It’s true that there had been secessionist forces in East Pakistan, though an insignificant group among the well known NEHRU AIDED PARTY since the day one of the 14th August 1947, the day Pakistan was founded. They were those who did not reconcile to East Bengal with capital Dhaka to develop and move forward on its own outside the domination of Calcutta elite and also the vested interest groups particularly fattened during the British colonial period being their puppets. Some self styled communists as well joined them who despised Muslim nationhood of the Muslim League and yet curiously had all love for caste ridden Indian Hindu nationalism in the KAUTILYA-CHANAKYAS frame. But Mujib was hardly with them but due to his low IQ got used at times, for example, Jyoti Sen Gupta, an Indian Intelligence operative stationed in East Bengal in1950s as the PTI reporter in his book Freedom Movement of Bangladesh (1973) had some facts about Mujib being used by them. That did in no way make him any hero of secession of East Pakistan.

Suhrawardy had been Mujib’s sustainer in Calcutta with paltry payment of dole money. Sohrawardy was a 100% Pakistani and never in his life thought of secession of East Pakistan. On the contrary he seriously objected and very strongly took on any who would even utter anything about the secession.

Suhrawardy had poor opinion about Mujib not about patriotism of Pakistan but about his innate capability or low perception level. That is why he, at times in close circle, introduced Mujib as the ‘ILLITERATE GRADUATE’. He would further hold the clear opinion about Mujib’s useful role as a party worker and never ever in his life time as top party leader. I may recall here one incident. I had from Barisal an Accountant friend now dead few years ago in London. Once in 1956 when Sohrawrady was the Prime Minister of Pakistan, came to Dhaka and staying at the Abdul Ghani Road Old Circuit House, he went for a visit with the P.M. as they were known in Calcutta days in early 1940s. Soon Mujib arrived there. On Mujib’s sight, Azizul Haq exclaimed, ‘Here is the leader Sheikh Mujib to follow your footstep at your exit.’ Suhrawardy retorted spontaneously, ‘If he (Mujib) becomes the leader of the country any time, he will first destroy the country and then he will destroy himself, as well’. I had this comment in London and wrote a long article about the comment published in 1989 in different media at home and abroad, and the item was included in my book Patriot Traitor Question: Bangladesh Syndrome (2005), now out of stock but available in a London based website (WWW.firozmahboobkamal.com).
Keen observers must notice that how Mujib becoming the leader of Bangladesh through both foolish commissions and careless omissions had had not only took the country to the brink of destruction but also so much so that his own decorated freedom fighters of the highest order took arms on the 15th August 1975 to topple him from the power and saved the country from the octopus of total Indian hegemony and Soviet Socialist Imperialism ( See, Holiday’s founding Editor, AZM Enayetullah Khan’s article in post mortem of Mujib’s fall in August 1975: Bangladesh Bahattor Theke Pochattor - Collection of published items, Jatiya Mudran, Dhaka, 1980, PP.678-86). It may be useless to repeat the well known facts that Mujib in three and a half years of his absolute rule of Bangladesh killed open or multi-party democracy, imposed lone party BKSAL having no clear consent of the people, made Bangladesh the haven for his party hoodlums and looters to earn quick fortune through all encompassing corruption and misappropriation of people’s properties, unleashed reign of terror of the police and special but unconstitutional Rakhsmi Bahini raising as parallel of the regular armed force by planning to phase out the regular army, torturing, maiming and killing of the imaginary opponents of the top leader and of the party Awami League/BKSAL. That was why the then unknown Cols and Majors of the successful coup were profusely welcomed by the people. All government organs as well laid their allegiance and support for the coup and the subsequent government of Khondoker Moustaque. At the international level none condemned the coup; India tried to exert some pressure but not for anything else except that the ISLAMIC REPUBLIC declaration by the coup operators be abandoned and revert back to the Peoples Republic of Bangladesh. President Moustaque yielded to this pressure not voluntarily but for fear of all out attack in land, Air and Sea by the Indian Army under Indira Gandhi, the Indian P.M. and the 1971 war hero. The immediate recognition of the coup, the new government by the big world powers including China and Saudi Arabia got things go ahead more or less smoothly. The counter coup attempt of Khaled Mosharraf, in particular, made after about seven weeks, was foiled easily by the army and people because the whole people were for the 15th August change. Anyway these were after developments, and nothing to do with secession but fall out of secession that Suhrawardy and Mujib did not wish to have for the people of East Pakistan for self dignity, honor and prestige (See, Suhrawardy’s letter written to President General Ayub Khan in 1962 during his confinement in the Karachi prison in M.H R. Talukder, Memoirs of Huseyn Shahid Suhrawardy, UPL, Dhaka, 1987, PP.217-24). Mujib as well as a loyal devotee of Sohrawardy did not intend to have secession but autonomy under the framework of 6 Point formula. If he had at all talked about secession that had nothing been serious about but by the by. The proofs are many.

Had Mujib wished to have secession, the 7th March 1971 had been the best opportunity for him. He had then lakhs of people attending the Suhrawardy Uddyan (then Ramna Race Course) meeting ready to march towards the Governor House and Dhaka Cantonment to get the secession realized that day. But Mujib ended his 15 minutes or so fiery speech there with all fury and fires but signifying nothing for secession and independence, amazingly declaring there in some fury EBARER SANGRAM AMADER SWADHINATAR SANGRAM EBARER SANGRAM AMADER MUKTIR SANGRAM. Nothing of UDI came out of his mouth. Instead he ended his fiery speech abruptly voicing JOY BANGLA along with JIE PAKISTAN. He had certainly then in mind that he had prior understanding with Pakistani Army General President Yahya for power sharing with him, he remaining as the President and himself the ‘Future Prime Minister of Pakistan’ just as Yahya had promised in open and Mujib got pleased. That prior understanding Mujib developed in various channels not only after Yahya took over from Ayub Khan in March 1969 but also before (See, Sarder M. Choudhry, The Ultimate Crime, Lahore, 1999, P. 98) was not anything secret. What made the failure at the last moment and the Amy brutal action on the 25th March midnight in Dhaka followed by Mujib’s voluntary surrender to the army remained a mystery as yet having had no single opinion but different explanations here and there.

During the farcical trial of Mujib for treason in 1971, Mujib had all along through his eminent lawyer A K Brohi stood by his commitment for the unity and integrity of Pakistan. During the 1971 war of India-Pakistan Mujib offered through same Brohi seeking a favor from Yahya Khan to appeal through Pakistan media to the people of East Pakistan against Indian aggression (See, Impact International, London, September 25, 1987, p.19).

Mujib denied his being secessionist. Instead he rebuked all retorting seriously that ‘majorities’ (East Pakistanis) can not be secessionist. He ridiculed the Agartala Conspiracy Case in this respect as the Islamabad Conspiracy.

Let one not forget that in independent Bangladesh he was put to a position of fait accompli. He had nothing to do what happened in 9 months, according to Mujib, of ‘civil war’, much less, again in his term, of ‘Indian aggression’ was concerned. That is why he got the Indian P.M. Indira taken by surprise in putting pressure to withdraw Indian troops from Bangladesh in March 1972. Otherwise she had no intention to withdraw her occupation army quite late until how long difficult to say now.

