with the intent to play a constructive role. But concerning the wrangle over seats in the front row and the Deputy Speaker issue the BNP legislators continue to abstain from parliament sessions. Observers feel the incumbents want BNP to remain outside the House as the ruling AL is planning to decide on certain very sensitive and contentious issues.
   The government's initiative to form a regional task force and hold joint military exercise in India's troubled state of Assam raised apprehension among the political groups and defence circle. Already the main opposition BNP led by Khaleda Zia opposed the idea saying that the presence of foreign troops in Bangladesh territory to combat terrorism raises questions over its sovereignty, and the people would not tolerate any threat to the country's sovereignty and security.
   On this matter a former Army general opined that by getting involved in Indian counter-insurgency programme Bangladesh could invite trouble for herself which is not desirable. He also pointed out that Bangladesh should move carefully by taking into consideration the concerns of her trusted friend China which borders with the troubled states in the north-eastern India. China should not get any wrong signal that a military alliance is taking shape close to her soil and along the border of Mayanmar. Actually this and similar dangerous moves have to be seriously discouraged.
   As daughter of a brave nationalist leader of Asia, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, it is hoped Sheikh Hasina will do well to be firm in protecting her nation's security interest first bearing in mind the extremely intricate geopolitical chessboard, on the basis of the State's doctrine as stipulated in the Constitution: Friendship to all, malice to none. Understandably, the road is well-nigh fraught with perils, and challenging issues call for great prudence and wisdom.
   In all Westminster-style parliaments legitimate contestation and opposition for decision-making power takes place. The 19th century British prime minister and writer Benjamin Disraeli was of the opinion that no Government can be long secure without a formidable Opposition. The cherished principle of democracy is that a government has the obligation to rest on the consent of the governed - that the minority has the right to dissent and to promote alternative policies.
   As regards the duty of the BNP to accomplish, instead of licking wounds of its humiliating defeat it should better be introspective and reflect on how best to perform in the House with informed and enlightened MPs through their dynamic and vigorous participation in parliamentary discourses. By making enlightened, informed and constructive criticism they can make newsworthy observations thus hitting the headlines. While this could help BNP recover its lost image, they should go for forming shadow cabinet with some of its brilliant young brilliant leaders. This will strengthen our democratic dispensation.

^ TOP OF THIS PAGE ^ MAIN PAGE

Political will needed to
implement decisions

Barrister Harun ur Rashid

India's Minister for External Affairs Pranab Mukherjee is scheduled to visit on February 9th. The visit is important for two reasons: it will be the first visit from a senior Minister to meet his counterpart and other ministers of the Awami league-led government and secondly the visit takes place when he is currently discharging additional responsibilities in the absence of the Indian Prime Minister Dr. Singh who is recuperating from heart bypass surgery.
   India's role as a regional power needs to cultivate good relationships with small neighbouring countries. If the neighbouring countries, such as Bangladesh, Bhutan and Nepal do not cooperate, India's image gets tarnished abroad and furthermore these countries may make India difficult to achieve its regional and global ambition.
   Security and transit appear to be the main agenda of his visit, whereas for Bangladesh, the subjects such as, maritime boundary, implementation of land border agreement of 1974, huge trade deficit and management and sharing of waters of common rivers appear to be the top priorities because they relate "bread and butter" issues for Bangladesh people. Let me discuss the Bangladesh issues in brief:
   
