Untold Facts

Meanness - Broadness

Misrepresentation of facts
Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, in a taunting voice unbecoming of her position, the other day made clear slant against the opposition leader, Begum Khaleda Zia and asked her to vacate the Dhaka Cantonment Moinul Road residence. There have already been rebuffs not only from the BNP but also from former President Ershad who in his time transferred the house in mid 1980s on 99 years lease to her. But Hasina as usual in her rhetoric of twists and indignity stated in the sacred floor of the Parliament that Khaleda took the house all by her own as if she forcibly took that in her adverse possession by engaging Lathials as is done for taking forcible possession of new islands commonly in the down stream delta of Bangladesh.

Unguarded talks
The veteran retired journalist of the BBC Bengali Service, Serajur Rahman, the other day, in a published item in a Dhaka Bengali daily stated absolutely clearly that Hasina hardly maintain any restrain on her tongue and speaks anything and everything whatever come to her mind without giving any cool thought on what to say and what not to say in almost any matter. That attitude is not only childish but also suicidal in multiparty politics and democracy. He gave some examples as well of her habit of suicidal loose talks. The issue in discussion was another recent clear instance of her loose talk in the matter.

Lease deed is legal document
First, Khaleda did not take the land and the residence by herself. She did not have any power as she had then been just a housewife of the slain President Zia with two young children nowhere to seek shelter even though her late husband had been an Army General and the President of the country killed brutally on official tour in Chittagong by some disgruntled and over ambitious ones. It was given to her in due process of law by the government on lease for 99 years on a token price without violation of any rule but following normal procedure in transactions of government properties with private individual like her. Being the fact settled in legal process, how could Hasina made the white lie in the floor of the sacred Parliament that Khaleda took the property by somewhat adverse possession? The whole country had then been fully in sympathy not only to her slain husband but also toward her with two young children nowhere to go and get a shelter.

P.M. Hasina grabbed Government Properties for both sisters
Could Hasina compare the lawful transfer of the plot and the medium sized Banglow with what she herself did to grab without any lawful mode of property transfer of the palatial pattern huge and much bigger government office building adjacent to the Sher E Bangla Nagar Parliament building by the Mirpur Road for herself and by grossly misusing the power of the Prime Minster? The gross misuse of power, it was then known, went further in many areas, one being that Hasina as the P.M. donated another government big building at the posh Mintoo Riad area in the same way to her sister Rehana, who already owned a big home in the posh area near London at Harrow. These silly actions of her as the P.M. proved not only her low innate ability (IQ) but also shear meanness to grab people’s property driven by the psyche of meanness that, as the BBC famous retired journalist Serajur Rahman termed rightly, BANGLADESH JENO HASINAR BAP DADAR MOUROSHI PATTAR SHAMPATTI, or in English version, Hasina got Bangladesh as if her forefathers purchased it through sale-purchase deeds.

Lease cannot be revoked until time expires
Well, the transaction for the Moinul Road property was made through valid legal instrument. The government can do nothing before the expiry of the period of 99 years. Was not Hasina aware of the legal instrument of the land and the house? How come her ignorance in the matter?

Falsehood for cheap propaganda
Hasina made another false statement in the matter. She said as I heard with my own ears that the house occupies big land measuring 8/9 Bighas! That is fantastic of Hasina that she made the area so big in her wrong estimation of the size of the land. That is nothing like the bigger area of Sena Bhaban but a medium size one story Bungalow, I knew it to be about 2-3 Bighas, as I would make evening walk around for decades until recently I broke one of my legs and cannot make any walk. The house is meant for mid level top army officer and quite old and decaying one built about fifty years ago, and so the false remark she made about the land plot must not only apologize for but also be expunged from the parliamentary proceedings record for future generation to know the exact truth and not any falsehood made by Hasina.

Poor in Arithmetical ability
Having had her comments in the matter known one must wonder if Hasina had any elementary arithmetical learning and specifically about land measurement. She did not do any math subject beyond elementary level as she went not for science studies as normally our boys and girls of higher IQ do. Further than that she failed in her class nine examination in Civics for which her politician father rebuked her along with her class teacher in late 1960s.

Crafty presentation in sacred Parliament
Hasina proved herself very crafty in the matter as she told the house that her government could built flats on the land for the six dozen or so recently martyred officers families at the late February BDR mayhem. She wished to present herself a magnanimous lady but the very statement had been a childish one that even a low IQ person would certainly catch her craftiness in it. Although Bangladesh is a densely populated country, it has still some more land even elsewhere inside the Dhaka Cantonment where flats for the bereaved families could easily be built for better accommodation of all those martyred, not only for the army officers but also others than what could be done in the small land plot by the Moinul Road.
IQ level is inborn; the Almighty decides that by Himself. Many great religions maintain that at 120 days of conception of human embryo, Ruh or Spirit is infused by order of the Great Creator, a special and specific spiritual power to human being alone and not to any other living animal. Difference in IQ of human species is a wonderful inequality between one and another human being. The difference though is a puzzle to educators, educational ability and disability is a matter that decides who to get what education and to what level decided by the teachers and educators.

IQ Issue
In advanced countries, there are established systems that can well decide pupils IQ level that in Bangladesh lack. Thus chaos in education is a common phenomenon. IQ is spread in its own natural way in population spread, not necessarily all time relevant to parental innate ability.

Experience
As a retired teacher of colleges and universities I had occasions and experience to see Bangladesh’s education for over fifty years now that high IQ boys and girls went for elite professional education and also took to those profession avoiding politics as a full time profession. A few elite professionals who entered into politics did not necessarily take to the top position but as aids to the top one. I need not specifically name anybody for the fact is clear and for also that I wish to keep his or her dignity high. The top leaders who mattered for decades were all of low IQ and not any way high. The obvious fate of the nation continued to be in shambles through street fights, and nowhere civility of democracy was in action. The more the people polled for democracy things ended up in chaos and anarchy. Should one then conclude that Bangladesh is not fit for democracy? I would not think so. What I feel very honestly that political leadership now needs at the helm of services from among high IQ persons dedicated and patriotic. Hasina does not fit in that essential requirement. Who else is another matter.

