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Tuesday, September 25, 2007

[ALOCHONA] Don’t blame politicians, be a politician/ An Article in the New Age

You may find interest in this, in case you would like to think out of the box..........
 
Thanks and best regards.
 
-Reshad
 
 
======================================================

IN BANGLADESH there are some very common rules – if you speak against Islam you are 'secular' (or 'religiously neutral'); if you blindly speak against the ruling party you are 'politically neutral'; and if you speak against any and everything you are an 'intellectual'. And the most recent trend is to speak against politicians.
   
 
During the recent anarchy in Bangladesh most of us have been blaming our politicians for all our problems. But have we ever taken a deep breath and given this a second thought before doing so?
 
I happened to be involved with the students' union of a university hall in Bangladesh in the late-1990s. After a lot of effort and hard work I was able to organise our first event which was later appreciated a lot. But as soon as I came down from the stage, a good friend of mine asked me, 'How much did you make?' I swore to myself that I would do as much corruption as possible in the next programme. Thank God I didn't get a chance since I moved to the United States soon after that. This makes me think – we are always cursing the politicians, yet have we ever appreciated them for their good deeds? What incentive do they have to do a good job?
 
Many of you may remember the April 1, 1999 incident at the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology when the whole university observed the agitation by students including attacks on academic buildings. We, as members of the Engineering University Central Students' Union, informed the authorities well ahead of time about possible student agitation. They didn't listen to us and when finally the violence occurred, all the students were blamed. The authorities never asked for our advice before any incident, but whenever anything happened student politics was the first thing to be blamed.
 
Politicians are the easy scapegoats now and they are always blamed. Yet how many bureaucrats have we seen going to jail? Governments change and people change, but bureaucracy never changes. Ex-ministers go to jail but nobody can touch the 'innocent' bureaucrats. Does it mean that they are all angels coming down from the heaven? How many army officers have been tried for corruption in the past few months?
 
Of course, most of top positions of our political parties are occupied by corrupt people. But why? This is because all the so-called good people maintain a safe distance from politics and the others come in to fill the vacuum.
 
If we analyse the history of Bangladesh (and East Pakistan) for the past fifty years we find that anarchy was created before every military rule. Turmoil in the parliament was used in 1956 to justify martial law which eventually brought Ayub Khan into power and General Ershad used 'corruption of the Justice Sattar-led government' to justify military rule, which eventually brought a government which was a million times more corrupt than the previous one.
 
We have always seen that before snatching power all military rulers declare 'jihad' against politicians and try to ruin their character through the use of their puppet media. Think about General Ershad – he at first put a number of politicians in jail for corruption, and later on released them and eventually recruited them in his cabinet (one of them became his vice-president).
 
The goal of this article is not to engage in this mindless blame game. What I want to say is that blaming politicians is not going to solve anything; on the other hand we should reveal the characters of the blamers. The same person who blames politicians also goes to the politician friend to get a permit or to get a job.
 
Let's look at the other side of the story – why is the army taking over from the politicians again and again? The answer is very simple – politicians failed to resist the army's penetration. Why? Because we don't have enough qualified and competent leaders. Can anyone in this country confidently say that we have enough skilled labour in any profession? Do the lawyers have integrity? Do all the doctors know well what they are doing? Are all the students attentive? Are all the teachers honest? Of course, the answer is no for each of those questions. Then why blame only politicians and politics for our problems?
 
The root cause is in our culture/ethnicity. We used to be farmers a couple of generations back. There was no infrastructure for modern education; the little opportunity for education that was available was only religious education. So for centuries education system was dominated by half-literate mullahs (excluding some exceptions). We got our first university (Dhaka University) in 1921. Whereas in the United States they have had universities in the 16th century and even before that in many developed countries in Europe. When the British left there were very few skilled and well-educated people in the former East Pakistan to run the country. As a result, we have seen mismanagement everywhere.
 
Talking about politics – most of our 'good' politicians either died or were killed or demoralised. Even more dangerously, the so-called 'good' and 'well-educated' people were afraid to come forward and step up. As a result, all the 'bad' people filled in the vacuum and we are seeing the result with our own eyes now.
 