   Maritime Boundary
   Bangladesh-India maritime boundary has been pending since 1974. Since the areas are not delimited in the Bay of Bengal, Bangladesh cannot explore and exploit certain areas because they are disputed. No foreign company would be willing to explore the area unless they are certain that there is no dispute to the area.
   The discussion on the maritime boundary should commence at a political level and it is suggested that the Foreign Ministers of the two countries may meet and take the thread from the discussions of former Foreign Ministers in 1975.
   At the political level, the government leaders look at the problem from a broader view of bilateral relations and are not confined to legal and technical niceties
   The bottom line is that India's political leaders must decide as to whether Bangladesh would get a fair and equitable share of the economic zone and continental shelf of the Bay of Bengal. Bangladesh's concavity of the coast line, its indented coastline, its scanty natural resources in proportion of the huge population, and the general orientation of the Bangladesh's topography are some of the factors to be considered in determining the maritime boundary of Bangladesh.
   If bilateral negotiations fail to resolve the issue, it is appropriate to refer the issue to an International Tribunal for arbitration as India and Pakistan referred the Rann of Kutch boundary issue to an International Arbitration Tribunal in 1966.
   The '74 Agreement
   The Mujib-Indira Land Boundary Agreement of 1974 has not yet been implemented because India has not ratified it. Non-implementation of the agreement has put Bangladesh people into great difficulty. Under the Agreement, the Indian enclaves in Bangladesh and the Bangladesh enclaves in India "should to be exchanged "expeditiously".
   There are 111 Bangladesh enclaves in India with 17,158 acres with a population of 200,000 people, whose sufferings know no bounds as they have no medical facilities, schools, sanitation legal access and job facility and safe drinking water. It was reported some time ago that one inhabitant said that "We want to be Bangladeshis as early as possible. We cannot express in words about the sufferings we tolerate from the Indian Border Security Force (BSF)". This is a humanitarian problem and it needs to be resolved quickly.
   
   Trade deficit
   India's informal and formal exports to Bangladesh stand at around $5 billion dollars while Bangladesh's exports are $458 million (in FY2007-08). It is quite true that India's economy is large and there could be a reasonable size of trade deficit with India.
   The deficit is so large that people are concerned that India should do something to reduce the gap. Otherwise it may be perceived by majority of people in Bangladesh, rightly or wrongly, as India's "economic exploitation". Such perception is not politically healthy for bilateral relations.
   Free Trade Agreement with India is not the answer because the devils are in details of the agreement. The question is to what extent and how severely India's import restrictions constrain the exports to India?
   If the threat is from illegal imports from India to Bangladesh, a Free Trade Agreement will intensify the scope and extent of the competition. Furthermore would the gain in increased exports to India be large enough to compensate the losses in domestic production from increased import competition from India? Empirical evidence suggests the 2000 Sri Lanka-India Free Trade Agreement has not worked in favour of Sri Lanka.
   SAFTA (South Asia Free Trade Agreement) is not being executed properly and according to Shafqat Munir, President of the Journalists for Democracy and Human Rights, said on 2nd February in Dhaka that the free trade concept would not be materialised unless a free movement of people was allowed.
   In the past, the representatives of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) met their counterpart from India in Dhaka. The non-tariff barriers were high on the agenda. For the first time, the two apex bodies discussed formally, among others, the removal of non-tariff barriers relating to trade and investment.
   The recommendations of the meeting include setting up new land customs stations for bilateral trade between Bangladesh and India's northeast states and formation of a panel to resolution of trade disputes. Furthermore the two sides recommended setting up of testing laboratories close to the border areas, simplification of licensing system, documentation and procedural requirements and efficiency development of the banks of northeast states of India (NEI).
   Some of the hurdles in exporting goods to NEI include the absence of warehouse, parking and banking facilities. It is reported that Indian Customs do not give the entry of Bangladeshi products on the plea of laboratory tests, standards and certification. Many of the products that are in high demand in the NEI are sent back by the Indian Customs for reasons one or another.
   Decision at the political level is required to implement the recommendations of the two apex business bodies of two countries. Experts say that if 30% per cent of the recommendations are implemented, Bangladesh's exports will be greatly benefited.
   Economists say that if tariff and non-tariff barriers including rules of origin are waived and infrastructure facilities in NEI are taken care of, Bangladesh goods can enter Indian market and distribution channels. India's economy ($1.1 trillion dollar) is so large that a few hundred millions dollar worth of exports from Bangladesh cannot adversely affect its economy.
   The bottom line is what we need is not free trade but fair trade. Fair trade will be a "win-win" situation for both countries.
   