Misunderstood democracy
Democracy is not just polling though polling is an essential element Polling must follow democratic and cultured behavior of leaders elected to transact relevant business in the parliament. That is only a part and not the whole of democracy. The other essentials are equality before law, consideration for others, fellow feeling in compassionate manner in the spirit of fraternity, respect for each and every individual, no matter high or low but as fellow equal citizen. Leadership, in addition, must have a sincere and honest feeling to be manifestly humble based on high moral values and not haughty. Such qualities cannot be inbuilt in one’s psyche much less inculcated overnight. But there is no substitute for these qualities. The option otherwise has only brought unforgivable meanness of the meanest of the mean.

Reprimand
That her meanness in unguarded words of the worst kind at times had been well recorded even by the eminent lawyers and the jurists so much so that she had been reprimanded twice by the highest court of Bangladesh. Such examples of loose talks and reprimand did not enhance prestige of the country, much less Hasina’s. But unfortunately when the very low IQ ones rides over the top of the pinnacle of State power, the country is bound to suffer, and so is the ill fate of Bangladesh began in 2009. Only the Almighty can save us and none else, much less none of the low IQ ones in top leadership.

Author: M.T. Hussain

General Hasan out as Sheikh Hasina in

The obvious happened
Many had rightly predicted Hasina’s taking over as the P.M. of Bangladesh meant Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) Chairman Hasan’s out three months ago. The hunch came true in about three months time. This time was a gestation period of mutual knowing and hunching about points for possible accommodation. But accommodation of some worth failed in little less than three months.

The General took unusually long time to quit
The point I wish to make first of all is that General Mashud took rather longer time to get the final exit. The long gestation period taken, I would suppose, the general took to present him polite.

Awami League style Corruption Bonanza
If we stick to the point of corruption alone, Awami League on both previous occasions in 1972-75 for three and a half years and 1996-2001 for five years had been notoriously marked by corruption of unprecedented genre. The term, ‘corruption bonanza’, I came across from a London daily in 1975 was a popular one for the widespread corruption then remained in wide practice in post independence Bangladesh.

Ring leaders in corruption
The ring leaders of corruptions happened to be the ruling party leaders, their cadres, supporters in various organizations from the main party body to other groups-labors, farmers, businessmen, youth forums, student’s unit leaders etc. The areas of corruption ranged from simple rent seeking from various individuals, groups, businessmen, small shopkeepers, traders, transport system etc. One major area of corruption was smuggling across the international border mainly with India across the Bangladesh border. The border smuggling happened to be a very lucrative trade. BDR guards supposed to guard the border areas, but many dishonest ones maintained collusion for mutual gain with the smugglers. Patronage of smuggling by political leaders and workers not only provided them booty but also made smuggling easier. Political patronage in other issues like rent seeking by groups was also a source of income by political leaders and of party funds. As the Awami League happened to be the first political party to rule and run independent Bangladesh they had been in advantageous position to seek and make money not only for the party but also for many leaders and workers. Main leaders considered it nothing wrong, because, they needed money not only for personal need for working for the party activities but also for the party to run and for many programs. In any free democracy philanthropists and well-wishers believing in party goals and activities fund political parties.

Ideological sham
Politics is no doubt an ideal worth pursuing by some intelligent men and women for establishing human welfare in society. In pre-independence period, politics remained a noble work for higher ideal. In Bangladesh, however, politics hardly remained anything noble and for achieving any ideal but a work to make fortune by the unemployed lot. As poverty of millions remained as ever a major factor in Bangladesh politics, the unemployed youth flocked to party cadres and workers, the educated unemployed providing leadership of the youths, particularly in colleges and universities. These youths needed money for themselves and for their activities. But no party has enough funds to provide the leaders with money. That is why they went out for rent seeking, tendering for government works, etc. for earning money. Party in power facilitated these sourcing of earning money. To certain extent such works might be tolerable but when they went for total fraud in tendering or fraud in works, it turned unethical and immoral. At times when the case of booty was substantial and big the whole matter turned sour even leading to murder of not only of opponents in broad daylight but also of comrades, and in such cases even the so-called ‘charismatic’ leader became helpless. Whether the leader also shared some booty remained a matter of mystery. I don’t mean though that each and every politician seeks share of booty from the younger activists earning money through illicit and illegal means.

Funding of parties in advanced countries
I must admit here though that political parties in advanced democracies as well seek and get donations for running parties from among the well wishers and supporters of the party concerned. The difference though is that in advanced plural democracies funding is more or less open and accountable in legal frame. The additional important issue in those pluralistic societies is that rent seeking is not done for personal use of such money. None needs to do so, because, even the unemployed lot have their own regular subsistence income from the State treasury in terms of dole money, unemployment benefit cash receipts, etc. The political workers in the main work for ideology, not to earn for living, if not wholly for no self interest.

My own experience
I started to teach in a college beginning in 1958, and all went quite smoothly. The period from early 1972 to mid 1974 had been for myself a period of total disgust in almost all activities of various units of the ruling party. My own students with whom I enjoyed best of relations earlier soured so much so that some of them from the ruling party not only continued to intimidate me for my strictness in academic matters such as one preventing them from GONOTOKATUKI or mass copying in examinations so much so that they even made ploys to kill me. Allah only saved me from their knives and arms. Thus when I took leave of the job and finally leaving Dhaka for London in mid 1974 never knowing that I would come back, I prayed to Allah that if the thugs and the kind of top leader be alive let me not come back again here. The Almighty, I am sure, had accepted my specific prayer, and I came back not before the leader fell in mid August 1975.
Later on, talking about the corruption of the period, a former freedom fighter told me that the corruption bonanza was initiated right then by the leader. He told me further that in early 1972 in a meeting at the old Dhaka Siddiq Bazar Community Centre, when he asked the leader for advising the cadres for restrain from illegal rent seeking, the leader instantly rebuked him in these words, ‘AMAR SELERA SHOTERO BOSOR KISU KHETE PAINI EKHON NA HOI KISU KHACHHE TATE TOR CHOK TATAI KENO’, in English version the remark of the leader may be like this, my boys had been earning nothing for last seventeen years after 1954, now that they are making something, why should you frown at them! For understanding the nature of network of the corruption bonanza the instance should speak enough about initiation of the evil network of the period 1972-75.