So where is the solution? We have given blood in 1952, 1966, 1969, 1971, 1975, 1982 and 1990. Why do we still need to give blood? Because every time power ended up with non-qualified people who did not have a long-term plan to develop our country. As a result, people changed but the system didn't. The same thing happened over and over again.
 
I can't blame today's politicians; we only know their bad side but do we really know how they can motivate the general masses? Do we know how they help people during their hardship (i.e. natural disasters)? That is why they have their followers who are ready to die for them. Can we break this tradition overnight?
 
So where is the solution? The only solution that I see to get qualified people into politics. I am not talking like our ex-dictators who declared war against corruption, suddenly brought the elite into politics and eventually opened the door to sky-high corruption. What I want to say is good people need to mix with our general people and emerge as leaders from there. Of course, this will take time and patience. What do we do in the mean time? We need the military-backed interim government to hand over power to an elected government at the soonest. If anything other than this happens our country will be back to square one again.
 
I appreciate all the good deeds that this government is doing including making some good laws that would keep away corrupt people from politics, putting them in jail and so on. But at the same time, we have learnt from history that continuing with this type of government for an indefinite period will bring disaster to the country. So let's all work towards free and fair elections as well as an honourable exit for this government as soon as possible.
 
Saleheen Monowar Reshad writes from Houston, Texas


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Re: [ALOCHONA] Get rid of Pakistani Ghost!

It really doesn't matters what is the origin of name.
Thing that really matter is to have honest political
leader.

--- Sajjad Hossain <shossain456@yahoo.com> wrote:

> I strongly support you. Awami League has been
> cryoing for Bengali nationalism, so why not changing
> its name with real real Bangla words. Janata Dal.
>
> -SH
>
> Mahbubur Razzaque <mmrazzaque@me.buet.ac.bd> wrote:
> As part of the ongoing reform process, the
> Election Commission proposed some
> guidelines. These are currently under scrutiny of
> the major political
> parties and the policy makers. Recently, a group is
> bringing the issues of
> war criminals and secularism. To me to raise the
> issues of war criminals to
> the EC is nothing but a political game. This issue
> should have been settled
> long ago. However, still there is option to take it
> to the court for justice
> and we should get rid of this issue as soon as
> possible.
>
> In this regard, the EC should consider the question
> of naming of the
> political parties. Bangla has a rich vocabulary and
> a political party should
> not have a problem to find a couple of suitable
> words for its name. I
> propose to the EC to make it mandatory for a
> political party to have Bangla
> name for registration.
>
> The next thing is the dress code. Some political
> leaders use Panjabi (Hey!
> Why should a Bangalee needs Panjabi to do
> politics?). The EC should ban
> Panjabi and Peshwari coat (popularly known as Mujib
> coat) in Political
> activities. These are 100% anti-secular, anti
> Bengalee nationalism
> elements.
>
> Bangalees are possibly the only nation in the world
> who fought for its
> language for a long time. The glorious language
> movement that earned the
> recognition of Bangla language has a very special
> place in the history of
> Bangladesh. After more than long 50 years when the
> colonial rulers are gone,
> I find it illogical to use Urdu word in the name of
> a political party in a
> country where almost nobody speaks Urdu now-a-days.
>
> I am drawing your attention to the following words:
> Awami (Urdu) and League (English) of Awami League
> Workers (English) and Party (English) of Workers
> Party
> Jamaat-E-Islami (Urdu)
> National (English), Awami (Urdu) and Party (English)
> of NAP
> Forum (English) of Gonoforum, etc.
>
> Undoubtedly assimilation of foreign words is
> essential to enrich a language
> but the words just mentioned above have good
> replacement in Bangla.
>
> Interestingly, the exact meaning of some words such
> as Awami is not known
> many of the Bengalees. If Awami League truly
> believes in Bengali
> nationalism, they should find a new Bangla name. It
> hurts me to see our
> Awami league leaders use the dress of the Pakistan
> Muslim League very
> religiously. It is shameful! We should get rid of
> Pakistani ghost in every
> possible way.
>
> Regards,
>
> Dr. M. Mahbubur Razzaque
> Associate professor
> Department of Mechanical Engineering
> Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology
> Dhaka-1000, Bangladesh
>
> Phone: (880 2) 966 5650 (PABX) ext- 7989
> FAX: 880 2 861 3026, 880 2 861 3046
>
>
>
>
>
>
> ---------------------------------
> Pinpoint customers who are looking for what you
> sell.


http://www.geocities.com/jamilspic


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[ALOCHONA] Concert in NY: October 12th: Dr. Yunus is special guest!