   Sharing of common rivers' water
   The direct effects of trans-boundary control of rivers in India (total of 54) in the upstream are drying up the rivers downstream in Bangladesh and drought, particularly in the western and northern region in Bangladesh. All the major distributaries of the Ganges River (Padma in Bangladesh) have become dry and cut off from their source during the dry season. Many branches of these distributaries are now dead throughout the year. Large parts of Rajshahi, Pabna and Kushtia regions face drought in spring and summer.
   Sharing of trans-boundary rivers like Teesta, Dharla, Dudkumar, Monu, Khowai, Gomti and Muhuri is still pending. If JRC would have done its job according to its statue, the disputes relating to sharing of water of rivers would have been resolved.
   The proposed Tipaimukh Multipurpose Hydroelectric Project conceived to generate 1500 MW of hydro electric power building a dam on the Barak River in the east in India will adversely affect the flows of mighty Meghna, besides the dam would have adverse environmental impact on Bangladesh that share the same river basin. No information on the project has been provided to Bangladesh and it is being doggedly pursued without considering the serious adverse impact on Bangladesh.
   The Indo-Bangladesh Joint Rivers Commission (JRC), established in 1972, pursuant to the joint declaration of the prime ministers of India and Bangladesh and signed by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Mrs Indira Gandhi.
   According to the statute, the functions of JRC include negotiations with the neighbouring countries on development, management and sharing of water resources of the international/trans-boundary rivers; resolution of the problems of trans-boundary rivers, work jointly with India on exchange of relevant data and information and formulation of detailed proposals on advance flood warning, flood forecasting and cyclone warning; work jointly with Nepal on exchange of relevant data and information and formulate detailed proposal on advance flood warning, flood forecasting as well as to harness and develop the common water resources for optimum utilisation; work jointly with Bhutan for coordinated research and studies on flood control and water management of the tributaries of the Brahmaputra river.
   The JRC has not functioned well because of the absence of India's political will. Management of water resources including flood warning and data are not accessible and Bangladesh authorities have to guess to what extent the floods in monsoon season will affect the territory of Bangladesh.
   The Hasina government wants very close relations with India but India has to come up with sincerity and fairness to resolve the long-standing the aforesaid bilateral issues. There is a view that the days of dealing one bilateral issue after another with India are over because all are interconnected and directly affect the people in Bangladesh.
   Bangladesh needs to develop a package of issues with India for settlement. India needs Bangladesh as much as Bangladesh needs India. If this is done, it will be much easier for Hasina government to carry people with her to strengthen relations with India, such as opening transit for northeast states of India to Chttagong port.
   Until now whether it is right or wrong, India's policy on bilateral issues is perceived as arrogant and "big brotherly". India has to deal with respect and sensitivity of a small neighbour, such as Bangladesh.
   The writer is a former Bangladesh Ambassador to the UN, Geneva.

^ TOP OF THIS PAGE ^ MAIN PAGE

ISLAMIC TERRORISM IN BANGLADESH

Complete approach needed to understand how it evolved

Habib Siddiqui

Sajeeb Wazed and Carl Ciovacco's piece in the HIR (Harvard International Review), Nov. 19, 2008 [Ref: http:// www.harvardir.org/ articles/1784/] on the above subject deserves much praise for articulating ways and means to combating the so-called Islamic extremism in Bangladesh. With the Awami League's overwhelming victory over the BNP-Jamat right wing coalition, one can only hope that many of the suggestions made by these authors will be implemented to stem that rise.
   Religious extremism of any kind - Islamic, Hindu, Buddhist, Christian, Jewish, Baha'i, Sikh and Jain - is bad. It is worse when such extremism is allowed in politics. It should not be allowed to dictate public policy under any government. Such a combination can be deadly explosive, resulting in deaths and sufferings of many innocent people.
   Unfortunately, we had witnessed a good dose of such a Molotov cocktail in many countries in the last two decades. We are all too familiar with monumental crimes of the brutal military regime in Burma that epitomises religious extremism to enslaving millions of Burmese Muslims, esp. the Rohingya people of Arakan. Forgotten in this context is the fact that religious extremism can be equally deadly in some secular countries. If you believe in casualty numbers, in contrast to commonly held assumptions, some of the worst violators have been countries like the USA and India-two of the largest democracies in the world. Both of these countries also profess secularism in one form or another.
   President Bush's actions have resulted in the unnecessary deaths of more than a million civilians in Iraq and Afghanistan, let alone strangulation of a million people in Gaza in the hands of his trusted Jewish ally - first the openly murderous regime of Ariel Sharon and then the Olmert Government of Israel, which just before the change of government in the White House had killed more than a thousand civilians in what one can only describe a cold-blooded murderous orgy.
   