The clan’s involvement
The period, in addition, had not only rent seekers from among the clan of the leader including particularly his eldest son Sheikh Kamal, nephew Moni etc. but also there were instances that Kamal, in particular, would resort the bank robbery, as well. Kamal’s tormenting the Dhaka University beautiful girl students was another fearful matters for many guardians. One of my friend’s youngest beautiful sisters soon after her admission in the first year in philosophy department at the DU had to flee the country with her husband to London to save herself from Kamal’s snare of lust. That the same Kamal forcibly married the athlete daughter of the university Engineer against the will of the family and of the girl remained a matter of talking point at that time in early 1970s.

Rent seeking of other parties
Rent seeking by political cadres of other parties is nothing of uncommon. But the crucial point is that they all got germinated from the parent party, Awami League, the champions of the period 1972-75.

Some accounts of leaders money in foreign banks
Although Bangladesh was labeled as the International Basket Case by the renowned personality like US Secretary of State Dr. Henry Kissinger in the first term of the Awami rule, some of their stalwarts had enough money transferred and deposited in bank accounts of foreign countries including India. The Red Cross Chief of Bangladesh Gazi Golam Mustafa, a close associate of the top leader, was known to have Taka one hundred crore or 1000 million deposited in Indian banks. Unfortunately he and his wife died there in Indian soil in a ‘car accident’. Some other had Taka 4,000 million deposited in Swiss banks of which I knew in London media in 1975 that some inheritance was untraceable but some had then been alive and enjoying the money deposited there. As for the Mustafa’s money in Indian bank after the couples’ death in ‘accident’, no specific inheritance information I could have.

The world champion of 1996-2001
The champions had another opportunity after 21 years and so had hey days during Hasina’s first term for five years of 1996-2001. To make the long story short we may cite one example here. The Transparency International (TI) Dhaka unit started to make studies in financial corruption in late 1990s. They produced its first report about corruption index of one year published in mid 2000 A.D. that ranked Bangladesh as the most corrupt country among about 100 countries, developed and developing. The report might not have been full proof to be fully credible, but the indexes the TI used had been scientifically satisfactory. That was Hasina’s period in the fourth year of her rule of Bangladesh. Soon after the TI report was published, Hasina without taking the issue from inside if there had been loopholes, insufficiencies, inadequacies or other weaknesses of the document, she went on making wild rhetoric just only for bashing the TI and its country chairman professor Dr. Muzaffor Ahmad in the Parliament floor and so did for long 27 minutes. That proved two things in particular. That she had no power of comprehension what a scientific study document means and two, she proved herself, as in Bengali proverb, ‘THAKUR GHARE KERE AMI KOLA KHAI NA’ or in English, who’s there in the pantry-kitchen (asked the pantry man), I don’t take banana here at the pantry (came the reply from the pantry). The rebuking of the renowned Professor reminded me of the 2nd Janauary1975 fact wherein Hasina’s father in his typical harsh loud voice boasted in the same parliament floor, ‘KOTHAI AZ SERAJ SIKDER’ that in English version could be, where is today now Seraj Sikder, soon after the left leader but a brilliant Engineer Seraj Sikder had been brutally killed while in police custody by the leader’s special police squad. The boasting meant that he was not only elated by the news of the killing but also he had hand in the killing. One may recall here the fact that the Prime Minster daughter of the same person in late 1996 had given publicly open order to her cadres from among her opponents in reprisal killing of ‘ten for one’ of their own! That very fact of past history now should suffice to treat her as a psychic case that also the learned Judiciary of the country had earlier on warned her about twice to restrain her tongue lest that be unbecoming of any responsible citizen, much less the P.M.

Ominous Signal
The resignation of the ACC Chairman at this stage on the 2nd April before expiry of the two more years of his contract can in no way be anything except a serious ominous signal not only to the chairman but also to the commission itself. The resignation of the ACC chairman and removal of two other officers without the consent of the Chairman are certainly ominous sign that the commission would not remain neutral, particularly, in matters of the Party in power and the leaders in question for any amount of possible neutrality as the ACC had been promised to be and people as well expected to have for containing corruption of the big shots of Bangladesh including of the corrupt politicians. Hasina can’t afford to have any body except a yes man there as the ACC Chairman as she has been resolutely pursuing in total politicization of the bureaucracy, administration, academics, etc. Who would in the politicization fascist scenario dare to pursue the 15 corruption cases that have been lying against her?

Next Chairman of the ACC
The next Chairman of the ACC is known to get appointment soon from among the Supreme Court Judges. That would apparently be a credible matter. But given the kind of Hasina’s unstable psyche as her husband Dr Wazed vouchsafed some time ago and also that the High Court reprimanded her twice, how far the new Chairman would be able to stand to neutrality remains a matter to be seen in the immediate future, particularly, in the 15 corruption cases lying against her, less than one of her father’s as I knew in Pakistan period. One of my relations, a DSP, had been the Investigation Officer (I.O.) and renowned Barrister Suhrawardy and equally renowned senior advocate Abdus Salam Khan defended him in their best of expertise in those and other corruption cases. However, everything was lost in oblivion not for the poor merits of the cases but for the political turmoil of late 1960s.

