tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-298317252012-01-04T04:28:27.390-08:00This is a collection of Brigadier General (Retd) Syed ABM Ashrafuzzaman's thoughts posted on various Bangladesh dailies and e-forums on diverse topics. syed.ashrafuzzaman@gmail.comAshraf's columnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16382744974160016625noreply@blogger.comBlogger651100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29831725.post-54601694858248961122011-06-13T00:00:00.000-07:002011-06-13T00:07:23.927-07:00১। ১৯৮৩ সনের কথা। জে: এরশাদের মার্শাল ল’র জমানা। আমি তখন ঢাকায় আর্মি হেডকোর্য়াটার্সে কাজ করি। ঢাকা বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়ের প্রাক্তন ছাত্র হিসেবে প্রাণের টানে প্রায়ই বিশ্ববিদ্যালয় পাড়ায় বেড়াতে যেতাম। উদ্দেশ্য, আমার শ্রদ্ধেয় স্যারদের সালাম জানানো আর পুরানো বন্ধুদের সাথে আড্ডা দেওয়া। তাঁদের মধ্যে অনেকে আর্মি, মার্শাল ল’, সিভিল-মিলিটারি সম্পর্ক, দেশের রাজনৈতিক অবস্থা, এসব নিয়ে আমাকে প্রশ্ন করতেন। আমার মাধ্যমে সম্ভবত সৈনিকদের মনোভাব জানার চেষ্টা করতেন। একদিন আমার অত্যন্ত শ্রদ্ধেয় স্যার কেমেস্ট্রি ডিপার্টমেন্টের প্রফেসর আব্দুল জব্বার মিয়ার সাথে দেখা হলো। ক’দিন আগে আর্মির সৈনিকরা (এই লেখায় অফিসার এবং সিপাহিদের এক কথায় সৈনিক বলে উল্লেখ করা হয়েছে।) অরাজক পরিস্থিতি নিয়ন্ত্রণ করার জন্য ঢাকা বিশ্ববিদ্যালয় ক্যাম্পাসে ঢুকে ছাত্র ও শিক্ষকদের বেধড়ক মারপিট করেন। দেখা মাত্রই স্যার মুখ কালো করে অত্যন্ত মর্মাহতভাবে আমাকে বললেন, “ তোমাকে, এবং অন্যান্য পরিচিত যারা আর্মিতে কাজ করে তাদেরকে, যখন সিভিল ড্রেসে ডিউটির বাইরে সামাজিক পরিবেশে দেখি, তখন তোমরা সবাই কথায় ও কাজে এত ভদ্র ও বিনয়ী। অথচ সেই তোমরাই ঢাকা বিশ্ববিদ্যালয় ক্যাম্পাসে ঢুকে কেমন করে এমন নারকীয় তান্ডব ঘটালে ? কেমন করে ছাত্রদেরকে, যারা তোমাদের ছোট ভাইয়ের মত তাদেরকে, এমন নিমর্মভাবে পেটালে ? কেমন করে সম্মানিত শিক্ষকদের গায়ে হাত তুলতে পারলে ? ১৯৭১ সনের আগে পাকিস্তান আর্মির সৈনিকরা এমন করতো। তখন বুঝতাম, ওরা বর্বর ভিনদেশি শাসক, এমনটা করতেই পারে। কিন্তু আমি কিছুতেই বুঝে উঠতে পারছিনা, কেমন করে তোমরা, আমাদের নিজেদের ছেলেরা, এসব করতে পারো ?”<br /><br />২। সেদিন আমার প্রিয় জব্বার স্যারকে তাঁর প্রশ্নের জবাব খোলাখুলি দিতে পারিনি। কিছু কৈফিয়ত অবশ্য দিয়েছিলাম। বলেছিলাম, “ স্যার, ব্যক্তিজীবনে আমরা সৈনিকরা প্রত্যেকে একেকজন মানুষ। কারও ছেলে, কারও বাবা, কারও ভাই বা কারও স্বামী। ইউনিফর্ম পরে কর্তব্য করতে আসলে এসব কথা মনে রাখা যায় না। তখন যেকোনো মূল্যে, জীবন দিয়ে হলেও, কমান্ডারের হুকুম আমাকে পালন করতে হয়। যথাযোগ্য কর্তৃপক্ষ না ডাকলে আর্মি নিজ থেকে কখনও দাঙ্গা দমনের কাজে নিজকে নিয়োগ করতে পারে না। অন্য সকল সরকারি বাহিনী যখন ব্যর্থ হয় শুধু তখনই উন্মত্ত জনতা নিয়ন্ত্রণ করার জন্য ‘ ইন এইড অব সিভিল পাওয়ার ’ সরকারের আর্মি ডাকার আইনি আধিকার আছে। তাই এ কাজসহ অন্য যেকোনো কাজে আর্মির পক্ষে ব্যর্থতা মেনে নেয়া সম্ভব নয়। আর্মি ব্যর্থ হলে সরকারের হাতে শক্তি প্রয়োগের আর কোনো হাতিয়ার অবশিষ্ট থাকে না। একথা মনে রেখেই সৈনিকরা অর্পিত কর্তব্য পালন করেন। এর মধ্যে রাজনৈতিক বা অন্য কোনো ভাবনা কাজ করে না। সৈনিকের হাতে লাঠি বা ব্যাটন রাখার প্রাধিকার নেই, রেওয়াজও নেই। উন্মত্ত এবং মারমুখী জনতা নিয়ন্ত্রণ করার জন্য তাঁকে বাধ্য হয়ে হাতের রাইফেল ব্যবহার করতে হয়। তা সে পেটানোর জন্য হোক, বা গুলি করার জন্য হোক। কোথায় কখন পুলিশি কাজ করার জন্য আর্মি ডাকা হবে সে বিচারের ভার আর্মির উপর বর্তায় না। তাই, কখনও কখনও আর্মির কাজে বাড়াবাড়ি পরিলক্ষিত হতে পারে। তাছাড়া আর্মি কোনো রাজনৈতিক সংগঠন বা ক্লাব নয় যেখানে ভোটাভোটি করে সিদ্ধান্ত নেয়া হয়। আর্মিতে কমান্ডারের কথাই শেষ কথা। রাষ্ট্রর স্বার্থে এবং পেশাগত প্রয়োজনে সৈনিকের এমন হতে হয়।” জানি, স্যার আমার কৈফিয়তে সন্তুষ্ট হতে পারেননি। স্যার হয়ত বুঝতে পেরেছিলেন, আর্মির একজন কর্মরত অফিসার হিসেবে আমার পক্ষে মন খুলে জবাব দেওয়া সম্ভব ছিলো না। (একজন কর্মরত আর্মি অফিসারের পক্ষে আজও তা সম্ভব নয়।) তাই তিনি সেদিন এ নিয়ে আর কথা বাড়াননি। চাকুরি জীবনে, এবং তারপরে, সিভিলিয়ান বন্ধুবান্ধব ও আত্মীয়স্বজনরা আমাকে ঘুরিয়েফিরিয়ে বহুবার জব্বার স্যারের মত, সিভিল-মিলিটারি সম্পর্ক নিয়ে, অনেক গুরত্বপূর্ণ প্রশ্ন করেছেন। এখনও করে থাকেন। এসব প্রশ্ন আজও মাঝেমাঝে আমাকে তাড়া করে। <br /><br />৩। লক্ষ্য করা গেছে, আমাদের সমাজের বেশ কিছু দায়িত্বশীল ব্যক্তি আর্মি এবং এর সদস্যদের বিরুদ্ধে প্রায়শ: অত্যন্ত দায়িত্বজ্ঞানহীনভাবে মন্তব্য করে থাকেন। এসব মন্তব্য অনেক সময় জ্ঞান ও যুক্তি তো দূরের কথা সভ্যতা-ভব্যতা এমনকি সুরুচির সীমানা অতিক্রম করে যায়। যেমন, বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়ের একজন নামকরা সিনিয়র অধ্যাপককে জানি যিনি তাঁর লেখায় আর্মির সদস্যদের কখনও সৈনিক বা অফিসার বলে উল্লেখ করেন না। অত্যন্ত তুচ্ছভাবে তাঁদেরকে তিনি “বুটওয়ালা”, “বন্দুকওয়ালা”, “উর্দিওয়ালা” ইত্যাদি বলে উল্লেখ করেন। (এখন অবশ্য তাঁর পসন্দের দল সরকারে আছে বলে এসব বলা আপাতত বন্ধ রেখেছেন।) ১৯৮৩ সালে কোনো এক বিকেলে আমার এক ভাবীর (বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়ের প্রফেসরের স্ত্রী) বাসায় গেলে তিনি রাগান্বিতভাবে এই বলে আমাকে চার্জ করলেন, “ ভাই, আপনারা (সৈনিকরা) কেমন লোক ? আর্মির সেপাইরা সেদিন মিছিল থেকে ছাত্রদের ধরে নিয়ে ব্লেড দিয়ে হাত-পা কেটে তাতে লবন লাগিয়ে দিয়েছে! কেমন করে আপনারা এত নিষ্ঠুর হতে পারেন ?” শান্তভাবে ভাবীকে জিজ্ঞাসা করলাম, “ আপনি নিজ চোখে দেখেছেন ?” তিনি বললেন, “ না, অন্য একজন বলেছেন।” আবার জিজ্ঞাসা করলাম, “তিনি কি নিজ চোখে দেখেছেন ?” ভাবী জবাব দিলেন, তা তিনি জানেন না। যাহোক, ভাবীকে বললাম, “কোনো সৈনিকের পক্ষে এ ধরনের কাজ ইচ্ছে করলেও করা সম্ভব নয়। কারণ, কাজটা শুধু বেআইনি নয়, অমানবিকও বটে। এমন কাজ করতে গেলে তাঁর কমান্ডার এবেং সঙ্গী সৈনিকরা অবশ্যই বাধা দিবেন। তর্কের খাতিরে যদি ধরে নেয়া যায়, কোনো একজন সৈনিক পাগল বা অমানুষ। তাই বলে সব সৈনিক তা নয়। তাছাড়া এমন কাজের জন্য সৈনিকটিকে ব্যারাক থেকে আসার সময় ব্লেড এবং লবন সাথে করে আনতে হবে !” পরিশেষে ভাবীকে বিষয়টি বোঝাতে পেরেছিলাম। তারপরও বাংলাদেশে এমন লোক দেখেছি যাঁরা এসব উদ্ভট গল্পে বিশ্বাস করে থাকেন।<br /><br />৪। দেশে যখন মার্শাল ল’ জারি থাকে, অথবা তথাকতিত গণতান্ত্রিক বেসামরিক সরকার আর্মির উপর নির্ভর করে দেশ শাসন করে, যখন আর্মিকে শোষণ ও নিপীড়ণের হাতিয়ার হিসেবে ব্যবহৃত হতে দেখে, তখন স্বাবাভাবিকভাবে মানুষ আর্মির উপর ক্ষিপ্ত হয়ে উঠে। সৈনিকদের সর্ম্পকে অনেক ঢালাও বিরূপ মন্তব্য করে থাকে যা বহুলাংশে সঠিক ও তথ্যনির্ভর নয়। জে: এরশাদের মার্শাল ল’র জমানায় আমার নিজ কানে এমন অনেক মন্ত্ব্ব্বব্য শুনতে হয়েছে। আর্মি সর্ম্পকে বহুল প্রচলিত একটি ভুল ধারণা হলো, আর্মির অফিসার ও সৈনিকরা অশিক্ষিত বা অল্প শিক্ষিত। হয়তো একশ’ বা দু’শ’ বছর আগে, যখন সমাজের প্রায় সবাই অশিক্ষিত ছিলো, এমনটা বলার সুযোগ ছিলো। কিন্তু আজকের পরিন্থিতি সম্পূর্ণ ভিন্ন। স্বাধীনতার পর থেকে বাংলাদেশ আর্মির সকল কোরে (শাখায়) সিপাহি পদে ভর্তির সর্বনিম্ন শিক্ষাগত যোগ্যতা এসএসসি অথবা এইচএসসি পাশ। অনেকে তার চাইতে বেশি শিক্ষাগত যোগ্যতা নিয়ে সিপাহি পদে ভর্তি হন। এদের মধ্যে যেসব সিপাহি এএমসি (আর্মি মেডিক্যাল কোর), এডিসি (আর্মি ডেন্টাল কোর), (সিভিল) ইন্জিনিয়ার্স কোর, ইএমই (ইলেকট্রিক্যাল এবং মেকানিক্যাল ইন্জিনিয়ার্স কোর) এবং অন্যান্য টেকনিক্যাল কোরে ভর্তি হন তাঁদেরকে তিন-চার বছর মেয়াদি পেশাগত ট্রেইনিং কোর্স সম্পন্ন করতে হয়। এসব কোর্স বাইরের প্যারামেডিক্যাল কোর্স, ডিপ্লোমা ইন্জিনিয়ারিং কোর্স, সার্ভেয়ার কোর্স ইত্যাদির সমতুল্য বলে সরকারিভাবে স্বীকৃত। এখানে বলে নেয়া ভালো, আধুনিক আর্মিতে সত্যিকার অর্থে ননটেকনিক্যাল কোর বলে কিছু নেই। বর্তমান যুগে তথাকথিত ননটেকনিক্যাল ইনফ্যানাট্রি কোরের একজন সিপাহিকেও গাইডেড মিসাইল, এক্সপ্লোসিভস, বাতাসের গতিবেগ দেখে অস্ত্রের নিশানা সংশোধণ ইত্যাদি অনেক বিষয়ে তাত্বিক ও প্রায়োগিক জ্ঞান লাভ করতে হয়।<br /><br />৫। এএমসি, এডিসি, ইন্জিনিয়ার্স, ইএমই’সহ সকল টেকনিক্যাল কোরে অফিসার পদে যোগদানের পূর্বযোগ্যতা সংশ্লিষ্ট বিষয়ে গ্রাজুয়েশন ডিগ্রি। অথবা, যোগদানের পর, কোনো কোনো কোরে, নির্দিষ্ট সময়ের মধ্যে গ্রাজুয়েশন ডিগ্রি অর্জন। আর্মি এডুকেশন কোরে (এইসি) কমিশন লাভের জন্য দরখাস্ত করতে হলে প্রার্থীকে কমপক্ষে অনার্সসহ দ্বিতীয় শ্রেণীর মাস্টার্স ডিগ্রি থাকতে হয়। অপরদিকে ননটেকনিক্যাল কোরের অফিসারগণকে বাংলাদেশ মিলিটারি একাডেমি যোগদানের পূর্বশর্ত হিসেবে কমপক্ষে দ্বিতীয় বিভাগে এইচএসসি পাশ হতে হয়। আইএসএসবি (ইন্টার সার্ভিসেস সিলেকশন বোর্ড) নামক প্রতিষ্ঠান থেকে নেতৃত্বের যোগ্যতা সংক্রান্ত কঠিন পরীক্ষায় অবশ্যই কৃতকার্য হতে হয়। মিলিটারি একাডেমিতে দীর্ঘ দু’বছরের ট্রেইনিং শেষে কমিশন লাভের সাথেসাথে আবশ্যিকভাবে জাতীয় বিশ্ববিদ্যালয় থেকে আর্টস বা সাইন্সে গ্রাজুয়েশন ডিগ্রি অর্জন করতে হয়। অনেকে হয়ত জানেন না, বেসামরিক বিশ্ববিদ্যালয় থেকে গ্রাজুয়েশন ডিগ্রি লাভের জন্য একজন প্রার্থীকে ন্যুনতম যে কয়টি বিষয় পড়তে হয় বাংলাদেশ মিলিটারি একাডেমি থেকে গ্রাজুয়েশন ডিগ্রি লাভের জন্য, তার চাইতে কম সময়ে, সব মিলিয়ে তার চাইতে অনেক বেশি মিলিটারি এবং একাডেমিক বিষয়ে পরীক্ষা দিয়ে পাশ করতে হয়। আজকাল ডিফেন্স সার্ভিসেস কমান্ড এন্ড স্টাফ কলেজ এবং ন্যাশনাল ডিফেন্স কলেজ থেকে বাংলাদেশ আর্মির বহু সংখ্যক অফিসার পেশাগত ঊচ্চতর ডিগ্রি ছাড়াও বিভিন্ন একাডেমিক বিষয়ে দেশি ও বিদেশি ইউনিভার্সিটি থেকে মাস্টার্স ও পিএইচডি ডিগ্রি লাভ করছেন। বেসামরিক জীবনে একজন ডাক্তার, ইন্জিনিয়ার বা একাউন্ট্যান্ট যেমনভাবে বেসিক একাডেমিক যোগ্যতা এইচএসসি পাশ করে নিজস্ব পেশাগত বিষয়ে গ্রাজুয়েশন ডিগ্রি অর্জন করেন, ঠিক একইভাবে একজন কমিশনপ্রাপ্ত আর্মি অফিসার এইচএসসি পাশ করে সমরবিদ্যাসহ অন্যান্য বিষয়ে গ্রাজুয়েশন ডিগ্রি অর্জন করেন। এর পর, আশা করি, যাঁরা সৈনিকদের অশিক্ষিত বলে অবজ্ঞা করেন তাঁরা নিজেদের ভুল বুঝতে পারবেন।<br /><br />৬। তিন-চার দশক, বা তারও আগে, যাঁরা জনগণকে নেতৃত্ব দিতেন তাঁরা আর্মি বা অন্য কোনো পেশাকে অবজ্ঞা করতেন না, অন্তত প্রকাশ্যে নয়। অনেক বছর যাবত আমাদের আর্মির সদস্যরা পৃথিবীর বিভিন্ন দেশে শান্তি রক্ষার কাজে নিয়োজিত আছেন। সেসব দেশে তাঁরা অত্যন্ত সুনামের সাথে কর্তব্য পালন করে আন্তর্জাতিক মহলে অজস্র প্রশংসা কুড়িয়ে আসছেন। কিন্তু, অত্যন্ত পরিতাপের বিষয়, নিজ দেশে তাঁরা সমালোচিত হয়ে আসছেন। যাঁরা রাজনীতি করেন তাঁদের মধ্যে অনেককে আর্মি অফিসারদেরকে, বা পুরেো আর্মিকে লক্ষ্য করে প্রকাশ্যে অবজ্ঞাসূচক মন্তব্য করতে শোনা যায়। এসব রাজনীতিবীদদের পৃষ্ঠপোষক একশ্রেণীর অসাধু ব্যবসায়ী, সুশীল সমাজের সদস্য বলে পরিচিতে এঁদের কিছু অন্ধ স্তাবক এবং লেজুড় হিসেবে পরিচিত কিছু ছাত্রনেতা একাজে রাজনীতিবীদদের চাইতেও এককাঠি এগিয়ে থাকেন।<br /><br />৭। দেশে একাধিকবার মার্শাল ল’ জারি হবার কারণে একশ্রেণীর রাজনীতিবীদ হয়তো আর্মির উপর সহযবোধ্য কারণে বেজায় ক্ষেপে থাকতে পারেন। ক্ষ্যাপার আরও একটা কারণ হতে পারে ঈর্ষা। আজকালকার অধিকাংশ রাজনীতিবীদদের শিক্ষা ও মেধাগত যোগ্যতা, দক্ষতা, সততা, নেতৃত্বের গুণাবলী এবং ছাত্র জীবনে বেআইনি কাজকর্মের রেকর্ড ইত্যাদি বিবেচনা করলে তাঁদের বেশিরভাগই বাংলাদেশ আর্মির একজন নবীণ বা প্রবীণ চৌকশ অফিসারের মুখোমুখি দাঁড়াবার মত নৈতিক যোগ্যতা ও আধিকার রাখেন কিনা তা নিয়ে প্রশ্ন উঠতে পারে। অথচ এঁদের মধ্য থেকেই সংসদ সদস্য এবং মন্ত্রী নির্বাচন করা হয়। অত্যন্ত পরিতাপের সাথে লক্ষ্য করা যাচ্ছে, দলে অনেক শিক্ষিত, মেধাবী, দক্ষ, সত্ এবং সম্মানিত নেতা-কর্মী থাকা সত্বেও আজকাল বড় বড় রাজনৈতিক দলের সর্বোচ্চ পর্যায় থেকে তাঁদের নির্বাচনে নমিনেশন দেওয়া হয় না। বেশির ভাগ ক্ষেত্রে নমিনেশন দেওয়া হয় অসাধু ব্যবসায়ী এবং চিহ্নিত ও দুর্নীতিপরায়ণ সন্ত্রাসীদের। রাজনৈতিক দলের সর্বোচ্চ পর্যায়ের নেতা-নেত্রীরা কেনো এমন করেন, তা বলার প্রয়োজন আছে বলে মনে করি না। <br /><br />৮। যেকোনো দেশের আর্মি সে দেশের নিজস্ব উজ্জ্বল তরুণ নাগরিক দ্বারা সংগঠিত, নিজস্ব অর্থসম্পদ দ্বারা পরিচালিত এবং দেশের স্বাধীনতা ও সার্বভৌমত্বের অতন্দ্র প্রহরী। সম্পূর্ণ রাজনীতিমুক্ত একটি প্রতিষ্ঠান। যেকোনো সংগঠনের মত এর মধ্যও দুষ্ট লোক থাকতে পারে, সাবির্কভাবে সংগঠনের দুর্বলতাও থাকতে পারে। গালাগাল করে, বা বদনাম রটিয়ে এসবের সমাধান হয় না। নেতৃত্বে পরিবর্তন এনে, আইনে যথাযথ সংষ্কার এনে এবং প্রয়োজনবোধে দুষ্ট সদস্যকে সংশোধণ বা বহিষ্কার করে, অবস্থার উন্নতি করা অবশ্যই সম্ভব। যেসব ব্যক্তি কারনে-অকারণে, কথায়-কথায় জাতীয় সেনাবাহীনিকে অন্যায়ভাবে দোষারোপ করে থাকেন তাঁরা দেশের কী উপকার করছেন, জানিনা। তবে, দেশের বহি:শত্রু, যারা আমাদের দেশকে সামরিকভাবে দুর্বল দেখতে চায়, তাদের তাঁরা পরম সেবা করে আসছেন, একথা সহজে অনুমান করা যায়। দেশের ভিতর থেকে জেনেশুনে এ জঘণ্য কাজটি যাঁরা করে আসছেন তাঁরা আর যাই হোন দেশের হিতাকাংখী নন। প্রসঙ্গত উল্লেখ করা যেতে পারে, দুর্নীতির (এবং শৃঙ্খলা ভঙ্গের) কারণে আর্মিতে মাঝারি পর্যায়ের অফিসার ও সৈনিকদের শাস্তি প্রদান নিয়মিত ঘটনা। কিন্ত বাংলাদেশ আর্মিতে সিনিয়র অফিসারদের এসব কারণে শাস্তি দেওয়ার নজির নাই বললেই চলে। যেমন করে তাঁদের সিভিলিয়ান কাউন্টারপার্টরা দুর্নীতির অপরাধ থেকে সদা দায়মুক্ত থাকেন। এর কারণ একটাই। দুর্নীতিপরায়ণ রাজনীতিবীদরা সিনিয়র পদে নিজেদের দুর্নীতির কাজে সহায়ক হিসেবে এসব দুর্নীতিপরায়ণ সামরিক ও বেসামরিক অফিসারদের নিয়োগ দিয়ে থাকেন। <br /><br />৯। আমার বারবার মনে হয়েছে, আর্মি সম্পর্কে মানুষের ভুল ধারণা দূর করতে, এবং আর্মির বিরুদ্ধে প্রচারণার জবাব দেওয়ার জন্য উপরি উক্ত গুরত্বপূর্ণ প্রশ্নেসমূহের জবাব দেওয়া প্রয়োজন। আর্মিতে ৩২ বছর চাকুরি করার পর ১১ বছর আগে অবসর নিয়েছি। মনে হচ্ছে, জীবনের পরন্ত বেলায় এসে এখন নিরাসক্ত মনে ঠান্ডা মাথায় এসব প্রশ্নের উত্তর নির্মোহভাবে দেওয়া আমার জন্য সহজ হবে। একজন কর্মরত সৈনিকের পক্ষে এসব প্রশ্নের জবাব দেওয়া সম্ভব নয়। আর্মি অ্যাক্ট তাঁকে সে অনুমতি দেয় না। তাঁর পক্ষ থেকে জনগণকে সকল প্রশ্নের জবাব দেওয়ার একমাত্র এখতিয়ার প্রতিরক্ষা মন্ত্রনালয়ের অধীন আইএসপিআর (আন্ত:বাহীনি গণসংযোগ পরিদপ্তর) নামক একটি সরকারি অফিসের। প্রতিরক্ষামন্ত্রী স্বয়ং অফিসটি সরাসরি নিয়ন্ত্রণ করেন। গণতান্ত্রিক শাসন ব্যবস্থায় এমনটি হওয়া ন্বাভাবিক এবং কাম্য। কিন্তু সমস্যা হয় যখন শাসন ব্যবস্থা সত্যিকারের গণতান্ত্রিক না হয়ে অন্য কিছু হয়। দেশে যখন সামরিক শাসন থাকে, অথবা গণতন্ত্রের আবরণে স্বৈরতান্ত্রিক শাসন ব্যবন্থা কায়েম থাকে তখন প্রতিরক্ষামন্ত্রী (উল্লেখ্য, বাংলাদেশের গণতান্ত্রিক সরকারের প্রধানমন্ত্রীরা গত দু’দশক ধরে একের পর একে প্রতিরক্ষা মন্ত্রনালয়টি নিজের হাতে রেখে আসছেন।) আর্মির, তথা রাস্ট্রের, স্বার্থ ও সুনামের চাইতে নিজের রাজনৈতিক ফায়দাকে বেশি প্রাধান্য দিয়ে থাকেন। এধরনের শাসকগোষ্ঠি আর্মিকে সবসময় অত্যাচার, শোষণ ও নিপীড়ণের হাতিয়ার হিসেবে যথেচ্ছ অপব্যবহার করে সবশেষে সব দোষ আর্মির ঘাড়ে চাপিয়ে দিয়ে থাকেন। আর্মিকে জনগণের বিপক্ষে মুখোমুখি দাঁড় করিয়ে নিজেদের হীন রাজনৈতিক স্বার্থ হাসিল করতে এরা কুন্ঠা বোধ করেন না। আইএসপিআরকে আর্মির অনুকূলে ব্যবহার না করে নিজেদের উদ্দেশ্য হাসিলে ব্যবহার করেন। বৃটিশ শাসকরা এবং পরে পাকিন্তানিরা সহজবোধ্য কারণে তাই করেছে। কিন্তু প্রশ্ন উঠে, যখন দেখি ইংরেজ ঔপনিবেশিক শাসকরা বৃটিশ ইন্ডিয়ান আর্মিকে অন্যয়ভাবে দাবিয়ে রাখার জন্য যে আইন প্রনয়ণ করেছিলো (ওদের নিজের দেশের আর্মির জন্য স্বাধীন দেশের উপযোগী আইন সব সময়ই ছিলো, এবং আজও আছে) সেই একই আইন ১৯৭১ সনের ৪০ বছর পর আজও প্রয়োগ করা হচ্ছে বাংলাদেশ আর্মি পরিচালনার জন্য। এ প্রশ্নের উত্তর খুব সহজ। স্বাধীন বাংলাদেশের শাসকশ্রেণী সামরিক, বেসামরিক স্বৈরাচারী অথবা গণতান্ত্রিক যে নামেই দেশ শাসন করুন না কেন, তাঁরা সবাই স্বৈরতান্ত্রিক শাসনে বিশ্বাস করেন। সে কারণে তাঁরা আজ পর্যন্ত বৃটিশ ইন্ডিয়ান আর্মির আইনের শুধু শিরোনাম পাল্টে আসছেন। ভিতরের ধারা-উপধারা সংশোধণ করছেন না। একটি স্বাধীন গণতান্ত্রিক দেশের আর্মির জন্য নতুন করে উপযোগী আইন ইচ্ছাকৃতভাবে প্রনয়ণ করছেন না। আজও যদি আর্মির একজন সৈনিককে অন্যায়ভাবে বা ভুল করে সামরিক আদালতে শাস্তি, এমনকি মৃত্যুদন্ড, দেওয়া হয় তিনি তার বিরুদ্ধে দেশের সব্বোর্চ্চ আদালতে কোনো আপিল করতে পারেন না।<br /><br />১০। আমি যেসব বেসামরিক ব্যক্তির সাথে এসব বিষয় নিয়ে আলাপ করেছি তাঁরা প্রায় সবাই একটি বিষয়ে ভুল করেন বলে আমার মনে হয়েছে। তাঁরা ভুলে যান, পৃথিবীতে আর্মি হচ্ছে একমাত্র রাষ্ট্রীয় প্রতিষ্ঠান যেখানে কিভাবে দ্রুত এবং অধিক হারে মানুষ (নামক শত্রু সৈন্য) হত্যা করা যায় তার কৌশল আইনানুগভাবে শেখানো হয়। উপরওয়ালার আদেশ জীবন দিয়ে হলেও পালন করবো, প্রতিটি সৈনিককে এইমর্মে শপথ গ্রহণ করতে হয়। রাষ্ট্রের আর কোনো বিভাগের কর্মচারিকে, প্রয়োজন নেই বলে, এমন ট্রেইনিং নিতে হয় না, এমন শপথ নিতে হয় না। ধরা যাক, দেশের কোথাও শত্রু সৈন্য দ্বারা আক্রান্ত হলো। সেখানকার বেসামরিক নাগরিক, সরকারি কর্মচারি, ডিসি-এসপি সবাই প্রাণ বাঁচাতে ঐ এলাকা ছেড়ে স্বেচ্ছায় চলে যেতে পারেন, কেউ বাধা দেবে না। কিন্তু আর্মির একজন কর্তব্যরত সৈনিক উপরওয়ালার হুকুম ছাড়া এক পা পিছিয়ে আসতে পারেন না। যদি আসেন, কোর্টমার্শালে তার মৃত্যুদন্ড পর্যন্ত হতে পারে। শত্রুর গুলি খেয়ে মরণ অবধারিত জেনেও তাঁকে তাঁর পজিশনে অটল থাকতে হয়। অন্যান্য পেশার সাথে সৈনিকের পেশার মূল পার্থক্য এখানেই। সৈনিকের পেশাগত প্রয়োজনে শুরু থেকে এই পার্থক্যের সৃষ্টি, যা আজ অব্দি পৃথিবীর সব দেশের সব আর্মিতে বিরাজ করছে। আর্মি অথবা এর কর্মরত সদস্যদের নিয়ে বাংলাদেশে যাঁরা চিন্তাভাবনা করেন, মন্তব্য করেন তাঁরা অনুগ্রহ করে আর্মির এই বৈশিষ্ট্যটি মনে রাখলে অনেক ভুল বুঝাবোঝি থেকে রক্ষা পাওয়া যাবে।<br /><br />১১। এখানে প্রাসঙ্গিকভাবে প্রশ্ন উঠে, উপরওয়ালার সকল আদেশ কি মানতে হবে ? না। আইন বলে, শুধুমাত্র ল’ফুল অর্থাত্ আইনি আদেশ মানা বাধ্যতামূলক, আনল’ফুল বা বেআইনি আদেশ নয়। তত্ত্বগতভাবে কথাটা ভালোই শোনায়। কিন্তু ইতিহাস বলে, বান্তবে এমনটা অনেক সময় হয় না। সৈনিক তো দূরের কথা, উচ্চ আদালতের বিচারকরা পর্যন্ত স্বেচ্ছায় অথবা পরিস্থিতির চাপে নিজেদের নেয়া শপথ ভঙ্গ করে বেআইনি আদেশ পালন করেছেন, এমন নজির আমাদের দেশে বিরল নয়। বেআইনিভাবে আগত শাসককে তাঁরা শুধু শপথ বাক্য পাঠ করান না, তাঁর সকল আদেশ অক্ষরে অক্ষরে পালন করেন। এমন ঘটনা যখন ঘটে তখন একবারে চুপ থাকলেও পরবর্তিকালে সুবিধামত সময়ে একশ্রণীর বুদ্ধিজীবী শপথ ভঙ্গকারিদের বিরুদ্ধে উচ্চকন্ঠে কঠোর সমালোচনা করেন। একবার ভেবেও দেখেন না, ঘটনা ঘটার সময় চুপ করে থেকে তাঁরা নিজেরা নৈতিক অপরাধ করেছিলেন কিনা। <br /><br />১২। সাধারণ সৈনিকরা কোনো দেশে মার্শাল ল’ জারি করেন না। একটি দেশে প্রধানত তিনটি কারণে জেনারেলগণ মার্শাল ল’ জারি করে থাকেন। এক, ক্ষমতাসীন সিভিলিয়ান সরকারের সাময়িক দুর্বলতার সুযোগ নিয়ে সুযোগসন্ধানী ও উচ্চাভিলাষী জেনারেলগণ মার্শাল ল’ জারি করেন । দুই, যখন সিভিলিয়ান সরকারের একপক্ষীয় চরম ব্যর্থতার কারণে রাষ্ট্রের নিরাপত্তা, অভ্যন্তরীণ আইনশৃঙ্খলা পরিস্থিতি, প্রশাসন এবং অর্থনীতি ধ্বংসের মুখোমুখি হওয়া সত্বেও ক্ষমতাসীন সরকার বিকল্প রাজনৈতিক শক্তির কাছে গণতান্ত্রিক পদ্ধতিতে ক্ষমতা হস্তান্তরে অস্বীকার করেন, তখন জেনারেলগণ দেশ, রাষ্ট্র ও জনগণের স্বার্থে মার্শাল ল’ জারি করেন। তিন, যখন শুধুমাত্র নিজেদের ক্ষুদ্র ব্যক্তিগত এবং দলীয় স্বার্থে ক্ষমতাসীন এবং বিরোধী পক্ষের রাজনৈতিক দলসমূহ এমনভাবে পরষ্পর দাঙ্গাহাঙ্গামায় লিপ্ত হয় যে রাষ্ট্রের নিরাপত্তা, অভ্যন্তরীণ আইনশৃঙ্খলা পরিস্থিতি, প্রশাসন এবং অর্থনীতি ধ্বংসের দ্বারপ্রান্তে এসে দাঁড়ায় তখন জেনারেলগণ দেশ, রাষ্ট্র ও জনগণের স্বার্থে মার্শাল ল’ জারি করেন। যখন দ্বিতীয় বা তৃতীয় কারনে মার্শাল ল’ জারি করা হয় তখন তার পেছনে সহজবোধ্যে কারণে দৃশ্যমানভাবে সর্বস্তরের জনগণের এবং সৈনিকদের অকুন্ঠ সমর্থন থাকে। <br /><br />১৩। প্রসঙ্গক্রমে উল্লেখ করা যেতে পারে, বাংলাদেশে আর্মি চীফরা দেশের সরকার প্রধান কর্তৃক নিয়োজিত হয়ে থাকেন। একাজটি সম্পূর্ণভাবে সরকার প্রধানের ব্যক্তিগত এখতিয়ার। দেখা গেছে, আমাদের দেশে পেশাগত দক্ষতা ও যোগ্যতার চাইতে নিয়োজিত জেনারেলের ব্যক্তিগত আনুগত্য, বাড়ি কোন জেলায়, কার আত্মীয় ইত্যাদিকে সবার উপরে স্থান দেওয়া হয়ে থাকে। বাংলাদেশে এমন নজিরও আছে যেখানে অবসরে যাওয়া একজন মেজর জেনারেলকে অবসর অবস্থা থেকে আর্মিতে ফিরিয়ে এনে প্রমোশন দিয়ে আর্মি চীফ বানানো হয়েছিলো। কারণ, তিনি ছিলেন তৎকালীন গণতান্ত্রিক সরকার প্রধানের নিকটাত্মীয়। পেশাগত দক্ষতা, যোগ্যতা এবং সত্যানুরাগিতার বিচারে যখন যে জেনারেলের আর্মি চীফ হওয়া উচিত ছিলো, অনেক ক্ষেত্রে, তাঁকে চীফ করা হয়নি। জানিনা, একটা কথা আমাদের দেশের সিনিয়র রাজনীতিবীদরা আজও কেনো বুঝতে পারছেন না যে, রাজনৈতিক বিবেচনায় আর্মি চীফ নিয়োগ দিয়ে আর্মিকে পলিটিসাইজ করার চেষ্টা করা কতো বড় ভ্রান্ত ধারণা, কতো বড় দেশবিরোধী কাজ। পেশাগতভাবে দক্ষ, রাজনৈতিক আনুগত্য মুক্ত, সত্ এবং দেশপ্রেমিক একজন আর্মি চীফ যতটা আনুগত্য নিয়ে একটি নির্বাচিত সরকার ও তার প্রধানকে রক্ষা করবে, একজন অদক্ষ ও রাজনৈতিকভাবে অনুগত আর্মি চীফের পক্ষে তা করা সম্ভব নয়। কারণ, যখন ক্রান্তিকাল উপস্থিত হয়, তখন সাধারণ সৈনিকরা কোনো অদক্ষ ও রাজনৈতিকভাবে অনুগত আর্মি চীফের কমান্ড মানতে চান না। সাম্প্রতিকালে মিশর এবং তিউনিসিয়া এর জ্বলন্ত নজির। <br /><br />১৪। ১৯৯০ সনের পর থেকে চালু হওয়া নির্বাচিত গণতান্ত্রিক সরকারগুলো আর্মিকে নিয়ে একটি সর্বনাশা আত্মঘাতী খেলায় মেতে আছেন। যখন কোনো বড় একটি রাজনৈতিক দল নির্বাচিত হয়ে ক্ষমতায় আসীন হয়, তখন পূর্ববর্তী (বর্তমানে বিরোধী দলের) সরকারের আমলে যেসব আর্মি অফিসার বিভিন্ন গুরুত্বপূর্ণ ও স্পর্শকাতর পদে (যেমন প্রেসিডেন্ট ও প্রধানমন্ত্রীর ব্যক্তিগত স্টাফ অফিসার, বিভিন্ন সিকিউরিটি ইউনিট এবং গোয়েন্দা সংগঠনের প্রধানসহ তাঁদের ঘনিষ্ঠ সহকর্মী) নিয়োজিত ছিলেন তাঁদের সবাইকে অপ্রকাশিত প্রশাসনিক কারণে অকালীন অবসর দিয়ে বাড়ি পাঠিয়ে দেন। অপ্রকাশিত কারণটি হলো, যেহেতু এসব অফিসার আগের সরকারের আমলে (বর্তমান) বিরোধী দলীয় রাজনৈতিক নেতাদের আস্থাভাজন ছিলেন, সুতরাং বর্তমান সরকারের রাজনৈতিক নেতাদের পক্ষে এসব অফিসারকে বিশ্বাস করা আদৌ নিরাপদ নয়। ১৯৯০ সনে স্বৈরাচারী সরকারের পতনের পর প্রথম নির্বাচিত গণতান্ত্রিক সরকার ক্ষমতায় এসে প্রায় ৬০ জন পেশাগতভাবে দক্ষ ও অভিজ্ঞ আর্মি অফিসারকে এভাবে অবসর দিয়ে বাড়ি পাঠিয়ে দেন। ফলে, একদিকে যেমন সংশ্লিষ্ট আফিসারগণ ব্যক্তিগতভাবে নির্যাতিত হলেন, অপর দিকে জাতি বঞ্চিত হলো বহু অর্থ-সম্পদ ব্যয়ে গড়ে তোলা ৬০ জন পেশাদার অফিসারের সেবা থেকে। কিছুদিন হলো এই খেলাতে নতুন মাত্রা যোগ হয়েছে। নির্বাচিত নতুন গণতান্ত্রিক সরকার ক্ষমতায় এসে আগের সরকারের আমলে অবসরে পাঠানো এমন অফিসারদেরকে অবসরের তারিখ (বা তার আগ) থেকে প্রমোশন দিয়ে উচ্চতর অবসর ভাতা মন্জুর করছেন। প্রতিবার সরকার বদলের সময় যদি আর্মিকে এভাবে কমবেশি অফিসার হারাতে হয় তাহলে একটা সময় অচিরে আসবে যখন মেধাবী প্রার্থীরা আর্মিতে আর যোগ দেবে না। অন্যদিকে আর্মি মারাত্মকভাবে পলিটিসাইজড হয়ে যাবে। যা কারো কাম্য হতে পারে না। আর্মি অফিসাররা প্রজাতন্ত্রের কর্মচারি হিসেবে একমাত্র রাষ্ট্র ও সংবিধানের প্রতি অনুগত থাকতে বাধ্য। একজন অফিসারকে সরকার যে পদেই নিয়োগ দিক না কেনো সে পদে তিনি কর্তব্য পালনে বাধ্য। এধরনের কোনো নিয়োগকে রাজনৈতিক নিয়োগ হিসেবে দেখা আইন এবং নৈতিকতাবিরোধী। আর্মি অফিসারদের কাছ থেকে রাজনৈতিক বা দলগত আনুগত্য কামনা করা যেমন অপরাধ, একজন অফিসারের পক্ষে তেমন আনুগত্য পোষণ এবং প্রকাশ করাও অপরাধ। আমাদের বর্তমান প্রজন্মের রাজনীতিবীদরা এবং আর্মি অফিসাররা দেশের সর্বোচ্চ স্বার্থের কথা বিবেচনা করে একথা মনে রাখলে নিজেদের জন্য এবং দেশের জন্য মঙ্গল হবে। <br /><br />১৫। সম্প্রতিকালে বাংলাদেশের মাননীয় সর্র্বোচ্চ আদালত ১৯৭২ সালের মূল সংবিধান পুন:স্থাপন করার জন্য আদেশ প্রদান করতে গিয়ে বিভিন্ন সময়ে সামরিক শাসকগণ কর্তৃক নির্বাহী আদেশবলে প্রবর্তিত এবং মার্শাল ল’র অধীনে নির্বাচিত জাতীয় সংসদ কর্তৃক অনুমোদিত সংবিধানের সকল সংশোধণ (দু’য়েকটি বাদে) এবং আইন রহিত করেছেন। মার্শাল ল’ জারিকারী সকলকে বিচারের আওতায় আনার জন্য প্রশাসন ও সংসদকে পরামর্শ দিয়েছেন। মাননীয় সর্র্বোচ্চ আদালত মার্শাল ল’র চাইতে কম জনগুরুত্বপূর্ণ অনেক বিষয়ে স্বত:প্রণোদিত হয়ে (সুয়ো মটো) হস্তক্ষেপ করে অপরাধীদের বিচার করে দন্ড দিয়ে সাধারণ মানুষের প্রশংসা কুড়াচ্ছেন। কিন্তু যেসব জেনারেল বা রাজনৈতিক ব্যাক্তি মার্শাল ল’ জারি করে রাষ্ট্রের বিরুদ্ধে গুরুতর অপরাধ সংঘটিত করেছেন তাঁদেরকে বিচারের আওতায় আনার জন্য মাননীয় সর্র্বোচ্চ আদালত কেন সুয়ো মটো ব্যবস্থা এযাবত নেননি তা বোধগম্য নয়। যেসব জেনারেল বা ব্যক্তি মার্শাল ল’ জারি করেছেন তাঁদের অবশ্যই বিচার করে দৃষ্টান্তমূলক শাস্তি প্রদান করা উচিত। তবে যদি উপরিউক্ত ১২ অনুচ্ছেদে বর্ণিত দ্বিতীয় বা তৃতীয় কারনে মার্শাল ল’ জারি করা হয়ে থাকে তাহলে সংশ্লিষ্ট জেনারেলদের বিচার করা নৈতিক দিক থেকে কতটা সমর্থনযোগ্য, সে প্রশ্ন উঠতেই পারে। আমরা জানি, আইন এবং নৈতিকতার মানদন্ড সবসময় অভিন্ন হয় না। আইনের চোখে দন্ডনীয় কাজ কখনও কখনও নৈতিকতার বিচারে শুদ্ধ ও প্রশংসনীয় হয়। যেসব মার্শাল ল’ জারির পেছনে জনগণের স্বত:স্ফুর্ত সমর্থন থাকে সেসব মার্শাল ল’ জারিকারীদের বিচার করতে হলে সমর্থনকারী জনগণেরও তো বিচার করা উচিত। সে বিচার কোন আদালতে হবে ? যেসব রাজনৈতিক নেতা-নেত্রীর অবিমৃষ্যকারিতার কারণে রাষ্ট্রের প্রশাসনযন্ত্র ভেঙ্গে পড়েছিলো, মার্শাল ল’ জারি করা অপরিহার্য হয়ে পড়েছিলো সেসব রাজনৈতিক নেতা-নেত্রীর বিচার করা সম্পর্কে মাননীয় আদালত কেন চুপ থাকলেন, তা বোঝা গেলো না। যেসব রাজনৈতিক নেতা-নেত্রী মার্শাল ল’কে (অথবা আধা-মার্শাল ল’কে) আসতে প্রকাশ্যে নিমন্ত্রণ জানালেন, পরবর্তীকালে মার্শাল ল’র অধীনে নির্বাচিত সংসদের সদস্য হয়ে যাঁরা সামরিক শাসকগণ কর্তৃক নির্বাহী আদেশবলে প্রবর্তিত সকল ফরমান এবং সংবিধানের সকল সংশোধণ এবং আইন অনুমোদন করলেন তাঁদের সর্ম্পকে মাননীয় আদালতের নীরবতা বোধগম্য নয়। যে জেনারেল মার্শাল ল’ জারি করেছেন তিনি অপরাধ করে থাকলে সেই জেনারেলকে একাজে যাঁরা প্ররোচণা দিয়েছেন, সক্রিয় সমর্থন যুগিয়েছেন তাঁরা সবাই, তা তাঁরা রাজনীতিবীদ হোন বা অন্য কেউ হোন, কমবেশি দোষী। <br /><br />১৬। আলোচনার খাতিরে ধরা যাক, একজন আর্মি কমান্ডার কোনো এক মধ্যরাতে তাঁর অধীনস্তদের কোথাও অভিযান চালাতে আদেশ করলেন, যার ফলে দেশের আইনানুগ সরকারের পতন ঘটবে। বলা বাহুল্য, নৈতিকতার বিচারে যাই হোক না কেনো, আদেশটি অবশ্যই আনল’ফুল বা বেআইনি। আদেশ মান্য করে সরকারের পতন ঘটালে ব্যক্তিগতভাবে আদেশ পালনকারীর কোনো ঝামেলা পোহাবার ভয় নেই। কিন্তু মনে করুন, কেউ একজন আনল’ফুল আদেশটি অমান্য করলো। একই সাথে অন্যরা আদেশটি পালন করলো এবং সরকারের পতন হলো। তখন আদেশ অমান্যকারী সৈনিককে কোর্টমার্শালে বিচার করে শাস্তি দেওয়া হবে খুবই সাধারণ ব্যাপার। তখন তাঁকে সাহায্য করার জন্য কোনো আইন, কোনো আদালত, কোনো ব্যারিস্টার, কোনো সুশীল সমাজ এগিয়ে আসেন না। তবে হ্যাঁ, যদি কেউ বিপ্লবী মনের অধিকারী হন তাহলে তিনি আনল’ফুল আদেশটি অমান্য করার ঝুঁকি নিতে পারেন। সে ক্ষেত্রে বিপ্লবী সৈনিকটি যদি একজন জেনারেল বা সিনিয়র অফিসার হন তাহলে আর্মির মধ্যে পারষ্পরিক হানাহানি এমনকি দেশে গৃহযুদ্ধ শুরু হতে পারে। ১৯৯৬ সনে বাংলাদেশ আর্মি, আল্লাহর অশেষ রহমতে, অল্পের জন্য তেমন একটি গৃহযুদ্ধ থেকে বেঁচে যায়। সে যাহোক, বাস্তব সত্য হলো, যাঁরা আর্মিতে যোগ দেন তাঁরা সবাই মূলত: ব্যক্তিগতভাবে কনফর্মিস্ট (বিনা বাক্যে উপরওয়ালার আদেশ মান্যকারী) হয়ে থাকেন, অথবা আর্মির কঠোর ট্রেইনিং তাঁদেরকে কনফর্মিস্ট বানিয়ে ছাড়ে। তাঁরা সচারচর রেভ্যুলিউশনারি বা বিপ্লবী হন না। যদিও দলগতভাবে রেভ্যুলিউশনারি হয়ে সৈনিকরা ল’ফুল আদেশ অগ্রাহ্য করে বিপ্লব সংঘটিত করেছেন, নিজ দেশ স্বাধীন করেছেন, এমন নজির ইতিহাসে অনেক আছে। আমাদের দেশেও আছে। তৎকালীন পাকিস্তান আর্মির বাঙ্গালি সৈনিকরা ১৯৭১ সনে একত্রে বিদ্রোহ করে সশস্ত্র মুক্তিযুদ্ধের সূচনা করেছিলেন। পরবর্তিতে ১৯৯০ সনের শেষভাগে বাংলাদেশ আর্মির র্যাং ক এন্ড ফাইল ঐক্যবদ্ধভাবে সর্বাধিনায়ক প্রেসিডেন্ট জে: এরশাদের আইনানুগ, কিন্তু অনৈতিক, আদেশ অগ্রাহ্য করে জনগণের কাতারে সামিল হয়ে দেশকে স্বৈরশাসন থেকে মুক্ত করেছিলো।<br /><br />১৭। এবার দেখা যাক মার্শাল ল’ জারি ও প্রয়োগে সৈনিক কী ভূমিকা পালন করেন। দেশে যখন পূর্ণ গণতান্ত্রিক পরিবেশ বজায় থাকে, সুস্থ গণতান্ত্রিক পদ্ধতিতে ক্ষমতার হাতবদল হয়, রাজনৈতিক দল ও নেতাদের মধ্যে কাঙ্খিত সৌহার্দ বিরাজ করে, সর্বোপরি দেশে যদি সুশাসন থাকে, সমাজে শান্তি ও প্রগতি থাকে তখন কোনো জেনারেলের পক্ষে মার্শাল ল’ জারি করা সম্ভব নয়। কিন্তু যখন গণতন্ত্রের সকল নিয়ম-নীতি পদদলিত হয়, পরষ্পর বিরোধী রাজনৈতিক দল ও নেতাদের মধ্যে সমঝোতার ও সহযোগিতার মনোভাব থাকে না, তাঁরা পরষ্পর হানাহানি ও হত্যায় উন্মত্ত থাকেন, কুশাসন, ঘুষ, দুর্নীতি, সন্ত্রাস, চাঁদাবাজি ও জুলুমে দেশের মানুষ অতিষ্ঠ হয়ে উঠে, বিরাজমান শাসকগোষ্ঠির দিক থেকে জনগণ মুখ ফিরিয়ে নেয়, তখন জনগণ অত্যন্ত মরিয়া হয়ে আশা করেন কোথাও না কোথাও থেকে একজন ত্রাণকর্তা এসে তাদের রক্ষা করবেন। এমন সময়ে একজন জেনারেল দেশপ্রেম দ্বারা তাড়িত হয়ে মার্শাল ল’ জারি করে থাকেন। তিনি অঙ্গীকার করেন, দেশকে বিশৃঙ্খলা ও অরাজাকতা থেকে রক্ষা করে শান্তি পুন:প্রতিষ্ঠা করবেন, এবং যত তাড়াতাড়ি সম্ভব নির্বাচন অনুষ্ঠান করে নির্বাচিত সরকারের হাতে ক্ষমতা অর্পণ করে আর্মিকে ব্যারাকে ফিরিয়ে নিয়ে যাবেন। তবে মার্শাল ল’র শুরুতে এমন জেনারেল, বা তাঁর সঙ্গীসাথী অন্য জেনারেলদের, আসল নিয়ত বুঝা যায় না। ছ’মাস, এক বছর পার হলে আসল নিয়ত ধীরে ধীরে প্রকাশ পেতে থাকে। তখন ঘটনা অন্য দিকে মোড় নিতে পারে। সেকথা পরে বলছি।<br /><br />১৮। যেকোনো কারণে দেশে যখন কুশাসন, দুর্নীতি, অবিচার ও জুলুম সহ্যের সীমা অতিক্রম করে, অতিষ্ঠ দেশের মানুষের পিঠ যখন দেয়ালে ঠেকে যায় তখন স্বাভাবিকভাবে আর্মির মধ্যেও তার বিরূপ প্রতিক্রিয়া সৃষ্টি হয়। নিজ বাড়ির দেয়াল যত উঁচু হোক না কেনো, গ্রামে আগুন লাগলে বাড়ির ভিতরে আগুন না আসলেও উত্তাপ আসে। ক্যান্টনমেন্টকে বাকি দেশ থেকে আলাদা করে দেখার সুযোগ তথ্য প্রযুক্তির এ যুগে আর নেই। একজন সাধারণ সৈনিক ছুটিতে গ্রামের বাড়িতে গিয়ে যদি দেখতে পান: তাঁর বাড়ির পাশের কৃষক পরিবার অর্থাভাবে দু’বেলা খেতে পারছে না, বাবা জমির ফসলের ন্যায্য মূল্য পাচ্ছেন না, চাচার জমি সরকারি দলের স্থানীয় কোনো গুন্ডা জবরদখল করে আছে, পাশের বাড়ির স্কুল পড়ুয়া মেয়েটি সরকারি দলের স্থানীয় কোনো গুন্ডার অত্যাচারের ভয়ে স্কুলে যেতে পারছে না এবং এসব অপরাধীর বিরুদ্ধে থানা বা ম্যাজিস্ট্রেটের কাছে বিচার চেয়ে লাভ হয় না, তখন তাঁর মনেও, আর দশজন নাগরিকের মত, শাসকের বিরুদ্ধে ঘৃণার আগুন জ্বলে উঠে। দেখা গেছে, সহ্য করতে না পেরে, কোনো সৈনিক যদি এমন অভিযোগ নিয়ে থানার ওসি বা ম্যাজিস্ট্রেটের কাছে গিয়ে নিজ পরিচয় দিয়ে প্রতিকার চান, অনেক সময় প্রতিকার তো পানই না, বরং কখনও কখনও অপমানিত হয়ে ফিরতে হয়। শান্তির সময়ে একটি অপারেশনাল ইউনিটের প্রায় ২০% সৈনিক ছুটিতে ইউনিটের বাইরে অবস্থান করেন। ছুটি শেষে তাঁরা ইউনিটে ফিরে এসে সহকর্মী সৈনিকদের কাছে বাইরের জগতের দেখে আসা নিজের শোচনীয় অভিজ্ঞতা বর্ণনা করেন। এভাবে সারা দেশের জনগণের সাথে আর্মি ইউনিটেও অসন্তোষ ধুমায়িত হতে থাকে।<br /><br />১৯। আর্মিতে মেজর থেকে নিচের দিকে সিপাহি পর্যন্ত সকল র্যাং কে পদোন্নতি হয় জ্যেষ্ঠতা, যোগ্যতা ও মেধা বিচার করে। এখানে রাজনীতি বা অন্য কোনো কিছুর প্রভাব থাকে না। লেফটেন্যান্ট কর্নেল পদে পদোন্নতির ক্ষেত্রেও অনুরূপ মানদন্ড। তবে কতৃপক্ষ ইচ্ছে করলে এক্ষেত্রেও রাজনৈতিক বিবেচনা প্রয়োগ করতে পারেন, যদিও তেমনটা করা হবে সম্পূর্ণ অনৈতিক। কর্নেল থেকে জেনারেল পদে পদোন্নতির ক্ষেত্রে আমাদের মত দেশে, অন্য যা কিছুই বলা হোক না কেন, বাস্তবে প্রার্থীর রাজনৈতিক ও ব্যক্তিগত আনুগত্যকে সর্বোচ্চ বিবেচনায় নেয়া হয়। কৌতুক করে বলা হয়, রাজনৈতিক সরকারের সদিচ্ছাই এখানে সর্বোচ্চ বিবেচ্য বিষয়। অথচ, সংবিধান অনুযায়ী আর্মির সকল সদস্যকে দেশ, রাস্ট্র ও সংবিধানের প্রতি অনুগত থাকার শপথ নিতে হয়, কোনো রাজনৈতিক বা অরাজনৈতিক ব্যক্তি বা দলের প্রতি নয়।<br /><br />২০। আগেই বলা হয়েছে, দেশে যখন শাসক ব্যক্তি, গোষ্ঠি বা দলের কুশাসন, দুর্নীতি, অবিচার, জুলুম এবং দেশের স্বার্থবিরোধী কাজকর্ম সহ্যের সীমা অতিক্রম করে, দেশের মানুষ যখন অতিষ্ঠ হয়ে উঠে, তখন স্বাভাবিকভাবে আর্মির মধ্যে তার প্রতিক্রিয়া সৃষ্টি হয়। প্রধানত এই প্রতিক্রিয়া প্রকাশ্যে পরিলক্ষিত হয় মেজর এবং তার নিচের র্যাং কের সদস্যদের মধ্যে। ইউনিটগুলোতে দেখা দেয় একধরনের অস্থিরতা। আর্মির প্রতিটি ইউনিট খুব কঠিন বুনটে গ্রথিত সামাজিক সংগঠন। পারষ্পরিক সহমর্মিতা, ঐক্য ও সহযোগিতা যার ভিত্তি। ছুটি থেকে ফিরে আসা সৈনিকের কাছ থেকে গ্রামের সাধারণ মানুষের দু:খ-দুর্দশার কথা শুনে অন্যরাও বিচলিত বোধ করেন। দেশ যখন দু:শাসনের কবলে নিপতিত হয় তখন তার খবর দেশি-বিদেশি খবরের কাগজ, রেডিও, ইন্টারনেট এবং টেলিভিশনের মাধ্যমেও সৈনিকরা বিস্তারিতভাবে জানতে পারেন। নিম্নপদস্থ অফিসার এবং সাধারণ সৈনিকদের মধ্যে এক ধরনের অস্থিরতা ও চাপ সৃষ্টি হয়। একটা পর্যায় পর্যন্ত তাঁরা এই অস্থিরতা ও চাপ সহ্য করতে পারলেও, শেষ অব্দি, যখন কেউ আর্মির ভিতর বা বাইরে থেকে সরকার উৎখাতের আহ্বান জানায় তখন তারা চেইন অব কমান্ড ভেঙ্গে বেড়িয়ে আসার জন্য অস্থির হয়ে উঠেন। এমন সময়ে লে: কর্নেল থেকে জেনারেল র্যাং কের অফিসারদের পক্ষে নিস্ক্রীয় হয়ে থাকা আর সম্ভব হয়ে উঠে না। শাসকের প্রতি ব্যক্তিগত আনুগত্য তুচ্ছ করে নিজের অধীনস্ত সৈনিকদের সাথে যোগ দিয়ে সরকার উৎখাতের প্রক্রিয়ায় অংশ নেন। জনগণের এবং অধীনস্ত সৈনিকদের ইচ্ছার প্রতি সম্মান জানাতে তাঁরা এটা করে থাকেন। চূড়ান্ত ফলশ্রুতিতে দেশে নতুন বেসামরিক সরকার আসে, অথবা মার্শাল ল’ জারি হয়। উদাহরণ স্বরূপ বলা যায়, ১৯৯০ সনের শেষভাগে প্রেসিডেন্ট জে: এরশাদের পতনের সময় তাঁরই নিয়োজিত বিশ্বস্ত আর্মি চীফ তাঁকে (জে: এরশাদকে) রক্ষা করতে এগিয়ে আসতে পারেননি। একইভাবে, ২০০৬ সালে প্রসিডেন্ট প্রফেসর ইয়াযউদ্দিনের আদেশ অমান্য করে তৎকালীন আর্মি চীফ সরকার পরিবর্তন করেছিলেন, যদিও একই রাজনৈতিক নেত্রী প্রেসিডেন্ট ও আর্মি চীফ উভয়ের নেতা ও নিয়োগকর্তা ছিলেন। এখানে আরও একটি বিষয় গুরুত্বের সাথে উল্লেখের দাবি রাখে। যখন কোনো জেনারেল এভাবে মার্শাল ল’ জারি করেন তখন তাঁকে দেশের অভ্যন্তরীণ এক বা একাধিক সরকারবিরোধী রাজনৈতিক দল পরোক্ষ বা প্রত্যক্ষভাবে স্বাগত জানায়, সমর্থন করে। বাংলাদেশে ১৯৭৫ ও ১৯৮২ সনে যখন মার্শাল ল’ জারি হয়, এবং ২০০৬ সনে যখন আধা-মার্শাল ল’ জারি হয়, প্রতিবারেই কোনো না কোনো বিরোধী রাজনৈতিক দল বা ব্যাক্তি বিরাজমান শাসকের বিরুদ্ধে জেনারেলদের প্রকাশ্যে স্বাগত জানিয়ে সমর্থন করেছিলেন।<br /><br />২১। এখন দেখা যাক, মার্শাল ল’ জারি হবার পর আর্মির অভ্যন্তরে কী ঘটে। বাংলাদেশে যাঁদের বয়স আমার মত সত্তরের কাছাকাছি তাঁদেরকে এ বিষয়ে নতুন করে বলার অপেক্ষা রাখে না। তাঁরা ১৯৫৮ সন থেকে ১৯৯০ পর্যন্ত জারিকৃত সকল মার্শাল ল’র, এবং ২০০৬ সনে চালুকৃত আধা-মার্শাল ল’র সব ঘটনা নিজ চোখে দেখেছেন। তবে নতুন প্রজন্মের নাগরিকদের জানার জন্য এ বিষয়ে বলার প্রয়োজন আছে বলে মনে করি। সেনাবাহিনী প্রধান নিজেকে চিফ মার্শাল ল’ এডমিনিস্ট্রেটর (সিএমএলএ) নিয়োগ করে মার্শাল ল’ জারি করেন। একইসাথে নৌবাহিনী প্রধান এবং বিমানবাহিনী প্রধানদ্বয়কে ডেপুটি চিফ মার্শাল ল’ এডমিনিস্ট্রেটর (ডিসিএমএলএ) নিয়োগ করা হয়ে থাকে। ফরমেশন কমান্ডারদের (সাধারণত জেনারেল র্যাং কের অফিসার) জোনাল মার্শাল ল’ এডমিনিস্ট্রেটর (জেডএমএলএ) নিয়োগ করা হয়। তার নিচে বিগেডিয়ার জেনারেল র্যাং কের অফিসারদেরকে সাব জোনাল মার্শাল ল’ এডমিনিস্ট্রেটর (এসজেডএমএলএ) নিয়োগ করা হয়। মাঠ পর্যায়ে ইউনিট কমান্ডারদের (লে: কর্নেল) ডিস্ট্রিক্ট মার্শাল ল’ এডমিনিস্ট্রেটর (ডিএমএলএ) নিয়োগ করা হয়। ডিএমএলএ’রা তৃণমূল পর্যায়ে জেলার ডেপুটি কমিশনারসহ আর সব সিভিল অফিসারদের কাজ তদারক করে থাকেন, আদেশ-নির্দেশ দিয়ে থাকেন। কেন্দ্রে সিএমএলএ, ডিসিএমএলএ এবং সিনিয়র জেনারেলগণ বিভিন্ন মন্ত্রনালয়ের দায়িত্ব নিয়ে সরকার পরিচালনা করেন। মার্শাল ল’ জারি হবার সাথেসাথে পূর্বপরিকল্পনা অনুযায়ী অপারেশনাল ইউনিটগুলো ক্যান্টনমেন্ট থেকে দ্রুত বেরিয়ে এসে সকল জেলাসদরসহ দেশের আনাচেকোনাচে কমিউনিটি সেন্টার, ক্লাবঘর, স্টেডিয়াম ইত্যাদি স্থানে অবস্থান গ্রহণ করে। <br /><br />২২। মার্শাল ল’ কর্তৃপক্ষ সর্বপ্রথম যে কাজটি করে থাকে তা হলো দ্রুত দেশে আইনশৃঙ্খলা পরিস্থিতি নিয়ন্ত্রণে আনা। কুখ্যাত সন্ত্রাসী, অপরাধী, গুন্ডাবদমাশ, দুর্নীতিবাজ রাজনীতিবীদ, এবং তাদের দোসর মুনাফাখোর ও মজুতদার ব্যবসায়ীদের আটক করে জেলে পুরা হয়। তাদের বিরুদ্ধে তদন্ত ও মামলা শুরু হয়। সাধারণ আইন অমান্যকারীদের বিরুদ্ধে তরিৎ ব্যবস্থা নেয়া হয়। স্পেশাল ও সামারি মিলিটারি কোর্ট গঠণ করে এসব অপরাধীদের দ্রুত বিচার করে শাস্তি প্রদান করা হয়। মাঠ পর্যায়ে জুনিয়র অফিসাররা সন্ত্রাসী, অপরাধী ও দুর্নীতিবাজ ও গুন্ডাবদমাশ বলে পরিচিত লোকদের শায়েস্তা করার জন্য আর্মি ক্যাম্পে ধরে এনে শারীরিক সাজা দিয়ে থাকেন। কাজটা বেআইনি হলেও জনগণ খুব পসন্দ করে এসব ধরিবাজ লোকদের পিটুনি খাওয়া। যেসব সিনিয়র দুর্নীতিবাজ রাজনীতিবীদ, সরকারি আমলা এবং ধনী ব্যবসায়ী এতদিন রাষ্ট্রীয় ক্ষমতা ও টাকার জোরে নিজেদেরকে সবসময় আইনের ঊর্ধে মনে করে এসেছেন, তাঁরা যখন শাস্তি পেয়ে জেলে যেতে থাকেন তখন সাধারণ মানুষ সন্তুষ্টি প্রকাশ করে থাকেন। মিটিং-মিসিল ও ধর্মঘটসহ সবরকম রাজনৈতিক কর্মকান্ড নিষিদ্ধ ঘোষণা করা হয়। আফিস-আদালত, কলকারখানা এবং শিক্ষা প্রতিষ্ঠানগুলোতে নিয়মিত কাজ হতে থাকে। পুরো সংবিধান, অথবা সংবিধানের মানবাধিকার সংক্রান্ত ধারাগুলো, সাময়িকভাবে রহিত করা হয়। দেশে শান্তির পরিবেশ প্রতিষ্ঠিত হয়। আদালতগুলো অবশ্য কোনো হস্তক্ষেপ ছাড়া নিজ নিজ কাজ চালিয়ে যায়। তবে বেশি দিন এমন অবস্থা থাকে না। <br /><br />২৩। জারি হবার ছ’মাস থেকে এক বছরের মধ্য মার্শাল ল’তে পচনের লক্ষণ দেখা দেয়। সাধারণভাবে আর্মিতে মধ্যম ও নিম্ন পর্যায়ের অফিসারদের দুর্নীতি করার সুযোগ একবোরে নেই বললেই চলে। তবে প্রকিউরমেন্ট, পারচেইজ এবং কনস্ট্রাকশনের সাথে যাঁরা জড়িত, বিশেষ করে সিনিয়র অফিসাররা, ইচ্ছে করলে ব্যাপক আর্থিক দুর্নীতি করতে পারেন। কেউ কেউ করেও থাকেন। এসব অফিসাররা মার্শাল ল’ এলে চুটিয়ে আর্থিকসহ অন্যান্য দুর্নীতি করেন, এমন নজির দুর্লভ নয়। মার্শাল ল’ জারি হবার সাথেসাথে সিভিল আমলারা, বিশেষ করে সিনিয়ররা, একেবারে ঘাপটি মেরে যান। তাঁরা ভালো করেই জানেন, দেশ চালানো আর্মির কাজ নয়। প্রত্যেক মন্ত্রনালয় এবং ডিপার্টমেন্টের নিজস্ব কিছু জটিল এবং ষ্পর্শকাতর কাজ আছে যা প্রশিক্ষণ ও অভিজ্ঞতা ছাড়া করা যায় না। আর্মির অফিসারদের সেটা জানা নেই। স্বাভাবিকভাবেই মার্শাল ল’র দায়িয়ত্বপ্রাপ্ত অফিসাররা একটা সময়ে বুদ্ধিপরামর্শ ও সিদ্ধান্তের জন্য অভিজ্ঞ আমলাদের শরণাপন্ন হন। দুর্নীতিপরায়ণ আমলারা মনেমনে হাসেন আর এই সুযোগের জন্য দিন গুণেন। সুযোগ এসে গেলে দ্বিগুণ-তিনগুণ দুর্নীতি করেন। আগে ফাইল আটকে রেখে যেখানে মক্কেলদের কাছ থেকে, ধরা যাক, এক লক্ষ টাকা ঘুষ নিতেন, মার্শাল ল’র পর সেখানে তিন লক্ষ টাকা দাবি করেন। বলেন, দেশে এখন মার্শাল ল’ চলছে তাই রিস্ক অনেক বেড়ে গেছে, টাকা বেশি দিতে হবে। দেখা গেছে পুলিশ বিভাগের নিম্নস্তরের একশ্রণীর কর্মকর্তা-কর্মচারি মার্শাল ল’র নাম করে স্বাভাবিকের চাইতে অনেক বেশি ঘুষ নিয়ে থাকেন। কারণ, অভিযুক্তদের বিচার মার্শাল ল’ কোর্টে হলেও তদন্ত করা, চার্জশিট দেওয়া ইত্যাদি কাজগুলো বরাবরের মত থানা-পুলিশই করে থাকে। এসব ক্ষেত্রে একশ্রণীর উকিল-এডভোকেট সাহেবরাও কম যান না। মার্শাল ল’ কোর্টের নাম বলে, এমনকি মার্শাল ল’ কোর্টের বিচারককে ঘুষ দিতে হবে বলে, মক্কেলদের কাছ থেকে অবিশ্বাস্য রকমের বেশি টাকা নিয়ে থাকেন। এভাবে মার্শাল ল’র মধ্যেই দুর্নীতি, শোষণ, অত্যাচার এবং সেইসাথে কুশাসন বাড়তে থাকে। সাধারণ মানুষ আবার অতিষ্ঠ হয়ে উঠতে থাকে। তখন তারা মার্শাল ল’ থেকে মুক্তির পথ খুঁজতে শুরু করে। পুরানো রাজনীতিবীদরা আবার ধীরে ধীরে ময়দানে নেমে আসর গরম করতে শুরু করেন।