If one would look into the detailed discussion of Mujib with US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger held at Dhaka on the 30th October 1974, after about three years of Bangladesh’s independence and two and a half years of Indian army withdrawal, he repeatedly tried to impress on Henry Kissinger about India’s aggressive and hegemonic role against Bangladesh since, in his terms, sending in the ‘Aggression Army’ in the ‘Civil War’ (See, weekly Holiday, Dhaka, March 6, 2009 lifted from the 14th February 2009 declassified US State Department document).

Mujib distanced gradually in independent Bangladesh from the Exile Government’s Prime Minister Tajuddin Ahmad since the day one after his return on the 10th January 1972 from Pakistan’s detention in 1971. Mujib rebuked Tajuddin for dismemberment of Pakistan, ‘TAJUDDIN SHESH PARJNTYA TOMRA PAKISTAN BHENGHE DILE’- Tajuddin, at last, you all have dismembered Pakistan, just was kept on record in verbatim at the Tegaon Airport Tarmac on the 10th January while leaning on shoulders of Tajuddin and Moustaque he was coming out towards exit, the verbatim picked up so by the then student leader also innovator of JOY BANGLA slogan in late 1960s Aftab Ahmad, assassinated a few years ago in his DU Professor’s flat. I came to know him first in London in early 1980s where he was doing his Ph.D. In independent Bangladesh he joined the politics of JSD as opposition to the Awami League government and edited the daily GONOKANTHO. I had contact with him until his tragic passing away.

Tajuddin soon not only met sack from the ministry but also ended up in imprisonment by Mujib. The displeasure of Mujib had two main reasons, one, defiance of Mujib’s wish and going for secession, and two, his over enthusiasm for Soviet Socialism. His brother Minister Afsar Uddin met displeasure of Hasina in the 1996-2001 term of her P.M. Lately Tajuddin’s son Sohel met the same tragic fate and has been living in the USA, more or less as a self exile M.P. of the party.
If one would go back to the 25th March 1971, Mujib not only refused to go underground with Tajuddin despite serious request by him to do so to lead the freedom movement but asked him the last man Tajuddin who left that night at about 11 P.M. to keep the 27th March Hartal enforced. He surrendered voluntarily to the federal army for probable two reasons, one, he was not any revolutionary believing in underground work, and two, he had prior understanding with Yahya as recently the octogenarian journalist Serajur Rahman had mentioned to size up the ‘hot headed’ few of the party and I also knew the same matter from a 1971 Malek Government Minister later on for him to be able to run Pakistan as the P.M. with ease and Yahya as the continuing President.

Mujib before his release from Pakistan custody on the 8th January 1972 promised to President Bhutto for a confederation of Bangladesh and Pakistan (See, Stanley Wolpert, Zulfi Bhutto of Pakistan, 1993, OUP, Delhi, P.175). On his chat at the London Claridges Hotel the same evening or early next morning he hinted at to the British Journalist Anthony Mascarenhas for the same confederation. On the 9th Morning he hinted at the same proposition to BBC journalist Serajur Rahman who disagreed with him as he wrote in a recent article.

On arriving Dhaka and addressing the huge gathering on the 10th January evening he, at one point, paused a question, ‘BHUTTO SAHEB BOLLEN AMADER EKTA SHAMPARKO THAKTE HOBE’- Bhutto told me that we should have a relation. He stopped for a moment. The audience shouted ‘NO NO’. He then continued, ‘NA BHUTTO SAHEB NA’- no Mr. Bhutto, no. Why did he mention the question there in the public meeting? Psychologists must inquire into depth about the intents and wishes of the speaker.

Shall I mention at the end about a curious issue not probed in depth so far. Mujib not only humiliated and punished Tajuddin in all forms, the prime architect of independence war of 1971, but also never cared to visit the capital of the 1971 Exile Government of Tajuddin Mujibnagar just about 300 KM north west of the capital in thee and half years of his stay in power! Why?

The facts mentioned in brief above, if studied in consonance of his past close association with Suhrawardy and the Calcutta days in 1940s there is every possibility to conclude that he had never wished to have secession, much less planned for independence of Bangladesh from the Pakistan framework. His joining in the OIC in Lahore in early 1974 despite Indira’s open displeasure may be a point additional in this issue for useful investigation.

Hasina has to deliberate dispassionately, if she has at all ability and mental power, on these points before labeling Mujib as the secessionist, not to speak of anything Mujib had done in declaring independence of Bangladesh at any time in 1971 in any form - verbal, signal or written. Or else, she would only be telling white lies projecting Mujib as well as a liar, her father she loves or pretends to love so much.

One may however argue that lying is nothing uncommon nature of politicians. For liars like Hasina as many renowned intellectuals like Badruddin Umar, Serajur Rahman, Emajuddin Ahmd, etc. have proved in various print media lately, the matter is very much usual as long as such falsehood suits her personal whims and ego for Machiavellian immoral power game and also of her mentors like intelligence organizations of India, the R&AW and of Israel, the MOSSAD.

May I end the item here just making a simple reference of Hasina’s sort of habitual white lying that the former Chief Justice and the Acting President Shahabuddin Ahmad, in a rejoinder to a harsh statement Hasina openly made terming that rather very soberly as ‘irresponsible remarks’ published under four column broad headline soon after her party’s defeat Hasina blamed on the Acting President in the 2001 October election, published on the 5th January 2002 in the Dhaka daily Independent that read in extended words, “Downright lies and baseless charges”.. The details are not important as the intelligent ones must grasp the essence from the headline.

Author: HB Khair

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said in a discussion on the day that her father did not make the Unilateral Declaration of Independence (UDI) on that day because it would have then been considered a ‘separationist’ move and the world would reject it. In a talk show Awami League (AL) stalwart Tofail Ahmed expounded similar philosophy, further adding that Sheikh Mujib used to tell him and others in private in those days, “You go ahead with your preparations for the independence war while I am playing a wait-and-see game with the Pakistani leaders.” Recalling the day, elderly journalist ABM Musa said on the same talk show that one could measure the depth of ocean but not the depth of wisdom and understanding of Bangabandhu. There perhaps were plenty such eulogy sessions on the occasion; I did not have the opportunity to read, hear or watch them all. Let us walk back the memory lane and study a little of the scenario prevailing at that time.

After Sheikh Mujib’s AL won victory in the December 1970 elections, it was expected that an East Pakistani leader would form the government in Islamabad. Bengalis of East Pakistan were looking forward for redemption of their sufferings and deprivation of the preceeding 24 years under West Pakistani rulers. However, that was not to be. The parliamentary session to be held in Dhaka on March 3, 1971 was cancelled on March 1, thanks to power hungry Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and a conniving military junta. AL immediately called an all out hartal (strike) in East Pakistan. A rally was called at Suhrawardy Uddyan on March 7. Student leaders and radical factions of the AL put pressure on Mujib to declare the UDI as East Pakistan could no longer stay united with Pakistan. In the AL parliamentary meeting on March 6, most members including Tajuddin Ahmed, the Secretary General of the party, demanded an immediate UDI, further warning that the Bengalis would have to pay a heavy price later otherwise. However, the final decision was left to Mujib. The general expectation was that Mujib would make the UDI on March 7. Accordingly, people in hundreds and thousands thronged at the Suhrawardy Uddyan next day with sticks in hand to symbolize the start of the war of independence.