Uphill task
I do not say anything here to defend the former ACC Chairman General Mashud as I am not sure if he did not do any mistake during the period on two years run of the ACC for the uphill task of corruptions he had ahead of him to take cognizance of and do something to reduce or minimize the national evil.

Author: Dr.M.T. Hussain

Let Sheikh Mujib rest in peace in the grave

Esteem or ignominy:
Sheikh Hasina’s Government decision taken on the 30th March that the portrait of Sheikh Mujib must be displayed from now on in all government offices, educational institutions, etc along with the portrait of the head of the government has once again been an attempt not to keep him in esteem but to put the prominent person to fresh ignominy.

Mujib’s bigness and smallness:
Sheikh Mujib, Hasina’s loving late father, was no doubt a big personality in late twentieth century politics of Pakistan and Bangladesh. His prominence is, however, marked by both laudable credits on the one hand and huge blames on the other. Possibly, politicians can hardly escape two aspects of such credentials. In case of Mujib, it was not just a case of credits and blames as any politician would have, it is further than that, because, he was some what an exceptional person who divided the people more than uniting in post seventy one Bangladesh period, despite the fact and credit in his score was that he united the people of former East Pakistan in pre-1971 period though for a very short period. That may well be taken as a proof by itself that he happened to be a rabble rouser rather than a sensible politician much less a statesman, like, for example, George Washington the founding father of the USA.

Brute majority yet minority seeking allegiance through creating fear psychosis:
First, I dare say that the government took the decision not only by force of the brute majority they enjoy in the parliament but also in evil scheming by spreading a fear psychosis among the people in the country that Hasina, in particular, should have had restrained her ego and love for her slain father imposing on all to love like herself the lost icon against the free will of millions, and in fact the majority people. I say majority in the sense that even though her party got the absolute majority in the parliament seats on the 29th December election result, her party polled only popular votes or people’s support to the extent of not more than 47%, if the frauds in polling would not be taken into account. To explain the result in another way, it is right to say that the 53% of the voters or the majority people did not lend support to her and the Awami League. Will these majority people take it as pleasant the portrait of Mujib hung and displayed at spots the government have ordered to do? Not in any measure.

Lofty promises and obvious illusion:
Second, Hasina has got the huge votes in the 29th December polls for she had personally promised the peaks of everything that the millions of average common poor people could think of not for high ability of perception but for low level of below average perception. Things are unfolding sooner than latter. Tk. 10 per Kg. of rice is far away from anything. The slight fall in price of cereals- rice and wheat- has already started to bite the farmers adversely by so low price that they are loosing incentive to produce both rice and wheat. The equilibrium of free market would in no way be anything for rice near to Tk. 10 per Kg., despite fall in those prices in the international market primarily for recession all over the world. The effect of economic recession on Bangladesh would be more disastrous for the millions of unemployed and extremely poor people than its effects on the common people in advanced countries.

Recession and vengeance:
Third, the adverse effects of recession would further add to political issues prominent at this stage like the terrorized administration in politicization and settling scores in open vengeance.

Party affiliated students on the vicious rampage and illegal money making:
Fourth, rent seeking by students and booty division among themselves of the youth wings of the party in power has already taken huge proportion so much so that for bigger share of portions of booty they have gone on killing even their own party comrades. The Dhaka Medical College incident of the 30th March is a worst example wherein the infighting factions engaged in fight killing a brilliant student of Dhaka Medical College, no where we have example of the carnage in any civilized country, not even in less developed countries like India. But for their support in the main political party hierarchy such inhuman atrocities could not have been orchestrated and so the top boss cannot escape liability.

Awami League’s old score against Islamic/Muslim polity:
Fifth, Awami’s political score against Islam and committed Muslims are as old as their black fascist history for the last six decades. Having had the brute majority strength in the parliament they have opened fronts for attacks not only against the Islamic and Muslim nationalist political parties but also against the Qaomi Madarassa. Soon after she made some replacement with more loyal in the police and the RAB, they discovered very smartly arms factory in an orphanage cum Madarassa in the far-flung area in the island of Bhola in the Bay of Bengal!

Colonial Police’s evil mode of operation:
I recall my experience of being arrested by police from a gathering in Dhaka in 1978 wherein in the case against me the police charged me with five cases, one of them was that I had attacked them with deadly arms. I had no arms in my possession, not even a knife. On the contrary, they beat me like anything with sticks and riffle butts that I could hardly stand had it not been that another junior colleague in empathy for me jammed in between the policemen beating my actual physique and me. My sad experience was that they had on the contrary took away my Roamer wrist watch, eye glass and my money bag as I can recall today after 31 years from my possession by overpowering me in the scene when I fell down on the ground and for a little while I was unconscious.

Experience with London police:
In contrast, I also recall my experience with London police in 1987. One day I was waiting for a friend at the entrance of my Burton Street residence in central London with a plastic shopping bag full of books to return to the university library. In about five minutes of my standing there I saw two British gentlemen rushed to me and showed their ID cards; they were police in plain cloths. They asked my permission to check inside my shopping bag that I did. They both in about a second finished looking into the bag and apologized to me for the inconvenience and then went off hurriedly. I recalled here my own contrasting experience of the police system here in the British colonial set up and the in Britain itself. I have thus every doubt about the Bhola Madarassa case. The is further proved by the fact that the government, as the news is there today (2 April) that the government is contemplating to put total control on the 40.000 Qaomi Madarassa of Bangladesh that never ever the governments of the past three eras (The British, Pakistan and Bangladesh) did in any way interfere with. There is also a valid opinion that the ‘terrorists’ are there more in colleges and universities rather than in the Qaomi Madarassas.