<br /><br />২৪। অন্য সবার মত মার্শাল ল’ জারিকারী জেনারেলগণ একথা ভালোভাবে জানেন যে ক্ষমতা কারো জন্য চিরস্থায়ী নয়। ভবিষ্যতে নিজেদের জীবন, ধন ও মানের নিরপত্তার কথা তাঁদের ভাবিয়ে তুলে। ক্ষমতা গ্রহণের পরপরই তাঁরা ক্ষমতা থেকে বেড়িয়ে যাবার নিরাপদ নির্গমণ পথ, বা সেইফ এক্সিট, খুঁজতে থাকেন। এই লক্ষ্যে তাঁরা হয় পেছনে থেকে নতুন রাজনৈতিক দল গঠণ করেন, অথবা পুরনো রাজনৈতিক দলের সাথে আঁতাত গড়ে তোলেন। নতুন নতুন নামে তল্পিবাহক যুবকশ্রেণী ও পেশাজীবীদের সংগঠণ গড়ে তোলেন। একাজে সরকারি অর্থ ও প্রশাসনকে যথেচ্ছ ব্যবহার করার নজির আছে। <br /><br />২৫। মার্শাল ল’ জারিকারী জেনারেলগণ যদি দুর্নীতিপরায়ন ও ক্ষমতালোভী হন তাহলে নিজেদের ক্ষমতার প্রতি আর্মির ভিতর থেকে যাতে কোনো হুমকি সৃষ্টি না হয় সেজন্য তাঁরা উল্লেখযোগ্য কিছু পদক্ষেপ নিয়ে থাকেন। প্রথমেই সৎ, দেশপ্রেমিক ও রাজনীতিতে উৎসাহ নেই এমন জেনারেলদের আর্মির ভিতরের সকল স্পর্শকাতর পদ থেকে সরিয়ে দেওয়া হয়। দেশের ভিতরে সিভিল পদে, যেমন কপোর্রেশনের চেয়ারম্যানের পদে, নিয়োগ দেওয়া হয়। দেশের বাইরে রাস্ট্রদূত হিসেবে পাঠানো হয়। তাঁদের যায়গায় এমন সব অপেক্ষাকৃত জুনিয়র, অদক্ষ এবং অনেক ক্ষেত্রে লোভী ও অসৎ অফিসারদের প্রমোশন ও নিয়োগ দেওয়া হয় যাঁরা নিজেরাও কখনো ভাবেননি যে তাঁরা একদিন জেনারেল হতে পারবেন। এঁদের মধ্যে অনেককে মার্শাল ল’র সময়ে আর্থিক দুর্নীতি করার সুযোগও দেওয়া হয়। এর সবই করা হয় আর্মিকে সৎ ও সুযোগ্য নের্তত্ব থেকে বঞ্চিত করে ফাইটিং মেশিন হিসেবে তার কর্মক্ষমতা হৃাস করার জন্য। অন্যদিকে সাধারণ সৈনিকদের পেশাগত প্রশিক্ষণ থেকে দূরে সরিয়ে রাখার জন্য নানা চতুর পদক্ষেপ নেয়া হয়। যেমন, ১৯৮২ সনে মার্শাল ল’ জারির পর বাংলাদেশ আর্মিতে সৈনিকদের জন্য আন্ত:ফরমেশন আজান ও ক্বেরাত প্রতিযোগিতা এবং সাংস্কৃতিক প্রতিযোগিতা নামক দু’টি প্রতিযোগিতা চালু করা হয়। যা এখনও চালু আছে বলে পত্রিকার পাতায় দেখে থাকি। পৃথিবীতে পঞ্চাশের বেশি মুসলিমপ্রধান রাস্ট্র আছে। তার কোনোটিতে সৈনিকদের জন্য আনুষ্ঠানিকভাবে আজান ও ক্বেরাত প্রতিযোগিতা অনুষাঠিত হয় কিনা আমার জানা নেই। পৃথিবীর কোনো আর্মিতে সাংস্কৃতিক প্রতিযোগিতার নামে প্রশিক্ষণের অমূল্য সময় ও অর্থ ব্যয় করা হয় বলে আমার জানা নেই। এখানে উল্লেখ করা যেতে পারে, যখন যুদ্ধ থাকে না, অর্থাৎ শান্তির সময়ে, সৈনিকদের একমাত্র কাজ যুদ্ধের জন্য অধিকতর প্রস্তুত থাকার জন্য নিরন্তর পেশাগত প্রশিক্ষণ চালিয়ে যাওয়া। একমাত্র ব্যতিক্রম হয় প্রাকৃতিক দুর্যোগের সময়। যখন উপদ্রুত এলাকায় ত্রাণ ও পুনর্বাসন কাজের জন্য আর্মিকে নিয়োগ করা হয়। সাধারণ সৈনিকদের মার্শাল ল’ ডিউটির নামে, কখনো কখনো নেশন বিল্ডিং ওয়ার্ক বা জতিগঠণমূলক কাজের নামে, ট্রাফিক কন্ট্রোলের মত বিভিন্ন বেসামরিক ফালতু প্রশাসনিক কাজে ব্যস্ত রাখা হয়। <br /><br />২৬। ১৯৯১ সনের কথা। আমি তখন পেইচিংয়ে বাংলাদেশ দূতাবাসে কাজ করি। দেশ থকে একজন অতি তুখোড় এবং নামকরা নাট্য ব্যাক্তিত্ব পেইচিং বেড়াতে এলেন। কোনো এক ডিনার পার্টিতে তাঁর সাথে আলাপ হলো। আলাপের এক পর্যায়ে তিনি মন্তব্য করে বসলেন, বাংলাদেশে আর্মির কোনো প্রয়োজন নেই। যে সম্ভাব্য শত্রুর বিরুদ্ধে এত অর্থসম্পদ ব্যয় করে বাংলাদেশ আর্মি পোষা হচ্ছে তা এত বড় ও শক্তিশালী যে যুদ্ধক্ষেত্রে বাংলাদেশে আর্মি তার বিরুদ্ধে ছ’ঘন্টা দাঁড়িয়ে থাকতে পারবে কিনা সন্দেহ। তাছাড়া, বাংলাদেশ আর্মি দু’দুজন রাষ্ট্রপতিকে হত্যা করেছে। বারবার মার্শাল জারি করে দেশে গণতন্ত্রের অগ্রযাত্রা স্তব্ধ করেছে। আর্মি উঠিয়ে দেওয়া দেশের জন্য ভালো হবে। তিনি আরও জানালেন, বাংলাদেশের সুশীল সমাজের অনেক সদস্য এব্যাপারে তাঁর সাথে একমত পোষণ করেন। সুশীল সমাজের সদস্য হিসেবে তিনি একজন প্রখ্যাত অর্থনীতিবীদের নাম উল্লেখ করলেন। জবাবে অত্যন্ত বিনয়ের সাথে বলেছিলাম, শত্রু বড় কি ছোট, শক্তিশালী কি দুর্বল, এসব কথা বিবেচনা করে কখনও কোনো সৈনিক যুদ্ধে যান না। তিনি যুদ্ধে গমন করেন মাতৃভূমির স্বাধীনতা ও সার্বভৌমত্ব রক্ষার জন্য প্রাণ উৎসর্গ করতে। সৈনিকের মনে যদি এই প্রত্যয় থাকে যে তিনি যুদ্ধে শহীদ হলে তাঁর পুত্র হাতে রাইফেল তুলে নেবে, পুত্র শহীদ হলে তার পৌত্র হাতে রাইফেল তুলে নেবে, যেমন করছে যুগ যুগ ধরে ফিলিস্তিনিরা, তাহলে শত্রুর আকার ও শক্তির ভয় দেখিয়ে তাঁকে পদানত করে রাখা যায় না। বরং এমন তেজস্বী জাতির বিরুদ্ধে কোনো আগ্রাসী শত্রু আক্রমণ করতে সাহস পায় না। এমন প্রত্যয়ী ও তেজস্বী জাতি অগ্নিপিন্ড বা ফায়ার বলের মত। শত্রু তাকে গিলে খেতে পারলেও হজম করতে পারে না। শত্রুর নাড়িভুড়ি পুড়িয়ে সে বেড়িয়ে এসে নিজের স্বাধীন সত্ত্বায় দ্রুত প্রত্যাবর্তন করে। জাতীয় শৌর্য, প্রত্যয় ও তেজস্বীতা বহাল রাখার জন্য স্বাধীনতা ও সার্বভৌমতাবের প্রতীক জাতীয় সেনাবাহিনীর প্রয়োজন কখনই অস্বীকার করা যায় না। দখলদার শত্রুর বিরুদ্ধে দীর্ঘস্থায়ী জনযুদ্ধের নিউক্লিয়াস হিসেবে কাজ করার জন্যও একটি সুপ্রশিক্ষিত আর্মির প্রয়োজনীয়তা অস্বীকার করা যায় না। আর্মি থাকা বা না থাকা একটি অত্যন্ত জটিল বিষয়। এর সাথে শুধু নিজ দেশ নয়, আঞ্চলিক ও বৈশ্বিক ভূ-রাজনীতি, রাজনীতি, সমরনীতি, সামরিক ইতিহাস, অর্থনীতি, সমাজবিজ্ঞান, রাষ্ট্রবিজ্ঞান, নৃবিজ্ঞান, ঐতিহ্য ইত্যাদি অনেক গুরুত্বপূর্ণ বিষয় জড়িত। যদি একান্তই আর্মি রাখা বা না-রাখার প্রশ্ন কখনও সরকারের গভীর বিবেচনায় আসে, তাহলে সুশীল সমাজের দু’চারজন সদস্যের একপেশে মতামতের উপর নির্ভর না করে, সংশ্লিষ্ট সকল বিষয়ের বিশেষজ্ঞদের নিয়ে আলোচনা করে সিদ্ধান্ত নেয়াটা যথার্থ হবে। একথা সত্য, আর্মির অতি নগণ্যসংখ্যক কিছু সদস্য দু’জন রাষ্ট্রপতিকে হত্যা করেছে। অবশ্যই এটা বিরাট নিন্দনীয় অপরাধ। যার পেছনে ছিলো গভীর দেশি ও বিদেশি ষড়যন্ত্র। একথা ভাবা ঠিক নয় যে, সে ষড়যন্ত্রে শুধুমাত্র সংশ্লিষ্ট সৈনিকরা সম্পৃক্ত ছিলো। ষড়যন্ত্রকারী সৈনিকদের পৃষ্ঠপোষক হিসেবে অবশ্যই কিছু রাজনীতিবীদ জড়িত ছিলেন। ষড়যন্ত্রকারী সৈনিকদের বিচার অনুষ্ঠিত হলেও, কোনো বেসামরিক সরকার আজ পর্যন্ত প্ররোচনাকারী ও পৃষ্ঠপোষক রাজনীতিবিদদের বিচার করলো না। মূল ষড়যন্ত্র উদ্খাটিত হলো না। যদি শুরুতেই তা করা হতো, তাহলে এসব রাজনৈতিক হত্যাকান্ড এড়ানো সম্ভব হতো। আমার মনে হয় না শেষ পর্যন্ত আমি ভদ্রলোককে বিষয়টি বোঝাতে পেরেছিলাম। <br /><br />২৭। যেসব জেনারেল মার্শাল ল’ জারি করেন তাঁদের পেছনে থাকা প্ররোচনাকারী ও পৃষ্ঠপোষক রাজনীতিবিদদের বিচারের প্রয়োজনীয়তা সম্পর্কে উচ্চ আদালতের, এবং একের পর এক রাজনৈতিক সরকারের, নীরবতা কাম্য হতে পারে না। এমনকি মার্শাল ল’র সময়ে যেসব জেনারেল দুর্নীতি করেছেন তাঁদের বিচার করার উদ্যোগও কোনো রাজনৈতিক সরকার আজ পর্যন্ত নেয়নি। একথা সত্যি, দুর্নীতির দায়ে জে: এরশাদ আদালত কর্তৃক দন্ডিত হয়ে জেল খেটেছেন। তবে তা একজন জেনারেল হিসেবে নয়, একজন রাজনীতিবীদ হিসেবে দুর্নীতি করার জন্য। দেশের সর্বোচ্চ পর্যায়ের রাজনৈতিক নেতৃত্ব যদি এসব বিষয়ে মনোযোগী না হন তাহলে দেশ থেকে রাজনৈতিক হত্যা এবং মার্শাল ল’র সম্ভাবনা উড়িয়ে দেওয়া যাবে না। আর এজন্য জনগণের উচিত্ হবে দুর্নীতিপরায়ণ, অযোগ্য এবং ব্যর্থ রাজনৈতিক নেতৃবৃন্দকে প্রত্যাখ্যান করে নির্বাচনের সময় সুশিক্ষিত, মেধাবী, দক্ষ, প্রজ্ঞাবান, সত্ ও দেশপ্রেমিক রাজনৈতিক নেতৃবৃন্দকে ভোট দিয়ে রাষ্ট্র পরিচালনার দায়িত্ব প্রদান করা। নতুন নেতৃবৃন্দকে সুযোগ করে দেওয়া। তবে যতদিন পর্যন্ত রাজনৈতিক নেতৃত্বের ধারা নিজ-রক্ত-নিজ-বংশের গন্ডী পেরিয়ে বাইরে না আসছে ততদিন এমনটি হবার সম্ভাবনা নেই। <br /><br />২৮। একথা অপ্রিয় হলেও সত্য, বাংলাদেশে আর্মির সাথে জনগণের ভুল বুঝাবোঝি সৃষ্টি করা এবং তা বজায় রাখার পেছনে একশ্রণীর সংবাদ মাধ্যম ক্রমাগত অবদান রেখে আসছে। বাংলাদেশের অধিকাংশ সংবাদপত্র ও বেসরকারি টেলিভিশন চ্যানেলের মালিকানা এমন সব বড় বড় ব্যবসায়ীদের হাতে যাঁরা প্রশ্নবিদ্ধ উপায়ে অগাধ ধনসম্পদের মালিক হয়েছেন। দুর্নীতিপরায়ণ রাজনীতিবীদদের সক্রিয় সাহায্য ও সমর্থন ছাড়া এসব অসৎ ব্যবসায়ী নিজেদের ধনসম্পদ অর্জন ও ভোগ করতে পারেন না। আর্মির সাধারণ সৈনিকরা স্বভাবতই দুর্নীতিপরায়ণদের প্রচন্ড ঘৃণা করেন। যেকারণে দুর্নীতিপরায়ণ রাজনীতিবীদদের পৃষ্ঠপোষক একশ্রণীর সংবাদ মাধ্যমের অসত্ মালিক এসব রাজনীতিবীদদের পক্ষ নিয়ে নিজেদের পত্রিকা এবং টেলিভিশন চ্যানেলে আর্মির বিরুদ্ধে প্রপাগান্ডা চালান। শোনা যায়, বিদেশি বৈরী এজেন্সির অর্থে পরিচালিত দু’য়েকটি সংবাদপত্র ও টেলিভিশন চ্যানেলও একাজে নিয়োজিত আছে। ২০০৯ সনে বিডিআর বিদ্রোহের সময় বিষয়টি প্রকটভাবে সবার নজরে আসে। <br /><br />২৯। পৃথিবীর বিভিন্ন দেশে জাতীয় আর্মিকে অন্যায্য সমালোচনা থেকে রক্ষা করার জন্য দেশপ্রেমিক রাজনীতিবীদ ও গণমাধ্যম এগিয়ে আসেন। দুর্ভাগ্যজনক হলেও সত্য, বাংলাদেশে এমনটা লক্ষ্য করা যায় না। সমালোচনার জবাব দেওয়ার জন্য আর্মির নিজস্ব কোনো মঞ্চ নেই, সুযোগ নেই, থাকার কথাও নয়। সে সুযোগ নিয়ে কিছু লোক উদ্দেশ্যমূলকভাবে যখন তখন আর্মিকে যা খুশি তাই বলে সমালোচনা করবে, এটা দেশের জন্য কখনও মঙ্গলজনক হতে পারে না। আর্মির একজন প্রাক্তন সৈনিক হিসেবে এই ভেবে আনন্দ ও গর্ব অনুভব করি যে, বাংলাদেশের সাধারণ মানুষ অনেক বৈরী প্রপাগান্ডা সত্বেও অতীতের সব সময়ের মত আজও সৈনিকদের আপনজনের মত ভালবাসে, সকল বিপদে-আপদে বন্ধু হিসেবে নিজের পাশে দেখতে চায়। আমার বিশ্বাস, বর্তমান সৈনিকরাও সেজন্য আনন্দ ও গর্ব অনুভব করেন। এই লেখাটির মূলে রয়েছে সেই আনন্দ ও গর্বের তাড়না। <br /><br />৩০। আমার এ লেখাটি পড়ে কেউ কেউ হয়তো মনে করতে পারেন, আমি রাষ্ট্র পরিচালনার ক্ষেত্রে রাজনীতিবীদদের ভূমিকাকে অবমূল্যায়ন করার চেষ্টা করেছি। কথাটা ঠিক নয়। অন্য যেকোনো একজন সচেতন নাগরিকের মত আমিও বিশ্বাস করি একটি গণতান্ত্রিক ব্যবস্থায় রাষ্ট্র পরিচালনার কাজ শুধুমাত্র রাজনীতিবীদদের, অন্য কারো নয়। অন্যরা সবাই একাজে রাজনীতিবীদদের নির্দেশনা এবং চাহিদা অনুযায়ী তাঁদেরকে সাহায্য ও সহযোগিতা প্রদান করবেন। রাজনীতিবীদরা রাষ্ট্রের সকল নীতি প্রনয়ণ, নিয়ন্ত্রণ এবং পরিচালনা করেন। স্বভাবতই এজন্য প্রয়োজন এমন রাজনীতিবীদের যাঁর রয়েছে অতি উন্নত মানের দেহ, মন এবং আত্মার গুণাবলী। এমন গুরুত্বপূর্ণ দায়িত্বভার অসত্, অকর্মণ্য, নির্বোধ এবং দেশপ্রমিক নন এমন ব্যক্তিদের হাতে অর্পণ করা হলে তা দেশের জন্য মহাবিপর্যয় ডেকে আনে। দেশের সাধারণ জনগণ যতদিন এ সত্য অনুধাবনে ব্যর্থ হয়ে তাঁদের ভোটাধিকার প্রয়োগ করে অযোগ্য ব্যাক্তিদের নির্বাচিত করে সংসদে পাঠাবেন ততদিন সামরিক-বেসামরিক প্রশাসন, বিচারালয়, শিক্ষাঙ্গন, চিকিত্সালয়, ব্যবসা-বাণিজ্য ও শিল্প, কোনো ক্ষেত্রেই সত্ ও যোগ্য ব্যক্তিরা সিনিয়র পজিশনে ঠাঁই পাবেন না। আমি বিশ্বাস করি, দেশের সচেতন জনগোষ্ঠি, বিশেষ করে ছাত্ররাজনীতির সাথে জড়িত নন এমন শিক্ষিত তরুণ-তরুণীরা এবং দেশপ্রেমিক গণমাধ্যম যদি এগিয়ে আসেন তাহলে দেশের সাধারণ জনগণকে ভোটাধিকার প্রয়োগের ক্ষত্রে সচেতন করে তোলা কঠিন হবে না। দেশবাসী সেই আশাতই প্রহর গুণছে। <br /><br /> *********<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/29831725-5460169485824896112?l=srzaman.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ashraf's columnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16382744974160016625noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29831725.post-86830697551596900122010-03-14T23:40:00.000-07:002010-03-14T23:41:27.507-07:00I felt thunderstruck with shock and sorrow when I went through the reports published in our daily newspapers on March 12 and 13, 2010 on what is currently going on in the name of student politics in the residential hostels of Eden College and Badrunnessa College in Dhaka. These two are among the most leading educational institutions for our female students. For decades we have been sending our daughters to these institutions to pursue higher education in a well protected and safe environment. Poor parents from villages need not have to worry about their daughters’ education, safety and welfare after they sent their daughters, usually in their late teens, to these girls’ colleges. Now it is reported in the newspapers that our daughters there are being sexually exploited by the female leaders of the Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) units of these two colleges. Girls from the hostels are being forced by the “Bara Apas” (elder sisters) to go out of the hostels to render sexual service to senior male students of BCL, political leaders, ministers and businessmen. Those girls who refuse to oblige them are mercilessly beaten up, or are branded as supporters of Jamat-Shibir and thrown out of the hostel. In return the “Bara Apas” get political, financial and other worldly benefits from the persons so entertained. My head hung in shame when I read those reports. All this is happening when the nation has a female prime minister at the helm. If I remember correctly our present prime minister herself was a student of one of these colleges.<br /><br />I write this letter to urge upon the honorable prime minister not to let this matter go without any action as the case of “centurian Manik” of Jahangirnagar University went during her party’s rule from 1996 to 2001. The prime minister may please order for a judicial inquiry into the allegations raised in the newspaper reports, and then ruthlessly deal with the concerned guilty female student leaders of Eden Collge and Badrunnessa College, their patrons in the political parties and BCL Central Committee. The principals of the said colleges and other officials including the hostel superintendents have disgracefully failed to perform their official and sacred duties. They must also be taken to task for their failure to protect our daughters.<br />I would also like to draw the attention of our intellectuals, members of the civil society, and leaders of the human rights organizations and others who are working for the rights of the women, irrespective of their party affiliations, to come out openly and forcefully with demands to save our daughters’ dignity and honor.<br /><br />In the past on many occasions our honorable Supreme Court took suo moto actions in public interest when the court found the government was not doing its duties to the people. In this particular case may we expect the Supreme Court to take necessary legal actions to protect the dignity and honor of our girls, if it finds that the government is not taking any or sufficient action.<br />So far we have been hearing about many crimes like extortion, terrorism, violence, rioting, hijacking, mugging etc being committed by our superannuated student leaders and their followers. Now the newspapers have done a yeomen’s job by bringing to light another ugly facet of our student politics. Our major political parties shall be failing in their obligation to the people if they do not still get rid of the so called student leaders. It is not really understood why a decent political party has to maintain bunches of goons in the name of student leaders, as they are doing it now. In an election people, and not these goons, vote for them. Long gone are those days when student leaders could influence the ordinary voters. The situation is totally different now. People are now afraid of student leaders.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/29831725-8683069755159690012?l=srzaman.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ashraf's columnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16382744974160016625noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29831725.post-77179494929655910472010-03-12T10:26:00.000-08:002010-03-12T10:28:52.124-08:00Dear Mr. Abid Rahman,<br /><br />Thanks for your letter. I have gone through your write up attached with it. I do appreciate your frustration for the absence of democracy and misrule by our politicians and generals in Bangladesh. I am sure there are many Bangladeshis like me who share your feelings. But now it seems, at least for the time being, we have no choice but to bear with the two Rahman families, that is, the family members of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, and Gen Ziaur Rahman.Long time ago when (1962-1966) I was a student of Dhaka University the president of the then Pakistan Field Marshall Ayub Khan published a book called “Friends not Masters”. After so many years I do not remember his exact words. At one place in his book he said that the people of “East Pakistan” were not politically matured enough to practice democracy. Even after 44 years I honestly feel his words still hold good. If it is so, one may question how, then, the Muslims of Bangladesh did not make mistakes in casting their votes in 1946 in favor of establishing Pakistan, in 1954 in favor of the United Front and finally in 1971 in favor of Awami League. The truth lies in the fact that in those days, before 1971, the ordinary voters and their village elders and leaders were very simple people, as they are even now. But their leaders at the national level like the Sher-e-Bangla, Suhrowardy, Bhashani, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and others alike were, beyond any doubt, patriotic, honest, efficient and pro people. Our people blindly put their trust in them and cast the vote in their favor to bring in the desired change in their life. They were never betrayed by these great leaders, though at times visible contradictions and disagreements among themselves were not uncommon.One may ask why democracy is not taking roots in Bangladesh even long after 39 years of its independence. I am not a student of political science. I would like to explain it in my own way in a layman’s language. In spite of its certain shortcomings democracy is considered to be the best way of governance. But there are some preconditions for the success of democracy. In Bangladesh we do not still fulfill those preconditions. Being poor and uneducated vast majority of our people fail to understand the importance of practice of democracy at all levels of political leadership. We have not yet been able to come out of our past feudal mindset totally. That is why our people still blindly follow the members of some ‘royal’ families. They overlook or ignore the incompetence, inefficiency, corrupt practices and even moral turpitude of the members of these ‘royal’ families. They think it is alright with the political high ups, even though sometimes some of them are convicted by the court for corruption. Our people are still so naïve that in an election they still vote for the members of these ‘royal’ families, and their cronies, sycophants and henchmen against an honest and competent candidate from an ordinary family. This has driven out almost all the good people from our politics. A good man or woman is rarely appreciated in an election. When honest and patriotic people come to power, naturally, they do not yield to internal anti state elements like the corrupt businessmen and bureaucrats, and the external enemies of the nation who want to subjugate us politically and economically. We have both these types of national enemies who feel comfortable while dealing with the members of the ‘royal’ families. As a result they always support and finance the ‘royal’ families mostly from behind the screen. Had there been real democracy and people’s power you could not have raised the complaints against the politicians, as you have done in your write up. In 1971 we got a great political leader in the person of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. His patriotism, physical and moral courage, honesty and love for the ordinary people were unquestionable. Had there been no Sheikh Mujib there would not have been the Liberation War of Bangladesh in 1971. Without Shekh Mujib’s leadership, probably, it would have taken few more decades to achieve an independent and sovereign Bangladesh. But unfortunately misfortune and trouble started after Sheikh Mujib returned from Pakistani jail to his dreamland of independent and free Bangladesh in January 1972 and took over the administration of the country in his own hands. His failures in political leadership and running the administration of a newly independent and war ravaged country like that of Bangladesh soon disappointed the people. People’s frustration spiraled up. The rest is a very sad and well known part of our national history. Here it may not be out of place to quote a similar situation from the history of China. Chairman Mao Tse Dong, another great leader of the people who fought a liberation war and established the PRC in October, 1949. He personally took over the administration of China and continued to remain its political leader too. He proved to be a bad administrator and messed up the administration in the name historic “Cultural Revolution”. But the Chairman and his people were lucky to have a very wise, pragmatic and efficient prime minister like Zhou En Lai. Zhou En Lai immediately took steps to pull China out of the mess created by Chairman Mao himself and soon put the country on the right track. Chairman Mao, realizing his mistakes, accorded his silent approval to Premier Zhou. Unfortunately for Sheikh Mujib himself and for the people of Bangladesh there was none like Zhou En Lai to bring Sheikh Mujib out of the administrative mess he created. Those of his lieutenants who could play that role were separated from him by the interested quarters soon after he returned to Bangladesh in January, 1972. Who all did it and why did they do so, that being altogether a different story, we leave the subject here. (Interested readers are referred to two books on this subject. One is the “Legacy of Blood” by Anthony Mascarenhas, the other is a Bengali book called “Mooldhara 71” by Moudud Hassan.)You have correctly stated in your attached write up the circumstances under which Sheikh Mujib was brutally killed in 1975 and the way people in general accepted it without any visible signs of sorrow or regret. It took long 21 years for Awami League to rise in 1996 from its ashes. So severe was the damage done to this once popular party during its misrule from 1972 to 1975.Coming to Gen Ziaur Rahman, it can be said that when he was made to assume power he was politically an orphan. He was a professional soldier without any political ambition. If he had any political ambition he could have left the army and joined politics when he was superseded and his junior Gen Shafiullah was made the army chief. Instead, he like a disciplined soldier accepted the order of his political boss and continued to serve as the deputy chief of army staff directly under Gen Shafiullah. It was only after the tragedy of August 15, 1975 he was appointed as the army chief by the political government of a faction of the Awami League headed by Khondoker Mustaq Ahmed. On November 07, 1975 ordinary soldiers, who mutinied against the newly appointed army chief Brig Gen Khaled Mosharraf, rather forced Gen Zia to become the army chief. There being no government in existence in those tumultuous days Gen Zia had no choice but to proclaim himself as the CMLA too. Later he had to become the president under circumstances beyond his control. At that time I was posted as a staff officer in the AHQ. I am an eye witness to many of the incidents that took place in those days in the army. Those who blame Gen Zia for usurping power are not correct. Let me also add here that at that critical time there was no other senior armed forces officer who was acceptable as a commander and leader to the unruly armed soldiers. Gen Zia was acceptable because of his clean and courageous image as a sector commander in the Liberation War, and for his personal honesty, integrity, efficiency and, above all, his charismatic leadership qualities. There was no one else who could beat him in this regard. I was personally present in the meeting in 2nd Field Regiment Artillery in Dhaka Cantonment wherein the armed soldiers (officers present were unarmed and without badges of rank) were insisting upon Gen Zia (the only officer with badges of rank on) to take the command of the army. Gen Zia was not willing to do so. Finally the senior officers present also requested Gen Zia to take over. Gen Zia in his usual way bullied the soldiers for being unruly. He also admonished the officers for failing to exercise command over their respective troops. Finally he came out with some preconditions both for the soldiers and the officers. His preconditions were accepted by all. Gen Zia became the army chief. The army started getting back into discipline. Finally chain of command was restored. If Gen Zia had refused to be the army chief on that day only God knew what would have been the fate of the army and the country. Why and who assassinated Gen Zia in 1981 is a different story which may be told separately.Now, let’s come to Col Taher about whom you mentioned in your write up. Undoubtedly, he was a great soldier, patriot and a revolutionary. Politically he was a disciple of Mao Tse Dong and believed in armed struggle for the emancipation of the people. Theoretically he was probably right. But practically he was not. Chairman Mao’s strategy was, as we all know, to work among the rural people and raise a people’s army with peasants and workers, and then isolate the urban areas by adopting guerilla warfare to defeat the conventional armies of the ruling class. But Col Taher started the other way round. He wanted to start revolution from the top and then pass it down to mass level by force. He wanted to capture the state power by force by capturing the capital city of Dhaka by soldiers of the army only. He could not put his trust on the officers and decided to get them physically eliminated by the soldiers. He organized secret revolutionary cells in the army units with soldiers and some NCOs. They held secret meetings and were waiting for an opportune moment to go for the operation. In some countries such a procedure did work. But in a country like Bangladesh where the soldiers and the officers come from almost the same social class the procedure was not workable. The class contradictions among the soldiers and officers were not too big. It was not a sufficient condition to precipitate a revolution. On the other hand, our soldiers are not trained to go for any military operation without having officers over them as commanders. It is a centuries old practice and belief among the soldiers that soldiers all by themselves are not good enough to fight. Col Taher also did not consider another very pertinent cultural objective condition before he went with his plan. In a country where 100 percent of its people believe in some religion or the other, specially where 90 per cent of the population is Muslim, it was hardly possible to make a Maoist revolution acceptable to the people. Soon after the members of his revolutionary soldiers’ cells went into operation they came to their sense and realized that they, under no circumstances, could kill their own officers. It soon dawned upon them that without officers command they were nothing more than an armed mob. Senior JCOs and NCOs prevailed upon them and brought them back to the barrack. But unfortunately by this time some officers were killed by the unruly soldiers on personal grounds.After Gen Zia assumed the command of the army, naturally, the cases of those soldiers who took leading parts in the mutiny, and who killed the officers could not be ignored by him in the interest of restoring discipline and order in the army. No one else in his place could do so. Without dispensing justice to the mutineers and the killers the army could not be reorganized as a disciplined force. Inquiries were held. Col Taher was found as one of the conspirators and instigators. As a retired officer he was still under some provisions of the army act that dealt with serious crimes like mutiny. He was tried in a military court and was given death sentence that was executed by hanging. Some other soldiers were also given death sentence and rigorous imprisonment for life and other terms by military courts. It is because of this stern lawful action taken by Gen Zia that there has not been any mutiny by the soldiers thereafter. It required guts to take such a strong action. Gen Zia had that guts. Some politicians these days criticize Gen Zia for taking these stringent actions without realizing what service he did to the nation by quelling that, and other mutinies that followed in quick succession, with an iron hand. After that there has been no mutiny in the army, though at times the soldiers faced enough provocations. Consequently our rulers, however good or bad they may be, have been ruling the country without thinking of any threat from the cantonments. Many of our civilian brothers often forget that army is not a political organization. There is no room for “Zindabad-Murdabad”or “Manina-Manina” in the army. In the army one is under solemn oath to carry out all lawful commands of his superior even to the peril of one’s life. One cannot reason why. One is to do or die. It was, and still is, an article of professional faith in all the armies of the world. It is not the function of an army to make or unmake a government. It is the function of the army to carry out the orders of the government. In spite that sometimes unfortunately the army takes over the state power in a country. Sometimes back in 2008 I tried to explain the reason for and the ultimate consequence of military rule in one of my writings. I sent it for publication to an English daily newspaper published from Dhaka. The editor of the paper did not publish it. May be, he did not want to annoy the army top brass! I quote the same hereunder for you. It explains why and how we had martial law and quasi martial law (like Gen Moyeen U Ahmed’s rule) rules in our country.<br />In your write up you have mentioned about harboring and political rehabilitation of razakars by Gen Zia. It is very unfortunate that being a valiant and decorated freedom fighter himself Gen Zia had to rehabilitate infamous razakars like Shah Azizur Rahman, Abdul Alim and others. When Gen Zia was catapulted to state power he was politically an orphan, as I already mentioned earlier. He had no political party or supporters to back him up. He could neither rely on the army’s support indefinitely to hold the highest political appointment in the country. To earn internal and international political respectability and recognition he had to become an elected president. For that he needed a political party at his back. Awami League, though smashed into small splinter groups without any leadership, could not accept Gen Zia as an ally. Other parties were so insignificantly small and unimportant that they did not matter at all. Gen Zia not only needed a party but also some senior leaders with ample parliamentary experience to run the party and to translate his political visions, which he developed by that time, into reality to reconstruct the war ravaged country. At that stage he could not give up. There was no one available who could successfully take over the political leadership from him. So he had to carry on. For the prevailing international and regional geopolitical realities too, the country could not be left to the hands of the laymen. Under these circumstances, Gen Zia had to welcome razakars who were senior and experienced politicians to help him run the affairs of the state. But he never handed over the command and control to them. It is easy to blame Gen Zia politically, now, for doing so. But the question as to what else, under the circumstances, he could do in the national interest remains unanswered. In your write up you have catalogued our present political maladies. If such maladies continue, in the next general election to be held in 2013/14 a member from Gen Ziaur Rahman’s family (BNP) will probably be elected as the “King” or the “Queen”. After another five years a member from Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s family (AL) will in the similar way be elected as the “King” or the “Queen”. In the name of democracy we shall continue to have “Kings” and “Queens” for years to come. They will rule over us unchallenged as worst dictators, as they are doing now without being accountable to anyone. Anti Corruption Commission will never be able to touch them. The arm of law will never be long enough to reach them. They will nominate people with questionable ability, honesty and integrity and vulgar tongue to the parliament. They will relish listening to eulogies sung in their honor and vulgar exchanges made to glorify them in the parliament, as it is being done now. They do not believe in having supporters for their political ideologies, they believe in having slaves only. They will continue to divide all national organizations, government employees and professionals on political basis. The guiding principle will be, as it is now, either you belong to my party with the loyalty of a slave, or you are my enemy. There will be no room for anyone with nonpartisan views. You could have come out with some suggestions to get out of it. I have my own ideas. I feel, our cup of sorrows should be full by this time. We had enough of it. A time may come within next 10 to 15 years when there may be a popular uprising against the corrupt and inefficient political leadership. The leadership for such a revolutionary uprising might come from any unexpected quarters. Or, as I guess, educated and enlightened young men and women like you who are now working abroad will start coming back home, as the expatriate Chinese and the Indians are doing now, within next 5 to 10 years. These young people with their knowledge and experience gathered in various advanced countries will make contributions to raise the political awareness of our people through a slow but steady evolutionary process. This process, over a time, might bring in the desired changes in our national political environment.Or, in a worst scenario, we may be branded as a failed state like Somalia by the interested global and regional powers. In that case some regional power might take the opportunity to send its troops to physically occupy Bangladesh on behalf of the UN to discipline us. God forbid, if that happens we may have to fight another war of liberation. You may do some brainstorming on how the people of Bangladesh could get out of the present situation and share your ideas with your readers. That would, I am sure, make your write up more interesting.I have already taken enough of your time. I must stop here now. With best wishes and regards.Syed Ashrafuzzaman<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/29831725-7717949492965591047?l=srzaman.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ashraf's columnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16382744974160016625noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29831725.post-50748063213725299532010-03-10T00:12:00.000-08:002010-03-10T00:14:49.836-08:00To: Mr. Abid Rahman<br />Copy to: Mr. Nayyemul Islam Khan <br />Editor, The Daily Amader Shomoy.