According to “Wintness to Surrender” by Siddiq Salek, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman sent two emissaries around midnight on March 6 to Major General Khadem Hossain Raja, the General Officer Commanding in Dhaka, requesting to be taken to custody as he was finding difficulty to contain the party hardliners demanding an immediate UDI. General Raja dismissed the idea straightway. By arresting Mujib at that point of time, he did not want to make a martyr of him and open fresh floodgate of violence in East Pakistan. The same source also revealed that in the morning on March 7, Mujib had a telephone talk with the US Ambassador Joseph Farland who advised not to count on the US if Mujib did the much expected UDI.

At the Suhrawardy Uddyan, Mujib came in a hurry, delivered his 17-minute speech in which he made a 4-point demand and ended it with “Joy Bangla, Joy Pakistan.” He left the podium in equal haste, without answering questions from the press and leaving the audience utterly disappointed and in total confusion.

Tofail and many other Awami pundits theorized that if Mujib made the UDI on that day, Pakistanis would have killed lacs of people on the spot by air strafing. Such an attack was militarily untenable. With the available air capability in East Pakistan at that time, such wholesale air attack was impracticable and illigical. Limited or symbolic strafing could have caused some casualties but that loss would have been much fewer than what Pakistanis did on March 25. Besides, Pakistan would not dare to commit a Jalianwala Bagh type massacre in Dhaka on that day to signal the end of Pakistan then and there. They were not militarily strong enough to face the wrath of the Bengalis as a consequence. So the theory of air or ground attack on Bengalis following an UDI on March 7 does not hold good. The reality was that Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was not willing to make an UDI, for whatever reasons. He had been fighting for the autonomy of East Pakistan on the basis of his 6 points and was working with the Pakistani junta to be the next Prime Minister of Pakistan.

Sheikh Mujibur Rahman with aides went on to negotiate with Pakistani leaders on March 15-24 to decide the future constitution and leadership of Pakistan. What about his declaration of “Ebarer sangram swadhinatar sangram……etc then?” According to Tofail, Mujib was playing a waiting game with the Pakistanis during those days. Are you kidding? How? By allowing the junta to amass military power in East Pakistan on a daily basis aimed at conducting an obvious genocide? Why did Mujib not demand the junta during talks for an immediate halt to militarizing East Pakistan? He was rather giving daily press briefings until March 25 that the talks were ‘fruitful.’ Is that the depth of Mujb’s political wisdom and understanding? Please visit the newspaper archives for details.

Sheikh Hasina said that Mujib was waiting for the right moment to declare the UDI. In other words, Sheikh Mujib waited for the Pakistanis to attack first so that he could sell his independence of Bangladesh to external world. It also implied that Mujib allowed Pakistanis to bring in enough troops and armaments to East Pakistan so that they made their killings and he could seek external assistance on those millions of dead. What a leader! What wisdom!

Author: Obaid Chowdhury
NY, USA

He said, “It was the right decision for the right reasons.”

What were they?

Not 9/11 or the WMD assertions.

In an effort to distance himself from America’s neo-cons and their soul-mate in London, Prime Minister (at the time) Tony Blair, Brown said: “I never subscribed to what you might call the neo-conservative proposition, that somehow, at the barrel of a gun, overnight liberty or democracy could be conjured up. What I believed was that the case for intervention was that international law had to be observed.”

Putting some flesh on that bone, Brown said his view was that if the international community could not act together over Iraq, he feared that “the new world order we were trying to create would be put at risk.”

Meaning?

“Aggressor states that refuse to obey the laws of the international community” have to be confronted. Iraq was a “serial violator of the rules of the international community.”

There is, of course, some truth in that, but not nearly as much truth as in the statement that for 62 years the Zionist state of Israel has been, and continues to be, the biggest single violator of international law. No state on Planet Earth has been allowed to get away with defying UN resolutions for so long. And, I say, no state poses a bigger threat to the peace of the region and the world than Israel on its present course.

As I have previously written, the double-standard which allows Israel to behave as it likes with impunity was effectively put into place when the major powers, all of them, refused to condemn Israel as the aggressor in 1967 and demand that it withdraw from occupied territories without preconditions.

If Mr. Brown means what he says, and if by chance he remains prime minister after Britain’s imminent election, logic suggests that he will take the lead with President Obama in putting together a coalition to require Israel, by war if necessary, to comply with “the rules of the international community.”

Of course he won’t because logic, like truth and reality, has no place in politics, domestic or international.

Footnote:

A book by Karl Rove, once described as President “Dubya” Bush’s brains, is about to be published. The memoir is titled Courage and Consequence: My Life as a Conservative in the Fight. In it Rove says he doubts that Bush would have invaded Iraq and taken Britain into a disastrous war if he had known that intelligence on weapons of mass destruction was simply wrong. “The Bush administration itself would probably have sought other ways to constrain Saddam.”

If Rove is right (and is being something other than self-serving), what would Prime Minister Tony Blair’s position have been? He is firmly on the BBC’s record as saying that he probably would have moved ahead with removing Saddam Hussein from power even had he known that the narrative about weapons of mass destruction was fictional by finding different ways to justify it. As I have previously written, I never saw Blair as Bush’s puppet. I think he was and is a neo-con in spirit. And I think it’s more likely than not that he was firmly in the camp of those pressing Bush to go to war. So if Rove had done what he now seems to be saying he should have done – played a part of exposing the intelligence on WMD for the nonsense it was, Blair might not have got the war he and apparently Gordon Brown wanted.

Author: Alan Hart is a former ITN and BBC Panorama foreign correspondent.
Source: Web

Firstly, in an unprecedented high-level effort to discover a common ground in Afghanistan with Saudi Arabia, Manmohan Singh paid a historic visit to Saudi Arabia and in return for isolating Pakistan in the hectic multi-lateral diplomatic efforts currently afoot, offered Riyadh large-scale Indian investment and oil contracts. Commenting audaciously on the first visit by an Indian prime minister to the Saudi Kingdom in 28 years, Shashi Tharoor, the Indian Minister of State for External affairs, publicly suggested that India should ask Saudi Arabia to pressurise Pakistan regarding its Afghan policy.

Secondly, despite both overt and covert US prodding, the recent foreign secretary level Indo-Pak talks yielded only an unequivocal Indian refusal to restart the stalled composite dialogue and were conspicuous by the absence of both desire and effort on either side to go beyond reiteration of their historical positions.

In addition, already the fourth largest military spender in the world, India raised its defence budget to an unprecedented level of 32 billion dollars, within a day of Pakistani Foreign Secretary’s criticism of Indian ambitious military modernisation programme as a threat to the stability of a ‘nuclearized South Asia’.

Whilst the Indian Foreign Secretary was entertaining the Pakistani delegation at the Hyderabad House, the Indian Air Force was busy conducting a massive firepower demonstration (FPD) ahead of the ‘Vayu Shakti-2010′ at the Chandan Air-to-Air Range at Pokhran in Rajasthan, only miles away from the Pak-India border. One wonders if the Indo-Pak peace talks are anything to go by, who are these large-scale military deployments and exercises, held so close to the Pakistani border, aimed at.