Sermon on ‘conspiracies’:
Sixth, the sermon lately coming from the horse’s mouth is that ‘conspiracies’ are hatched to destabilize the government. We don’t know, her intelligence team would know better and feeding her with. A renowned journalist based in London made a hunch that she has been hatching conspiracies to once gain introduce lone party system as in her father’s style of BAKSAL to be reinforced by another RAKKHI BAHINI, at the expense of the formal military can not be altogether ruled out at this point in time in early April 2009. She has the brute majority to do that at ease just as her father did in late January 1975. Unfortunately he did not survive long after that draconian change from the multi-party to the lone party one, off course, there were many other suicidal issues that led to his unfortunate downfall within seven months of resorting to the misadventure. His high popularity in the past came to be of no use, because, the people had already rejected him as anything of worth. His worthlessness possibly was best described after Mujib’s fall by the renowned British journalist Anthony Mascarenhas, ‘It would have been dangerous to let him continue as he had already turned a huge liability.’

People’s memory short taken advantage of:
Seventh, people’s memory is very short. The Awami League takes this advantage now on in 2009. They are telling us that Mujib was killed by some ‘miscreants’ or ‘misguided’ few in the Bangladesh Army. Sheikh Hasina, as she is notoriously known for making and manufacturing falsehoods after falsehood, has been telling the present generation that Mujib had been an angel of the exceptional pristine quality. She has been utilizing people’s short memory on the on hand and propaganda galore by the lackey media on the other, hugely propagated by the bully boys or cadres who had already been told to ‘kill ten for one killed’ in reprisal.

Extra judicial killings and unnatural deaths during Mujib’s rule:
Eighth, extra judicial killings and unnatural deaths of thousands in the streets of Dhaka and in many rural areas during the hay days of the Mujib’s lone man fascist administration and of his cadres illegal fortune making in the opportune days of common people’s suffering between 1972 to 1975 is a well documented history of Bangladesh. Mujib’s clans not only made illegal fortunes through looting national properties but also at the same time transferred those fortunes in dollars and pounds in the western world banks, not to speak of Indian banks. The Red Cross Chairman and a henchman of Mujib Gazi Golam Mustafa had Taka 100 Crore or 1000 million in Indian banks alone. Others had Taka 400 crore or 4000 million in the Swiss banks, not excluding in the share of Mujib himself. One may inquire the matter even now and also see how after her father’s death she continued to withdraw money from there. Is there any one in this country who would dare to ask her about the Swiss bank affair? Who paid for her bills for the lavish tours in Europe and America in the recent years?

Who paid for whose bills?
Ninth, who paid for the home Mujib had at Dhanmondi in Pakistan time when his father worked as a peshkar (promoted from the post of record supplier) in a District court? Did Mujib get any fortune from his maternal Uncle’s side? Would any one know about Mujib’s maternal grand father/maternal uncle? Who paid for Dr. Wazed’s luxurious home in Dhanmondi? Was that all from his paltry sum wage as a scientist? What legal and known earning profession Hasina had at any time of her lifetime? People’s short memory should at least ponder about these questions I raised here.

Calcutta’s ‘Charity Boy’:
Tenth, I don’t intend in any way to ridicule one’s poverty, because, wealth and poverty are two sides of the same coin and of the wish of the Great Creator. But we have to honest about facts of life. Mujib had been a charity boy in Kolkatta in early 1940s mainly supported by Huseyn Shahid Sohrawardy. Even at time he had hard times. One day in Kolkata (then Calcutta) he grabbed a senior friends of mine in his pocket and only one Taka therein, he took that away saying ‘TOMRA NASTA KHEECHOAMITO KISUI KHAINI”. My friend did not take his saying otherwise and rather in empathy for him hailed him to take that one Taka, and so he did take the NASHTA. His admission in the Islamia College (now Maolana Azad College) had been possible because of Sohrawardy and some other Muslim League leaders’ sympathetic attention to him as a worker of the League. His appearing at the Final B.A. Examination is another story in fraud and cheat in evil association with some others we may discuss elsewhere.

Imputed value, not real market price:
Eleventh, Taking advantage of people’s short memory, Mujib has been given some imputed vale recently and now that he did not possess. One such is that he dreamt for and sacrificed his life for the welfare of the people of Bangladesh. This assertion has no substance whatsoever. First, he did not wish to have independent Bangladesh, but a federating autonomous unit with Federal Pakistan. That is why he rather surrendered to the federal army on the night of 25th March 1971 having had refused to declare UDI for Bangladesh and much less lead the war of independence. There are enough of evidences on this psyche of Mujib. Whoever puts the contrary value is rather putting imaginary imputed value. One instance could suffice the point. Mujib disagreed with Tajuddin on the matter of secession of East Pakistan even in de facto Bangladesh in post 1971 period that he not only removed soon from the Ministry but also caged him in prison.

Mujib was not a secessionist:
Twelfth, that is why Mujib must not be given the stigma of being a secessionist that he time and again ridiculed the issue. It is as such befitting that no decorative value should be imputed to his memory in his absence that I am certain would hurt his soul in the afterworld and dampen his peace in the grave.

The matter needs to be seriously pondered by Hasina, whether she has the right sense and understanding being absolved in deep emotion is another matter of serious concern.

London’s incident on the 15th August 1975:
I may mention here an incident in London of the 15th August 1975, the day marked Mujib’s fall from the State power in Dhaka. The incident was a matter of big ignominy of Mujib so much so that his portrait in London High Commission office at the 28 Queens Gate was not only thrown down with contempt in pavements but also kicked by some his own men repeatedly until that was broken to pieces that the BBC TV displayed in the TV screen. I watched the scene myself at the 1 pm news in London (I had then been staying in London). Should there be another similar ignominy fall on the soul who left us all long over three decades ago? Could any one make sure the same story would not be repeated once more in some days ahead? Should Hasina put Mujib at all to fresh ignominy and indignity or to let him rest in his grave at Tungipara in peace?