<br /><br />Dear Mr. Abid Rahman,<br /><br />I write this letter to thank you for your well written and thought provoking write up on the present day Bangladeshi medical practitioners ("Pet Kata Bibek") published in the Daily Amader Shomoy on March 08, 2010. You have very rightly and precisely painted the picture of various malpractices committed by most of our doctors. Like many of my compatriots I consider these doctors as one of the most corrupt professional groups among the highly educated ones in our society. You have mentioned most of their major corrupt practices in your write up. From my personal experience I would like to add three more. Firstly, most of our doctors do not keep themselves abreast with the latest developments in their respective fields of knowledge. In this age of Internet communication it is so easy and convenient to keep track of developments taking place in any branch of science and technology including medical science. But where is the time for our doctors to study and update their professional knowledge? They earn so much of money with their outdated and rusted knowledge. Why should they care to waste (?) time on further study ? Secondly, in the recent past under compulsive circumstances I had to go to medical practitioners in India, Singapore and the US for the treatment of my wife and myself. Leave aside the best possible treatment and courtesy we received from the doctors there, every time I made a payment to each of them I was given a proper money receipt without asking for it. I do not know if any private medical practitioner does so in Bangladesh. Thirdly, we are not aware of any case wherein a medical practitioner was punished by the BMDC (Bangladesh Medical and Dental Council) or by a court of law for committing malpractice, professional misconduct, negligence of duty or bribery. <br /><br />To overcome the above mentioned three serious problems the following actions need to to be taken: a. BMDC should not issue licence to a medical practitioner for life to practice. It should issue the licencefor five years only. After every five years a medical practitioner should be made to undertake a professional test by the BMDC before his/her licence is renewed for another term of five years. This practice will compel all our doctors, young and old, to spend at least some time of the day or week for professional studies. b. It should be mandatory by law for a medical practitioner to issue a proper money receipt to every client for the money s/he receives for services rendered in his/her private capacity. This will help income tax authorities to keep a track of the huge personal income the doctors make. c. Presently BMDC or the courts of law cannot, as they claim, take actions against recalcitrant doctors due to lack of legal provisions. All relevant laws, rules and regulations must be updated so that appropriate legal actions can be taken against a wrongdoing medical practitioner. All non professional organisations like SCP, DAB etc should be banned by law. Only Bangladesh Medical Association (BMA) should be allowed to function strictly as a professional organisation of the medical practitioners. d. Young students who study medicine in government medical colleges should be reminded by their teachers that the medical colleges are established and run by the money paid by the poor tax payers of Bangladesh. They should be motivated to serve the people. For that the teachers have to be patriotic and professionally honest first. It is only the government by passing necessary laws in the parliament and issuing executive orders can ensure the accountability of the medical practitioners. But unfortunately, on being guided by their ill motives to cheat our people unabashedly, our medical practitioners, by and large, have so far been successful in refraining all our governments of the past and the present from passing such laws and executive orders. Leaving aside their professional matters our doctors are now more busy in doing raw politics. Both the two major political parties AL and BNP have been giving indulgence to our doctors in this regard. AL is patronising Swadhinota Chikitshok Parishod (SCP) and BNP is patronizing Doctors' Association of Bangladesh (DAB). (I understand Jamat-I-Islami has also floated its own medical front.) It is because of this pampering by the top political leaders the doctors are totally spoilt. It is never the doctors who decisively vote the politicians to power. Rather, the doctors are a very microscopic cross section of our population. Because of their lack of acceptability in the society they do not and cannot have any political influence upon our voters. It is not understood why our top politicians always give such indulgence to the greedy doctors. Even in the present government of AL there is a cabinet minister, a state minister and an advisor with cabinet status in the ministry of health who all are medical practitioners and SCP leaders. Does the prime minister really need three doctors to run this ministry ? If yes, then she should send home all her non technical ministers from ministries like communication, shipping, works, livestock, environment etc and replace them with technical people having academic degrees in the relevant subjects. To give leadership at a political level, as our ministers are required to do, one need not be a professional expert. Instead, one should be a good politician to feel the pulse and problems of the people. The rest is done by the technical experts in the relevant ministry. Doctors as a professional group has been having a joy ride on the shoulders of our politicians at the cost of the interest of our people. This anti people practice must be brought to an end. Doctors must be disciplined. For that our top political leaders must take all necessary actions including enactment of laws. As long as that does not happen the people of Bangladesh will continue to be exploited by their own doctors. It may not be out of place to state here that it is not only the politicians, our media have also been not doing enough to eradicate this national malady. In the past I sometimes wrote to some English newspapers on the subject. In most cases the editors found it wise not publish anything that went against the doctors. Others edited my writings before publication in such a manner that the doctors did not feel offended.<br /><br />The media people also need to come out of their present shyness to expose the weaknesses in this sector. Here I must thank Mr. Nayeemul Islam Khan for taking initiative in this regard by publishing your present write up. He has certainly shown enough guts in doing so. I am also sending a copy of this letter to him for his kind information. I do agree that there are some very dedicated doctors in our country. Generally we do not know their names as they are not active members of SCP or DAB , and they do not care for cheap popularity. We always salute them. But the fact remains that a few white dots, however bright they may be, cannot make a blackboard white. I would have certainly been happier if I could write this letter to you in our mother tongue Bengali. I cannot do so for two reasons. Firstly, presently I do not have the software necessary to write in Bengali. Secondly, my Bengali is very poor. I wish I could have a strong pen like you. I would request you to kindly write more and more on this subject to initiate a popular movement so that our politicians are compelled to pay heed to it. I am sure more media giants like Mr. Nayeemul Islam Khan will come forward to join the movement.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/29831725-5074806321372529953?l=srzaman.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ashraf's columnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16382744974160016625noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29831725.post-24127539927117234532009-10-23T19:26:00.000-07:002009-10-23T19:27:40.091-07:00It is reported (DS October 18) that the government is taking an initiative to grant 30 per cent quota to the children of our war heroes in the ensuing selection of assistant judges. I would request the government to give a second thought to the idea. A judge must possess a very high level of IQ, profound knowledge and integrity. A war hero’s son or daughter may not necessarily have those qualities of head and heart and may not qualify in the selection tests. There is nothing wrong in that. Everybody is not cut for everything. If one does not qualify in the tests for the selection of judges one may try to do something elsewhere where s/he might excel. If a wrong candidate who does not have the required intellectual ability, knowledge and integrity is appointed as a judge s/he will be failing to apply her/his judicial mind correctly. People who will be going to such a judge for justice will be deprived of justice. People will suffer in the hands of such an incompetent judge for about 30 years or so till s/he retires. Merit and competence should be the only criteria while selecting candidates for posts like those of judges, and nothing else. It is said that as shadows of God judges dispense justice on His behalf. People who will deliberately select wrong kind of people as judges will surely be held responsible by God on the Great Day of Judgment. That is what we all believers believe in. <br /><br />Our war heroes are the greatest sons and daughters of our country. Their children deserve our highest consideration. They must be looked after by the state. Everything possible must be done to ameliorate their hardships. But nothing should be done, which ultimately goes against the interest of the people of the country. They may be given free education in educational institutions run by the government; they may be given free medical treatment in all government hospitals, the deserving ones may be given ration at subsidized rates, they may be given bank loans on very soft terms to do business; they may be given government khas land for farming; or they may be given priority in appointment in such jobs which are not as sensitive as that of a judge.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/29831725-2412753992711723453?l=srzaman.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ashraf's columnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16382744974160016625noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29831725.post-5194541864083067302009-10-23T19:20:00.000-07:002009-10-23T19:21:43.254-07:00Recently some surgeon(s) at the Dhaka Medical College Hospital stitched up a patient after surgery with a scalpel blade in the patient’s abdomen (DS October 22). A small schoolgirl lost her life in the same hospital due the negligence of the doctor(s) on duty (TV news October 22). Almost everyday many such incidents of criminal negligence, indifference, malpractice and incompetence by the doctors in Bangladesh are taking place in government and non-government hospitals. For obvious reasons it is not possible for the media to report all these unfortunate incidents. Since the liberation of Bangladesh we have not heard of any single case wherein any recalcitrant medical practitioner has been taken to task either by the government (ministry of health) or by the Bangladesh Medical and Dental Council (BMDC), the two guardians of our national healthcare system. In some cases, after the incidents were reported in the media, inquiry committees were constituted. Reports and recommendations submitted by these committees were never made public, nor did we ever hear that any actions were taken against any wrongdoing doctor. Some cases were taken to the court of law by those aggrieved parties who could afford such litigation, but with no result. Because the relevant laws in our country do not protect the rights of the patients. Whenever the health ministry or the BMDC is asked about such an incident the bosses who run these offices always come out with the pet reply that they have not received any such complaint in writing from the aggrieved patient or his/her next of kin. The other very common reply to such a query is that the existing laws in this regard are not adequate to take a recalcitrant doctor to task.<br /><br />Be that as it may, the fact remains that the people of our country, even after 38 years of our independence, are still helpless hostages in the hands of our doctors. Our present health minister, the health advisor to the honorable prime minister and the state minister for health are all from the medical profession. (It is not understood why so many doctors are necessary to run one single ministry like the health ministry. The appointing authority might be reminded of the old proverb: Too many cooks spoil the broth.) The leading bureaucrats at the health ministry and the health directorate are all doctors. Being doctors themselves, all these (doctors turned) politicians and medical bureaucrats probably do not see anything wrong or unethical in the professional activities of their brothers and sisters in the medical profession. Their track record bears testimony to the fact that, for decades, they have so far been giving protection to the wrong doing doctors. Otherwise, the situation could not turn so bad, as it is today. The senior doctors who are running the affairs of the health ministry and BMDC as ministers, advisors or bureaucrats cannot escape the responsibility. Very often these leading doctors tell us in TV talk shows that they are handicapped by fund constraint to run the affairs of the health ministry effectively. It is only the half-truth, not the whole truth. What fund constraint stops a surgeon from taking the scalpel blade out of the abdomen before the patient is stitched up ? What fund constraint makes a government doctor leave his/her place of duty and indulge in private practice during the time when s/he is supposed to serve tax payers free of cost ? It is not always a question of availability of fund. In most cases our people are not getting proper attention of the doctors because of their greed for money. Most of our doctors conveniently forget that the medical colleges wherefrom they graduated were established and are run by the taxpayer’s money. The pay and allowances paid to the government doctors also come from the same source. Certainly they owe an obligation to our people. It is, therefore, primarily a question of attitude on the part of our doctors. <br /><br />The present ministers and the advisor are very active leaders of the pro Awami League trade union of the doctors called Shwadhinota Chikitshok Parishod (SCP). Senior health officials, like DG health, are also leaders of SCP. Similarly, when BNP was in power the leaders of the Doctors’ Association of Bangladesh (DAB), the trade union of the pro BNP doctors ran the health care system of Bangladesh. It is these SCP and DAB leaders who for their personal aggrandizement are spoiling the health care system in our country. Otherwise, with all its shortcomings and fund constraints our government and non-government hospitals could offer much better service to our people.<br /><br />Finally, I would like to draw the attention of the honorable prime minister and the members of our parliament to kindly look into the matter before one of their dear ones falls victim to the indifferent attitude of, or corrupt practice by, a doctor. It may so happen that one day, when they will no more be ministers or MPs, a dishonest doctor may victimize one of them. It is in their own interest, and the interest of the people whom they serve. We had enough of it. The nation can no more bear with the irresponsible and unethical activities of our doctors and their leaders. It is high time the government takes necessary actions to discipline the doctors before it is too late. The existing laws relating to medical profession are, no doubt, anti people. The present lawmakers may please make them pro people immediately. The parliament must make necessary laws to ban all trade unions like organizations like SCP and DAB. Bangladesh Medical Association (BMA) is good enough to look after and promote the professional interest of our doctors.<br /><br />Before I finish I must apologize to those of our doctors who have been rendering dedicated service to our people. This letter is not meant for them. Surely they are the honorable exceptions. But the fact remains that however bright some white spots may appear on a blackboard, those cannot make the board look white.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/29831725-519454186408306730?l=srzaman.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ashraf's columnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16382744974160016625noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29831725.post-64981544895298414142009-10-18T12:00:00.000-07:002009-10-18T12:05:35.350-07:00The respectable Chairman of the Anti Corruption Commission (ACC), after having worked in the organization for about three months, has expressed his helplessness in dealing with the corrupt people. He called the ACC a “toothless tiger”. He did so not quietly, but loudly in a press conference. Our media people took it as a bombshell and treated it as such in their respective newspapers and TV channels. The present Chairman of ACC, Mr. Ghulam Rahman, is known for his personal honesty and efficiency, which is a rare quality among our present day bureaucrats. I do not believe a responsible officer like him has not called his own organization ACC for a gimmick. He must have done it, I believe, to let the countrymen know why he cannot do his job. It’s a wakeup call to the present government of Sheikh Hasina. <br /><br />If we take a close look at the history of the ACC we find that since its inception it has been getting a very shabby deal from the people who ruled us from time to time. It has always been a paper tiger. Many of our political leaders, senior bureaucrats, and leading businessmen who in connivance with one another have been sucking the blood of our people for decades never allowed ACC to have its biting teeth and claws. These people and their representatives who sit in the parliament would never, as it appears, pass laws necessary to make ACC an effective organ of the state. The reason is not far to fetch. An effective ACC would verily stand on the way of these people to indulge in rampant corruption.<br /><br />During the last two years rule of the caretaker government (CT) the people of Bangladesh witnessed with awe and horror how deep rooted and wide spread corruption was in our country. The ACC at that time unearthed many cases of corruption involving trillions of taka and took the corrupt ones to the court of law for trial under some ordinances passed by the CT. It is true that while doing so some ACC officials committed some avoidable excesses, and some innocent people were harassed. But the public perception at that time was, and still is, that most of those who were caught by the ACC were highly corrupt. People of Bangladesh are shocked and surprised to see that almost all the persons indicted by the ACC came out, and are still coming out, of the courts totally unscathed. Many such people are audaciously showing ‘V’ sign to their supporters while embarking on or disembarking from the prison van. Our media are also showing such pictures with a kind of fanfare to glorify these people. Still there are others who were accused of corruption are now trying to be heroes in TV talk shows and also in the parliament. It happened so, not for the fact that all these people were not corrupt, but because of the loopholes in the relevant laws, and shortage of efficient manpower in the ACC. If the laws were pro people, instead of being pro corrupt, and the ACC were equipped with competent officers, if not all, many of those who were caught by the ACC would have been punished by the court. It all happened so because the honourable members of the parliament who were elected in the general election held in December, 2008 were all united in not ratifying the anti corruption ordinances promulgated by the former CT. If the Establishment Division could be made to post suitable officers to the ACC things would have been different. But unfortunately the senior civil servants who head the Establishment Division, like their political counterparts, do not want to see an independent and strong ACC for reasons well known to us. <br /><br />It now all depends on the honorable Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina who in her party’s pre election manifestoes promised to the nation that she and her party would fight tooth and nail against corruption. No less a person than the Chairman of the ACC has now publicly expressed his helplessness by calling the ACC as a “toothless tiger”. Notwithstanding what her political and bureaucratic advisors tell her on the subject, history will hold Sheikh Hasina personally and solely responsible for not doing enough to make the ACC a tiger with teeth. Her party will also have to pay a heavy price in future elections. There is no good reason to think why should Sheikh Hasina take the responsibility for such a bad consequence. Let’s have no more of rhetoric from our leaders.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/29831725-6498154489529841414?l=srzaman.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ashraf's columnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16382744974160016625noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29831725.post-71311829119844975372009-07-30T12:00:00.000-07:002009-07-30T12:01:26.693-07:00While most of our politicians, bureaucrats and businessmen are busy in making money by corrupt means and tarnishing our national image, our youngsters are fetching name and fame from all corners of the world for our dear motherland. The youngsters, very young ones, recently won a bronze medal in an international Mathematics Olympiad. Our young mountaineers climbed on the top of one of the highest peaks of the Himalaya. Our under 19 cricketers defeated their English counterparts on the English soil. Our national cricket team, for the first time in our cricket history, won a test series and an ODI series by defeating the West Indies team on their own soil. <br />While their counterparts in so called student politics are taking lessons in corruption and violence from their political gurus, these young boys and girls are really striving hard to excel in every field of nation building.<br />At the twilight of my life, I am already 65, I surely feel inspired by such wonderful achievements earned by our young boys and girls. I pray to Allah to grant me a longer life so that I can see more of their achievements before my death. I call upon my countrymen to join me in saluting our youngsters. May Allah bless them all!<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/29831725-7131182911984497537?l=srzaman.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ashraf's columnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16382744974160016625noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29831725.post-84643535631781816182009-07-29T01:14:00.000-07:002009-07-29T01:15:09.115-07:00Due to heavy downpour almost the whole of the city of Dhaka was inundated on July 28, 2009. Life came to a standstill. Miseries befell on millions of the city dwellers. Prime Minister Shekh Hasina, like all her former CEOs of Bangladesh, lost her patience and summoned all the ministers and bosses of the concerned departments and organizations to her office to give them a bit of her mind. It all came in the media next day. We, the ordinary citizens of Dhaka, felt satisfied that the matter has been noted by the Prime Minister. Like every time in the past, this time too, our hopes will run high. But shall we be disappointed again like it happened umpteen times in the past ? Shall the govt take stern actions this time against those land grabbers, corrupt bureaucrats and insincere politicians who make a natural disaster more disastrous by human machinations? Or, shall we have to wait for the next year when the Prime Minister will again show her anger and displeasure to her ministers and officers on the same issue ? Only the Prime Minister can answer this question.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/29831725-8464353563178181618?l=srzaman.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ashraf's columnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16382744974160016625noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29831725.post-22341618756770897652009-07-14T09:02:00.000-07:002009-07-14T09:03:42.453-07:00Very recently BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia, I am sure after very serious considerations, has appointed the topmost leaders of the student front of her party Chhatra Dal. About half of these newly appointed Chatra Dal leaders are in their mid 40s and the remaining are in their late 30s. All of them finished their normal education career long ago in mid 1990s. Thanks God, the newspapers have not published their CV. Had it been so, people could know how bright they were in their academic life. As students, one may assume, these ‘Adu Bhais’ must have been very poor. Most of these student leaders are married and some of them are already fathers. Almost all of them are engaged in business. Many of them are known to be involved in tenderbazi (forcibly capturing contracts for construction work and for supply of stores), chandabazi (extortion) and bhortibazi (getting students of lower merit admitted into educational institutions). It is generally believed that it is these so called student leaders who are responsible for all the violence and terrorism in the campus and the session jams. The leaders of the AL’s student front Chhatra League are also the same. If these are the qualities and activities of our present student leaders what the ordinary young students are going to learn from them. If a big political party like the BNP, or the AL, has to rely on these ‘uncles’ to lead their student fronts people can justifiable doubt the sincerity of these parties. In the last general election, it was observed, the superannuated student leaders of all the major political parties had almost no role to play in favor of their masters. As far as local politics is concerned these Buro Khokas (old boys) had lost their appeal and influence long ago. Our people do not take them seriously as they used to do before the liberation in 1971. It is not understandable why our major political parties can still not get rid of this nuisance. <br />Our public universities, unfortunately, have been breeding, harboring and patronizing the ‘Adu Bhais’ at the cost of the poor tax payer’s money under the cover of some rules which are certainly anti people. Philosophically speaking, we all remain students till our death. Any one may be a student at any age by getting himself/herself admitted into a faculty or institute in an M. Phil or a Ph. D program by simply paying the required fees. If nothing like this is possible one may get admission into a LL. B program in any law college and wear the tag of a student at any age. Well, there cannot be any objection to anyone’s sincere desire to acquire knowledge in any subject by enrolling oneself as a student at any age. But it is surely objectionable if one remains a student at the age of 44 or 38 with ulterior motive of becoming a student leader to mislead the students and ruin their career. <br />Normally a child in our society goes to the school at the age of 6. On the average s/he needs 17 (12+5) years to finish his/her normal academic career to get a post graduate degree in a non technical subject, or a graduate degree in medicine or engineering. By the time s/he is 23 years old s/he should finish her normal academic career. In our context we may add another 2 years to it. There is no reason for someone to remain a regular student beyond the age of 25. Let students who are under 25 lead our students in their curricular and co curricular activities, and act as collective bargaining agents for the welfare of the students. Anybody who becomes a student after the age of 25 must not be treated as a regular student. S/he must be an irregular or special student, if at all s/he remains a student. The universities must make rules not to provide any tuition, food and lodging to such irregular and special students at subsidized cost, as it is given to the regular students. They must be made to pay the actual cost. Except for academic, research, and sports organizations these irregular and special students must not be allowed to be members of students’ unions, or other students’ organizations. <br />As per the RPO no political party can have its student organ. Even then, it is not understandable, how are the political parties still openly maintaining and patronizing their student organs ? The Election Commission must take necessary actions to stop this unholy practice. A National Education Commission is now working. It is hoped that the education commission will come out with recommendations to save the nation from this malady. How long should our innocent regular students suffer in the hands of present ‘Adu Bhai’ leaders ?<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/29831725-2234161875677089765?l=srzaman.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ashraf's columnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16382744974160016625noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29831725.post-91482635109153386432009-07-11T03:32:00.000-07:002009-07-11T03:33:24.947-07:00During the period of the Caretaker Government(CTG) of Dr. Fakhruddin Ahmed Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) filed corruption cases against a large number of politicians belonging to both AL and BNP, government servants and businessmen. Many of the accused were proved guilty in the lower courts and, on being convicted, were sent to the jail. Some of these convicted persons were tried in absentia as they fled the country. People in general, including the mid level leaders and workers of AL and BNP, hoped that at least some of their senior leaders, and businessmen who financed these politicians, and the government servants who were genuinely corrupt would get punished; the country and the political parties would get rid of the corrupt leaders; and the state bureaucracy would to a great extent be free from corruption.<br />Now let us take a look at what all has been happening in combating corruption since the present mohajote (grand alliance) government under Sheikh Hasina came to power. Almost all of those convicts who were sent to jails, or were absconding, have come out on bail granted by the High Court after they filed appeal to it against their convictions. Naturally, as per the law of the land, one can no more treat these people as corrupt till the High court finds them guilty. Even if they are found guilty by the High Court they, being fabulously rich with black money and powerful with political backing, will certainly appeal to the Supreme Court against the verdict of the High Court. It is known from our experience that it will take years, if it is left like that, for the higher judiciary to decide upon the cases. Cases against all those who belong to the ruling party and who have not yet been charge sheeted are being withdrawn by branding the cases as “politically motivated.” It is being rumored that the government may arrange for presidential clemency for all those politicians, naturally belonging to the ruling party, who are already charge sheeted. If BNP wins the next parliamentary election scheduled to be held in 1914, it is most likely that all cases against BNP leaders will be disposed of in the same way without any fair trial. They will have to suffer 5 years more than their AL colleagues for loosing the 2008 election !<br />Lt Gen Hassan Mashhud Choudhury resigned as the Chairman of ACC for no plausible reason. A new Chairman has recently joined the ACC. Soon after taking over the charge, this retired police officer, on being asked by the journalists about the fate of the corruption cases against some topmost politicians, said, like a typical police officer of our country, that their cases had already been decided by janotar adalat (people’s court), indicating his intention not to follow a strong line while dealing with the cases of corruption against the political VVIPs. With due respect can one ask him if the constitution of Bangladesh, or the Cr.PC, allow such privilege to any citizen of our country.<br />Some of the politicians who were earlier convicted by lower courts for corruption and tax evasion, on being nominated by their respective parties, got themselves elected as members of the parliament. These politicians and some others who are out of the parliament are now found busy, in and outside the parliament, bashing the last CTG and the the former Chairman of the ACC for causing harassment to them unjustifiably, as they claim, for political reasons. The CTG and the ACC were run in those days by human beings who were not above mistakes and mischief. The mistakes and mischief committed the by them could be investigated into and the wrongdoers can be punished now with due transparency. But is it reasonable to say, as those who were charge sheeted and convicted for corruption are saying now, that all of those were simply victimized? Certainly not. The public perception at that time was, and still is, that few might have been innocent, but most of them were corrupt. Otherwise, how could the Transparency International (T I) could grade Bangladesh as one of the most corrupt countries in the world for many years successively.<br />The loud mouthed corrupt politicians are now trying to prove that, though the T I branded Bangladesh as one of the most corrupt countries, its polticians, bureaucrats and businessmen are all ganga jolay dhoa tulshi pata (innocent). If the present government of Sheikh Hasina also believes in the same myth it should file defamation suit with the International Court of Justice against the T I for calling Bangladesh a corrupt country.<br />If the present mohajote government believes that there are at least some politicians, bureaucrats and businessmen, due to whose corrupt activities the country suffered immensely and earned a bad name, it must, as it promised in its election manifesto, take the following actions to punish the corrupt and bring good name to itself and the country:<br />Revitalize the ACC which has not been seen doing anything to combat corruption in the last six months since the present government came to power. To restore faith and confidence in the ACC it must take all necessary actions to expedite hearing of its cases pending with the lower courts and the High Court.<br />No one, however big or small s/he might be, that includes the honorable Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition, should be exonerated from a corruption charge without a fair trial. S/he must face the trial in a court of law. If not found guilty by the court s/he should be welcome back to the society/politics with full dignity and honor. If found guilty s/he must be condemned by all and find no place in politics. In this case the honorable Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition should come forward willingly to set personal example to the nation.<br />Empower the ACC to deal with its own cases independently without going through the office of the Attorney General. Being run entirely by political appointees Attorney General’s office may be politically biased. To make the ACC really independent bring in necessary changes in the relevant laws.<br />The government certainly has the right to appoint its own political nominees to certain government posts. In the last six months, for reasons best known to the appointing authority, some of these posts were filled in by persons with questionable reputation and integrity. Such appointments have already brought bad name to the party in power. There are many followers and sympathizers of AL, including university teachers, retired bureaucrats and technocrats, who are well known for their personal integrity and loyalty to AL. Appointment of such persons, will surely enhance the clean image of the party in power.<br />Justice delayed is justice denied. In greater national interest the government should take up a case with the honorable Chief Justice of the Supreme Court to constitute some special benches of the High Court to expeditiously deal with corruption cases.<br />If the mohajote government fails to take the above mentioned actions the country will plunge deeper in corruption. The whole world will continue to call us a corrupt country. The people of Bangladesh will turn away their faces from AL in the next general election. The whole world will find us as the only corrupt country in the world with no corrupt persons individually within the country. The question will naturally arise, “Then who was corrupt in Bangladesh ?”<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/29831725-9148263510915338643?l=srzaman.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ashraf's columnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16382744974160016625noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29831725.post-36934335720235570352009-05-16T11:09:00.000-07:002009-05-16T11:10:52.735-07:00I am neither a student of economics, nor of politics. As a layman I understand that any money which I do not earn or inherit by legal means is not my money. It is public money and belongs to the state. If the state does not or cannot take possession of such public money from me for any reason it does not become my personal money. Our FBCCI leaders are now trying, as they do every year immediately before the annual national budget is drafted, to convince the nation and the government to make all their illegal money legal by giving it an innocent name. They call it “Black Money”. Black is the name of a color. It is no more a repugnant word. Many black persons like Nelson Mandela have attained world wide fame. There are many black things we like. Even our poets have composed beautiful poems and songs on black eyes, hairs, body complexion, etc. Notwithstanding what our business leaders mean by the term “Black Money”, the fact remains that it means illegitimate money. The money which should have been legally in the Bangladesh Bank is illegally in their pockets. Morally speaking the money which the FBCCI leaders are calling “Black Money” is actually swindler’s money.