   Millions killed in Iraq, Afghanistan
   Many of the first groups of soldiers and volunteers sent for fighting for the USA in the aftermath of 9/11 in Afghanistan were also motivated by their deep Christian fundamentalism, i.e., extremism, with a hideous anti-Muslim agenda. How can we explain such a phenomenon in the USA, a country that is a liberal, secular democracy? We don't have to go too far back in history to understand that the nation has slowly but steadily been embracing Christian fundamentalism for quite some time, since at least the days of Presidents Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan. No wonder that millions of American voters today identify themselves as evangelists. Without their support, President George W. Bush could not have been elected in 2000, and surely not re-elected in 2004.
   Thus, 9/11 was not the triggering event that all on a sudden forced America to embrace Christian extremism, but it only acted as a catalyst to further the evangelist cause to seal the fate of the nation with a fellow evangelist Christian, who had claimed direct communication with the Christian God. So, it was not difficult to understand how the Bush Administration analysed every global event from its narrow religious chauvinism and manipulated such events to accelerate Jesus's second coming on earth. Israel's savagery against the Lebanese Muslims and Palestinians was given an unquestioning endorsement. Hamas's election victory in a free democratic election was unwelcome and every hurdle was put to both unseat the government there and punish the entire Gaza population for their decision to vote in its favour. If the Iraqi experiment had succeeded we would surely have seen a continuation of the Bush Doctrine for years to come.
   
   Modi, Hindutwa extremism
   How about secular Indian democracy where Hindu extremism has been responsible not only for the Partition of India in 1947 but also the murder of its most famous icon - Mahatma Gandhi? Not surprisingly thus that it was under the watch of the secular government of Congress that the historical Babri Mosque was demolished in India. How can one explain the daily killings of Bangladeshi peasants around the border with India? How can one explain India's strangulation of Kashmiri people, who are denied their fundamental rights on whether or not to opt out of the Union? How can we explain Narendra Modi's victory in Gujarat after the Godhara riots, which resulted in murder of so many Muslims? The simple answer is Hindu fundamentalism or extremism is on the rise in secular India.
   Now the billion dollar question is: did the population orient the direction of the government to sanction religious extremism or vice-versa? Government in a democracy - liberal or illiberal - emerges, after all, from its own people and as such for the crimes of the government its people cannot shy away from their own responsibilities. As they are, so are their governments.
   
   Bangla bigots are miniscule
   In spite of its imperfect score on secularism, deaths resulting from extremist activities of religious bigots in Bangladesh are miniscule compared to many nations that try to self-promote themselves as secular havens.
   As pointed out by the authors of the HIR article, Bangladesh had a very secular origin, and its people have been more secular than its neighbouring India. While opportunist politicians have used religion to beg vote of the majority (by the way, this trend is not limited to impoverished, poor countries), religious extremism has hardly played a major role in the politics of Bangladesh. Even a religion-based Jamat-i-Islami (JI) party had never got votes that could be construed problematic for the soul of Bangladesh. In the previous governments either of the major parties had at one time or another tried to align itself with the JI so as to run the country.
   
   Jamat and election
   As the most recently concluded, albeit the most fair, election has demonstrated once again, the people's support of the JI and religion- based political parties is not something that should be a matter of grave concern. Our people are not stupid, but our politicians are who think that they have been able to fool the people. Voters, even if they may not all have long memories, do have short memories. That is good enough to unseat any unpopular government, and force both the government and the opposition to take them seriously.
   Whether we like to admit or not, oddly, secularism has not always been the necessary protection or answer to stem religious extremism. In this age of ours, religious extremism is not a local phenomenon and is fast becoming a global phenomenon requiring cooperation between governments and NGOs to arrest this tide. What happens in next-door India cannot simply be hidden under the carpet. We need a comprehensive approach to understand why and how it evolves, and then find solutions that are meaningful.
   Dr Habib Siddiqui writes from Pennsylvania, USA. He can be reached at saeva@aol.com