From the Pakistani perspective, a very interesting and significant component of these Indian Air Force exercises were the IAF’s Special Forces Para-drop operations, aimed at neutralising a terrorist camp inside enemy territory, watched by no less than 30 defence attaches of different countries, minus of course Pakistan and China. Other targets included mock radar sites, tanks, marshalling yards, terrorist camps, runways, infantry fighting vehicles, blast pens and convoys.

This high-tech exercise constitutes day and night operations of the IAF frontline fighters, such as the Su-30 MK1, Mirage-2000, Jaguar, Mig-29 and Mig-21; the transport aircraft include AN-32, Embraer and IL-76, while Mi-17 and Mi-35 attack helicopters represent the rotary wing ingredient. Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) is also deployed to monitor these exercises and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) provide a live stream of video images of the target identification, engagement and destruction.

During his recent Indian visit, the Pakistani foreign secretary wisely took the opportunity to warn India that “New war doctrines, a tremendous boost to defence spending and the induction of new sophisticated weapons systems, are prejudicial to regional security and stability.” However, the world also needs to realise that Indian defence policy and mammoth military spending, do not add up with peaceful objectives and betray the ambitions of a regional hegemony, which is determined to waste the wealth of its poor majority not on their welfare but towards browbeating its smaller neighbours. Meanwhile, New Delhi is also forging close strategic ties with Washington and Riyadh, two of Islamabad’s vital allies, apparently at Pakistan’s expense.

It seems that in the absence of a clear threat or provocation from any neighbouring state, Indian coercive diplomatic posturing, aggressive doctrinal orientation and large scale conventional and strategic military muscle flexing will force Pakistan to depart from its policy of ‘minimum credible deterrence’ towards developing a robust second strike capability, in the form of an elaborate triad of nuclear delivery systems, to foreclose all Indian conventional and strategic options. Moreover, Islamabad should use the forums of UN and SCO to consolidate its diplomatic position over Afghanistan. Pakistan desires a peaceful neighbourhood but if India understands only the language of power politics, then so be it. In the interest of regional peace and security, Pakistan must and will make it understand just that.

Author: Syed Muhammad Ali

What next of the peak? It must obviously be the fall to low for there is no scope to rise further of the peak but to the lowest down to hell.

All sane people and also legal norms clearly hold that the five brilliant and highly patriotic army men she maneuvered through executive interference to hang to death on the blackest night happened to be the MUSLIM IMANDERS of the first order comparable to the great SUFIs of Islam. For example, IMAM ABU HANIFA, IMAM AHMAD IBNE HAMBLE, etc of the early days of Muslim oppressive rulers, who refused to compromise with the ill governance, abuse of power and injustice and hence suffered for opposing the so-called Muslim Abbassid Caliphs Mansur, Mamun, etc. Similarly, the equally determined Muslim believers FAROOK, SHAHREER, HUDA, MOHIUDDIN, AK MOHIUDDIN etc, brought downfall of the oppressive Bangladesh ruler of the late twentieth century on the 15th August 1975 at Dhaka. They did the noble task through a successful army coup for the operators happened to be serving army men and had legal back up and immunity even in present day legal provisions. Hasina abused each and every power at her disposal as the P.M. and got a Political Trial (The Economist, 27 November 2009) verdict in clear mockery of justice of the Kangaroo Court and hanged them to death.

Let there be no confuse on that the Abbaside caliphs of the 8th/9th centuries had not been as debauch as the Bangladesh Faraoh had been. The Caliphs had few lapses that the great Imams opposed and got punishment. The Faraoh here had little of virtue but almost all vices both mundane and in intellectual matters. The Faraoh was an absolute dictator, cared nothing for opinion of others, inefficient and yet bonanza for corruption, got killed by his own hoodlums and RAKHSMIs anybody he would consider his enemy without recourse to due process of law, internally behaved like a demi-god and yet submit as sacrificial lamb in facing up to the outside big bosses (See 30th October 1974 dialogue with the then US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger published in the weekly Holiday, 6 March 2009). It was as such only fitting and right in all measures to have removed him from State power through the coup engineered by the great Mujaheeds of Islam. Extremely vengeful Hasina took the matter only out of personal vengeance and score to settle in blood for blood rising to her height of the peak of sadist pleasure, her haven. Now she is to go down in the hell ready for her.

All sensible men and women have termed the execution of the five on the darkest night of January 27-28 in Dhaka as the worst form of judicial murder. Judicial murder has other examples in the subcontinent in recent history. The execution of deposed Pakistan President Zulfiquer Ali Bhutto in 1979 was one such. Unfortunately, the vengeful executer President Ziaul Haq ended up in tragic end, the clues remained in dark as yet. The example among other things clearly states that political trial and judicial murder motivated by political vendetta does not end in itself but leaves scopes for chain reactions. Zia’s mysterious accidental air crush death and fall from the pinnacle of power in 1988 opened fortune for Benazir Bhutto, Zulfi Bhutto’s daughter, who returned home from exile, her party PPP contested and won the general election. She became the first young woman Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan in her mid thirties.

Author: B K Din

Historically Hasina’s father happened to be the hero made mainly through profusely covered Calcutta based media propaganda but ended in fiasco in independent Bangladesh on the 15th August 1975 amidst all abuses for him, not least the appellation of Faraoh drowned in the Egyptian river Nile in pre-historic period. His fall was not without good many reasons but for oppressing the people, killing democracy, imposing one party absolute dictatorial rule of the BKSAL, extra judicial killing of thousands of imaginary political opponents, endless corruption causing deaths of thousands if not lakhs in man made famine (See Amartya Sen), etc. The people at one stage made him the leader and hero and yet again in all hurled abuses so much so that none recited the DOA, INNA LILLAH that every Muslim would obviously recite on hearing any Muslim’s death news.

In legal term the 15th August 1975 was clearly a mutiny and not any ordinary killing in terms of Cr. P.C. and so was supposed to enjoy indemnity. Hasina made the incident a murder case and abusing all power at her disposal as the P.M. during the first term and in 2009 onwards tamed the spineless judges the loyal puppets to obtain the verdict of ‘murder’ and license to execute the five detained in the prison to death on the blackest night of 27-28 January 2010. The same brand of spineless judges upheld the annulment of the 5th Amendment of the Constitution. What else the other bench could do except dismissal of 3 corruption cases against Hasina in a go? After all she is an angel! The rest ten cases of corruption against her would wither away soon in the same way.

I would have thought that if there is any seriousness and honesty by any involved in the matter in fixing up corruption earnings by stalwarts like Hasina, etc. there is a way out. Properties of the greater Sheikh family have to be taken honest account of. Hasina’s properties in cash and kind at home and abroad must take stock of through international intelligence agencies and qualified and honest farms of repute and integrity.

In 1971, the family of the great Sheikh was known to survive on a monthly donation of Taka ten thousand paid regularly by Pakistani capitalist Harun. That meant that Mujib had nothing of his own in cash for subsistence of the small family of four members- Hasina’s mother, her sister Rehana, Hasina herself and the youngest brother Russel. In fact, her father survived in early life from subsistence dole paid by Sohrawardy in Calcutta. He had neither any regularly paid job nor any income from paternal property. His foster father Sheikh Lutfar Rahman was a Mohrar/ record Supplier and lastly Peshkar, in all positions a very poorly paid lower class employee. Mujib had nothing from maternal grandfather side for his mother gave his birth as an unwed Hindu girl and then given to marriage by the girl’s father Chandi Das, a lawyer, to Sheikh Lutfar Rahman, who was then working as the Mohrar under him when the biological father Lawyer Arun Chakravarty refused to marry Gourbala Devi (Balaka), the mother. Through an affidavit No.118 dated 10.11.1923 at a Calcutta Magistrate Court Sheikh Lutfar Rahman adopted the three year old boy as his son and gave him the name Sheikh Mujibur Rahman (See, Jiban Smriti, Dhaka, 2006, P.643- author’s name not disclosed for security reasons).