<br /><br />In the past for many years our government had allowed our high profile businessmen to “whiten” (legalize) their “Black Money” by saying that such an action would be beneficial to our state economy. But from what our leading economists, Dr. Akbar Ali Khan and et al, are saying we know that the outcome of all such actions proved futile. Rather the “Black Money” holders were further emboldened to earn more “Black Money” in the successive years. Thus they have been causing greater loss to the public exchequer.<br /><br />Our honorable finance minister is personally known to be an honest man and an economist per excellence. Initially, as we saw in TV reports, he expressed his strong unwillingness to “whiten” the “Black Money”on moral grounds. But now it appears that he has to swallow the bitter pill and succumb to the pressure of the FBCCI leaders for reasons best known to him. In the coming budget, as it is being hinted now, he is going to allow our businessmen “whiten” their “Black Money”, of course, under some conditions to create a smoke screen to hoodwink the people.<br /><br />Only a very strong disapproval by the people at large could restrain the government from taking such an anti people action. For that people must be made aware of the true characteristic of “Black Money”. To do so let us now call the money in question as “Haram (illegitimate) Money” instead of “Black Money)”.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/29831725-3693433572023557035?l=srzaman.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ashraf's columnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16382744974160016625noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29831725.post-81683927506504375512009-04-27T09:16:00.001-07:002009-04-27T09:16:52.691-07:00It is good to note that the present government has felt the necessity to reform our existing education system which is not only obsolete and ineffective but also corrupt. It has constituted an education commission with some of our illustrious educationists as its chairman and members. May be within next three to six months the commission will compile a report and submit it to the government for its consideration. The government will probably take another about six months to study the report to find out how quickly and efficiently it can implement the recommendations accepted by the government. Finally, in about another six months or so, the government will forget about the report and put it in the deep fridge. One may ask why I should be so pessimistic about the new education commission. The answer is very simple. All the reports submitted by the past education commissions in our country had met the same fate. In the face of agitations on the streets the parties or persons in power never found it expedient to take any action on these reports. However, in the process the state every time had to spend in vain huge amount of money to launch and run the activities of such education commissions.<br />Every existing system has its own group(s) of beneficiaries. Whenever any effort is made by a government, with all its good intentions, to bring about reforms in it in public interest the beneficiaries feel threatened mostly for financial reasons. As in the past, the present corrupt and inefficient education system has also many groups of beneficiaries. Such groups are present at all levels right from the ministry of education down to the lowest level. These groups include sections of politicians, policy making bureaucrats, education administrators, teachers, textbook writers and publishers, over aged student leaders etc. From our past experience we know that no education report was, as a whole, questionable or unacceptable. For example, if a report had, say, one hundred major recommendations, may be, only one or two of the recommendations were controversial for technical, political or religious reasons. One or more of the threatened beneficiary groups took advantage of such controversies and opposed tooth and nail the whole report. They never said that except the controversial one or two recommendations they accepted all the remaining recommendations, and they would cooperate with the government in implementing the acceptable recommendations. They hired the services of the over aged student leaders, misguided and incited the young students to bring out processions on the street to repeal the report, as a whole, of an education commission. Every time in the past an education commission released its report members of these vicious circles played this dirty game in their petty self interest. If nothing is done in advance by the present government to defeat these self seekers in the education sector the report which will be produced by the present education commission will, I am sorry to say, meet the same fate as the previous reports did. And again a large sum of the poor tax payers’ money spent for the exercise will go down the drain.<br />Under the circumstances, may I humbly request our education minister, who is known for his personal honesty, efficiency and patriotism, to kindly ask the present commission, or may form a separate committee of experts, to find out first why the reports of the earlier education commissions did not work? Once the answer to this question is found out and the government can be sure that this time no group(s), however powerful it/they may be, will not be allowed to sabotage the government’s present initiative to save the nation from the existing corrupt and ineffective education system, only after that the government should go ahead with the new education commission.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/29831725-8168392750650437551?l=srzaman.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ashraf's columnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16382744974160016625noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29831725.post-2061196882781185762009-02-05T21:38:00.000-08:002009-02-05T21:39:14.722-08:00Now that a case has been filed against Mr. Abdul Latif Biswas (DS, February 06), the Fisheries and Livestock Minister, for causing gross violation of code of conduct in January 22 upozila election, the minister should immediately resign from his cabinet post. His resignation is necessary so as to proceed with the trial smoothly without any political interference. Above all, it is necessary for Mr. Biswas to show his respect for rule of law and democratic norms. Once Mr. Biswas is exonerated from the charge he could honorably come back to the cabinet. If he fails to resign now, the honorable Prime Minister may kindly show him the door.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/29831725-206119688278118576?l=srzaman.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ashraf's columnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16382744974160016625noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29831725.post-4440609074703678912009-01-30T11:08:00.000-08:002009-01-30T11:11:39.664-08:00<a name="0.1_8476458250558432626"></a>Back in July, 2008 (forgive me for not remembering the exact date) The DS published a letter of mine on the above mentioned subject under its letter to the editor column. I believe what I wrote in that letter still holds good. Please allow me to reproduce the same letter below. <br /><br />"On June 30, 2008 the Daily Prothom Alo brought to light some gross and inexcusable mistakes in the textbooks published by the NCTB for our school children. The same newspaper reported on July 01 that the honorable CA of the present CG has taken the matter into cognizance and has asked for explanation from the concerned officials. We hope that the matter will not end, like many other matters of the past, in paper correspondence only. This time we would like to see that the NCTB is reformed to perform its sacred duty to the nation with full professionalism. For that I would like to submit some comments from my 38 years of formal experience as a teacher and as an educational administrator. Before I put my comments it may not be out of context to briefly explain the functions of the NCTB for the general readers of your esteemed daily. <br /><br />Notwithstanding what is actually given as the functions of our NCTB in the Rules of Business, the principal function of any curriculum organization of any country is to decide the philosophical basis of a subject to be taught to the students. It is called the curriculum of a subject which is designed by keeping the history, culture and ethos of the people of the country. Naturally, the curricula of different countries are different. Once the curriculum of a subject is set, it is then set into syllabi, or the list of lessons, for different classes keeping in view the age, experience and average IQ of the students of each of those classes. Only then a textbook on a subject is written by experts as per the set syllabus. The whole process from deciding the curriculum to writing the textbook is a highly important and sensitive job as it deals with the requirement of very young students who will be the future leaders of the nation. Needless to say, the job demands careful study and research from competent and experienced professionals. For example, an expert in geography having long experience of teaching the subject at school level, both in urban and rural areas, is given the responsibility to formulate the curriculum and syllabus for geography at school level. The curriculum is then approved at the highest political level of the country to ensure that it is in line with the history, culture and ethos of the people of the country. <br /><br />While visiting some foreign countries compatible with socio-economic conditions of Bangladesh I found such subject specialists had at least 25 to 30 years of teaching experience at the concerned level with commensurate research experience on their subjects before they were given the solemn task of making curricula and syllabi and writing textbooks for school children. They were not usually posted out of the curriculum organizations. Periodically they went to the urban and rural schools in different parts of the country and took part in teaching their respective subjects at the appropriate levels to get the feedback on the existing curricula, syllabi, and textbooks from teachers and students. With the gathered experience and feedback they returned to the headquarters to continually improve the existing curricula, syllabi and textbooks. <br /><br />Unfortunately in Bangladesh some irresponsible political leaders and the senior bureaucrats never in last 36 years followed the above thumb rule to run the NCTB. They have been using the NCTB as a haven for the spouses/sons/daughters of their friends and relations, or their own relations once they are at the seat of the power. For example, when a politician or a bureaucrat lands on the corridor of power, one of the first things s/he does is to bring her/his own spouse/son/daughter, or the spouse/son/daughter of her/his relative/friend, who is teaching, say political science, in a govt college outside the capital to Dhaka. If a vacant post is not available in a govt college in the capital city for such a relation s/he is posted in the NCTB as a subject specialist for, say, mathematics! This political science teacher at the college level is given the task to frame the curriculum/syllabus for mathematics for the students of classes III, IV, V or VI! Once the syllabus of a subject for a particular class is thus decided, some nincompoops from among the relations or friends of the concerned politician/ bureaucrat are given the task of writing the textbook, in most cases, anonymously. Some well known scholars then allow their names to be printed as the writers, editors, coordinators on the textbook without knowing what exactly the contents of the book are. In the process the nincompoop writers, the dishonest scholars, all make money at the cost of the tax payers for whose children all such trashes are published. The ultimate result is what we find now in our NCTB. <br /><br />I refrain myself from writing on the financial corruptions institutionalized in the NCTB, as that is not the subject under consideration here. May I request the honorable CA, who is a man of letters himself, to kindly appreciate the long term effect of such a corrupt system which shapes the future of our country. May I request him to engage a task force to help the NCTB to streamline its role, rules and activities, as it has been done in case of Rajuk, DCC, Chittagong Port Authority etc. The proposed task force should decide, among others, the qualification of a person for posting as a subject specialist in the NCTB. The task can no more be left with the Ministry Of Education which has been primarily responsible, by posting incompetent officers, for the present condition of the NCTB.”<br /><br />It now seems that my request at that time fell flat on the ears of those who mattered. May I now once again request the honorable Prime Minister to kindly do the needful to save our children from the monster called NCTB. <br /><br />PS:The contributor is a former principal of Jhenidah Cadet College, Faujderhat Cadet College, Udayan School (Dhaka), Director Education, Bangladesh Army.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/29831725-444060907470367891?l=srzaman.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ashraf's columnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16382744974160016625noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29831725.post-80565951930835555072009-01-29T11:24:00.000-08:002009-01-30T11:13:05.853-08:00A vice chancellor is the academic and administrative CEO of a university. To understand the great importance of the post one must know what the principal function of a university is. Like all other educational institutions a university also propagates knowledge. But a university is different from all of them for a unique role it plays. A university creates knowledge, others do not. Therefore, a vice chancellor himself must have an outstanding academic career. He must have the academic excellence to create knowledge by carrying out research work himself in his own field of knowledge. He must also be able to provide leadership and guidance to other research scholars under him. The universally accepted yardstick to measure such academic competence is the number publications he publishes per year in internationally reputed professional journals.<br /><br />The next qualification required of a vice chancellor is his administrative ability to efficiently handle matters related to general, financial and academic administration. All professors with academic excellence cannot make good vice chancellors. But all vice chancellors have to be academicians per se.<br /><br />In a society like ours for a head of an educational or religious institution it is not enough to be firm and fair. S/he must also look firm and fair. S/he cannot be a political activist or conduct himself like a trade union leader. S/he cannot allow herself/himself to be carried away by any kind of sycophancy. Otherwise he is not acceptable to all his students and colleagues who will naturally be holding different political, social and religious ideologies. To be so a vice chancellor should be a person who is well known for his/her qualities of head and heart. In our country all our public universities have been having chronic problems of mismanagement, ill discipline and, most important of all, intellectual bankruptcy. Because, most of the time wrong persons were made vice chancellors purely on political considerations. Almost every time competence was the casualty.<br /><br />One may argue that it may not be possible to get vice chancellors with the above mentioned qualities. To them I humbly suggest to look for the CV/ bio data of the vice chancellors of the universities in our neighboring country India. It is available on their websites.<br />To the best of our knowledge UGC, or any other authority, has never audited the academic works of our public universities. Tax payers of this poor country have never been told how many professional papers to create knowledge have been published by different departments/faculties of a public university in a year. We never knew how many such papers have been published by an individual before he was made a vice chancellor or a pro vice chancellor.<br /><br />It is good that after a long unusual break of two years we now have an elected national parliament. Through the courtesy of this column of your esteemed daily may I request members of the parliament to find out through the ministry of education the number of professional publications our public universities have earned every year in the last 25 years. I would also request the appointing authority to let the people know about the academic career and the number of professional publications to their credit of the persons who have just been appointed as the vice chancellor and the pro vice chancellor of Dhaka University, my alma mater, the Oxford of the East.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/29831725-8056595193083555507?l=srzaman.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ashraf's columnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16382744974160016625noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29831725.post-23045339192060369512009-01-23T00:07:00.000-08:002009-01-23T00:09:00.167-08:00On 08 January I had the opportunity to listen to our newly appointed law minister Barrister Shafiq Ahmed twice on the TV screen, once in the morning while he was addressing the journalists, and then in the evening during a talk show. He is known to be one of the most learned and renowned lawyers in our country. On both the occasions he expressed his firm conviction in the rule of law. No one can disagree with him. There cannot be good governance in the absence of rule of law. There cannot be any rule of law in the absence of learned, honest and efficient judges who can perform their duties independently and honestly.<br /><br />Barrister Ahmed assured the people that he would certainly take necessary action as per if he received any complaint against any judge. An ordinary citizen has practically very little opportunity or scope to lodge a formal complaint against a judge.<br /><br />May I also remind the honourable law minister that our present laws are not sufficient enough to deal with such cases. These laws were made long ago when the politicians or the appointing authorities were men of high integrity. People had full confidence in the persons who were appointed as judges. But, as we see, the situation is totally different now.<br /><br />The last caretaker government of Dr. Fakhruddin identified the problem with our higher judiciary and thought of rectifying it, as they did with other organisations like ACC, PSC and UGC. They could not reform the higher judiciary, I believe, primarily for two reasons. One, to carry out such a huge reform that involves the constitution of the country a government needs very strong popular support. Obviously Dr. Fakhruddin's non-elected government did not enjoy that support. Two, such a major reform is usually followed by a backlash wherein quarters not interested in the desired reform try to create public disorder. Dr. Fakhruddin's government did not want to be distracted from their primary mission of holding the election by creating any public disorder.<br /><br />The elected government of Sheikh Hasina with more than two thirds majority in parliament has the strongest political support of the people to do anything which is in the interest of the people. With such popular support at her back she need not bother about any backlash. In Bangladesh no government, however popular at the beginning it may be, can hold its popularity for more than two or three years. Therefore, now is the time for Sheikh Hasina's new government to carry out the much awaited reform.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/29831725-2304533919206036951?l=srzaman.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ashraf's columnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16382744974160016625noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29831725.post-28022928028996958212008-11-06T01:08:00.000-08:002008-11-06T01:09:20.717-08:00The Jatyiotabadi doctors of BSMMU who are members of DAB (Doctors’ Association of Bangladesh, an outfit of BNP) came out on 05 October, 2008 in full strength to oppose the newly appointed VC, two Pro VCs and the Treasurer alleging that the newly appointed ones belong to the Awami doctors’ organization called SCP (Swadhinata Chikitshak Parishid, an outfit of Awami League). The doctors in Bangladesh, like all other members of the learned professions like engineers, agriculturists, lawyers, teachers, journalists etc, are so highly politicized that they can never look beyond their political nose. They always smell something foul whenever someone not belonging to their own camp is appointed to a senior or important post. A highly educated person, in whatever profession s/he might be, and notwithstanding his/her personal political belief, is expected to be a highly conscientious person. S/he is expected to discharge her/his professional duties with utmost professionalism, honesty and patriotism. But unfortunately in Bangladesh we find just the opposite with most of our professionals, as we now find with the doctors of BSMMU. We never heard the Jatyiotabadi doctors of BSMMU protesting against the irregularities (in the appointment of teaching and administrative staff), corruption (in making purchases of equipment and stores) and crimes (by issuing fake medical certificates to their political masters) committed by the removed officials. What a shame !<br />Our present political leaders are partly responsible for making our professionals, many of whom proudly identify themselves as the members of our civil society, corrupt in deeds, thoughts and words. But the main onus of responsibility lies on the professionals themselves, individually and collectively. For gaining undue favors they should not have allowed themselves to be pawns in the hands of irresponsible and corrupt politicians. Their higher level of conscience should have restrained them from doing so. <br />Dear professionals, still we have reasons to believe that the great majority of you, specially the younger ones, have not yet become corrupt under the leadership of your corrupt and oppurtunist seniors. You can still rise against the corrupt seniors who are using you as tools under the banners like DAB, SCP, White or Blue Panels (in DU) etc. The poor people of Bangaldesh with their hard earned tax money have been running the higher seats of education with the hope that you will change the face of this nation. Please think of these helpless poor people and refrain yourselves from doing anything which is unbecoming of a professional. <br />Otherwise, one day we shall have to set up two medical universities, one for the Jatyiotabadi doctors and the other for the Awami doctors.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/29831725-2802292802899695821?l=srzaman.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ashraf's columnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16382744974160016625noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29831725.post-12763652786090532342008-11-04T20:29:00.000-08:002008-11-07T09:53:40.586-08:00Recently, I watched Barrister Rafiqul Islam talking in a TV talk show (29 October). During the talk he time and again mentioned that those politicians, most of whom belong to his own party BNP, who were convicted by lower courts recently under EPR for corruption and have appealed to the higher court against the judgments of the lower courts, should be allowed to contest in the upcoming national election, if necessary by carrying out an amendment to the EPR. His point of argument was that our constitution and normal law of the land does not hold a person guilty of a crime till s/he is found guilty by the highest court of the country, the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court. Many others are also expressing the same view to the media. Legally they are right. There is no doubt about that. May I ask the barrister and others holding the same view if they are morally right in saying so? Suppose a domestic male servant behaves very indecently with the daughter of the master of a house. The servant is found guilty by the lower court and is given due punishment. The servant appeals to the higher/highest court against the conviction where the trial is not over even in, say, 10 years. The servant comes back on bail and asks his master to reinstate him, saying that he is innocent as the higher/highest court has not yet found him guilty of the charge. In such cases notwithstanding what is given in the holy books of law, the masters of the houses will be guided by common sense and morality and reject the requests. Is the law totally devoid of morality? If Bangladesh is a house, its people are its masters. The makers of its constitution and laws could never think that there would be so much of degeneration among the senior political leaders that they would disgrace our parliament by making professional goons members of our parliament. Should the master of Bangladesh, its people, give an opportunity to all such convicted persons to become members of parliament again? We need to change those laws which are not compatible with morality, and that cannot be done by members of parliament who are beneficiaries of such immoral laws. We have an opportunity now under the EPR to get rid of those persons with questionable morality and elect at least a set of honest people as the representatives of the people of our country. To save this country from its present maladies, first of all we need to amend our constitution and change all laws which are not compatible with morality and the ethos of our people. I appeal to all concerned, including the lawyers who are defending the cases of the corrupt, to give the people of our country an opportunity to clean the political garbage. If not for anything, at least for the future welfare of your grandchildren give us an opportunity!<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/29831725-1276365278609053234?l=srzaman.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ashraf's columnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16382744974160016625noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29831725.post-37198202745810661112008-10-13T09:35:00.000-07:002008-10-13T09:36:43.194-07:00I had the opportunity to see military rules at different times from different points of view. First I saw it from the receiving end in 1958 as a senior school student. In early 1960s as an undergrad student at DU I took part in violent agitations against FM Ayub’s martial law regime. Later, since 1967, as a commissioned officer in the army I was used as a tool in the hands of martial law administrators and performed martial law duties of various natures under all the martial law regimes till I retired from service in 2000. Not being a student of political science myself I studied some books written on martial law regimes of Africa and Latin America in 1950s and 1960s to gather theoretical knowledge about it. From my personal experience and study I tried to find out why does it happen, what the generals do during a martial law period, what the junior officers of the rank of majors and below and the soldiers think about it. May I take the indulgence of your esteemed daily to share some of my findings with your learned readers?<br /><br />When the politicians, whose job is to run the affairs of the state, fail miserably to perform their duties there is total anarchy in the society. All the state machineries come almost to a grinding halt. National wealth is plundered by politicians and their lackeys. Politics is overwhelmingly criminalized. All sorts of criminals take this opportunity to indulge freely in social and economic crimes. Life of the ordinary citizens becomes unbearable. People are so frustrated that they become apprehensive of their individual future and the future of the state. It is at this point that they expect that some savior or messiah should come from somewhere to save the country and the state. It is only then the generals with the covert or overt support of some internal (businessmen and politicians in opposition parties) and external powers (aid giving countries and agencies) stage a bloody or bloodless coup de tat to take over state power. The consequence of a failed military coup de tat is too harsh for the masters of the coup to take any chance. In most cases they have to pay with their necks for failures in such cases. Generals take over state power from the politicians only when they are more than sure that they can get away with their necks by doing it, not a day before that. People feel happy and relieved. They come out on the streets dancing to welcome the tanks and the guns. They shower flower petals and garlands on the jubilant soldiers on the streets. Some criminals, corrupt politicians and businessmen are arrested and put on trial in military courts or specially set up tribunals. Immediately the anarchy is gone, law and order is restored. People feel relieved and go back to their normal life. After the initial heat of martial law cools down, say within a period of 3 to 6 months, the generals, to run the affairs of the state, become almost totally dependent on the same senior civil bureaucrats with whose connivance the politicians spoilt the show earlier. In the armed forces an officer is trained how to run the affairs of the armed forces, and not of the state of which armed forces is only an armed part. In the armed forces there is very little room for an officer to indulge in corrupt practices. Moreover the anti corruption rules and regulations are very stringent in the armed forces. Only very few among the senior officers dealing with the purchase of defense stores and construction works can indulge in corruption, that too with the active collaboration of the politicians. On being exposed to a corrupt environment outside the cantonments, some senior officers get the first taste of corruption after martial law is imposed. They succumb to their personal greed. Thus the rot sets in in the armed forces. Within two to three years time people realize that with martial law they had only a change of their masters, and not their lot. The same old politicians take the advantage of this frustration among the people and stage a come back from prisons, hibernation or self exile. The generals are thrown out of power; the politicians take over, albeit through an election. Many of the retired generals are honorably rehabilitated as politicians, ambassadors, businessmen, industrialists, or as consultants/advisors of private business organizations. Thus the whole cycle of civilian rule to military rule to civilian rule is completed. This is what recently happened in Pakistan and in Bangladesh in 1991.<br /><br />It was very wise on the part of the present senior leaders of Bangladesh Armed Forces that they helped overthrow a highly partisan caretaker government (CG) headed by Dr. Iazuddin Ahmed on 11 January in 2007 and, instead of taking over power themselves, installed the present nonpartisan CG of Dr. Fakhruddin Ahmed. People appreciated their role and accepted the change in good grace. Since 11 January, 2007 members of our armed forces have been rendering remarkable services in restoring and maintaining law order in the country. Besides, they are making valuable contribution in many nation building activities, like preparation of a voter list with photographs and national ID cards. We have clearly earmarked civil departments for doing these duties. But our politicians never allowed these departments to function properly. Though people are very appreciative of the jobs done by our armed forces, we are yet to hear any political leader publicly saying any kind words of appreciation for the members of our armed forces for doing such wonderful jobs in the interest of our people and democracy.<br /><br />Now, it is high time we pull our armed forces out of such activities and allow them to concentrate on their primary mission, that is, preparation for war. People of our country must understand that it is not the job of the armed forces to do the job of the politicians and the civil bureaucrats. The sooner they understand this simple truth the better it is. They must help the present CG to hold the ensuing parliamentary election on 18 December peacefully without any hindrance, and elect only the honest and efficient politicians to lead them from January, 2009. Any person or political party who is found trying to disrupt the present effort of the CG and the Election Commission to hold the next election deserves to be dealt with an iron hand.<br /><br />When deployed for long in aid to civil power, as we are having it now, the armed forces suffers very badly as far as its professional efficiency is concerned. On being employed for a long time in aid to civil power the troops and the young officers miss their annual training programs. They, like the people on the street, also feel utterly frustrated if they see that their hard work and devotion to nation building duties during this period bore no fruit. This is a dangerous phenomenon. All concerned must take a note of it.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/29831725-3719820274581066111?l=srzaman.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ashraf's columnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16382744974160016625noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29831725.post-19592062518013481832008-09-28T00:25:00.000-07:002008-09-28T00:26:48.644-07:00During an iftar party hosted for the diplomats on September 26, 2008, AL Acting President Zillur Rahman claimed that withdrawal of all 'false cases' against Hasina is essential to create a congenial atmosphere for free, fair and transparent elections, and remarked that it would be impossible to move forward without making Hasina's release permanent. Mr. Rahman has however not clarified how does the holding of trials of an individual leader under the law of the land can interfere with the creation of a congenial atmosphere for free, fair and transparent elections. How can Mr. Rahman term cases against Hasina as false before the adjudication takes place? Does he have the moral or legal authority to exonerate an accused before the trial is held in a court of law? Do Mr. Rahman, himself a veteran lawyer, and his party AL believe that all are equal in the eye of law? If so, how can he make such an unreasonable demand, that too in the presence of foreign diplomats who are supposed not to poke their nose in our internal affairs?