Grameen Foundation and Sing for Hope presents a musical benefit for
the Grameen Foundation Children's scholarship program

Special guest: Dr. Muhammad Yunus, Founder and Managing Director of
Grameen Bank and 2006 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate

When: Friday, October 12th, 2007
Where: The brand new TimesCenter in New York City (41st between 7th
and 8th Ave)
Tickets: $50, $125, $500, $1000. $500 and $1000 get premium seats and
invitation to private reception with Dr. Muhammad Yunus

Purchase: www.grameenfoundation.org

This will be a sold out show so get your tickets early!
www.grameenfoundation.org
http://www.grameenfoundation.org

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Re: [ALOCHONA] Get rid of Pakistani Ghost!

What an amazing list of priorities - dress code and name!

How are these things relevant to how a political party rules? There are far more important issues that our political parties need to focus on such as good governance, accountability and internal democracy.

- M. Raheem
New York


Sajjad Hossain <shossain456@yahoo.com> wrote:

I strongly support you. Awami League has been cryoing for Bengali nationalism, so why not changing its name with real real Bangla words. Janata Dal.
 
-SH

Mahbubur Razzaque <mmrazzaque@me.buet.ac.bd> wrote:
As part of the ongoing reform process, the Election Commission proposed some
guidelines. These are currently under scrutiny of the major political
parties and the policy makers. Recently, a group is bringing the issues of
war criminals and secularism. To me to raise the issues of war criminals to
the EC is nothing but a political game. This issue should have been settled
long ago. However, still there is option to take it to the court for justice
and we should get rid of this issue as soon as possible.

In this regard, the EC should consider the question of naming of the
political parties. Bangla has a rich vocabulary and a political party should
not have a problem to find a couple of suitable words for its name. I
propose to the EC to make it mandatory for a political party to have Bangla
name for registration.

The next thing is the dress code. Some political leaders use Panjabi (Hey!
Why should a Bangalee needs Panjabi to do politics?). The EC should ban
Panjabi and Peshwari coat (popularly known as Mujib coat) in Political
activities. These are 100% anti-secular, anti Bengalee nationalism
elements.

Bangalees are possibly the only nation in the world who fought for its
language for a long time. The glorious language movement that earned the
recognition of Bangla language has a very special place in the history of
Bangladesh. After more than long 50 years when the colonial rulers are gone,
I find it illogical to use Urdu word in the name of a political party in a
country where almost nobody speaks Urdu now-a-days.

I am drawing your attention to the following words:
Awami (Urdu) and League (English) of Awami League
Workers (English) and Party (English) of Workers Party
Jamaat-E-Islami (Urdu)
National (English), Awami (Urdu) and Party (English) of NAP
Forum (English) of Gonoforum, etc.

Undoubtedly assimilation of foreign words is essential to enrich a language
but the words just mentioned above have good replacement in Bangla.

Interestingly, the exact meaning of some words such as Awami is not known
many of the Bengalees. If Awami League truly believes in Bengali
nationalism, they should find a new Bangla name. It hurts me to see our
Awami league leaders use the dress of the Pakistan Muslim League very
religiously. It is shameful! We should get rid of Pakistani ghost in every
possible way.

Regards,

Dr. M. Mahbubur Razzaque
Associate professor
Department of Mechanical Engineering
Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology
Dhaka-1000, Bangladesh

Phone: (880 2) 966 5650 (PABX) ext- 7989
FAX: 880 2 861 3026, 880 2 861 3046



Pinpoint customers who are looking for what you sell.

__._,_.___

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[ALOCHONA] Joke: Bengali jealousy

Thanks Robin for that joke! It was hilarious! Here’s another joke that I like very much.

 

Comments anyone?

 

With fun

 

Ezajur Rahman

Kuwait

 

 

Bengali Jealousy

 

A new employee of the Devil was being taken on a tour of Hell.

The tour guide explained that there was one room in Hell for every nationality.

They passed many rooms, each with its own nationality and each had a demon outside.

“Why is there a demon outside each room?” asked the employee.