Cleansing of the top politicians from corruption to me must be the first priority. Unless and until these big shots of the ivory towers are cleansed, there is hardly any hope for growing fresh biting teeth and claws for firm grip of the ACC, much less make spines of the judges stronger and unbreakable for administering justice fair, neutral and free from interference.
What must be needed further to do is to incorporate morality building curriculum in school reading materials and efficient implementation of such curriculum at all levels.

Author: BK Din

In August, seven families-about 50 people, including 35 children-were forced out of their homes, and immediately replaced by eight families of Jewish Israelis, members of extremist setler groups. The Palestinians have been living in tents across the street from their house ever since. Six other nearby families have received eviction notices.

I spoke with one of the evicted fathers, Fouad Ghawi, who had lived in the house since 1954, when he was 8. He and his family were Palestinian refugees from Jaffa during the 1948 war, and his father traded in his UN refugee card, which guaranteed him basic support, for the right to move into the house the UN Relief and Works Agency and Jordan were building on vacant land. In return for finishing the house, the Ghwai family would get the legal deed. Three generations of the Ghawi family had lived there ever since-until last August, when an Israeli court ordered them out They had no deed because, he told me, “the Jordan government would not put it in our name until we had proper plumbing, and then the 1967 war broke out” Jordan’s authority ended.

One of the organisers of the protest vigil, Zvi Benninga, a 24-year-old Israeli medical student and Jerusalemite, told me, “It is so blatant because they were expelled for a second time by Israel-first in 1948, and now again.” The protest engages several critical issues. The government evictions depend on cloudy questions of pre-1948 ownership rights which, in most of Israel, have been simply deleted.

Equivalent enforcement of “absentee property” laws elsewhere in Israel would lead to evictions of tens of thousands of Jewish Israelis.

The evictions also raise the larger question of Israel’s “creeping annexation” of East Jerusalem, not only through the expansion of setlements, which Benjamin Netanyahu, defying President Obama, refuses to freeze, but also through legally dubious removal of Palestinians from other Jerusalem neighborhoods like Silwan, just down the slope from the old city.

That other key Arab neighbourhoods, like Abu Dis, have been cut off from Jerusalem by the so-called “security barrier” points to the even larger question - whether, as far as the current Israeli government is concerned, the hard-won consensus that the promised Palestinian state would have its capital in East Jerusalem no longer applies. “This will stop any peace agreement,” Benninga told me.

The weekly demonstrations are being led by younger Israelis, although veterans of the Israeli peace camp have shown up, too - including prominent figures like the novelist David Grossman, the philosopher Moshe Halbertal, and the literary critic Sidra DeKoven Ezrahi. “J Street,” the American Jewish lobbying group, has sent a petition of support signed by 10,000 Americans.

Today, Avrum Burg, the former speaker of the Israeli Knesset, is here to support the evicted families. When I asked him what the vigil meant, he said, “This is an iconic group.

Intellectuals, blue collar people, Jews, Arabs, old, young-representing thousands of people. This is a permanent reality.”

Untie this knot in the nearly hopeless Israeli-Palestinian tangle and many others could be untied as well. The demonstrators are not interested in being valourised as champions of a vibrant Israeli democracy. Instead, they look to be bolstered by the broader world against the once-marginal figures who have more and more power in Israel. (The foreign ministry is headed by the far-right Avigdor Lieberman. This week, his deputy snubbed five US congressmen, including William Delahunt of Massachusets, while Tzipi Livni, the opposition leader, warned “The Jewish state has been taken hostage by the ultra-orthodox parties.”)

A critical stage has been reached, with the government-encouraged status quo showing up as disaster in the making, as much for Israel as for Palestine.

Jamalat Ghawi, a mother of four, told me from her place in the ad hoc tent across the street from her house, “I feel frustration and anger, and worry for my children. They dream of their house at night They are terrified. They have no idea where they are going.” Today, they are not alone.

Author: James Carroll

In terms of population size of nearly 160 million now and increasing at still quite fast at about 2% Bangladesh is the 8th largest country in the world. But in geographical area it is one of the smallest land mass areas among 200 or so independent countries. That it is the densest populated country, on the one hand, and extreme resource constraint, on the other. Over and above, natural occurrence of disasters for geographical and environmental vulnerability, man made disasters caused by inefficient administration, biting corruption at all levels, low per man hour output in almost all productive sectors due to low level of human development index and manpower expertise are some common but major hindrances to productivity and pace of development. In the backdrop of the real position, how much any new technology, much less sophisticated digital, could work efficiently here remains to be seen. The poor state of educational curriculum implementation, if not the poorly organized curriculum itself having low level of inbuilt motivation for essentially needed deep concentration for efficient learning, as the present positions in general are in schools, colleges and other institutions, even the technological ones, except rare ones for particular upper class wards, is factual reality.
Owing to the hindrances just mentioned above, the factor of grinding poverty of the overwhelming majority people, 50% having as low as only one US dollar a day average income among nearly 40 million unemployed working age population among 90 million or so employable age group made things further difficult internally that made image abroad not palatable. In the Middle East that employ nearly 7 million Bangladeshi workers (another 12-15 million in all other countries), mainly low paid laborers, the term ‘Miskeen’ or destitute is a common derogatory label used for Bangladeshis and workers, in particular. How would and through what detailed programs the digital ‘Nation Brand’ work to hide the poor-murky stature?

In midst of grinding poverty there are some billionaires and millionaires in thousands. Differences in income gap between the rich and upper classes and the poor destitute have been widening everyday further worsening the existing image. Whether the on going free market operation of economy in mixed up with massive corruption well sponsored and supported by the political government in power could minimize income disparity for improved equity in the immediate future looks only an illusion.
In the deliberation Joy made on the subject in a function held at the Novo Theatre (Dhaka) on the 6th March underscored the need for ‘stability’, ‘continuity’ and ‘commitment’ (The New Nation, Dhaka, March 7) to do the job he has in view. Well, there is nothing to disagree about. But there is, at least, a big but there. The issue must be about which stability, which continuity and what commitment.
The Constitution and the people of Bangladesh are committed to continuity of democracy not absolutism, stability through democratic order not dynastic nuisance, commitment for openness, fairness, equity and social justice and not for making ‘some are more equal than others’. Unfortunately these basic issues are rarely found in Awami League parlance except in rhetoric not in actions. In the past there had been no difference in lacking of the party in all these basic requirements for national progress and positive development as they are now going on exactly in the same pattern only for conspicuous self aggrandizement. People had experienced with extreme pain that the Awami League/BKSAL flouted all those civilized democratic norms in the past before 1975 as they have been equally painfully experiencing them now, as well. What they did in the past further for the so-called stability and continuity was in fact continuity of one man rule proceeding openly to reach dynastic aim. As for commitment, fortune making of the party cadres and of the clans had been the sole matter in their administration. Nothing is seen different as at present except commitment for rent seeking, tender snatching, commission earning not only by the young cadres but also by the ‘Big, Medium and Small Thieves’ just as one Minister has had openly admitted in a meeting in Mymensigh only a few days ago. Would the Nation Brand propaganda items be able to hide these criminals to the backbone and their heinous activities beating the outside world media in dissemination of facts otherwise?