<br /><br />Unfortunately, over the years, we have built up a very bad political culture in our country. No sooner a criminal case of, say, corruption, extortion, murder etc is filed against a politician than his/her cohorts come out in chorus demanding withdrawal of the case terming it as a false one. It is high time we come out of this dangerous culture which was primarily responsible for breeding corruption in our country. If none of the political leaders was corrupt then who made Bangladesh a leading corrupt country? Let our leaders like Shekh Hasina and Khaleda Zia set personal examples by fighting the cases filed against them in the court of law. They should also ask their followers not to raise such unreasonable demands as Mr. Rahman has done. Our judiciary is now independent. Surely they have nothing to fear. If they are proved not guilty in the court, I am sure, their public image will not only be free from present cloud, it will be much brighter. Fighting such cases in the court, and winning them, will discourage a sitting government from filing such cases if these are really false.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/29831725-1959206251801348183?l=srzaman.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ashraf's columnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16382744974160016625noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29831725.post-16265132281768551922008-09-17T09:23:00.000-07:002008-09-17T09:25:05.388-07:00After Begum Khaleda Zia was granted bail by the High Court on September 11, 2008 her lawyer, and also lawyer for Sheikh Hasina and other senior corrupt politicians, Barrister Rafique-Ul Huq advised Khaleda, Hasina and their corrupt cronies to take lesson from 1/11 and stop “ churi, batpari ebong maramari” (stealing public property, swindling and fighting one another). He further advised that if they did not do so 1/11 might be repeated again. I personally feel that his advice will fall flat on the ears of the senior corrupt politicians. Because, as long as distinguished lawyers like Barrister Rafique-Ul Huq are readily available to defend them at the higher courts they have nothing to fear ! Professionally ACC lawyers and PPs are no match to lawyers like Barrister Huq.<br /><br />In early 1950s, when I was a school going boy, our teachers told us that the distinguished lawyers of those days like Mr. Gandhi, Mr. Nehru, Mr. Jinnah, Mr. Suhrowardy, Mr. AK Fazlul Huq and others alike always refused to take up a case to defend a client in the court who appeared to them as guilty, or on the wrong side. They motivated us to become lawyers to fight for the truth. I am sure Barrister Rafique-Ul Huq also had similar advice from his school teachers. Leave aside the nitty-gritty of laws, is it morally and ethically correct for a patriot to defend a person who is corrupt, or universally known to be corrupt, or who harbored the corrupt ? Does Barrister Rafique-Ul Huq, after having defended the leading corrupt politicians in the court, has the moral authority to advise anyone to stop “ churi, batpari ebong maramari”?<br /><br />One may come out with the argument in favor of the lawyers that it is the duty of a lawyer to render his professional service to his client in exchange of money without caring for the truth, clients character and background, or national interest. If that is true, then what is the difference between a lawyer and a prostitute who also renders her professional service to her client without caring for anything ? Will a learned member of the bar kindly explain for a laymen like me to understand this practice by some lawyers ?<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/29831725-1626513228176855192?l=srzaman.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ashraf's columnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16382744974160016625noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29831725.post-48577127190650716592008-09-17T09:21:00.000-07:002008-09-17T09:23:12.197-07:00In my letter to the editor of the Daily Star dated Aug 24, 2008 I stated, “It will appear to any casual observer that in Bangladeshi politics the leaders do not have supporters or followers. They have slaves. These slaves blindly support their respective leaders, even if such leaders are grossly wrong, corrupt and unpatriotic.” Two most recent incidents further substantiate my statement. In one incident the standing committee of a major party sat in a formal meeting with its chairperson in the chair who was released from the prison on the preceding day. The learned members of the standing committee unanimously resolved that the chairperson would lead their (or the chairperson’s personal) party for life. The chairperson graciously didn’t say word in the meeting to oppose the resolution. However, after one or two days, when it was observed that the decision faced severe adverse criticism from the local and the international press as an undemocratic one, the chairperson declined to accept the offer. In another incident the secretary general of another major party after coming out of the prison publicly reinstated himself as the secretary general of the party by ousting the acting one. The president of the party now at the opposite side of the globe for “treatment” ruled over telephone that the secretary general cannot reinstate himself to his old post. The acting one should continue till further order. As if there is no constitution or committee to decide such matters. The interesting part of both the stories is that the members of the standing committee of one party, and the members of the central committee of another, all behaved like the slaves in a fiefdom. One may call it anything, but democracy. One eleven has taught our politicians no lessons so far.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/29831725-4857712719065071659?l=srzaman.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ashraf's columnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16382744974160016625noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29831725.post-46565308644134091512008-09-07T11:40:00.000-07:002008-09-07T11:41:43.064-07:00I tend to agree with the analysis of the current political situation made by Mr. Husain Imam (DS August 28, 2008). He has correctly catalogued the successes and failures of the present caretaker government (CTG) of Dr. Fakhruddin Ahmed. Mr. Imam is very right when he says, “The bandits, we say godfathers, who were put in jail (more appropriately in quarantine camp) or kept on the run on charges of wanton corruption, violence, loot, extortion and abuse of state power, now seem to be flexing their muscles to stage a comeback with garlands around their necks and making V-sign with their fingers, thanks to the handling, or should we say mishandling, of the cases.” According to the much talked about roadmap the primary objective of the present government is to hold the national parliamentary election by December, 2008 and hand over power to a team of honest and efficient political leaders from whichever party they may be. Mr. Imam has not come out with any suggestion for the government to achieve this mission in an unhindered way. The lady and the gentlemen who are running the CTG are all known for their honesty, efficiency and professionalism. But none of them is a politician. They are likely to err when handling political matters. It seems all politicians have now openly united to form a united front to discredit these distinguished persons. It would not be fair to criticise these advisers and special assistants without telling them what was, or will be, the right political course for them to follow. In his write up Mr. Imam did not mention what the CTG could/can do to avoid the present political fiasco. Only telling them, “Hand over power to politicians here and now” is not a responsible way of talking. Mr. Imam has further mentioned, “--- they (people) have begun to believe that running the affairs of a country is not the task of an un-elected non-political government. They have begun to think that the earlier the caretaker government holds national election and hands over power to a truly representative elected government, the better .” There cannot be any disagreement on this point. No member of the present CTG has, to the best of our knowledge, ever claimed that running the affairs of a country is the task of an un-elected non-political government. They also believe that the best course open to them is to hand over power “to a truly representative elected government” within the declared time frame. Would Mr. Imam suggest how the CTG could hand over power to a truly representative elected government and not to the “bandits”, as it was before one eleven?<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/29831725-4656530864413409151?l=srzaman.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ashraf's columnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16382744974160016625noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29831725.post-28188559637222277192008-08-15T13:15:00.000-07:002008-08-15T13:16:17.142-07:00It will appear to any casual observer that in Bangladeshi politics the leaders do not have supporters or followers. They have slaves. These slaves blindly support their respective leaders, even if such leaders are grossly wrong, corrupt and unpatriotic. These slaves are mostly created by sycophants, and dalals (paid agents) employed by a leader in exchange of undue favor. Media, which in most cases in our country are owned by corrupt businessmen, also play a big role in making a corrupt person a big leader. What is most shocking is that many highly educated members of our civil society and intelligentsia shamelessly enroll(ed) themselves as the slaves of one leader or the other to become vice chancellors, pro vice chancellors, ambassadors, DGs of autonomous organizations like Bangla Academy, Shilpakala Academy, members of public service commission, anti corruption commission, election commission etc.<br /><br />To establish a reasonably democratic society we need to come out of our present mindset. We need to judge and evaluate the ideology and the past track record of a party before we support or vote for such a party. If I am a supporter of a particular party I should always try to rectify the wrong doings, wrong policies and wrong leaders of my party. If I cannot to do so I should, in national interest and to keep my conscience clear, withdraw my support from the party. We must not blindly follow a leader, or his/her family members. We must not be carried away by the charisma, true or false, of any leader or his/her family members. As long as we fail to do so, no one eleven, even if it is repeated ten times, is going to help us get rid of the corrupt leaders. That is the big lesson learnt in the last nineteen months. Our political parties need supporters, not slaves. Will someone from among your learned leaders kindly tell us how can we do that as a nation?<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/29831725-2818855963722227719?l=srzaman.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ashraf's columnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16382744974160016625noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29831725.post-84764582505584326262008-07-02T03:14:00.000-07:002008-07-02T03:15:10.299-07:00National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB)<br /><br />On June 30, 2008 the Daily Prothom Alo brought to light some gross and inexcusable mistakes in the textbooks published by the NCTB for our school children. The same newspaper reported on July 01 that the honorable CA of the present CG has taken the matter into cognizance and has asked for explanation from the concerned officials. We hope that the matter will not end, like many other matters of the past, in paper correspondence only. This time we would like to see that the NCTB is reformed to perform its sacred duty to the nation with full professionalism. For that I would like to submit some comments from my 38 years of formal experience as a teacher and as an educational administrator. Before I put my comments it may not be out of context to briefly explain the functions of the NCTB for the general readers of your esteemed daily.<br /><br />Notwithstanding what is actually given as the functions of our NCTB in the Rules of Business, the principal function of any curriculum organization of any country is to decide the philosophical basis of a subject to be taught to the students. It is called the curriculum of a subject which is designed by keeping the history, culture and ethos of the people of the country. Naturally, the curricula of different countries are different. Once the curriculum of a subject is set, it is then set into syllabi, or the list of lessons, for different classes keeping in view the age, experience and average IQ of the students of each of those classes. Only then a textbook on a subject is written by experts as per the set syllabus. The whole process from deciding the curriculum to writing the textbook is a highly important and sensitive job as it deals with the requirement of very young students who will be the future leaders of the nation. Needless to say, the job demands careful study and research from competent and experienced professionals. For example, an expert in geography having long experience of teaching the subject at school level, both in urban and rural areas, is given the responsibility to formulate the curriculum and syllabus for geography at school level. The curriculum is then approved at the highest political level of the country to ensure that it is in line with the history, culture and ethos of the people of the country.<br /><br />While visiting some foreign countries compatible with socio-economic conditions of Bangladesh I found such subject specialists had at least 25 to 30 years of teaching experience at the concerned level with commensurate research experience on their subjects before they were given the solemn task of making curricula and syllabi and writing textbooks for school children. They were not usually posted out of the curriculum organizations. Periodically they went to the urban and rural schools in different parts of the country and took part in teaching their respective subjects at the appropriate levels to get the feedback on the existing curricula, syllabi, and textbooks from teachers and students. With the gathered experience and feedback they returned to the headquarters to continually improve the existing curricula, syllabi and textbooks. <br /><br />Unfortunately in Bangladesh the irresponsible political leadership and the senior bureaucrats never in last 36 years followed the above thumb rule to run the NCTB. They have been using the NCTB as a haven for the spouses/sons/daughters of their friends and relations, or their own relations once they are at the seat of the power. For example, when a politician or a bureaucrat lands on the corridor of power, one of the first things s/he does is to bring her/his own spouse/son/daughter, or the spouse/son/daughter of her/his relative/friend, who is teaching, say political science, in a govt college outside the capital to Dhaka. If a vacant post is not available in a govt college in the capital city for such a relation s/he is posted in the NCTB as a subject specialist for, say, mathematics! This political science teacher at the college level is given the task to frame the curriculum/syllabus for mathematics for the students of classes III, IV, V or VI! Once the syllabus of a subject for a particular class is thus decided, some nincompoops from among the relations or friends of the concerned politician/ bureaucrat are given the task of writing the textbook, in most cases, anonymously. Some well known scholars then allow their names to be printed as the writers, editors, coordinators on the textbook without knowing what exactly the contents of the book are. In the process the nincompoop writers, the dishonest scholars, all make money at the cost of the tax payers for whose children all such trashes are published. The ultimate result is what we find now in our NCTB.<br /><br />I refrain myself from writing on the financial corruptions institutionalized in the NCTB, as that is not the subject under consideration here.<br /><br />May I request the honorable CA, who is a man of letters himself, to kindly appreciate the long term effect of such a corrupt system which shapes the future of our country. May I request him to engage a task force to help the NCTB to streamline its role, rules and activities, as it has been done in case of Rajuk, DCC, Chittagong Port Authority etc. The proposed task force should decide, among others, the qualification of a person for posting as a subject specialist in the NCTB. The task can no more be left with the Ministry Of Education which has been primarily responsible, by posting incompetent officers, for the present condition of the NCTB.<br /><br />The contributor is a former principal of Jhenidah Cadet College, Faujderhat Cadet College, Udayan School (Dhaka), Director Education, Bangladesh Army.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/29831725-8476458250558432626?l=srzaman.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ashraf's columnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16382744974160016625noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29831725.post-52287067839569266152008-06-17T16:28:00.001-07:002008-06-17T16:28:40.324-07:00Faltu Loke<br />While appearing in the court on June 16, 2008 as an accused in the infamous Gatco case Begum Khaleda Zia claimed that her two sons Tarique and Koko are not faltu loke (insignificant persons) in our society. In a society where a personal valet like Falu is catapulted overnight into the position of a national VVIP, an alleged smuggler (now convicted for corruption) is made a home minister, Tarique and Koko are certainly not faltu loke. Begum Zia is very right in her own perception to claim so. She ruled over Bangladesh for ten years and has been ruling over her party BNP for the last twenty six years with the same perception. What makes the people of Bangladesh in general, and the admirers of Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman in particular, sad is that the way Begum Zia, after the assassination of her illustrious husband, groomed her two sons to their present shameful position. If even only 10% of the details of their criminal activities as published in the media after 1/11 is true, it leaves no doubt in the minds of the ordinary people that Tarique and Koko did not grow up in the company of good friends and well wishers. As the sons of President Zia these two young men had no business to be friends of people like Giasuddin Al-Mamun, Lutfuzzaman Babar and others alike. In the absence of their father Begum Zia should have been more careful in grooming up Tarique and Koko as the worthy sons of their father. <br />In a democratic polity no one is a faltu loke and no one is above the law. Sooner Begum Zia and our other political leaders realize this fact better it will be for our country’s future.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/29831725-5228706783956926615?l=srzaman.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ashraf's columnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16382744974160016625noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29831725.post-89719442551449479992008-05-30T15:29:00.000-07:002008-05-30T15:30:02.608-07:00Tofail’s Reaction<br /><br />People of Bangladesh are not at all surprised to see Mr. Tofail Ahmed’s reaction, as expressed in the print and electronic media, to the recent filing of a corruption case by ACC against him. The typical way he has reacted is well known to our people. All charges of corruption against our politicians are always ‘false and fabricated’. He also hinted that it was a politically motivated case. His political colleagues spared no time to give him a clean chit and urged upon the government to withdraw the case unconditionally. That’s what they all had been doing for the last sixteen years. Politicians in our country fail to arrive at agreements on issues related to the welfare of the people. But they take no time to come out in a body, like the members of a trade union, with full force to save their colleagues whenever anyone of them is charged with a corruption case. Can we ask them a simple question: If all of them are innocent as flowers, as it is commonly uttered in political slogans, then who all did the corruption in the last sixteen years ? Who were responsible to place Bangladesh on the top of the TI’s list of corrupt states for years together ? And, finally, why should ACC, a nonpolitical independent organization, file ‘false and fabricated’ corruption cases against Mr. Tofail and other politicians ? Will any politician be kind enough to answer these questions ?<br /><br />If we look at our present lot of ministers, MPs, mayors, ward commissioners etc we find that in the last sixteen years the flowers that blossomed in the political garden of Bangladesh were not innocent and attractive like roses. They were all either useless like water hyacinth (kachuripana) flowers, or poisonous like thorn-apple (dhutura) flowers. Because they were cultivated, nourished and groomed by the most inefficient, if not corrupt, gardeners like Begum Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina. The way these political children of Khaleda and Hasina are now demanding unconditional release of their creators bear testimony to the fact that they were created, not as politicians to serve the country, but as a bunch of sycophants, having no democratic or other values of life, only to blindly and loyally serve their respective political mothers.<br /><br />Politics has to be managed by politicians only. There should not be any doubt about that. But can we leave such a matter of vital national importance like politics to the political kachuripana and dhutura flowers cultivated at national, district and upazilla levels during the last sixteen years ? Certainly not.<br /><br />Messsrs Tofail, Shahjahan Siraj, Mannan Bhuiyan, Saifur Rahman and other senior leaders alike joined politics long before Begum Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina took over the political stage of Bangladesh. It is most unfortunate that these senior political leaders failed to rise above allegations of corruption.<br /><br />The million dollar question, now, is: Shall we ever get rose-like politicians who will steer our country through the present political mess and create a political environment where democracy and values of life shall prevail ? If the answer is yes, then the next question is: When and how ? May we ask our political pundits to throw some light on the subject ?<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/29831725-8971944255144947999?l=srzaman.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ashraf's columnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16382744974160016625noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29831725.post-71712675399145661072008-05-20T16:45:00.001-07:002008-05-20T16:45:34.788-07:00Duties and responsibilities of the members of the purchase committee<br /><br />Some former members of the Khaleda-Nizami cabinet who, being members of the then Cabinet Purchase Committee, have recently been arrested for their alleged involvement in the infamous ‘Gatco Corruption Case’. Other members of the same committee are on the run to avoid arrest. Some such arrested former ministers, some ‘Talkers’ in the local TV channels and some journalists, through their writings and speeches, are trying to give an impression to the nation that the said Cabinet Purchase Committee was nothing but a mere rubber stamp without any significance. As an ordinary citizen I do not know what is written in the ‘Rules of Business’ on the duties and responsibilities of the members of the purchase committee. But I can assume that a committee on which sits a number of senior cabinet ministers, and on whose recommendation the prime minister gives his/her decision cannot be a committee on paper only. If the members of the committee conducted themselves as the domestic servants of the prime minister and, knowing the prime minister’s mind recommended something which the prime minister wanted to do with some ulterior motive, the concerned committee members cannot escape the responsibility for the wrong doing by the prime minister. If found guilty, they must be punished to put such ministers on guard in future.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/29831725-7171267539914566107?l=srzaman.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ashraf's columnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16382744974160016625noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29831725.post-5245391689555091962008-05-19T16:22:00.000-07:002008-05-19T16:24:37.150-07:00<a class="mainheadlink2" href="http://www.thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=37125" target="_blank">A dubious practice</a><br /><br />Some men and women earn greatness during their lifetime by making outstanding contribution to their own nation, or to the world civilization. As a mark of respect and gratitude to these great persons and to glorify their contribution, institutions and establishments are generally named after them after they die. This is also done to inspire the members of the younger generation to follow the footsteps of these great souls. But in Bangladesh we just see an opposite trend. Here some people in authority, especially the politicians, who are mostly corrupt, are in a great hurry to immortalize themselves while they are still alive! They don't want to wait till their death when people could evaluate their contribution and, if felt necessary, could decide to name some institution(s) after them. In the last three decades, we saw a mad rush by the corrupt political leaders of our country to name educational institutions, students' halls of residence, hospitals and other welfare institutions after their own names. In almost all such cases these persons did not spend money from their own pockets to establish these institutions. They all did it either by managing the required money out of the public exchequer, or by indulging in extortion from the general public, by exercising their political power. All this is being done in very bad taste, to say the least.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/29831725-524539168955509196?l=srzaman.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ashraf's columnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16382744974160016625noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29831725.post-70962143253994279772007-04-18T12:17:00.000-07:002007-04-18T12:19:00.953-07:00Just now (16 April, 2007, evening) I have finished watching ‘BBC Bangladesh Shanglap (dialogue)’ on Channel-i. Three of the four panel members, i.e. Barrister Mainul Hosein, Ambassador Mofazzal Karim and former minister Matia Chowdhury were matured, calm, articulate, sober, objective and to the point. But the New Age editor Nurul Kabir was excited, most of the time irrelevant, not objective and not to the point. He spoke like a half-baked ‘Amtala speaker’ who only cares for cheap popularity. It seemed he came to the talk show only to malign the present non-party caretaker government forgetting the circumstances under which the present government came to power and the present realities on ground. At one stage Barrister Hosein rightly quipped that politics was not writing poems. Nurul Kabir did not miss a moment to retort back that someone said that politics was the highest form of art. Nurul Kabir, I am afraid, did not understand the sober snub directed to him by Barrister Hosein. Mofazzal Karim and Matia Chowdhury, though criticised the present government, but were not found lacking in eulogising the actions of the present government when it was called for. I have been going through the editorials and comments written by Nurul Kabir (if those are penned by him) on different occasions and published in the New Age. I go through them patiently. To me it appears he does not measure even up to the knee of his illustrious predecessor Enayetullah Khan. Nurul Kabir is impatient and impulsive. The publisher of the daily might reconsider continuing with Kabir as the editor. May I also suggest to the local bureau of BBC to be more rational and careful while selecting panellists for such important and sensitive dialogues.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/29831725-7096214325399427977?l=srzaman.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ashraf's columnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16382744974160016625noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29831725.post-82794661790250139312007-03-22T13:57:00.001-07:002007-03-22T13:57:58.383-07:00Rangs Bhaban was built by its owner on someone else’s land. It was built against the objections of Rajuk and CAAB. It was built in defiance to High Court’s order. How could the owner of this infamous building get away by defying so many government authorities? The answer is not far to find. Like many other corrupt businessmen of our country, the owner of Rangs Bhaban found out the prices of heads which mattered in regimes one after another. He paid the price and bought the heads. This illegitimate building stands at the heart of Dhaka city as a Qutub Minar of corruption and absence of good governance. The people of Bangladesh honestly believe that this time its owner will not find a head to buy in the government of Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed and the building will be demolished. That the building is too tall and cannot be demolished by technologies at the moment available in the country is not an acceptable argument. If necessary, bring in new technologies from abroad and make the owner of the building pay for the cost of demolition. If the government fails to do it people will think that laws are only for the poor slumdwellers. The arm of law is not long enough to reach the rich and the privileged. Surely that will not be a positive complement to the present government.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/29831725-8279466179025013931?l=srzaman.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ashraf's columnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16382744974160016625noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29831725.post-27487940053680226632007-03-20T12:36:00.000-07:002007-03-20T12:38:54.489-07:00The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has by this time published two lists of persons who are allegedly corrupt. They have been asked by the commission to submit their wealth statements for verification. What surprises me is that these two lists of one hundred persons, or so, include only one woman. (She is Sigma Huda, wife of former minister Barrister Nazmul Huda.) Does that mean that the women in our society are all ‘dhoa tulshipata’ (innocent)? In our society we find most of the working and non-working women, especially the well-to-do ones, want to live their life as luxuriously as possible. We see them in a rat race for more money and more power. They take a kind of perverted pleasure in living beyond means. They suffer from a mental disease called exhibitionism and are fond of showing off their expensive houses, cars, dresses, ornaments etc. If these women could be motivated to live within their means, if the society could openly question and condemn such exhibitionism, I believe, their men would not have run after unearned and ‘haram’ (forbidden by religion) income to meet the insatiable greed of their wives. But the question is: how to motivate these ambitious and exceedingly greedy women and bring them to the path of modest living within the means?<br /><br />I have two humble suggestions. Firstly, women organisations of our country can initiate a movement to make the women aware of the far-reaching ill-effects of corruption on their families and on the society as a whole. They can tell the women that every married woman must prevail upon her husband to refrain him from acquiring wealth by illegal means by taking bribe or indulging in dishonest business. She must tell her husband that she is happy with his honest income, even if it causes her financial hardship. She can also tell her husband that it will never be good for their children if they are brought up with ‘haram’ money. Moreover, when these children will grow up and learn that their father was a corrupt man they will have no regard for the father. Can we expect to see our senior women social workers starting a movement in this line, or in a better line, by addressing our women through media, meetings, seminars and symposia? Secondly, the wife of a corrupt man, being the main co-beneficiary of the corruption of her husband, should be made a co-accused as an abettor in a corruption case. She may be acquitted by the court if she can prove that she tried her best to refrain her husband from making money by corrupt means. But the husband must be punished if found guilty. If necessary, the existing relevant laws may be amended to involve the wife of a corrupt man in such cases. Before I conclude I must make it clear that I do not write this letter to absolve the corrupt men of their crimes. Under all circumstances they must be punished as per law. They must be condemned by the society every time and everywhere. I write this letter to seek the active support of our mothers and sisters to combat corruption.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/29831725-2748794005368022663?l=srzaman.