“To prevent anyone from escaping” said the guide.

Finally, near the exit, there was a room packed with people arguing and with no demon outside.

The employee asked “Who are they? Why is there no demon outside? Why are they not escaping?”

The guide replied “Oh they are Bengalis! No demon is needed! If one tries to escape the others pull him back in!”

 

 

 

 

__._,_.___

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[ALOCHONA] Islam and politics in Bangladesh

 
 
Dear Alochok Ezajur               ,
Greetings. before I go into your current discussion let me ask you a question in refer to your posting on August 31st of 2007 (#8329 of 8436) with Alochona forum.
 
Brother, I do not remember I ever posed as a neutral person, so what you discovered from my posting is not clear to me till today!  Since I started writing in the net, I openly said I am a member of Bangladesh Awami League. You can search the net with my name and you will find in plentiful posting where I claimed my self as Awami worker, and I am proud of that.
 
I am not sure whether you will agree or not but I found it is interesting that predominance of Awami supporter are not covert but overt. On the other hand majority of Jamaat, BNP and present army back government are ashamed of their identity therefore do not want to disclose their political distinctiveness!  May I hope you will come forward and let the netters know your political affiliation or you may choose to act same as those characters I mentioned above?
 
Anyway, let me come to your recent posting and present my two cents. I do agree with a hefty area of your thoughts. Yes indeed, it is shameless unquestionable defeat of morality of mainstream politics that triggered the rise of politics of religion based on falls perception not only in Bangladesh but in almost all countries of the world especially in Muslim majority country.
 
However, that dose not proves by any means that the standing of religion-based politics is right. It remains as one of the most inhuman unworthy system to try that failed miserably many moons ago. With all its shortcoming democracy remains most compassionate and trustworthy political system yet until we find something new and obviously better.
 
Politics based on theology and theocratic state is nothing new but a very old phenomenon, perhaps the oldest among all other school of politics. World has witnessed the rise and fall of theological political estate from east to west and north to south of our dear globe. Especially theocratic states based on Christianity and Islam become chunk of our medieval history.
 
Whether it is Christian or Islamic state, all of theology based statehood collapsed not by outsiders but insiders.  Who saw it as blockade for human development and against the very essence of why God created his kingdom with different skin colors, difference of opinion, creed, linguistic barrier, physical differences and so many other significant dissimilarity to test how we coincide and coexist with each other and still do justice?
 
Theological state remains viable as long there was good leaders who evidently created state based on theology but ruled with justice of universality. But as time passed by morality of those leaders collapsed and it not only left a chilling effect on the society but also bankrupt the very base of religion it self. The very mathematics of ruling statehood changed. Theology for mankind replaced by rule of aristocracy of royals in the name of thology. Thus, the end of the morally of bankrupt theological state collapsed and usher the rise of state with collective leadership now what we call democracy.
 
If you look at the history of our Islamic statehood that started in the hand of the most noblemen, Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) in Medina collapsed completely not long after his departure. However, there are many arguments whether we should call the statehood of Medina or it was a mere community hood in agreement.
 
In absence of Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) Islamic state or community in agreement failed as able leaders of caliphate died or killed by insiders. After the disappearance of Caliphate a Rashidun.
 
Hazrat Abū Bakr (RA) nominated Hazrat Umar (RA) as his successor on his deathbed, and there was consensus in the Muslim community to his choice. His successor, Hazrat Uthman, was elected by a council of electors (Majlis), but was soon perceived by some to be ruling as a "king" rather than an elected leader. Hazrat Uthman was killed by members of a disaffected group. Hazrat Alī then took control, and although very popular, he was not universally accepted as caliph by the governors of Egypt, and later by some of his own guard. He had two major rebellions and was assassinated after a tumultuous rule of only five years. This period is known as the Fitna, or the first Islamic civil war.
 
Muāwiyya, a relative of Uthman, and governor (Wali) of Syria became one of Hazrat Alī's (RA) challengers. After Hazrat Alī's (RA) death, Muāwiyya managed to overcome other claimants to the Caliphate. Under Muāwiyya, the caliphate became a hereditary office for the first time. He founded the Umayyad dynasty. We know the sad story of Karbala where Prophet Muhammad’s grandsons were killed in the hands of Umayyad who eventually formed the Umayyad dynasty.
 