In 1972 in a discourse, I had a comment from the then Finance Minister Tajuddin Ahmad, ‘We are suffering seriously from crisis of conscience and character’. He said so not in a big gathering but in a selected one and fortunately saved his neck right then but not removal from the cabinet post and then ended up in prison soon afterwards. The erosion of moral values of the so called and sham secularists is no better now but I am afraid to say that the situation has worsened further beginning in 2009. Digital IT is no cure in this serious disease of moral erosion but different psychological medicine that need to be met by nourishment from early childhood in the psyche and so may be built in on to one’s grown up mature personality. I am afraid, as a septuagenarian educationist, I see here serious lapses in the curriculum and implementation on this account.
Even so, let’s say good luck to Joy. Go ahead with the digital Nation Brand.

Author: HB Khair

End of 2008 I was preparing the paper. I was really very restless. The time is knocking the door, I must finish and submit my abstract in due time. As it was geting tough and tougher I was calling Allah, please HELP.

After that I was going from one Library to another, to fmd essential books to make a research work. It was very hard to find a book with the latent theme the “effects of communication technology on young generation” I have started to observe some families, who have children up 9 years and above. I go very often to them, talk to the parents as well as the children. It was peculiar, that I could talk to the parents easily and it was very hard to talk to the children. Every time they have been busy either with games like wii, play station, or they can hear me hardly, as they were bandaged with wire iike the toy doctor. It looks till today for me very funny. Today’s young generation like to show them gladly, that they are wired. Two ears are schwitched with two head phones and around the neck snare the iphone or mp3, in the bag or pant pocket This a typisch picture of a modem youths.

Back my observation. It was a hard assignment to talk a young girl or boy. No, I am not saying that they are-hot obedient Of course they are. But they don’t like to be disturbed. They have their own world with electronics amusing articles, so they like to be busy with those expensive articles. As I was going to talk one of them, he could not concentrate to his games or music. Who likes disturbing guy? Sure, not also me! Before my paper was submited, I have received my E-ticket, per mail. Sukran. Trust is good, control is beter- I also believe it I did ask the Airlines whether everything is okay? The person asked me the name of the passenger. I said my name. He replies, no he cannot find my name. But as I said the ticket number, replied the angry man, no you cannot fly, because instead my name, there was the name of my father.

The Saudi university authority has made a big mistake. Allah, please help me.

He suggested to call Saudi authority, to correct the passenger name. Next day they have solved this problem. Sukran.

I was asked by Saudi authority, if I will be invited to visit Mecca for Urnrah, do I agree?

No, till today I cannot believe it What? I will visit Haram Sharif? Dear Almighty Allah, if it is simply dream, please allow me to visit your House.

Again, again I have very big problem. It is Friday. Tomorrow Saturday at 11 o’clock I have departure schedule. Ja, it is early in the morning in Germany, midday in Saudi Arab. Hotline exchange Riyadh Stutgart- Berlin, Saudi Embassy. At 16 hour I have got the final news Visa is issued, and I will get it either today late night or tomorrow in the Airport, short before my fly to Riyadh. 23:30 I have received it at home. I have packed my suitcase. I did not forget to take papers with me. Sukran!

After this time I could sleep for a while. It was really a sleepless night in my life. I left my bed many times. Looked at the sky. No I did not fmd him. Where is he?

Allah, I had never planed to perform my Hajj. I have decided with my sister Monju, we will distribute this Hajj money among the needy persons or patients. We thought, we are obliged to our fellow human being, to help them. As Poet Nazrul wrote: “Haschror din khoda boliben, he adom sontan, tumi more koro nei sheba, chhinu roge oggyan”. That’s why I believe, it is the same work, if you treat a patient during his sickness, and you have treated the Almighty Allah. Allah has made the Human being with his best power. We human being deserved the strength of Allah. But “man proposes, God disposes”.

Once my mother told, if you can go to paradise, you will fmd there only silky paths, where are only happiness, you can eat whatever you like, you can get, what you do you like etc. My stopover was in Istanbul. In my childhood I heard very often about this fascinating place of the world. As first class passenger now I am here. VIP Lounge in Istanbul Airport Oh my God is it the Paradise? Am I dead?

Is it the place of Angels! I am geting service with very obliged obedient super beautiful personals. I can cheek my Mail on Golden Tables, golden lamps, Chandeliers. I did take a short sleep in a fairytale world. This room was five meter high, transparent curtains from deck to floor, romantic breeze, light Turkish melodies, where one can only enjoy, also when one asleep. I have never seen such a wonderful VIP Lounge in any international Airports. For seven hours I was in the paradise! Sukran.

Sunday midnight 1 O’clock we arrive in Riyadh airport Dear God, where are you? Or I am now? I was six o’clock we arrive in our Hotel Marriot Our Luggage

I also believe it I did ask the Airlines whether everything is okay? The person asked me the name of the passenger. I said my name. He replies, no he cannot find my name. But as I said the ticket number, replied the angry man, no you cannot fly, because instead my name, there was the name of my father.

The Saudi university authority has made a big mistake. Allah, please help me.

He suggested to call Saudi authority, to correct the passenger name. Next day they have solved this problem. Sukran.

I was asked for Saudi authority, if I will be invited to visit Mecca for Umrah, do I agree?

No, till today I cannot believe it What? I will visit Haram Sharif? Dear Almighty Allah, if it is simply dream, please allow me to visit your House.

Again, again I have very big problem. It is Friday. Tomorrow Saturday at 11 o’clock I have departure schedule. Ja, it is early in the morning in Germany, midday in Saudi Arab. Hotline exchange Riyadh-Stutgart- Berlin, Saudi Embassy.

At 16 hour I have got the final news Visa is issued, and I will get it either today late night or tomorrow in the Airport, short before my fly to Riyadh. 23:30 I have received it at home. I have packed my suitcase. I did not forget to take papers with me. Sukran!

After this time I could sleep for a while. It was really a sleepless night in my life. I left my bed many times. Looked at the sky. No I did not find him. Where is he?

Allah, I had never planed to perform my Hajj. I have decided with my sister Monju, we will distribute this Hajj money among the needy persons or patients. We thought, we are obliged to our fellow human being, to help them. As Poet Nazrul wrote: “Haschror din khoda boliben, he adom sontan, tumi more koro nei sheba, chhinu roge oggyan”. That’s why I believe, it is the same work, if you treat a patient during his sickness, and you have treated the Almighty Allah. Allah has made the Human being with his best power. We human being deserved the strength of Allah. But “man proposes, God disposes”.

Once my mother told, if you can go to paradise, you will find there only silky paths, where are only happiness, you can eat whatever you like, you can get, what you do you like etc. My stopover was in Istanbul. In my childhood I heard very often about this fascinating place of the world. As first class passenger now I am here. VIP Lounge in Istanbul Airport Oh my God is it the Paradise? Am I dead?