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ashraf's columnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16382744974160016625noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29831725.post-61723882957385305852007-03-06T12:26:00.001-08:002007-03-06T12:26:53.761-08:00In the last 15 years, the two principal ruling parties of Bangladesh, the BNP and the AL, have deliberately destroyed all our organisations, like the national parliament, the Election Commission, the Public Service Commission, the Anti-Corruption Commission (formerly bureau), the institutions for higher education, the bureaucracy and, above all, the higher judiciary. Judiciary is one of the three pillars on which the edifice of a state stands, the other two being the executive and the legislature, both of which are run by the politicians. Judiciary, specially the higher judiciary, though not run by politicians, is made by politicians. While making and unmaking the higher judiciary of our country in the last 15 years our politicians have almost destroyed it. Both the BNP and the AL have inducted politically motivated persons with questionable qualification, competence and integrity into judiciary. The performance of the chief justice, who has just retired, is so ignominious that the whole nation is ashamed of it. The present caretaker government is bringing in long awaited reforms in all the vital sectors of our national life. It must reform the Supreme Court now. We have now a new chief justice who is known for his competence and integrity. The government should immediately take necessary actions to make the nation get rid of the judges of the Supreme/High Court who were appointed only on political considerations. It should be done in the same way the government eased out the chairmen and members of the last Election Commission and the Anti-Corruption Commission. Laws and rules should be amended to ensure the selection of the right kind of people to fill in the vacancies thus created. Such an important task cannot be entrusted to a political prime minister alone, as it is being done now. The chief justice must be involved in the selection/recommendation process with veto power to reject any candidate. If the present government hands over power to an elected government of the politicians, whenever it may be, without carrying out this reform in the higher judiciary, I am afraid, all the good work it is doing now will be undone by the next political government which will follow with the help and support of the partisan judges.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/29831725-6172388295738530585?l=srzaman.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ashraf's columnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16382744974160016625noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29831725.post-48842834194483592032007-02-21T22:10:00.000-08:002007-02-21T22:12:58.477-08:00These days everybody is talking about how to ensure a level playing field for all the political parties and their candidates in the next parliamentary election, whenever it is held. If an election is a game, only a level playing field cannot ensure fairness and success of it. To make it a meaningful and successful game the players have the most important role to play. Players who are addicted to crime, terrorism and corruption cannot make a game of politics like election a success. Such players must be disqualified to participate in an election, as a player in any game is disqualified if s/he is found positive in a dope test. Time necessary for such an arrangement must be allowed to the organisers of the game. We are not at all surprised to see that the top leaders of both the BNP and the AL have already started talking in unison to have the next election within a short time. They do not want to wait to get rid of their corrupt party colleagues. They want to bring their corrupt colleagues back to power again to loot people’s money, grab government lands and indulge in wanton terrorism. So, understandably, they are in a hurry. But if you talk about the common people who are innocent victims of their looting, grabbing and terrorism, after having seen the recently exposed misdeeds of the politicians, they do not want to see the present set of politicians to come to power again. Definitely it is the politicians who will ultimately run the affairs of the state, but not the present set of politicians. The present interim government of Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed must do the needful to get rid of the present condemned set of politicians and help a new generation of honest, efficient, learned and modern politicians to take charge. People are not against politicians. They are against bad politicians who should all be shown red card before the game is restarted. That is the point which all concerned, including our foreign friends and well wishers, should take note of. People are not in a hurry for an election. They want the garbage to be cleaned first by bringing in as many reforms as necessary. Ashraf<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/29831725-4884283419448359203?l=srzaman.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ashraf's columnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16382744974160016625noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29831725.post-55716540276656732292007-02-21T22:08:00.001-08:002007-02-21T22:08:32.817-08:00As an ordinary citizen I am not aware of the rights and responsibilities of FBCCI. Is it its only duty to fight/negotiate with the government to promote the cause of their business? Does it have any responsibility to ensure that its members do not indulge in corrupt practices like marketing rotten food grains, baby foods, adulterated sugar, edible oil, spurious drugs etc and evading taxes? If the answer is in the affirmative, we would like to know from the FBCCI bosses what they have been doing in the past 35 years to refrain their recalcitrant members from committing such social crimes. We would also like to hear from them about what they intend to do in future. If they fail to come out with a satisfactory reply, we feel the government, which is the custodian of the people’s interest, have no obligation to listen to FBCCI officials. One cannot enjoy rights and privileges without any responsibility.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/29831725-5571654027665673229?l=srzaman.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ashraf's columnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16382744974160016625noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29831725.post-44285054448742794922007-02-19T14:26:00.000-08:002007-02-19T14:27:45.958-08:00Sheikh Hasina is known for her irresponsible and, at times, indecent remarks against her political adversaries. It is on record that she was once admonished by the Supreme Court of Bangladesh, while she was the prime minister, for making some irresponsible remarks. Very recently she has again (New Age, 18 February) criticised Nobel Laureate Prof Dr Muhammad Yunus in a very objectionable way, to say the least. It is the present set of politicians of the two major political parties, the BNP and the AL, who are solely responsible for bringing Bangladesh to the brink of collapse by their inefficient and corrupt handling of the affairs of the state for the last 15 years. During this period, Sheikh Hasina governed Bangladesh for 5 years as the prime minister and for 10 years as the leader of the opposition. (In a parliamentary democracy leader of the opposition is also a part of the government.) Prof Yunus is a commoner. He has no blue blood in his veins. He has not inherited his greatness from his family or anybody else. He is a self-made man. His contribution to the alleviation of poverty has been recognised and acclaimed all over the world. By getting the Nobel Prize he has already become one of those great men who are considered to be the architects of the world civilisation. Other countries, including our neighbour India, have borrowed his idea to alleviate poverty. Prof Yunus is known to be an honest and incorruptible man. On the other hand, Sheikh Hasina has not earned, rather inherited her present leadership of the AL from her illustrious father Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. She does not have much education, no grooming and no training to lead a party like the AL. While leading a non-violent democratic party like the AL she groomed and patronised godfathers like Joynal Hazari, Abul Hasnat Abdullah, Shamim Osman, Haji Mokbul and many alike. She patronised many corrupt politicians, businessmen and bureaucrats and made Bangladesh first in the TI’s list of corrupt countries. With this (brilliant?) antecedent can a politician like Sheikh Hasina criticise a person like Prof Yunus? Yes, one may have a different opinion about the principles on which Prof Yunus’s Grameen Bank is functioning. But calling him a ‘usurer’ for that is much below the sense of decency. Prof Yunus has never criticised the politicians as a class. Like all other people in Bangladesh he has criticised only the present set of politicians who are solely and entirely responsible for the present political state of the country. By joining politics he wants to bring in a positive change in the quality of political leadership and in politics of Bangladesh. What is wrong in that? Why should Sheikh Hasina react so harshly to that? I am sure, many people in Bangladesh, after having seen the corrupt and inefficient leadership of Begum Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina for 15 years, would love to have a universally acclaimed personality like Prof Yunus on the driving seat.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/29831725-4428505444874279492?l=srzaman.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ashraf's columnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16382744974160016625noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29831725.post-80290512171783822122007-02-19T09:30:00.000-08:002007-02-19T09:31:27.586-08:00For the last few days, our law enforcing agencies have been unearthing huge warehouses, one after another, filled with adulterated and poisonous food grains, baby food and edible oils, and factories manufacturing spurious drugs, fertilisers, insecticides etc. The importers, the owners and the manufacturers of these poisonous items are, no doubt, enemies of the nation. It is not necessary to explain how these anti-state elements have been killing our innocent people, including our family members and babies, by marketing these items under the direct patronisation of their corrupt political masters. It is expected that soon charge-sheets will be framed against them and they will be put on trial in the courts of law. These criminals need to be given exemplary punishment for the crimes they have been committing against the humanity, and to deter others from doing so. I would like to appeal to our learned and patriotic lawyers not to appear in the courts to defend these adulterators of food items and the manufacturers of spurious drugs, fertilisers and insecticides. We know, these criminals are all very powerful people in the society and have lots of black money. They have the money to employ the best lawyers by paying them the highest fees. But before you stand for them please ask your conscience, should you sell yourselves to money? In the recent past, you as a community earned great appreciation of the whole nation when you very rightly refused to appear before the court to defend the JMB leaders and activists, as the whole nation wanted those criminals to be punished. I am sure you will not fail the nation this time too. I request the interim government of Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed to constitute special speedy tribunals to deal with these elements as soon as possible. Otherwise, I am sure once a political government comes to power these criminals will manage to go unscathed, as we saw in the past, by manipulating the politicians.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/29831725-8029051217178382212?l=srzaman.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ashraf's columnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16382744974160016625noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29831725.post-76243331669601789932007-02-19T09:28:00.001-08:002007-02-19T09:28:42.923-08:00As per a newspaper report (February 16) Khaleda Zia while addressing an award-giving function of the ‘Shapla Kuri 2006’ held in Dhaka called for ‘making Bangladesh an ideal place for grooming children as good citizens.’ She also gave some advice to the children. My simple question is: does she mean what she said to the children? The children of today can read newspapers. They watch TV. From the recent newspaper reports and telecasts made by the TV channels they have already learnt that Khaleda Zia is one of our two top political leaders (the other being Sheikh Hasina) under whose direct patronisation politics has been so much criminalised that the country has come to a point of collapse. Publication of children’s textbooks which are full of mistakes; creation of artificial crisis of writing papers in the market; grabbing of parks and playgrounds for children by godfathers; adulteration of baby food, food grains, medicines; unlawful occupation of government lands and property; politicisation of bureaucracy and wanton corruption by politicians and government servants — do all these activities carried out under her rule as the prime minister make Bangladesh an ideal place for grooming children as good citizens? Madame Khaleda Zia, please don’t take our children as fools. They are born in the age of the Internet and digital technology. You can no more befool them, as you and your cohorts have been befooling many of their parents in the last 15 years.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/29831725-7624333166960178993?l=srzaman.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ashraf's columnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16382744974160016625noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29831725.post-31301910815951986312007-02-19T09:27:00.001-08:002007-02-19T09:27:48.625-08:00Some former members of the 6th, 7th and 8th parliaments while trying to get visa for someone else’s wives and children by certifying them as their (MPs’) own wives and children were caught red-handed by the concerned foreign missions in Dhaka. They got forged diplomatic red passports issued against these passengers in exchange of huge amount of bribes. There were others who were caught by our immigration officials at the airport. All these incidents were published in the newspapers. Records should also be available with the SB of the police. No government in the past years is known to have taken any legal action against these corrupt politicians. The arm of law failed to reach them for obvious reasons. Certainly these politicians brought bad name to themselves and to the nation by indulging in such heinous crimes. We would like to see the present caretaker government take stern actions against these criminals to stop recurrence of such crimes by VIPs in the future.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/29831725-3130191081595198631?l=srzaman.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ashraf's columnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16382744974160016625noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29831725.post-34724272093775947762007-02-19T09:24:00.000-08:002007-02-19T09:26:33.145-08:00Thank god, the three unwise old men have finally left the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) [two of them have already resigned and remaining one will tender his resignation any day]. They had to be told, point blank, by no less a person than the president himself to leave the job. And the president, we suppose, had to be advised by the interim government to do that. The outgoing chairman of the ACC, while talking to the media, insisted that he and his colleagues did not fail. The government of Khaleda Zia did not let them to function by not making necessary laws and rules. If that is true, then why didn’t they resign? Prof Muniruzzaman Miah, one of the members, during his interview with BBC in the evening of 6 February, answered that question. He said that it was not correct that the people of the country were asking for their resignation. They never heard of it! It was only after the Election Commission members resigned some people raised the issue of their resignation. How deaf and blind these gentlemen were! Prof Miah said that there were good reasons for them not to resign. He further added that it was not always possible to make such reasons public. Persons with such poor moral courage, in the first place, should not have been appointed to an organisation like the ACC (and EC) where one was supposed to work independently without any fear or favour. It is no use blaming these intellectual hirelings. The blame squarely lies on their masters who appointed them. Will these masters ever be asked why they did so against the interest of the nation? We thank the present interim government for showing Justice Sultan and his colleagues the door. At the same time we hope that the interim government will take due care to appoint the right kind of people in the ACC.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/29831725-3472427209377594776?l=srzaman.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ashraf's columnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16382744974160016625noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29831725.post-31017391780059595202006-12-15T12:34:00.001-08:002006-12-15T12:34:44.016-08:00Ershad has been hobnobbing with the BNP when it was in power. Exchange of visits by senior leaders from his JP and the BNP, and frequent statements by Ershad almost confirmed that his JP was joining the BNP-led 4-party alliance for the ensuing parliamentary election. Now we learn from media reports that he is planning to join the AL-led 14-party alliance. Yes, he has a small vote bank in his native district Rangpur, and might win 4 or 5 seats from there. Voters of these constituencies vote for Ershad’s party purely for parochial reasons, and not for any political reason. But should that fact give liberty to this political joker to play with two major political alliances? Is it not high time to dump this political joker into the dustbin of history, and let Shaheed Noor Hossain’s soul rest in peace?<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/29831725-3101739178005959520?l=srzaman.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ashraf's columnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16382744974160016625noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29831725.post-76982483753797455862006-12-12T17:15:00.000-08:002006-12-12T17:16:37.868-08:00After the fall of the autocratic regime of Ershad in 1990 there was no bar on our way to establish a viable democratic political system in Bangladesh. But since then our politicians have been continually failing to establish a pro-people democratic system in our country. What we are having now is an anti-people democracy. I call it anti-people democracy because it is a dysfunctional democracy. Instead of serving it is harming our people. Of course, theoretically speaking, it is ‘by the people’, But certainly, from our practical experience of the last 15 yeas, we cannot say it is ‘of the people’ and ‘for the people’. Rather it is of the politicians and for the politicians. And the politicians, being overwhelmingly corrupt and inefficient in number, are anti-people. No amount of crying, begging, cursing or cajoling to the present politicians to mend themselves is going to help the nation. They are not naive, and not unaware of what damage they are causing to the people and to the state. In the name of politics they are doing an unholy business. They will not do anything to change the system which brings huge amount of black money for themselves, which make them get away by doing anything, and which does not make them accountable to anyone, not even to their own conscience. Our Constitution has proved to be an inadequate and confusing document. It does not cover many constitutional issues which the nation faces today. On many issues its provisions can be interpreted in conflicting ways. Article 70 remains as an undesirable leash on the neck of an MP. Wicked politicians and lawyers are indulging in all sorts of anti-people activities by taking refuge under these weaknesses of the Constitution. Under the circumstances, it is only the people who can take initiative to set the things right. In all elections our people have been traditionally voting for a ‘marka’ (election symbol), and not for the man. The level of political awareness of our common people needs to be raised to understand this vicious game played by the politicians, so that, in future, they cast their votes in favour of a good man, and not for a’ marka’, to rewrite the Constitution to meet the challenges of the present day. All responsible citizens whose conscience is not mortgaged to a corrupt party boss, and the media, must voluntarily come out to politically educate the common voters so as to raise their political awareness. Otherwise, no amount of crying, begging, cursing or cajoling to the present politicians to mend their ways, as we are doing now, is going to help us. ‘Chora na soney dharmer kahini’ (black will take no other hue).<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/29831725-7698248375379745586?l=srzaman.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ashraf's columnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16382744974160016625noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29831725.post-83763329510077426692006-12-07T14:06:00.001-08:002006-12-07T14:06:36.034-08:00The whole nation was dumbfounded with shock and shame when on November 30 it found some of our very senior and learned lawyers conducting themselves in a way most unbecoming of a lawyer. Their acts of orgiastic violence will definitely put the street goons to shame. It is beyond one’s imagination that the lawyers, that too of the highest court of the country, can take law into their own hands inside the courtroom of the Chief Justice (CJ) of the country. If the order of the CJ, against which they protested, was illegal, I am sure there were provisions in law to file an appeal against that. If it was a lawful order, they only spat on their own face by behaving like that. By the by, are these lawyers above the law? If not, then why are they not being charged with contempt of court? Is that charge applicable to non-lawyers only?<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/29831725-8376332951007742669?l=srzaman.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ashraf's columnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16382744974160016625noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29831725.post-41498260803282814052006-12-05T11:16:00.000-08:002006-12-05T11:17:24.644-08:00CEC Justice MA Aziz has been sent on involuntary leave, as he is not acceptable to one of the two major feuding political alliances. This evening (04 December) one of the advisers to the caretaker government (CG), during a press briefing, hinted that two more ECs may be sent on involuntary leave for the same reason. These gentlemen, CEC and ECs, will be on leave when the Election Commission will be carrying out the most important of its functions, that is, holding of the next parliamentary election. From purely legal point of view there is nothing wrong with these gentlemen being on leave. But from moral point of view will these gentlemen be dong justice to the poor taxpayers of our country by drawing the salary and availing of other privileges, like government accommodation, telephone, personal staff etc for the period during which they will be on leave? Certainly not. It is most unfortunate that governments, one after another, including the current CG, have been appointing persons with so poor scruples and moral strength to these appointments for which scruples and moral strength are the primary qualifications. These are the people who are continually creating political problems for the nation. Why can’t they resign and leave the nation alone?<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/29831725-4149826080328281405?l=srzaman.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ashraf's columnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16382744974160016625noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29831725.post-1164584946140562182006-11-26T15:48:00.000-08:002006-11-26T15:49:06.156-08:00A politician in our country does everything and says every word in the name of the people. Even leaders of the political party which was always rejected by the people in every national election, and could never win a seat in the parliament do so in the name of the people. Politicians appoint partisan persons with questionable ability and integrity as judges of the High Court, and chairmen and members of the election commission, public service commission, anti-corruption commission, university grants commission and other similar organisations. Corrupt officers are appointed as secretaries and heads of autonomous organisations. Street agitations are organised to burn/break public and private vehicles and establishments, and, worst of all, to kill people on the streets. Politicians do not allow the local governments to be elected. They take bribes from contractors and suppliers. All this and many other anti-people activities are done in the name of the people.<br /><br />As one of the people, I would like to covey to our politicians with all the emphasis at my command that I hate all these activities of yours. This is not democracy. Don’t take us as fools. We shall react when the time comes.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/29831725-116458494614056218?l=srzaman.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ashraf's columnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16382744974160016625noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29831725.post-1164179451126976712006-11-21T23:09:00.000-08:002006-11-21T23:10:51.136-08:00Politicians in our country have, by their individual and collective deeds and conducts, have made themselves so much unacceptable to the common people that the latter have already started looking at the former as anti-social elements. Ordinary people generally avoid social interactions with the politicians. They do not want to rent out their houses to politicians. Even I have heard many people saying that they would not like to have matrimonial relationship with politicians. If the trend continues like this soon people will use the word ‘politician’ as an abuse, as very well meaning words like ‘razakar’ and ‘mastaan’ are these days used as abuses. Thanks to the electronic and print media, politicians can no more hide their misdeeds from the people.<br /><br />If the politicians continue to disappoint the people, as they are doing now, a political tsunami will soon come in wave after wave to drown them. They will not have time to run away with their lives. New leaders will come up from nowhere, as it happened locally in Kansat recently, to take care of national politics. Politicians would do better if they remember that no one is indispensable in this world.<br /><br />It is high time the politicians as a class mend their ways for their own survival.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/29831725-116417945112697671?l=srzaman.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ashraf's columnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16382744974160016625noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29831725.post-1163983062517421622006-11-19T16:34:00.001-08:002006-11-19T16:37:42.520-08:00We are all familiar with the many contradictions between the BNP and the AL. But with little or no effort one may make a list of the points on which these two major political parties have no difference at all. Some of these points are:<br /><br /> a. They do not believe in the practice of democracy within the party. Their party heads never retire. They leave politics only on death. Once a party head/leader is dead the mantle of party leadership is passed on not to a politically competent successor, but to a close family member irrespective of the fact that such a family member has the required education, training, grooming and competence, or not.<br /><br /> b. Such an incompetent successor from the dead leader’s family, on assuming party leadership, finds out who all in the party, or around him/her, are more capable than himself/herself and soon cuts them to size, or gets rid of them by any foul means.<br /><br /> c. In the absence of capable leaders sycophants and corrupt elements from within the party assemble around the new leader to indulge in unabated corruption and misrule.<br /><br /> d. On assumption of power they soon make the state organs like the higher judiciary, anti corruption bureau/commission, parliament, comptroller and auditor general’s office etc, which are meant to ensure public accountability, ineffective and corrupt.<br /><br /> e. Being in power they appoint wo/men with questionable integrity to high offices in the civil and the military for their blind personal/political loyalty to the leader. Instead of selecting kajer lok (useful workers) from among their nijer lok (own men) they have been selecting only okajer lok (useless workers) from among nijer lok, thus creating mess everywhere in the administration.<br /><br /> f. They grant extension of service (even 5 times) to bureaucrats, purely on political considerations, by depriving the younger ones from their due promotions.<br /><br /> g. They stubbornly refuse to implement any reform in the electoral laws which will ensure registration of the political parties, submission of statements of assets of the politicians before assuming public offices and after relinquishing such offices.<br /><br /> h. In a parliamentary election they sell nominations to terrorists, godfathers, smugglers, black marketers, duffers etc at a very high price to fill the parliament with anti social elements. <br /><br /> i. They also dish out nominations to their family members and relations, as many as possible, who are mostly not only incompetent but corrupt too.<br /><br /> j. They want to control the parliament members like a herd of loyal and humble lambs by retaining Article 70 of our Constitution. As long as either of these two parties will be in power Article 70 will remain as a leash around the neck of the parliament members.<br /><br /> k. They find out a nincompoop to appoint as the president so that they can use him as a puppet during rule of the caretaker government. Anyone who on becoming the president tries to show his worth is given the marching order unceremoniously.<br /><br /> l. They do not want to see the local governments at upazila and district levels function so as to make room for the parliament members to make personal gains from development activities carried out at these levels.<br /><br /> m. They only publish so-called white papers to expose the corrupt activities of the politicians who were in the preceding government. But they never arrange their trial and punishment in courts of law. In this respect politicians from all parties behave as if they are members of the same strong trade union.<br /><br /> n. They leave no stone unturned to politicise the teachers and the students of all educational institutions (except primary schools). Thus they have been successfully destroying the education system, whatever we have, of our country.<br /><br /> o. Before the parliamentary election each party makes many tall promises in its manifesto, but only to forget after the election is won. <br /><br />I have listed only 15 major points. One may add many more.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/29831725-116398306251742162?l=srzaman.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ashraf's columnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16382744974160016625noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29831725.post-1163636738444504092006-11-15T16:22:00.000-08:002006-11-15T16:25:38.463-08:00Right at this moment (November 14 evening) a very high political drama is going on with CEC Justice M A Aziz at the centre of the stage. His total indifference to what all has been happening has justifiably raised question about his mental health.<br /><br />The blockade, the stoppage of all economic activities including export and import, the closure of all educational institutions, the stoppage of intercity movements of the people including ailing patients, and the painful deaths of common people on the streets, have all failed to touch the conscience of a person who is not only holding a prestigious degree of Bar-at-Law, but also was, the other day, a justice of the highest court of our country. <br /> <br />A justice of the Supreme Court in any country conducts his official business from a very high moral ground. That is why once a person becomes a justice s/he is always and everywhere addressed as ‘Justice’ as a mark of profound respect throughout her/his life. Once one loses that moral authority, rightly or wrongly, the concerned person should voluntarily step down.<br /><br />In the last 16 years when the BNP and the AL were in power, it seems, the high commands of these two parties were in a competition to appoint as many politically partisan persons as possible as judges of the High Court Division of our Supreme Court whose educational qualification, professional competence and, most importantly, integrity were/are questionable.<br /><br />Justice M A Aziz by his conduct as the CEC has certainly proved himself as one of them. And the most unfortunate fact is that Justice M A Aziz is not alone. The BNP and the AL have burdened the nation with many such justices. (No Chief Justice ever resigned in protest.<br /><br />Only the members of the SCBA belonging to the opposite political camp decried such appointments.) We cannot get rid of these gentlemen and ladies in the next 25 or 30 years.<br /><br />The time has come for the nation to seriously think about the matter and find out more effective ways to select non-partisan persons with known integrity, moral courage and professional competence for appointment as judges of the High Court (and Chairman/ members of the Anti Corruption Commission/ Public Service Commission).<br /><br />The job can no more be left to the present politicians who are so well known for their lack of integrity, moral courage, false promises and competence. The Constitution should be amended to make provision for a selection committee on which there should be at least three senior most judges of the Supreme Court and two non-partisan senior members of the Bar Council. The job cannot be left to the next political government, whichever it may be. We have seen the way they have been <br />deceiving the nation for the least last 16 years with the separation of judiciary from the executive.<br /><br />The present caretaker government (CG), with a very capable legal expert like Justice Fazlul Haque as its member, can easily do it by issuing an appropriate ordinance. The present CG cannot escape from this moral duty by saying that their job is only to hold an election, and not to get involved in such policy matters. (Remember, how Justice Shahabuddin’s CG, in the absence of the parliament, amended the Special Powers Act of 1974, by issuing an ordinance to make the press free from the shackles of the government. The nation is still enjoying that freedom, and remembering Justice Shahabuddin with due respect).