Author: M.T Hussain

For Fair and Neutral Investigation

I noted earlier that many like me sincerely felt and opened minds that there could be no credible neutral investigation as long as the Home Minster and some of her close associates stayed in position in the ministry. That is why removal of the stalwarts from the Ministry was a must. In addition, appointment of and constitution of the enquiry committee by retired neutral judges was another logically crucial issue for the enquiry report to be credible and acceptable to the people as fair and neutral. The government heeded not to the basic point of crucial importance. Possibly the obvious is in sight. First the report is not expected soon, if at all be made public, that in itself would add to skepticism. Secondly, there are already reports in the press that laid credence to our initial hunch and skepticism about fairness and credibility of the enquiry committee report.
Among few dailies of Dhaka, one had a report published on the 1st April like this.
“ The law enforcement agencies identified the names which are Home Minister Sahara Khatun, State Minister for Local Government and Rural Development (LGRD) and Cooperatives Jahangir Kabir Nanak, Awami League Leader Muhiddin Khan Alamgir, Dhanmondi-Hazaribag M.P. Barrister Fazle Noor Tapash and Mirza Azam.
The BDR mutineers held talks several times with the local MP Tapash.
The mutineers reportedly held talks with the leaders between 11 am and 3 pm on February 25.”
If one would believe all these points, not the whole of others, one can not escape the conclusion that the mutineers had been in contact with the Awami League leaders of importance and prominence. How long is only a matter of anybody’s intelligent guess. It is thus reasonably required that these persons must be grilled by the investigating persons concerned for unearthing facts for truth of the matter.
Now the question must arise, could they be grilled unless and until they resign from their positions in the ruling party and in the Government? Not, at all.
It is as such time more than fully ripe now that they must all resign from their individual positions in the party and the Government and then face grilling as ordinary citizens for the enquiry to be neutral and credible.
Advocate Sahara Khatun, additionally, should among other points face questioning for the fact that she ran to visit the cottage of one Shamsu Pagla somewhere near Munshiganj immediately after the BDR carnage that in a way may well be taken as a response to her guilty conscience about the BDR carnage of 25-26 February. To what extent is another matter.
I had personal information from a very reliable source that MP Fazley Noor Tapash, a close nephew of P.M. Sheikh Hasina, stayed with her at the time the carnage had been going on, and at some point he planned to flee to India. What is the real truth?
I have another report from an email in which one well known scholar and researcher Sunita Paul stated that on the 27th February Hasina’s son Joy suddenly dashed to Dubai and handed in thick envelopes at the Dubai airport to some fleeing BDR men likely to be involved in the carnage. What the thick envelope contained is anybody’s guess. His dashing immediately to Dubai was another matter of doubt. Sunita Paul’s long and informative item about the BDR carnage is openly available and can be searched by anyone. There is as such a crucial need to take Joy into custody and grill him in Dhaka by all the three committees now working.
I am afraid, if these persons are not taken into custody and relevant facts are not extracted from them, the committee reports would in all likely be not credible.

Author: Dr. M.T. Hussain

Reason and Revelation both Needed for Wholesome Personality

There is a tendency of belief followed by propaganda among a section of people that the revealed Holy Quran and human reasoning is not compatible. The section further intends to maintain the idea that human reason stands for secular education and learning based on revelation is what Madarasa education is in Bangladesh. The idea and explanation given are, I am afraid, not correct.

There is nothing to say against that reason provides base for secular learning. That however does not always mean that secular education system is essentially devoid of any revealed knowledge in learning contents. During the British colonial rule in the Indian subcontinent people knew first about secular modern education. Even so, there were contents for some revealed learning in school syllabuses, not only relevant for the Muslim learners but also for other religious students in schools relevant to their individual beliefs originated in family systems. In advanced Europe some countries do not have any religious education and some have in school curricula. But study of evangelism and religion is common at the highest level in universities. Such religious degree holders also known as having ‘studies in divinity’ fill up positions of church hierarchy in almost all countries in Europe and America.

In the Indian subcontinent, it was the Muslim rulers since about the 8th century onwards, introduced the education system of their own of the Medina model of the seventh century A.C. that in all features had been the modern education having secular learning as well as revealed knowledge integrated into one whole. In fact, the Holy Quran provides the line up. The Prophet of the Muslims in the modern constitutional State of Medina initiated the system that combined secular learning integrated with spiritual knowledge that the revealed knowledge of the Holy Quran provided the foundation. The Muslims got along with the integrated system of learning and knowledge until they adversely fell to the colonialists. Thus colonization, among many hazards, forced secular education upon the Muslims that at the first instance many rejected and some accepted as a fait accompli.

It may be discussed here the point that human entity being not only a physical expression having natural beastly instincts, but as well, a spiritual person, it is only befitting that human education and learning must consist of both elements, physical worldly or secular and spiritual. This is exclusive to human being and not to other living animals. That is how man turns not only rational but also can become superior to all living creations.

The Holy Quran repeatedly tells the readers to think deeply over serious issues. The reasoning faculty is what is called, according to the great Muslim philosopher Imam Gazzali, as AQLIA or perceptive knowledge. As is well admitted by persons of knowledge, power of human reasoning is a limited faculty conditioned by limits of five senses - seeing by eyes, hearing through ears, smelling by nose, tastes by tongue and sense perceptivity of skin. Intuition though acknowledged as a part of human knowledge but not within the reach of sense perception but beyond. What is that ‘beyond’? What is the limit and dimension? Nothing is specific, much less so bound by sense perception. The revealed knowledge in all likely is connected to intuitive knowledge.

So far as the Holy Quran is concerned as a repository of revealed knowledge, it’s central point is the Lone and Absolutely Powerful Creator, and the relative and subservient position of all creations, not excluding human being, the best of all creations integrated into it both physical and spiritual elements, in relation to the Great Creator.