Is it the place of Angels! I am geting service with very obliged obedient super beautiful personals. I can cheek my Mail on Golden Tables, golden lamps, Chandeliers. I did take a short sleep in a fairytale world. This room was five meter high, transparent curtains from deck to floor, romantic breeze, light Turkish melodies, where one can only enjoy, also when one asleep. I have never seen such a wonderful VIP Lounge in any international Airports. For seven hours I was in the paradise! Sukran.

Sunday midnight 2 0´clock we arrived in Riyadh airport Dear God, where are you? Or where I am now?

It was six o’clock we arrived in our Hotel Marriot Our luggages were carried by the Saudi Personals. We didn’t have to take care for those maters. At seven we are going to our rooms. Again! Everybody has got their suitcase, but not me? At ten o’clock is my Lecture. After 90 minutes I have received it Sukran.

King Saud University has two parts, one for women another for men. As usual in Saudi Arab, the strongest Muslim religion dominated land, though, women participants were enough/ satisfactory there.

I am very lucky to see the Saudi educated women world. It was a tremendous experience in a modern Muslim world. In this women University Campus, the Saudi women are moving around the premises. If a woman comes late in the Premise, she will be transported with a mini car, like golf car, to the right place or institute. The drivers are of course women. As I was wondering the Campus, I ask myself, am I in a European University Campus? Or more? The Saudi female students are smarter than any other elite University. Most of the students are coming from westernised families or rich families, who wish to be educated. Their Uniform was only a black long skirt, but upper dress was much more than Europe! Their behaviour is very smart Well dressed, well make up, expensive fragrance, with expensive Handy. Like the so-called angels in paradise. Very ultra modern hair cut, with different colours. Believe me, I could not believe till today. Some times I thought, this people are those lucky guys in the world, who have never experience hunger, diseases or something like that They have been ever lucky persons of the world, who can wonder in the so-called fairy tales, where one can enjoy the life, only laugh, very happy.

In this happy world I have meet two young Bangladeshi women, working in this University campus as cleaners. They work 12 hours a day, monthly salary approximate $100. One of them has eight years old boy, living in a Bangladeshi village with his family. She is the earning source of the family. Another

one is willing to get married, but could not find the right person. I like to convey my best respect to these young deshi female workers, as they are fighting for their lives. Complement

They are trying the best as women, to find their luck in a desert land. Congratulations. Instead to begging, working is the moto. Our final Dinner took place in “King Abdul Aziz Palace, where only selected state guests are invited.

If I describe about the Palace, then it will be 10kg heavy book. May be I will write a book on this theme.

Just one thing I can write, during the conference, the women and the men participants were divided. We could not meet other. Some of the women professors have protested this system as discriminierung. During the dinner came to me a Saudi old professor with black and white hair with mostache, asked to me: Madame you did protested the dipartation between us, now today we are together. Are you happy now? Making a humour added another Saudi professor, tell yes we can! I replied, no, yes we have done!

In the midnight we left Riyadh for Jeddah, for Mecca. Only Muslim conference participants were invited to go to Mecca. All of us put on our Hajj clothes form the Hotel before we get up on the Bus. Just as we have got on the bus, all of us begin to recite “Labbaek allhuma labbaek”. What a thrilling feeling. I feel that I am going to meet God..

Same praying was in the Plane, from Riyadh to Jeddah. Each and everybody was praying, reading the Quran, and reciting different suras.

Are we were flying to the Hashor Maidan directly, I asked myself. The Jeddah Airport is a small Airport Again we were Living Jeddah airport in the direction of Haram Sharif, Allah’s House. Unthinkable. It is no more Fairy Tales, but the Truth. Allahmua Labbyek..: It was midnight I was trying the Haram Sharif.

Within one hour we arrived in our hotel Sohada, approximate 10 minutes to a walking distance from Haram. Our guide Professor said, in 20 Minutes we will start for the Haram. As I came down from my room I could not find, any of our Participants. Then I went with some other Hotel guest in a mini bus. It was 15 minutes to Fazar Azan. I was scared, oh, I am an unknown here, and how I can go to the Kaaba Sharif?

Then I thought I have been here to visit Allah’s House Haram Sharif,( As the birthplace of Islam’s founder, the Prophet Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) (SAW), Makkah is considered a holy city. This is where Prophet was born in the 6th century AD, where he began preaching and where he returned for his final pilgrimage. In Arabic, the city is known as Makkah Al-Mukkaramah (”Mecca the blessed”). So I must not have any kind of fearness. As soon as we have got down from the mini bus, called the Muajjin with Azan. All of us run in a hurry up to the right place. We tried to run long, but suddenly it no more possible. Everybody was geting for Fazr prayer. I have integrated myself in the women corner and did the so as the others have done. I cannot believe it; I am really in the Kabab Sharif. I made my eyes closed and praying with heart and soul. I thought I have nothing to lose; I am really in Kaaba Sharif intern. In our life only HE can help, where no other HELP is available. I was very free of fear. I don’t know what the next rituals are.

I asked people, where is the Safa and Marwoa? (As stated in the former section the origin of this Muslim ritual called “Saee” was based on Ishmael’s mothers search for water for her son. Safa is the rocky hill from which “Saiy” starts, and Marwah is the rocky hill at which “Saee” ends. It is mentioned in Holy Quran that they are of Allah’s rituals; accordingly, they have a great importance to Muslims) someone showed me over there, where the green lights are. I did follow his advice. For me it is a long was to pray and walk and to feel the blessings of Allah. I feel, it is the direct path to Allah or to Hashor Maidan. After the Tawab, I really met my colleagues, with them I could come back to our Hotel Al Sohada. Shohada (meaning martyrs.)

It was sunny day. I have decided with other colleagues to pray every das as much as possible. We went there for Maghreb prayer. After the prayer we wanted to see the Zam Zam. (ZamZam well is located few meters east of Kaaba under the Tawaf area, the well is 35 meters deep and topped by an elegant dome. Many prophetic traditions (Hadeeths) referred to the superiority of ZamZam water, such as:

“The best water on the earth is Zamzam”. “It is blessed, for drinking and for curing).

Unfortunately the original ZamZam is no more to see. But plenty of Zamzam water is available in many containers and also paper glasses are there.

On the next day we went to Bibi Ayesha’s graveyard,.(The most pious and spiritual grave yard of the world is called, “Jannat-ul-Baqqi” where a number of companions (RA), wives daughters and other family members of Prophet Muhammad sallalla ho allihi wasalam are lying to rest) it is the starting point of Hajj. Each every time I wondered. I was totally surprised. Only two Nafal Namaz was enough. Near from Haram Sharif, it was calling loud Umrah, Umrah. I thougt I was in Syedabad Bus station, Dhaka. No, we were in Riyadh! It was really very funny for me.

We went to the Haram Sharif so regularly as it was a much known place of ours, that, in this place we are wondering for many years, without any hesitation. In between the path from Kaaba to our hotel there a lot of litle shops chain likes Dhaka New Market footpath shops chain! Almost same was the footpath!