<br /><br />How can you have a fair election with all unfair people around you? It is a dire necessity to do the needful now to select the right people for the higher judiciary. If it is done now, we shall not have a political crisis like the present one before the general election in 2012. May I remind the respected CA and his advisers two very old maxims: necessity knows know law, and better late than never.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/29831725-116363673844450409?l=srzaman.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ashraf's columnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16382744974160016625noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29831725.post-1163392516770557732006-11-12T20:34:00.000-08:002006-11-12T20:35:16.783-08:00On November 10, 2006 on all local TV channels I saw politicians of various hue and shade paying their respect (?) to the departed soul of Shaheed Noor Hossain who was shot down by the forces of autocratic Gen Ershad on the same day in 1987. The next morning their photographs with flower bouquets in hand adorned the front pages of the national dailies.<br /> <br />Noor Hossain’s fault was, he asked for the restoration of democracy. In the last 19 years, since the death of Noor Hossain, have our politicians been able to learn the essence of democracy themselves and restore democracy in our country? Do they practice democracy within their respective parties? Certainly not. If they had learnt the essence of democracy how could they nominate their own young family members, superseding many senior and capable party members, to senior party positions? How could they establish ‘familicracy’? And finally, how could they go for the caretaker form of government, which is totally against the spirit of democracy?<br /><br />If, by any miracle, Noor Hossain could come back from heaven, he would have spat on the faces of these hypocrites.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/29831725-116339251677055773?l=srzaman.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ashraf's columnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16382744974160016625noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29831725.post-1163219255541004552006-11-10T20:26:00.000-08:002006-11-10T20:27:35.553-08:00Separation of the judiciary from the executive is a sine qua non for the establishment of accountability in the society, especially among the politicians who govern the country. For the last 16 years, politicians from the BNP and the AL have been ruling Bangladesh without any accountability by deliberately not separating the judiciary from the executive.<br /><br />Late Barrister Ishtiaq Ahmed, the law adviser in Justice Shahabuddin Ahmed’s caretaker government, after having done all the needful, was about to issue the presidential order in the form of an ordinance to separate the judiciary from the executive.<br /><br />At that time Begum Khaleda Zia who, after having won the election was to be the next prime minister, asked Justice Ahmed not to do so, and leave the job to be done by her elected government. Justice Ahmed complied with her request in good faith. Later the Supreme Court tried its best within the limits of law and decency to compel the politicians in power to separate these two organs of the state, but in vain. From the track record of the last 16 years of BNP and AL one can easily presume that, whichever party comes to power next time, it will not separate the judiciary from the executive.<br /><br />In the greater interest of the state and the nation it will be most appropriate for the incumbent caretaker government to pass an ordinance to separate the judiciary from the executive.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/29831725-116321925554100455?l=srzaman.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ashraf's columnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16382744974160016625noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29831725.post-1162691750604750522006-11-04T17:55:00.000-08:002006-11-04T17:55:50.606-08:00Previously when the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) was there at least some corrupt officials, of course from lower levels, were prosecuted by the bureau and some were punished too. Since the so-called ACC came into being, more than two years ago, the corrupt officials at all levels and the politicians in power got a free hand to indulge in corruption without any fear of accountability. These corrupt elements in bureaucracy and politics have been making the best use of the total inactivity of the ACC. They have been fleecing national wealth right and left. The present Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) was formed with three well-known old men from Jatiyatabadi Gharana (BNP camp). After having seen the activities of these three men one can certainly conclude that they were engaged not to fight or control corruption. These three superannuated persons were appointed by the then BNP government to hoodwink the donors as well as the people of Bangladesh. They have served their masters well. During their tenure, so far, no one has been charged and punished for corruption. The chairman and the members of the ACC may, in their self-defence, say that they were not allowed to function by the senior bureaucrats and the politicians in power. In that case, tax-payers may ask them, why didn’t you resign in protest and show your integrity and loyalty to the nation? What justification do you have to enjoy the salary and other privileges for more than two long years without doing anything?<br /> <br />Have you not yourselves indulged in corruption by taking salary and other privileges from the public exchequer by not doing at all what you were supposed to do?<br /> <br />It is high time these three men, who have proved themselves utterly useless, resigned from the ACC. If they don’t, the present caretaker government (CTG) should sack them immediately and appoint honest, efficient and non-partisan persons in their places. After three months whoever, from the present set of politicians, will come to power will not change the ACC and make it effective, simply because they themselves are known to be highly corrupt and their track records do not suggest that they would go for such a strong pro-people action. (For example, take the case of separation of the judiciary from the executive which both BNP and AL have been dodging for the last sixteen years.)<br /><br />The matter is very urgent and warrants immediate attention of the CTG.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/29831725-116269175060475052?l=srzaman.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ashraf's columnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16382744974160016625noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29831725.post-1162536665524232692006-11-02T22:49:00.000-08:002006-11-04T17:54:25.966-08:00Finally the inevitable has happened. Col Oli Ahmed has formally announced the formation of a new political party in Bangladesh. Former President Prof. B Chowdhury has disbanded his own party Bikalpa Dhara and joined Col Oli. Bangladesh already has more than one hundred political parties. One may rightly raise the question, why should there be another one? The answer is: but for four or five parties the remaining are parties only on paper. Of the 4/5 parties with organisational set-ups and considerable followers only two parties are presently playing leading roles.<br /><br />These are AL and BNP. After its great leader Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was assassinated in 1975 the leadership of AL was usurped by his family members without showing any respect to democratic practices. Similarly when the founding father of BNP, Gen Ziaur Rahman was killed in 1981 the leadership of his party was passed on to his family members without caring for democratic considerations within the party. The family members of these two parties have since been ruthlessly ruling, and not leading, their respective parties like medieval feudal lords with unlimited power and authority. Such rulers are always surrounded by sycophants and soon become highly corrupt in the absence democratic accountability.<br /><br />From our experience of last 15 years when these two families, in the name of their respective parties, alternately ruled Bangladesh, we find height of sycophancy, corruption, politicisation of civil and military bureaucracy and bad governance. Of course, there are honest, dedicated and capable leaders in the rank and file of both these parties who love their respective parties for their ideologies. Voices of these honest leaders are stifled.<br /><br />Their conscience is treaded under the heavy boots of the top party leaders. It appears some of these leaders from BNP, finding no other choice within the party, have finally revolted against the autocratic party leadership to form a separate political platform. They have named it LDP. It is strongly believed that after the BNP government hands over power on 28 October, 2006 many more honest and dedicated but frustrated leaders and workers from BNP will join LDP.<br /><br />The situation in AL is not different either. Many honest and patriotic leaders and workers of AL have also been feeling suffocated under its present incompetent and corrupt leadership. If it is seen that LDP passes the test of time and is accepted as a popular democratic forum by the people the honest and frustrated leaders and workers of AL might as well revolt against its top leadership and come out of it openly. On coming out whether they will form a separate party of their own, or will join hands with LDP is difficult to say now. However, it will be good for the country if all such good people from all sectors come out and unite under one leadership.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/29831725-116253666552423269?l=srzaman.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ashraf's columnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16382744974160016625noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29831725.post-1150525851766101702006-06-16T23:29:00.000-07:002006-06-16T23:30:51.770-07:00It was in the afternoon of 17 December, 1973. I, a Captain then, along with another Major reached Comilla Cantonment from Dhaka by a bus. We were two of the first fourteen army officers posted to the then nonexistent Bangladesh Military Academy (BMA) to establish the academy. A few of these fourteen were posted to BMA from units located in Comilla. But till then none of them joined BMA. At dusk we were led to the BOQ (bachelor officers’ quarters) of the 1st Field Regiment Artillery Officers’ Mess on a tiny mound. No sooner had I entered the room allotted to me than I leaped out of it. Believe you me, there was that strong pungent smell of fresh goat droppings! It took few minutes for me to muster my soldierly guts and bear with the smell ! Thanks God, the toilet was operational! After having a quick wash I went to the mess to have a cup of tea. I requested the Mess Havildar to arrange a sweeper to clean my room with phenyl or dettol. After long waiting at about 8 PM a sweeper came, but with no phenyl or dettol. The room was washed with water again making no difference in the intensity of the goat’s blessing! A cot newer was placed in the room. The bed was laid. But there were no stands to fix the mosquito net. It was impossible to sleep without a mosquito net. I sent a message to my old friend Captain Eric Rozario (now retired as a Colonel), the Quarter Master of the host unit, to help me out. 12 O’clock at night Eric came with two sets of mosquito net stands (one set for my companion). Eric was apologetic for the delay. 1300 soldiers, mostly repatriated ones from Pakistan, were at that time living in his unit which had the capacity to hold only 400 soldiers. All soldiers could not sleep at a time at night because of shortage of space under the roof, cots and mosquito nets. They slept by turns. Eric had to wait till 12 O’clock for one batch of soldiers to wake up and spare the mosquito net stands for us.<br /><br />Next morning when we asked where was our (BMA) office we were shown some empty barracks not far way from the mess. I and my companion in full uniform walked to the area which gave a deserted look. We found some jackals moving freely. Soldiers on sentry duty with staves in hand warned us to be aware of those man-eating animals. They got the taste of human blood and flesh during the Liberation War in 1971. We managed to get a school type bench from a nearby barrack. We put it under the shade of a mango tree on a small mound and sat over it facing west to avoid direct sunlight on our faces. By about 1 O’clock some soldiers from the local signals unit came and placed a receiver set on the bench between me and my partner. So, we got a telephone! We were so happy! We talked to the local Brigade HQ on telephone and a CJ-5 jeep, allotted to BMA, with no overhead cover and silencer reported to us by 2 O’clock. Our joys knew no bounds. That was how the history of BMA started. <br /><br />Then the million dollar question which stormed our mind was what to do next? Where from to start the raising of the organization of our dream , BMA? Yes, soon we got the answer to our question and started working under the very able leadership of Major A Manaf (later Major General and now deceased). Many skeptics at home and abroad had little confidence in our ability to establish a military academy. Many politicians and economists openly opposed the idea of having a military academy in Bangladesh by assigning many unreal reasons. But we, a bunch of mid level and young army officers, took the challenge in the right earnest. BMA started functioning. The first batch of gentleman cadets (GCs) arrived in January,1974. It was an excellent lot. All the boys were highly intelligent, hard working and patriotic. Many of them had already gathered war experience in our Liberation War. It was always a great pleasure dealing with them inside and outside the classroom. A dream started taking shape.<br /><br />Today after 32 years our dream has come true. By the grace Allah and with the active support of the people of Bangladesh we have done it. The high quality of the professional training imparted in BMA is now recognized all over the world. In addition to our own officers many officers from friendly foreign countries have been receiving training in this academy. The people of Bangladesh can rightly feel proud of BMA and its officers.<br /><br />Lieutenant General Moeen U Ahmed, one of our dear students from the 1st batch of BMA cadets, has been appointed as the Chief of Army Staff of Bangladesh Army and promoted to his present rank. With General Moeen heading the army a new golden chapter is added today to the history of BMA, to the military history of our country. My heartiest congratulations to you Moeen. We are proud of you. May Allah bless you with the physical, mental and moral strength to bear the responsibility He has reposed on you. I am grateful to Allah for keeping me alive to see this day.<br /><br />Syed Ashrafuzzaman<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/29831725-115052585176610170?l=srzaman.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ashraf's columnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16382744974160016625noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29831725.post-1150525458858274172006-06-16T23:21:00.000-07:002006-06-17T01:57:26.310-07:00It was in 1971 when the Bangladeshis got united for the last time under a political leadership and after fighting successfully liberation war liberated their motherland from Pakistani occupation. Bangladeshis marveled the world by exhibiting not only their valor and martial qualities on the battlefield, but also their political maturity. But soon after the liberation the same Bangladeshis due to poor political leadership fell apart as political splinter groups and sub-groups. Only God alone knows how many political parties we have today in Bangladesh. Let us confess that we are one of the most disunited nations in the world. Our track record from after the glorious victory in the liberation war bears testimony to the fact that we could never stand united as a nation to face a crisis, be it a natural disaster, a foreign policy matter, an aggression on our soil (Boraibari incident), dealing with India on water sharing, internal terrorism or corruption. The 8/21 incident is the last item so far on the list of our failures. The Leader of the Opposition Sheikh Hasina is saying manina (not acceptable) to every thing the government of Khaleda Zia is doing or saying to investigate into the matter. She is refusing to testify before the judicial inquiry commission. She is refusing to hand over her jeep, an important alamat (material evidence) in the case, to the police. After the incident she has not so far said a word to refrain her supporters from destroying public and private properties. When asked by the journalists she rather gave indulgence to her supporters by saying that the aggrieved people had the right to express their anger by doing so. She is tacitly approving jalao-porao (burn one, burn all) activities committed by her supporters. Is it politics sanity and unity? <br /><br />Every time there was a need to change a bad government the common people of this country never made a mistake. They obliged by putting their votes in the right ballot box. They initiated successful mass uprisings to pull down unpopular governments. But unfortunately after every changeover the new government did not appear to be better than the previous one, so far as good governance was concerned. Who are to blame for this? Definitely the common people cannot be blamed. The blame lies squarely and unmistakably on the shoulders of our politicians and the generals (turned into politicians). <br /><br />Our politicians have been continually proving to the world that they are dishonest, corrupt, unfaithful and, hence, unreliable and unfit to run a democratic system in our country. Transparency International has been issuing annual certificates to this effect for the last few years. The politicians themselves also accepted this fact when they incorporated the Care Taker System of Government (CTSG) in the constitution of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh in 1996. Unlike those of our politicians who take credit and pride in introducing this unique system, many patriotic Bangladeshis never feel proud of the CTSG. Rather they feel deeply ashamed. It is a slur on the face of our politicians who instead of rectifying themselves prefer to a better (?) policing on them by odd 10 0r 12 apolitical gentlemen, that too during the general election only. Now the People of Bangladesh are found sharing a painful political joke that says: the Caretaker Government of three months is far superior in every respect to the “Careless Government” that follows in the next five years. Why not to have Caretaker Government then for five years!<br /><br />It may be a very interesting study for our social scientists to carry out a survey to find out the present location of our young men and women who graduated from our universities and medical colleges securing first ten positions in the last 25 years. As there is no statistics available on the subject, from personal experience I can safely assume that 75% of them are not residing in Bangladesh. At the earliest opportunity they left Bangladesh to work for some other countries. Certainly all of them did not leave the country just for money. Most of them left because they suffered from physical insecurity due to the prevailing law and order situation, and did not get commensurable jobs of their qualification and ability. They also found that political links, rather than honesty, efficiency and professional competence, was the easy ladder to rise in government service or in business. Many of these persons, by dint of their merit and hard work, are making outstanding contributions in their respective professions in their present countries of residence. If an appropriate healthy political environment were created in Bangladesh many of these patriotic Bangladeshis, I am sure, would love to make contributions in the development of their dear motherland by returning to Bangladesh permanently or periodically. (Deng Xiao Bing did the same in China after the death of Mao and now we can see the result). At the same time we must take steps to stop the current brain drain. If we can improve the quality of our human resources in every field including politics with the returned Bangladeshi professionals and the present bright products of our educational institutions, we can certainly change the existing face of our country and raise our head as a nation with dignity and honor. <br /><br />Coming back to the point, to run a state we cannot do without politics and politicians. It is politics, which formulates, executes and supervises the implementation of all other policies that are required to govern and develop a state. One cannot have good politics when bad politicians are at the helm of affairs. Bad eggs never make good omelettes. We need to improve the quality of our politicians if we want to see good governance and development our beloved country in the future.<br /><br />A state cannot be governed with duffers. (Well, one may need some duffers to shout zindabad-murdabad, ‘joy’, etc.). Therefore, the politicians who are entrusted with the governance of the state should be people with at least high average IQ. Gone are those days when illiterate or uneducated sovereigns used to rule the countries. In this age of missiles and satellite communication, to succeed, a present day ruler must have the basic education to understand the complexities of international politics and the notes prepared by his or her own bureaucrats and give decisions on as diverse subjects as animal husbandry to space science. If the honorable members of our present parliament kindly agree, they may be made to sit for taking a quiz test on our national budget which they passed the other day to find out how many of them really understood what they had passed! The result will be, I am sure, very interesting to all of us who elected them to the parliament. <br /><br />I am like one of those millions of music lovers who never touched a harmonium in their life, but can easily identify a discordant music. Like many common viewers I can see the difference when things go wrong in politics. But I am not an expert to comment on why things go wrong in politics. As a layman, without going into finer aspects, I lay before your learned readers the following lines for their (Honorable MPs) consideration to improve the quality of our national politics with the hope that this will generate a healthy and constructive discussion to show the nation a way out:<br /><br />a.With their entire drawback results of our public examinations are accepted as the index of IQ and academic ability of a person. We may lay down a minimum educational qualification for a person to be a candidate for a seat in the parliament. For any Class-I job in our country one must have a bachelor degree in any field of study. To be a recognized politician of the highest status, as the honorable MPs are, the PM must have at least a bachelor degree. <br /><br />b.The criminal record of a person is always a very important matter to consider before s/he is given a job in the governance of the country. The police records of all candidates for government jobs, and many private jobs, are verified before any appointment is made. When this regulation is applicable even to the appointment of a police constable, who is the most junior law enforcing person, then why should the criminal record of a person who will be entrusted with the supreme duty of making laws for the country be kept above this regulation? Politicians often say that the people are their (politicians’) best judges. It is right. But people must have access to all relevant facts about a politician. Otherwise how would they make the correct judgment? Last 20 years’ criminal/police record of a candidate for the membership of the parliament must be submitted to Election Commission (EC) by the candidate himself/herself for verification. Rules should be inducted for the EC to disqualify a candidate for a serious criminal record.<br /><br />c.A politician is a human being to. S/he has a family for which s/he needs a source for living. People have a right to know how does s/he, when not in power, makes a living. People have the right to know how much property s/he inherited from his/her parents, how much money his/her parents spent monthly on his education, and finally what assets s/he acquires while s/he is holding a public office. Before an election our politicians make solemn promises in their election manifestos to declare their assets after they are elected. But so far they have been conveniently and without facing any challenge forgetting the promise after every election. Rules must be introduced to compel a candidate to declare his/her assets and the assets of his/her wife(s)/husband, children and dependants to the Income Tax Department before the filing of the nomination paper to the EC. S/he must also submit a similar declaration to the Income Tax Department on vacation of the office to explain where from s/he got the extra assets, if there is any. In the absence of a satisfactory explanation the person concerned should be prosecuted under the relevant law(s) of the land. <br /><br />d.For any game the teams need to be registered with the regulating authority. Doing politics is not a child’s game that does not need any registration. Rather, it is the highest game that decides the destiny of a nation. Political parties must be registered with their regulating authority, that is, the EC. Organizing and operating a political party without registration should be a criminal offence under the law.<br /><br />e.From our experience of last 33 years it can be well said that the lack of financial accountability in the political parties is the root cause of institutionalized corruption in our country. During the autocratic rule of Gen Ershad there was a mayor of Dhaka City who used to take huge amount of money in cash as bribe for leasing out shops in DCC markets. People gave him the nickname ‘thief of Baghdad’ (That is how Gen Ershad, having been in the jail for long 6 years, has enough money to run politics even today). It was widely believed that the mayor in question used to deposit 50% of the bribe money to the party fund and keep the remaining 50% in his own pocket. As a routine matter it is seen that every government, the present one being no exception, has few politicians who earn such bad names. To eliminate these corrupt practices there must be some financial accountability for the political parties. Some government agency under the direct supervision of the EC must carry out periodical audit of the income and expenditure of the political parties. The EC can formulate rules to regulate the matter.<br /><br />f.Rules must be made so as not to allow any political party to have any student front under its own name. Financing any student organization by a political party must be made a criminal offence. Students may have their own organizations financed by themselves.<br /><br />g.Some government servants, mostly senior ones from both civil and military, while in service indulge in rampant corruption. To enjoy immunity from legal actions while in service, and also after retirement, these officers share their ill-gotten money with a section of politicians. No sooner they retire from service than they join the political parties of their choice. Political parties not only accept them as lost children coming back home but also make them ministers and MPs as a reward for the services (illegal) they rendered earlier to their party. This is another root cause of corruption in our bureaucracy and politics. This most despicable practice by the most privileged needs to be stopped immediately. Rules are to be made so as not to allow a retired government servant to be a member of a political party and also to contest for a public office before s/he spends at least 5 years after the date of his retirement. 5 years after retirement s/he will be at liberty to do politics, the way s/he feels like to.<br /><br />h.Our political parties are well known for not practicing democracy within their respective parties. How can a party, which does not practice democracy itself, uphold democracy at the national level after coming to power? The EC must be empowered by law to disqualify a party from participation in an election if it finds that council meetings at national and lower levels, as required by the constitution of the concerned party, were not duly held.<br /><br />i.The EC must be under obligation to supply to a voter on demand, and on deposition of certain fee to cover the administrative work involved, any or all of the above information about a candidate or a political party participating in an election. A voter has a right to know about a candidate or a party for whom/which s/he intends to cast his/her vote. It is one of his/her fundamental rights. It is sacrosanct upon the EC to protect it. <br /><br />There may be many other measures necessary to reform our very existing rotten political system. I leave it to you, the learned a readers to point them out. We must all remember that the biggest enemies to a reform are the existing beneficiaries of the present faulty system. While these enemies of reform always fight amongst themselves on matters of individual interest, they readily get themselves united with full force to fight against any move to reform. I understand, in the present case our political parties, and their leaders, may not be willing to accept the reforms suggested above, as they did when the EC tried to bring in some positive changes in the electoral laws before the last general election was held in 2001. But how long the poor people of this country will continue to suffer untold miseries due to presence of an unhealthy political system, which instead of serving exploits them? Dear politicians, can you see the cloud forming in the horizon? The lessons from the history clearly indicate that the storm is not far off. Still there is time. Dear honest and dedicated politicians, will you please wake up to save yourselves and the nation? Why must you give protection to godfathers, terrorists and all sorts of criminals who have infiltrated into the rank and file of your party in the garb of politician? Shed them off from the party. Don’t feel you are alone in this war against unhealthy politics. The whole nation is standing behind you. In case the politicians fail to wake up clear the garbage, the EC must come forward to do the needful, if necessary during the rule of the next Care Taker Government by issuing necessary ordinances by the President. The nation cannot afford to leave its destiny to be decided by a handful of those politicians who are the products of a corrupt system and who unfortunately prefer to remain so.<br /><br />Last of all, where are the members of our civil society, which includes the journalists too? Isn’t there any one whose heart, mind and pocket are not mortgaged to any local political party or foreign agency? Dear sirs/madams now is the time for you to come out. We have hardly two years to go before the next general election. We must do it now to save ourselves from another spell of 5 years of corrupt politics. Please come out and help this poor nation by motivating the common people in favor of necessary political reforms. Are we expecting too much from you?<br /><br />Syed Ashrafuzzaman<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/29831725-115052545885827417?l=srzaman.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ashraf's columnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16382744974160016625noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29831725.post-1150506792600609552006-06-16T18:11:00.000-07:002006-06-16T18:13:12.603-07:00<em>Following are queries and concerns on some Islamic rituals that I would like to learn more from Qur’anic stand point; rather not from sources that are unauthentic and lack precise credibility. I believe that among our respected readers there are many who tender wise and realistic opinions on such practices that I consider simply non-Qur’anic, thus lack justification of being known as “Islamic”. Thanks.</em><br /><br />Hajj:<br /><br />1. Hajj is considered to be one of the five pillars of Islam. It involves pilgrimage to the holy Ka’ba in Makkah and, at the same time, performing certain rituals at Arafat and Meena. This particular Ibadat (piety) is not mandatory for all Muslims. According to the holy Qur’an, “Pilgrimage there too, is a duty men owe to Allah, provided they could afford the journey” (3:97). Here affordability involves self-earned financial means and satisfactory physical fitness. For those who can afford it Hajj is mandatory only once in a lifetime. Any earning, which is not legally and morally correct, or Halal, is not acceptable to Allah. A thief, hijacker, godfather, bribe-taker, black marketer, corrupt bureaucrat or politician, for that matter anyone who lives on illicit livelihood, may make a trip to Makkah during the days of Hajj and perform the rituals there at, yet he would be no better than a tourist. In Islam it is not sufficient to have a justifiable mission; one must also adopt honest and justifiable means to achieve that mission. Under the circumstances, will Allah accept the Hajj of those people those persons who perform Hajj with money earned by illegal and immoral means?<br /><br />2. According to the holy Qur’an (24:61) a Muslim, whether physically able or disabled, is not allowed to accept a casual meal from other than a close relation or an intimate friend. If that be the principle of Islam, is it correct to travel for performing Hajj or Umra with others money, be it from donations from one or more local individuals, organizations or the state, or be it from any foreign government or agency?<br /><br />3. Does the Qur’an permit a king, president or prime minister performs Hajj or Umra at the cost of the public exchequer? Even if s/he does it for herself/himself with his/her own money, earned by correct legal and moral means, can s/he take her/his personal administrative and security staff at government cost?<br /><br />4. Every year we find the king of Saudi Arabia invites a number of kings, presidents or prime ministers of other countries to perform Hajj or Umra as his royal guests. Does the Qur’an allow the king of Saudi Arabia to send free tickets as gifts to these guests to perform a personal piety like Hajj/Umra when the money he is spending for the guests belongs to the people of Saudi Arabia?