Human being need be nourished from early childhood for both faculties, secular and spiritual, not for without good reason but for making him/her a wholesome human being. The wholesome human being may be termed as anything like good and righteous human being, a human being of TAQWA or of self-restraint behavior or as what the renowned Muslim Philosopher of the 20th century, Allama Iqbal labeled as the INSAN E QAMIL or the perfect human being.

Perfection is an ideal not necessarily could be fully attained, but worth trying for. Such trying is first of all for self, then onto family needs and for greater utility of society he or she is a member. In other words, one may say that each and every human being must have training for becoming a useful member not only for self but also for the family and the society.

Secular learning alone can socialize none to be caring member of the society but only in making somewhat /eccentric self-seekers. It is the spiritual learning based on revealed knowledge that can do the rest of the job for making wholesome caring human endowed with affection, love, empathy, consideration for others etc. that all peaceful human society must have.

The Prophet of Islam initiated for the first time in human history at the beginning of the seventh century A.C. for training of human being to have balanced citizens trained in both secular and spiritual faculties based on the revealed store of knowledge in the Holy Quran. That is history and is nothing of any fiction. Whether the Muslims at this time of the beginning of the 21st century has been pursuing or not the same training mode and education process or curricula is a different matter that all Muslims must ponder about with all seriousness for better education and a better different world just as the Holy Prophet had set on to build then long ago one and a half a millennium years.

Author: M.T. Hussain

Bangladesh: Manipulation of BDR massacre probe

Barrister Abdur Razzak, a leader of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami received written notice from Investigation Officer with Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Abdul Kahar Akhand asking Razzak to appear before the investigation officer for interrogation in connection to Bangladesh Riffles (BDR) massacre case.

It may be mentioned here that, Kahar Akhand is known in Bangladesh as he was the investigation officer of Bangabandhu murder case and Jail killing case. He was warned by the highest judiciary in the country for his lack of experience in investigating the cases.

Kahar, basically a loyalist of the ruling party was brought back to service on contract basis from retirement. He has ´high reputation´ of twisting various investigations to meet the taste of the ruling party. He is one of the very few officers in Bangladesh Police, who has direct access via cell phone to both the Prime Minister and the Home Minister. For such ´high connection´, Kahar shows damn-care attitude towards his senior officers while continues to misbehave with all the junior officers in the police department as well in CID.

The present rulers in Dhaka especially assigned their own man like Kahar Akhand as the chief investigator of the BDR massacre case, as they knew, this officer will do everything in finally setting out all the names of Awami League men behind this notorious crime, thus putting several opposition leaders and figures as the accused. Since his appointment as the chief investigator of the case, Kahar Akhand is in constant contact with the Home Minister and several influential leaders in the ruling party.

Top level in the government has reportedly given repeated instructions to Kahar Akhand in entangling some leaders from Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Jamaat and some Islamist forces like Hizb Ut Tahrir etc. He also has been suggested to ´discover´ militant connection to this sensitive case.

When Awami League leader Torab Ali Akhand was arrested in connection to this case and was interrogated by several intelligence agencies, including CID, it was crystal clear to the investigators that the ruling party and some opposition leaders played dirty role in giving instigation and patronization to the bloody massacre. Such message was secretly communicated to the high-ups in the government. Hearing such information from Abdul Kahar Akhand, high-command in the ruling Grand Alliance has strongly instructed him to ´do something in turning the matter to another direction or face severe consequence´.

CID officer Abdul Kahar Akhand already knows the case of Muhidul Islam Muhit, who is the plaintiff of Bangabandhu murder case. Muhit was the Assistant Personal Secretary to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and was on duly at the residence of the founding father of Bangladesh during the black night of brutal assassination of him and other members of Bangabandhu´s family.

Muhit was found in a poor economic condition in Jessore after Awami League formed government in 1996. He was picked up by the government and was encouraged to lodge the case. Abdul Kahar Akhand was introduced to Muhit from the very first hour, for preparing the First Information Report (FIR) as well as statement for the investigation into this case.

Muhit received more than 3 residential plots and substantial amount of money from Awami League for agreeing to become the plaintiff of the case. This case changed the life of this poor man, who ultimately sold out all the plots, which were secretly allocated in his name to the owners of Akij Group of Companies in Bangladesh.

Abdul Kahar Akhand knows that, if he will be able to serve the purpose of the ruling party, his next few years in the contract-based job in police service will be extremely bright. He will be compensated in diversified ways. But, if he will ignore instructions from the high-command of the ruling party, he not only will lose the job, but his life will also be in extreme danger.

With such tendency in mind, Akhand has successfully saved Torab Ali from making confessional statement to the Metropolitan Magistrate under section 164. It is even claimed that, Torab Ali, instead of being interrogated, is enjoying comfortable time inside the CID headquarters in Dhaka. At the instruction of influential figures in the government, Abdul Kahar Akhand in ensuring all possible comfort to this confirmed collaborator of the BDR massacre.

And, according to latest news, the ´Walkie-Talkie´ minister in the present government in Dhaka, Lt. Col. (Retired) Faruk Khan told reporters that the probe report shall be made public “within a week”. This is the fifth extension of the time limit set for the report.