Whenever I went to the Kaaba, midnight or midday the presence of the people remains the same. Thursday (19.03.2009) was my last day in Mecca. I wanted to buy something for my family. We went for Asar prayer. No, God had another plan. I have done my Maghreb as well as Esher prayer. Twos of my colleagues took me in their hand and begin the Kaaba Tawaf. Suddenly tears are coming from my eyes; I said to Allah, are they your Angels? I thought I am dying and will go direct to Paradise as the two angels are accompanying me. I could touch the Kaaba wall. Really.

It was 21 Hours. My departure is at 2 a.m. As soon as I came back to Hotel, I went for Dinner. Soon I was called to leave the Hotel. My guide Professor told me today is Thursday; Mecca will have too many people, who came Thursday night for a holy prayer. So please leave the Hotel, because the highway may have jam, and you cannot fly today. I left my plate with full Spices, packed my suitcase quickly, get on a Limousine. The guide professor said, my sister, please don’t mind. I hope you will have a pleasant journey.

To tell the truth my drive from Mecca to Jeddah airport was total free. In Saudi, in this night I was a lone woman in a Limousine, with the Bangladesh (ZSylehti) young driver, coming back to my family in Germany. I didn’t spend even a single penny in seven days, I bought nothing, but I bring with me a very big and pleasant feeling. The seeing of Allah’s House, the House of the biggest power, ever, and the best feeling in my life, which I will ever fresh in my heart for, each and every second. Sukran.

Author: Monowara Begum Moni
Source: the New Nation

So, its location was a factor of consideration when chosen by the US and coalition forces for military operations rather than Washer and Baghiran areas in Helmand province, which are also under control of the Taliban.

Earlier on January 30 this year, Eikenberry, US ambassador to Afghanistan, told reporters that the US and the NATO troops would launch massive operations in Helmand and Kandahar simultaneously, but they chose only Marjah.

Since last Saturday, February 13, 2010, when the operations began, 120 Taliban militants are reported to have been killed, according to the Afghan government and coalition forces. The Taliban, however, do not confirm the accounts. Instead, they claim to have killed more than 25 foreign troops and have downed two predator planes.

Similarly, many civilians have lost their lives in missiles and mortar atacks by coalition forces. Spokespersons of foreign troops put their casualties at 11 soldiers and still counting.

According to media reports, 60 helicopters are taking part in the operation beside 15,000 troops, including the mighty IED-busting 65-ton Trojan tank called The “Swiss Army Knife.” It is built to cut through the harshest of terrains with its monster tool kit

On the basis of human rights organizations, more than 10,000 families have fled Marjah to take refuge in Khash Rod district of neighboring Nimroz province and other parts of Helmand.

According to General Sher Mohammad Zazi, commander of the joint operations, 500-600 Taliban are puting up resistance in Marjah. But, Taliban sources say their number is 1,000 militants. Many of the Taliban groups from northern and southern provinces of Afghanistan have joined them and are now fighting with them.

The Taliban claim that they are still in control of Marjah and put invitation on their website, calling on independent media outlets to visit Marjah to verify that they are still in control. On the first day of the operations, the coalition forces had a spectacular advancement, taking Marjah district headquarter and city markets, but on the following day, the advancement slowed down. Small mobile teams of the armed Taliban and their suicide bombers bounced back, encircling the area.

Now, they repeatedly atack US and Afghan troops with rockets, snipers, and rocket-propelled grenade besides ambushing columns of mine-clearing vehicles, close to the main road of Marjah.

British major general Nick Carter told reporters at the Pentagon via satellite that it would take one month to clear Marjah and 3 months to judge whether the operations were successful or not He said the coalition was facing “stiff resistance” from Taliban small groups.

According to the Afghan government, two thousand police men from the Afghan National Police (ANP) will remain in Marjah to ensure that the Taliban do not return and will start reconstruction work.

But the UN announcing (that they will not participate in the reconstruction in Marjah when the operations are over) came as a hard blow to the Pentagon efforts to win hearts and minds of the local people.

After the London conference on January 28, a trust fund was established with 140 million pledges from donor countries to initiate reintegration and reconciliation with the Taliban.

Germany also allocated EUR 20 million for reconciliation in the country, but the Taliban’s leadership council rejected the offer by issuing a statement:

“The defeated invaders should know that their ploys and wiles would not have any achievement to deceive the freedom-loving people of Afghanistan. The invaders have no option but to put an end to the occupation of our country and soil.”

Instead, the Taliban called on Americans to release Taliban prisoners and remove their names from the UN blacklist as a first step for reconciliation.

Washington believes that Marjah operations are necessary to put pressure on the Taliban to come to the table of negotiation and to boost the American position in negotiations.

Some observers believe that the US wants to install some surveillance equipment in Marjah to monitor Iran’s uranium enrichment program. After the failure of the recent efforts by Washington to dissuade Tehran from following its uranium enrichment program, the White House is considering a new package of restrictions on Iran.

So, Washington wants, on the one hand, to put pressure on the Taliban to accept reconciliation on the government terms and, on the other hand, would like to tighten the noose around Tehran by stationing its forces closer to the Iranian border.

On February 1 this year, Afghan president Karzai met King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia to request help in bringing the Taliban to dialogue. He also called on the Pakistani government to play their role as mediators between the Afghan government and the Taliban.

On the other hand, Washington now has adopted a two-pronged process: reintegration and reconciliation. By reintegration, they mean to lure away Taliban ranks by giving them cash incentives, job opportunities, and retirement bonuses. By reconciliation, they mean to start dialogue with the leadership of the Taliban.

However, the Afghan government and foreign countries, which have military presence in Afghanistan, have not agreed on a unanimous strategy for reconciliation with the Taliban.

Even, in the Kabul government, some members of the northern alliance whom hold top government positions consider Taliban as their real enemy and not Al-Qaeda. They do not want them to have a share in the government Hence, they are one of the main hurdles in the way of the negotiation with the Taliban.

Earlier, the Afghan government had nominated Arif Noorzai, former minister of tribal affairs of the Karzai cabinet, to conduct negotiation with Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, leader of Hezb-e-Islami Afghanistan, but had no pragmatic results because without the participation of the Taliban, talks with Hekmatyar will not pay off, even if an agreement is reached.

The reconciliation process should be Afghanized. The Kabul government should be empowered to take independent decision regarding reconciliation. He further says, the US, EU, and the Kabul government should work out a unanimous strategy. This will create an atmosphere of confidence for reconciliation talks to take place.

Since 2001, American and British forces have launched 15 operations in Helmand province. Previously, the Taliban were fighting like a regular army, which caused them huge casualties because of the US and the NATO aerial bombardment But, now, they have turned to guerilla tactics and are organized in small mobile decentralized groups, which ambush coalition forces repeatedly.

With this tactic, the Taliban would be able to extend the Marjah operations until next spring. Other Taliban militants from Afghan provinces, who join the Taliban groups in Marjah from time to time, will keep the momentum high enough to engage the American and British troops there.

Finally, the “together” operations will go into oblivion, like operations Khanjar (Strike of the Sword) and the Panther’s Claw launched in Helmand province in July last year.

As to reconciliation, without a unanimous strategy and confidence-building measures, the reconciliation talks will not proceed. So, before any talks to begin, both sides should create conducive atmosphere of trust and confidence. Then, they can proceed to second phase, which is negotiation for peace.

Author: Suhail Shaheen
(Source IslamOnline. Thewriter in a Former Chief Editor of the Kabul Times)