^ TOP OF THIS PAGE ^ MAIN PAGE

Melamine and Plasma Plus

Dear Editor:
   The high court's ruling on melamine leaves much to be desired. What the court should have done is:
   a) To ask the Department of Chemistry, Dhaka University and the Atomic Energy Centre to produce their "raw data" of their first published test results and also return the samples for re-tests by an independent body. It is a normal practice in the scientific world to retain samples for at least six months and at the same time keep the raw data to counter any controversy that may result as was in this case.
   b) To make an investigation as to why BSTI failed to test melamine in the first place and seek help from the unknown instrument supplier "Plasma Plus" for melamine testing.
   It looks like the Department of Chemistry, Dhaka University and the Atomic Energy Centre have now made good their escape on ground of testing a "different batch of samples". This is unfair and the public has the right to know the inner story. After all these two government organizations put the entire nation to a crisis.
   And let us not forget another government laboratory BCSIR, which gave a ludicrous report that escaped everyone's attention and the much shrouded with mystery "Plasma Plus", the instrument supplier, which apparently gave the only correct report !
   Could we expect some investigative journalism please? When the whole world is forging ahead with science and technology, we are going in the negative direction!!!
   Shesir,
   Joyarshahara, Dhaka,

Dear Editor:
   Commerce Minister Lt. Col. (retd.) Faruk Khan admitted that the business syndicate is still active in the country. He said there is a syndicate that controls the prices of essentials in the market. The government wants to break it. There will be a crackdown on syndicate to keep the prices of essentials within the purchasing capacity of the commoners. The price will be brought down within a month and the people will be able to buy rice at less than Tk. 20 per kg. He said this while visiting Karwan Bazar kitchen market.
   Previously we heard much about Hawa Bhaban syndicate that controlled everything. When the army backed caretaker government came to rule the country the Hawa Bhaban syndicate could not continue its business. They broke the syndicate. Now it appears from the version of Commerce Minister that another syndicate had been active during the administration of army-backed Caretaker Government; because business syndicate could not be formed overnight.
   A Bangla daily reported that some 28 rice mills in six districts of North Bengal have monopoly in rice market. Some 19 oil companies in Dhaka and Chittagong control edible oil market.
   We fail to understand how the much-talked business syndicate had been active when the country was under emergency rule and the army-backed Caretaker Government (CG) had visibly undertaken serious campaign to clean the society from corruption.
   The people had to face a famine like situation as faced in 1974 due to abnormal rising of food prices for over the past two years. We hope the new government will stop business syndicate with iron hand. There should be a crackdown on it to control the prices of essentials for the interest of the people.
   A.M.K. Chowdhury,
   West Masdhair,
   Narayanganj.

---

Political RATS?

Dear Editor:
   Now RATS have invaded a political party! Cockroaches do not like our politics. Are we short of human resources (density 1,000 persons per sq km, average)? Like RMG, we may export our varieties of politics
   Abab,
   Dhaka.

---

Retirement age

Dear Editor:
   There are age limitations for all jobs or services in every country in the world. Due to the physical and mental weakness, people have to leave the jobs at a certain age and the younger ones move into those positions. To do politics and run the government are undoubtedly the most strenuous jobs but our politicians do not believe in this philosophy. Their limit is up to death. Some years back our honorable Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina promised that she would retire from politics after 57 years of age. Though she is over 60 now, perhaps she has forgotten it. Our other ex PM Begum Khaleda Zia is likely to compete in next term as well. They both seem to believe that there is no alternative to them in their respective party.
   Probably Zillur Rahman is going to be our next President. He is a very old man and it seems that his health is in a very bad shape. Is it possible to run the Presidency smoothly on his part?
   I believe the politicians should have retirement age.
   Harun-or-Rashid,
   Sobhanbag, Dhaka.

---

Libraries should remain open every day

Dear Editor:
   The public libraries remain closed for two days -on Friday and Saturday-irrespective of government holidays. If theses remain shut for two days then the readers who want to acquire knowledge are deprived of this. We want the libraries to be kept open on Saturday. If the developed countries can keep libraries open round the clock, even also in night hours then why can we not do it?
   The government should take immediate decision on this issue.
   Habibur Rashid Ismail,
   Jamea Rahmania Fadil Madrasa
   Choitenyarhat, Chittagong.
   habibur.rashid.ismail@gmail.com

^ TOP OF THIS PAGE ^ MAIN PAGE