<br /><br />5. Performing Hajj is mandatory or Farz once in one’s lifetime. The holy Prophet (PBUH) performed Hajj only once. Still we find many people from our society, some by begging money or with government money, go for additional or Nafl Hajj for more than once, even 10 or 12 times. Some of these people also take lot of pride in making this fact known to others. These persons could do better, instead of performing Nafl Hajj, by spending the money to help the local hungry and needy people. Is this practice of performing Hajj and Umra repeatedly allowed or encouraged by Islam?<br /><br />6. The holy Prophet (PBUH) and the Sahaba (Prophet’s followers) performed Hajj, but none of them ever added the title of “Haji/Alhaj” at the beginning or at the end of their names. Hajj being a very personal piety and a fulfillment of a personal commitment between Allah and His Banda (servant), there is no need or justification to show off to others that one has performed Hajj. In our country we find many people, specially a section of the political and religious leaders and the businessmen, are fond of using “Haji” with their names. Are these people doing the right thing?<br /><br />7. Going for Hajj is an individual piety. Besides being financially able one has to be physically fit to undertake the journey and perform the rituals. If one lacks physical fitness, however able one may financially be, Allah does not demand Hajj from that individual. Allah does not demand Hajj from a dead person, for with death the Amalnama (dossier) of a person is closed. Still we find people financing others to perform Hajj on their behalf, as they themselves cannot go for the Hajj due to sickness or for some other reason. They call it “Badla Hajj” (alternative Hajj). As per conditions laid down in the Qur’an a sick man is not required to perform Hajj, and there is no question of demanding Hajj from a dead man. Even then we find some people are being financed every year to perform “Badla Hajj” on behalf of the sick or the dead. Where in the holy Qur’an such a practice of “Badla Hajj” is authorized?<br /><br /><br />Qurbani:<br /><br />8. As per the holy Qur’an (22:28) only those people who perform Hajj are required to sacrifice animals. In the holy Qur’an there is no direct or indirect indication of a requirement that a non-pilgrim Muslim is required to perform Qurbani or sacrifice animals to celebrate Hajj. The holy Prophet (PBUH) and the early caliphs never practiced it. Whereas in our country, and in many other Muslim countries, millions of animals are being sacrificed by the Muslims during the Eidul Adha. Not only that but also lot of stories have been concocted involving Qurbani. It is said that as soon as a person slaughters an animal, before the first drop of the animal touches the ground; all his sins get washed away, even if the person is a hardened criminal. It is further said that every hair of the sacrificed animal’s fleece would add one unit of piety to the account of the person sacrificing the animal. The most surprising story is that on the Day of Judgment the sacrificed animal will carry its earthly master straight to the heaven on its back.<br /><br />9. The question is why these concocted stories, which have nothing to do with the holy Qur’an, are being allowed to be narrated by our religious teachers and leaders year after year? <br />10. As there is no direct or indirect indication in the holy Qur’an of a requirement that a non-pilgrim Muslim is required to perform Qurbani or sacrifice animals to celebrate Hajj, Tunisia which is a Muslim country banned this medieval social Arab custom of sacrificing animals during Hajj in 1992. Then why should we continue to sacrifice millions of our very valuable cattle heads every year in the name of Qurbani?<br /><br />Akika:<br /><br />11. As per existing practice one goat is sacrificed to celebrate the naming ceremony called Akika when a female child is born. Two goats are sacrificed at a similar ceremony when a male child is born. This was practiced as a prevailing Arab social custom during early days of Islam. We know, many of the local Arab customs, which did not contradict with the Islamic principles, as laid down in the Qur’an, were allowed to practice. These had nothing to do with the holy Qur’an or Islam. I feel there is an element of Naformani (disobedience) to Allah in this practice. To Allah there is no difference between men and women. There is no difference between a male child and a female child. Who should be blessed with a female child or a male child is entirely a matter to be decided by Allah. If one expresses half happiness on being blessed with a daughter, is one not expressing half unhappiness at the decision of Allah? In spite of all these, why do our religious teachers and leaders still demand from us to continue with this discriminating practice of Akika? Did the holy Prophet (PBUH) perform Akika for his own children?<br /><br />12. I shall be grateful if any Islamic scholar kindly takes the trouble of answering my above-mentioned questions, on the basis of the holy Qur’an only.<br /><br />Syed Ashrafuzzaman<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/29831725-115050679260060955?l=srzaman.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ashraf's columnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16382744974160016625noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29831725.post-1150506694342003982006-06-16T18:10:00.000-07:002006-06-16T18:11:34.343-07:00A study of the life of our Holy Prophet demonstrates that he offered the Tarabi prayers in a very relaxed manner. At times he offered the prayers all by himself at his residence with comfortable breaks; taking rest in between two or four rakats and at other times in a congregation in the mosque. This was done by the prophet to give two clear messages to his followers. First, he wanted to convey that Tarabi prayers, though important and can be said in jamaat, are like any other Sunnat prayers and do not have the compulsion of Farz prayers. Secondly, to allow the fasting people, who are naturally very tired after a full day of fasting, to say this prayers in a relaxed manner.<br /><br />However, in Bangladesh we find that almost in all mosques where Tarabi prayers are offered in the month of Ramadan a system is being practiced which is against the principles propagated by the prophet. Some people claiming religious authority have introduced a system which is popularly known as “Khatam Tarabi”. In that the Imam who normally leads the other Farz prayers does not lead the Tarabi prayers. The services of two or more Qur’an-e-Hafiz are hired to lead the Tarabi prayers every evening through a sharing of the rakats. These Hafizs take about 27 evenings to complete the recitation of the whole of the Qur’an. On the last day, when the recitation is completed a ceremonial long munajat is held. The Hafiz recites the verses from the Qur’an at a very fast pace. It is done so fast that no one can follow it. At the end of Ramadan the Hafiz is paid remuneration out of donations collected from those who attend the prayers. Every evening it takes about two and a half hours to complete the Esha and the “Khatam Tarabi” prayers, whereas a session of “Sura Tarabi” usually takes about 45 to 60 minutes.<br />I would like to put the following questions to the learned Islamic scholars regarding Tarabi prayers:<br /><br />Is it mandatory for a Muslim to say “Khatam Tarabi”? Can s/he not fulfill the religious obligation by saying “Sura Tarabi”? If it is not mandatory, then why do the mosque committees take it as a prestige issue to hold “Khatam Tarabi” in their respective mosques? Why should the mosques in question impose the decision of holding long sessions of “Khatam Tarabi” when it is not required by either the Qur’an or by the Sunnah?<br /><br />Is it correct for the concerned Hafiz to take remuneration for leading the Tarabi prayers? For that matter, can anybody be paid for only leading prayers, or calling Azan?<br /><br />Is it proper for the concerned Hafiz to recite from the holy Qur’an as fast as is usually done?<br /><br />Syed Ashrafuzzaman<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/29831725-115050669434200398?l=srzaman.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ashraf's columnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16382744974160016625noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29831725.post-1150506510000098892006-06-16T18:07:00.000-07:002006-06-16T18:08:30.003-07:00Before he suffered the deadly attack on his life in the Bangla Academy Book Fair in late February this year and became overnight internationally famous I hardly knew about Dr. Humayun Azad. I only heard his name as the author of a the then proscribed Bangla book “Nari”. A few weeks before the attack on him his publisher Mr. Osman Ghani, whom I came to know by chance, presented me the book “Nari” with a request to read it. From the cover I found the book was republished after wining a legal battle after it had suffered a state ban on it for more than four years for being obscene. For an old man like me ( I will be 60 on my next birthday !) an alleged obscene book could not naturally be an interesting reading. However I brought the book home and tried to read it. Let me confess, I could not even finish reading the first chapter. Each paragraph was full of juicy and vulgar description of the female human genital sandwiched by high sounding theories on social relationship between man and woman throughout ages. The theories quoted, the language and the presentation, all prove that Dr. Azad was a very learned scholar with a superb literary flair. But unfortunately I could not finish the first chapter of the book, because my sense of values and the taste I picked up from my middle class Muslim family background and my school teachers did not allow me go through the book. Luckily a very young visitor did me a great favor by quietly lifting the book from table! I felt happy and did not ask anyone about it.<br /><br />Then came the news of fatal attack on Dr. Azad. I know someone who being a colleague of his knows Dr. Azad very well. He told me that academically Dr. Azad was one of the very outstanding products of the Bangla Department of DU with a first class career all along. I asked him why was such a brilliant scholar like Dr. Azad had been indulging in writing vulgar books like the “Nari”? His great talent could be used to carry out research in Bangla language and literature. He admitted that he did not know the right answer to my question. But while leaving he remarked that, may be, to earn more and more money Dr. Azad had been abusing his talent. By the by he asked me if I had read Dr. Azad’s latest book “Pak Sar Zameen Saad Bad”. I said no. He advised me to read some paragraphs of the said book that were quoted in a local Bangla daily (The Daily Inqilab) early that week to understand the present mind-set of the professor. I collected the daily and tried to read the quotations. To my shock and horror I found it was hundred times more vulgar than “Nari”. Taslima’s “Ka” would run away in shame from “Nari”. I could not even finish reading the first paragraph quoted. Dr. Azad wanted to condemn the atrocities committed by the Pakistani soldiers and the local Razakars on the Hindu population of the then East Pakistan during our Great War of Liberation in 1971. Well, there cannot be a second opinion in the mind of any Bangladeshi about the importance and the necessity of such condemnations to make our present and future generations aware of our national history of that period. But then a man does not physically bite back a dog if he is bitten by it. A man can always adopt many a descent course, without compromising his rationality and greatness as a man, to expose the beastly action of the dog. I very strongly feel Dr. Azad has measurably let him down himself as a scholar, as a university teacher and, finally, as a father. I really feel sorry for his two daughters (shown on TV) who has been made to bear with their father’s obscene writings.)<br /><br />I call Dr. Humayun Azad a perverted genius. Well, if anyone who does not agree with me, I shall request him, if he can read Bangla, to read the book “Pak Sar Zameen Saad Bad”. And after having read the book if one feels it is a great peace of literature (or history) one should read it aloud in the presence of his parents, children, students and in public gatherings to preach the greatness of the book. And then a nationwide movement can be started to prescribe the book as a textbook in our schools and colleges. I for one will appreciate the guts of these people, be they intellectuals or politicians of any shade or color.<br /><br />Thanks to Allah, those who wanted to kill him could not kill Dr. Azad. We do not yet know who did it. If the so-called Islamic fundamentalists, as claimed by Dr. Azaad himself, did it they definitely acted against the teachings of Islam as given the Qur’an. The Qur’an allows the killing of a man (or woman) only under two circumstances. First, one can kill one’s enemy on the battlefield while fighting is on. Second, a person can be executed for committing a serious offence after the process of law is duly followed. There is no other third justification to kill a human being by any power on earth.<br /><br />I thank Begum Khaleda Zia and her government for arranging all necessary treatment for the perverted professor inside and outside the country. At the same time I call upon our social scientists, psychologists to suggest means and ways to the society and the government how we can spot geniuses like Dr. Azad at an early stage and nip the perversion in them in the bud.<br /> I pray to Allah so that Dr. Azad is fully cured and safely returns to Bangladesh leaving his perverted mind in the Bangkok hospital. May Allah grant him a new enlightened and descent way of life and writing. <br /><br />Syed Ashrafuzzaman<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/29831725-115050651000009889?l=srzaman.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ashraf's columnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16382744974160016625noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29831725.post-1150506375416214062006-06-16T18:01:00.000-07:002006-06-16T18:06:15.416-07:00In the last three decades, or so, the most brilliant students of our country were admitted into the medical colleges to become the healers of our diseases. Many of these medical practitioners are doing excellent in foreign countries. Some of them have made name by making outstanding contributions in the field of research in medical science. All these Bangladeshi doctors are not only earning very valuable foreign exchange for our country, but also good name for our people. We have reasons to feel proud of them.<br /><br />But what is happening with the doctors who are working in Bangladesh? If any newspaper or independent agency conducts an opinion poll, our doctors in Bangladesh will be rated very poorly.<br /><br />Their disregard for updating professional knowledge, offering wrong treatment to the patients, issuing false medical certificates and injury reports by taking bribe, misbehavior with patients and their next of kin, doing private practice (by government doctors) during official working hours, long absence from place of posting without taking leave and, above all, greed for money is too well known to our people.<br /><br />We have a health ministry, and a host of directorates and supervising offices under it, to administer our doctors, hospitals and clinics. In spite of that, nothing constructive has so far been done to promote professionalism and discipline among our doctors.<br /><br />The government and health ministers come and go, but nothing appreciable is done to improve the situation.The root cause of the malady is politicization of the doctors’ community. A political party on coming to power starts cajoling that faction of the Bangladesh Medical Association (BMA) which is politically loyal to it.<br /><br />The other faction, not friendly to the party in power, just goes into hibernation and waits for the time when its own party comes to power. The pro-government faction takes over the office of the DG Health and starts posting its own favorites to important positions. This is the game of BMA we have been watching for long.<br /><br />There is another organization called the Doctors’ Association of Bangladesh (DAB) which is openly towing the line of a major political party and doing the same as the BMA.<br /><br />The BMA and the DAB who claim themselves as the professional organizations of the doctors have been fighting well with the political party in power to extract from them benefits like better pay and perks and higher official status.<br /><br />But can these organizations tell our countrymen what they have done so far to root out the corruptions and malpractices their members indulge in? In the history of Bangladesh has any doctor ever been punished for committing these offences?<br /><br />Dear doctors, as the brightest sons and daughters of the soil, you cannot escape the moral obligation you owe to the people of this country who foot the bill to run the medical colleges for you. As doctors the dignity and honor you enjoy in our society, with that you need not belittle yourselves by indulging in the often stinking politics of our country.<br /><br />Please free the BMA, the DAB, and other similar organizations, from politics. You need not issue political statements, or hold political meetings in favor of a certain political party. There are many people in this country who are doing it well, at times over doing it. But there are none except you who can cure the people of this country from diseases and ailments.<br /><br />Syed Ashrafuzzaman<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/29831725-115050637541621406?l=srzaman.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ashraf's columnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16382744974160016625noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29831725.post-1150506046833805872006-06-16T17:59:00.000-07:002006-06-16T18:00:46.836-07:00With the next general election (Bangladesh) hardly half years away, the country seems to be in a hot debate over the constitution and functions of the caretaker government. It seems the nation will once again be pushed into a man-made crisis over this issue. There is likely to be more impasse, arrogance, obduracy, violence and ultimately bloodshed in the next one and a half years before our present set of politicians decide to reach an agreement, at least temporarily, on the issue, as they always did in the past.<br /><br />Since the attainment of independence in 1971 we have been governed under all forms of governments which democracy can offer the presidential form, the parliamentary form, and lastly the caretaker government for conducting elections only. These governments were run by our politicians, and generals/ bureaucrats/ judges turned politicians. The lesson learnt from all these forms of government is that they all were, more or less, corrupt or inefficient, or both. They failed to serve the people. While the system and leadership varied from time to time in the last thirty four years one important determinant, that is politicians, remained constant. There is a popular saying in the army, ‘It is not the gun, but the man behind the gun which matters in a battle.” Similarly, from our experience of last thirty four years of governance, it can very well be said, it is not what is written in the constitution of a country, but the politicians who run a country as per constitution which matter in governance.<br /><br />With due respect to all those politicians, intellectuals and scholars who are now involved in the current debate over the constitution and functions of the caretaker government, I would like to request patriotic and sensible persons from all walks of life to tell the nation how we can get rid of the present political culture and have efficient and honest politicians to govern us. Here, one very interesting point to note is that whenever our Election Commission in the past tried to bring in new laws and systems to keep terrorists, godfathers, corrupt retired bureaucrats, tax evaders and criminals out of the parliament and local government, it faced stiff resistance from all our major political parties. In spite of all the political differences they have, they are united in defending the present corrupt political culture!<br /><br />Barring a very few exceptions, which can be counted on finger tips, politics in our country is a hostage in the hands of a handful of terrorists, godfathers, corrupt retired bureaucrats, tax evaders and criminals. As long as we fail to free our politics from these anti people so called leaders we shall never have good governance from a pro people government.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/29831725-115050604683380587?l=srzaman.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ashraf's columnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16382744974160016625noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29831725.post-1150505900867321512006-06-16T17:57:00.000-07:002006-06-16T17:58:20.870-07:00In late 1975 as a major I was posted at the AHQ as a staff officer. The country was under martial law (ML). Like many of my colleagues I was given some additional ML assignments to perform. Every Friday at 0830 hours I had to report directly to the then Chief of Army Staff (CAS) Maj Gen Ziaur Rahman, BU to brief him on the job I was doing. I was allotted a civil jeep to perform the ML duties. I made it a routine to leave my residence at Dhaka Cantonment at 08:00 in the morning for the ML office near the city center. I used to return to the cantonment around midday to attend my office at the AHQ. On a Thursday when I came to the AHQ office my immediate boss summoned me to his office. He told me that the Adjutant General (AG) had been looking for an officer who failed to salute the CAS that morning while the Chief was moving in his staff car towards the city and the defaulting officer crossed him in a civil jeep in front of the cantonment post office. The Chief personally noted the matter and asked the AG to find and sort out the concerned officer. The AG, after having enquired from many other officers, talked to my boss on telephone and enquired if it was I. My boss, as he had known me very well since I was a cadet at Pakistan Military Academy, Kakul, told the AG that a well-disciplined officer like me could never do that. He should look for the officer somewhere else. It may be recalled that when Gen Zia assumed the appointment of the CAS the discipline in the army was alarmingly poor. A handful of ill disciplined and politically motivated officers could not accept him as the CAS. Gen Zia thought that the defaulting officer could be one of them. The then AG was known for being ruthlessly firm. The moment I heard my boss I turned almost white in fear. Because the officer he was looking for was none but me. I told him that I was the officer the AG was looking for. I requested him to wait till the next day before he reported my name to the AG. I took a chance to explain personally my position to the CAS on the next day (Friday) when I had a scheduled appointment with him. I was pinning on the hope that the CAS might forgive me if he personally heard my explanation. Otherwise, the AG would tear me off. My boss very kindly agreed.<br /><br />Next day at around 0830 hours, as per schedule, I met the CAS in his office. As usual, he was very serious and meant business while discussing official matters. After having discussed the official matters I sought his permission to raise a personal point. He said, “ Go ahead.” I said, “ Sir, I understand you are looking for an officer who did not salute you yesterday.” He very coldly and curtly said, “Yes.” I said, “ Sir, I am the officer you are looking for. Would you kindly grant me two minutes time to explain why I did so?” He nodded his head with a grim face. I told him frankly and honestly what exactly had happened that morning. I said, “ Sir, yesterday morning my wife had been groaning under severe abdominal pain. When the civil jeep came to take me to my ML office I thought, instead of calling an ambulance from the CMH, it would be better to take my wife to the CMH by the civil jeep. As my wife was almost unconscious I made her sit on left side of the front seat of the jeep and held her tightly with my left arm. Yes, I saw you crossing on the road. I saw your flag and the stars on your car. Right at that moment it flashed in my mind that it would not be proper from military discipline point of view to salute my Chief with my right arm while I was holding my wife with my left arm. I am sorry for that. Sir, if I have committed an offence, please do punish me.” He stopped me there and with all the sympathy in his voice said, “ Ashraf, it’s okay. You have not done anything wrong. How is your wife now? Forget about it. I shall tell the AG.” I said, “ Thank you sir. Can I have your kind permission to tell you that you were my direct teacher at PMA in 1967? You personally taught me discipline there. How could I, an ordinary young major, dare not to salute my Chief? Moreover, sir, I believe the relationship between a teacher and his taught is a divine one and is far more stronger than what books on protocol demands. As my teacher you will always remain respectable to me in the days to come when none of us will be holding any official position.” As I stood up to salute before leaving his office, Gen Zia, my teacher, also rose on his feet, gently walked to me with a spark of smile on his face and patted on my back and said, Thank you Ashraf, I do appreciate your sentiments, feelings and straightforwardness. Keep it up. May Allah bless you” I saluted him as smartly as a young major like me could do. He shook my hand firmly and warmly. I felt a spark of fatherly affection throughout my body and mind before I left his office. I retrospect I may mention that the AG, after that, was never found looking for the officer he wanted to hang upside down! My wife was admitted in the CMH to remove stones from her gall bladder. <br /><br />Gen Zia, my teacher, is gone forever. I myself am an old man now. But whenever I remember this incident, and I do that quite often, I still feel his affectionate pat on my back. May Allah grant his soul eternal blessing in the heaven. <br /><br />Syed Ashrafuzzaman<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/29831725-115050590086732151?l=srzaman.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ashraf's columnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16382744974160016625noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29831725.post-1150505734057383282006-06-16T17:54:00.000-07:002006-06-16T17:55:34.066-07:00The murder of Paul Johnson and other non-Muslim workers in Saudi Arabia is very much against the Islamic principles of values of life and honoring the guest. A non-Muslim may not know it. But we Muslims know it that under no circumstances Islam allows killing of the innocent. It is only on the battle field that a Muslim is allowed to kill the enemy, and the other ground on which a person can be killed is the judicial killing, that is, when a person is sentenced to death by a court of law. The holy Qur’an which is the only source of Islam and the holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) prohibit the Muslims to kill human beings. The tiny number of misguided Muslims who are indiscriminately killing men, women and children are only acting against the orders of Allah and against the interest of Islam. The great majority of Muslims all over the world are not with them. They condemn such terrorist acts. We sympathise with the family and the friends of Paul Johnson and others who fell victim to senseless terrorism.<br /><br />Syed Ashrafuzzaman<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/29831725-115050573405738328?l=srzaman.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ashraf's columnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16382744974160016625noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29831725.post-1150505474722924532006-06-16T17:47:00.000-07:002006-06-16T17:51:14.733-07:00Like other Muslims, all my life (now more than six decades) I have been listening to the waaz (sermons of the imams and preachers). I understand there is an Imam Training Institute. I am not happy with the techniques of presentation (PR or public relations using the media) of the messages (the other aspect is the content of the message). <br /> <br />It is time the authorities reviewed the whole system of training, and modernized the syllabus, to keep up with mass psychology, and face hostile changes faced by the Islamic world.<br /><br />What appears to me to be seemingly contradictory is the rod and carrot approach to religion, and religious rituals. On the one hand, the Almighty is Rahman Ur Rahim in every other sentence; but at the same time the banda (follower) is threatened (by the preachers) with dire examples of punishment. This is a black and white approach. Life has many shades of grey, if not color. The correct approach to religion and religious practices is necessary, so as not to get lost in the branches and leaves.<br /><br />The question arises whether religion is a medium or message, or a combination of both. Rituals are necessary to cultivate good habits, for storing in the memory (DNA) for involuntary actions and reactions. Watch the untutored empathy between mother and baby, it is spontaneous and natural. The love between man and woman is also a training stage towards cultivating divine love.<br /><br />The local preachers, tutored in the traditional method of teaching, have to examine themselves first, before lecturing, about the possible existence of communication gaps (there are many types and levels of listeners, who have to be approached in interactive ways which are friendly and responsive).<br /><br />The feedback system is weak in religious sermons. It is a one-way command performance. The saints and Sufis also tutor the disciples according to the level of the listeners, stage by stage, otherwise one of them might turn jalali; (When the time comes, the master appears). Modern methods of teaching have to be incorporated in the sermons, just as it is done in propaganda campaigns during war or when facing enemies and opposition.<br /><br />Syed Ashrafuzzaman<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/29831725-115050547472292453?l=srzaman.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ashraf's columnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16382744974160016625noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29831725.post-1150503709983471102006-06-16T17:19:00.000-07:002006-06-16T17:21:49.990-07:00It needs extra ordinary moral courage, patriotism and strength of character to do what Sonia Gandhi of India has done recently. She has voluntarily declined the offer given to her by the people of India to ascend the throne of Delhi, the throne on which great rulers like Ashoka the Great, Babar, Akbar the Great and her own grand father-in-law Pandit Nehru, and many others, once sat with great honour, authority and power. After having led the Congress Party to victory Sonia had all the democratic, legal and moral right to occupy the chair of the prime minister of India. She was hardly inches away from that chair. The question is where from an ordinary mortal like us gets the moral courage, patriotism and strength of character to take the decision as Sonia did.<br /><br />In my humble personal opinion it is the cultural and educational background, grooming in the family and, above all, the values of life learnt in the childhood from where a man or a woman gets these qualities. ‘Foreign born’ Sonia with a different religious and cultural background has proved herself more superior human being than the local born Indians like Shushma Swarajs, Uma Bharatis, Promod Mahajans and L.K. Advanis.<br /><br />Here, I must say that Atal Bihari Vajpayee as the immediate past prime minister of India has miserably failed to rise to the occasion. He very shamelessly joined the Shiv Sena, RSS, Bajrang and their bandwagon by maintaining silence over Sonia’s ‘foreign origin’ issue before and after the election.<br /><br />Sonia has left the throne of Delhi to save her party from the irritating pricks BJP would have otherwise caused to it. Above all, she did not want to see India divided on an issue which was too personal to her, and she could do nothing to solve the issue. How many Indians born in India could make such sacrifices for the sake of the unity of their country?<br /><br />Hats off to Sonia Gandhi. Politicians in Bangladesh too have a lot to learn from her.<br /><br />Syed Ashrafuzzaman<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/29831725-115050370998347110?l=srzaman.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ashraf's columnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16382744974160016625noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29831725.post-1150502646121023242006-06-16T17:00:00.000-07:002006-06-16T17:04:06.123-07:00On 18 March, 2005, a lady called Dr. Ameena Wadud led a Jum’a congregation in New York. A number of male and female Muslims said their prayer behind the lady. I was listening to the early morning BBC program ‘Probhati’ in Bengali at 06:30 AM (BST) on 19 March, 2005. The incident was reported in this programme with due importance. The BBC correspondent claimed that this was for the first time in the 1400 years of history of Islam that a female Imam led a congregational prayer of Muslims. The incident has raised a storm among the Ulema (Islamic scholars) all over the world, Bangladesh being no exception.<br /><br />May I draw the attention of the concerned BBC correspondent, and others who think alike, through your column to inform them that this is not an unprecedented incident. There is at least one case on record of a lady, H. Umm-i-Warqa, daughter of Abdullah, who was appointed by the Holy Prophet (SAW) as an Imam to lead the prayers. Imam Shafie (RA), founder one of the four leading schools of Sunni jurisprudence requested that his funeral prayer be led by a lady named H. Nafisa bint-I-Hasan bin Zaid bin Hasa, a son of Ali-Fatima (May Allah be pleased with them all). The lady duly obliged. The congregation obviously included both men and women. The Qur’anic injunction and the normal practice of the Holy Prophet (SAW) were later rendered ineffectual. As a result, entry of women into the mosque was and still is severely inhibited in most Muslim countries of the world.” (Reference: Brigadier ( R ) Nazir Ahmad, Qur’anic and non-Qur’anic Islam (2nd Revised Edition); Lahore, Vanguard Books (Pvt) Ltd., 1997, pp. 195-196.) A Bengali translation of Brig (Retd) Nazir Ahmad’s book is available with Hakkani Publishers.<br /><br />Syed Ashrafuzzaman<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/29831725-115050264612102324?l=srzaman.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ashraf's columnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16382744974160016625noreply@blogger.com0