According to various scoops, the investigators have so far identified a number of points and questions in identifying culprits behind the massacre. These points or questions are:

1. What was the intelligence report sent to the Prime Minister on February 25 in the early morning as acknowledged by the PM in the parliament,

2. What was the last conversation between Major General Shakil Ahmed and the Prime Minister on February 25,

3. Why the PM regretted her attendance to the dinner on February 26,

4. Who instructed announcement from the nearby mosques on February 25 and 26 asking local residents near BDR headquarters to move to a safe distance,

5. Why Lt. Col. Mukit sent fax messages from the BDR headquarters on February 25 evening against army and the BDR´s director general,

6. Why members of police and RAB were not deployed within gate number 5, through which the mutineers fled,

7. Why the PM assigned Nanak and Azam at 1:00 pm., after 4 hours of she heard about the mutiny,

8. Why names and identities of the delegation of mutineers, who met the PM were not registered at the entrance of the PM´s residence,

9. Mutiny leader DAD Towhid told the PM about the murder of director general of BDR and some other officers when he met her with his team. But, why this matter was kept secret by the government till February 26 evening,

10. Why Bangladesh TV was not showing anything about the mutiny or even news scroll, although the issue was being covered by all private channels,

11. Why the mutineers were terming the PM as “amader netri” (our leader),

12. Why some mutineers were chanting Awami League´s party slogan ´Joy Bangla´ while they were talking to the press,

13. There had been several overseas incoming calls inside the BDR headquarters during the massacre. Investigators are trying to find the callers,

14. Why Prime Minister´s son Sajib Wajed Joy came to Dubai on February 27 to meet some of the fleeing mutineers,

15. Why Joy handed over thick envelops to each of the fleeing mutineers at the Dubai airport,

16. Why Joy made critical remarks on Bangladesh Army and made army liable for the mutiny during interview with various international media,

17. Why Sajib Wajed Joy has been instructed by her mother not to come to Bangladesh before the investigation issue is over,

18. Why influential members of the government phoned certain foreign government asking help in case Bangladesh Army revolts against the ruling party,

19. Why Awami League leader Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir tried to flee the country on February 27,

20. Why minister Faruk Khan said, militants have penetrated in law enforcing and disciplined forces in Bangladesh,

21. Why the government is trying to keep the Inspector General of Police, whose son-in-law was murdered during the mutiny and daughter held hostage, is kept aloof from the investigation process,

22. Why the newly appointed commissioner of police warned the English medium and missionary schools and educational institutions of possible militant attack without any reason,

23. Why the PM did not allow the army to storm in to the BDR headquarters to rescue the officers and their family members,

24. What the CID team were removing from the BDR headquarters in the name of collecting ´evidence´,

25. What type of evidences were removed by the members of police when they were assigned to guard the BDR headquarters almost for more than 30 hours,

26. Why the Home Minister and other members of the ruling Alliance were visiting the BDR headquarters during dark hours of February 26, much after the surrender,

27. Why Awami League student wing leader Liakat Sikder is hiding since the massacre,

28. Why Awami League and its activists are continuing to demand trial of killers and their collaborators in civil courts instead of Court Martial,

29. Why a section of pro-Awami League journalists are continuing indirect campaign against army as well demanding trial in civil court,

30. Why the ruling party is echoing the voice of Indian media and especially the editorial commentary in The Statesman.

Reply to all these questions will surely help investigators in finding the truth and identifying the culprits. But, it is a big question as to whether the ruling party is willing to let a neutral investigation continue, which may go ultimately against many of the heavy-weights within their home.

Bangladeshi people are getting united with the demand of proper investigation and exemplary punishment to the perpetrators and collaborators of this extreme heinous crime. Anger within the armed forces is boiling like eruptive volcano. Members of the armed forces and those bereaved families can never forgive the killers and the collaborators.

People in power in Dhaka should understand this clearly!

Author: Sunita Paul

Source: http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/view/96420

CID investigation : Awami big shots found talking to BDR rebels

The law enforcement agencies found some ruling party leaders’ direct conversations with the BDR mutineers over mobile phone after examining the mobile phone call lists of the detained BDR jawans on February 25-26 at Peeklkhana.

The law enforcement agencies identified the names which are Home Minister Sahara Khatun, State Minister for Local Government and Rural Development (LGRD) and Cooperatives Jahangir Kabir Nanak, Awami League leader Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir, Dhamnondi-Hazaribagh MP Barrister Fazlee Noor Taposh and Mirza Azam.

The BDR mutineers held talks several times with the local MP Taposh.

The mutineers reportedly held talks with the leaders between 11:00 am to 3:00pm on February 25.

At least 820 BDR personnel and five civilians have been shown arrested to date for their alleged involvement in the mutiny.

Law enforcement agencies investigated the mobile numbers of more than 35 BDR personnel.

At least 10 BDR personnel had talked to the ruling party leaders over mobile phone. And 5 detained BDR personnel confessed to the law enforcement agencies that they held talks to one MP and another former MP about their demands.

Law enforcement agencies found that that DAD Touhid, Jawan Salim, Jawan Mofiz, Havilder Obaidul with other 10 BDR jawans held talks with the AL leaders.

Source said BDR Jawan Salim reportedly talked to MP Taposh at about 11: 00 am on the day of occurrence.

Investigation team found Nanak and Taposh mobile numbers from the Cell phone of Jawan Salim.

From 2:00 pm to 2:30 pm on 25 February DAD Touhid talks with the Home Minister Sahara Khatun. Touhid had also talk with Nanak, Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir and Mirza Azam over cell phone.

DAD Touhid also had talks with the Home Minister and the state minister for LGRD minister 20 to 25 times on 25 February at about 10 pm to 3pm.

Investigation officers of the BDR preferring mutiny anonymity told the New Nation that they found names of the AL leaders and BDR personnel after verification from the mobile phone operators.

But the AL leaders did not talk before the 25 February, he added.

Jawan Salim told the investigation officers that they took the Taposh’s Mobile phone number from the detrained Torab Ali.

Earlier on Monday Criminal Investigation Department (CID) questioned Jamaat-e-Islami leader Barrister Abdur Razzak for more than three hours in connection with the February 25-26 massacre at BDR headquarters.

Nesarul Arif, police superintendent of the CID and in charge of the case, said yesterday that more people might be required to be questioned in the interest of the case.

A lot of big guns we may need to quiz as the case unfolds,” Nesarul told reporters after grilling Jama’at-e-Islami leader Abdur Razzak at the CID headquarters.

Meanwhile, The CID again took 8 suspect BDR personnel to remand yesterday.

Author: Mamunur Rashid
Source: The New Nation