From the time of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) the Umayyad, Abbasid, and finally Ottoman (sultans of Turkey) dynasties held successive caliphates. Caliphate ended when Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, as part of his reforms, constitutionally abolished the institution of the Caliphate in 1924.
 
Scattered attempts to revive the Caliphate elsewhere in the Muslim World were made in the years immediately following its abandonment by Turkey, but none were successful.
 
Hussein bin Ali, a former Ottoman governor of the Hejaz who aided the British during World War I and revolted against Istanbul, declared himself Caliph two days after Turkey relinquished the title. But his claim was largely ignored, and he was soon ousted and driven out of Arabia by the Saudis, a rival clan that had no interest in the Caliphate.
The last Ottoman Sultan Mehmed VI made a similar attempt to re-establish himself as Caliph in the Hejaz after leaving Turkey, but he was also unsuccessful. A summit was convened at Cairo in 1926 to discuss the revival of the Caliphate, but most Muslim countries did not participate and no action was taken to implement the summit's resolutions.
 
However, the King of Morocco adopted the title Ameer al-Mumineen and Mullah Mohammed Omar, former head of the now-defunct Taliban regime of Afghanistan, claimed neither any legal standing nor authority over Muslims outside the borders of their respective countries.
 
Brother Ezajur, the only reason why I explained (Lot of these are not mine but from facts copied from history) is only to explain one and one reason.
 
Degradation of morality not only happened in democratic politics today but also long before that we witnessed the similar or perhaps more cynical and dangerously sleeping down in politics based in religion.
 
Now let me come to my point, with above said it is clear that there is no consensus among Muslim since the end of Caliphate of Rashidun to reestablish the statehood in its true essence. What we see in the name of Islamic statehood is nothing but mockery of Islam and rather rule of dynasty instead of rule of collectiveness. A mad man like Mullah Mohammad Omar of Afghanistan can claimed to establish some sort of Caliphate. On the other hand, there is country like Bangladesh who created a façade of Islamic Republic, which is based on nothing but so-called utopian Islamic state. It character is such that drunk womanizer a dishonest man like Gen. Ershad has to give the legitimacy by his military sermon to declare Bangladesh a Islamic Republic.
 
Jamaat-E-Islami and most of Islamic political entity in Bangladesh (elsewhere too) wants to establish the state based on Islamic theology such as Caliphate is nothing but another travesty and a slap over our religion. Jamaat or no other Islamic leader in Bangladesh or else where has the moral authority to form such government.
 
Just think who are the people who lead this so-called Islamic party in Bangladesh, Golam Azam, Matiur Rahman Nizami self-proclaimed war criminals, master minder of thousands of Bengali during our liberation war are in the forefront of Jamaat-E-Islami of Bangladesh. Mr. Ezaj, please think and then tell me what morality you see on these traders of religion, murderers and thugs
 
It is sad that people with conscious mind are not uniting to start a movement not just to wipeout these religious traders for the sake of Bangladesh but for the sake of Islam as well. Just few days ago so called Islamic party in Bangladesh name Hizbut Tahrir which even does not believe in Bangladesh constitution (read their own statement from their website and speeches) carried out a rally under police protection violating emergency rule. In different time, government allowed these organizations to grow or at least sustain to carry their agenda.
 
Jamaat-E-Islami is the most undemocratic political organization in Bangladesh, it is not just my saying but there constitution reveals that. I will urge readers of this forum to collect Jamaat-E-Islam’s constitution to read and verify my claim.
 
I have intention to write about deception of Jamaat-E-Islam’s constitution from its cover page to its entirety in near future along with need of reform of all other political party including my own ideological platform Bangladesh Awami League.
 
For the betterment of Bangladesh and Islam, we ought to stand against Jamaat-E-Islami and all other traders of religion and must not be recognized them as a political or religious entity but a clandestine organization to create Fitna among Muslim just as the first Fitna or Islamic Civil War created during Caliphate of Hazrat Ali (RA).
 
Sincerely
Shamim Chowdhury
 ==========================================================
 
Dear Alochoks
I would just like to make the following comments â€"
It may be argued that governments should not be the custodians of morality. This is the case in the West. On the other hand, governments have many moral obligations and are required to pass, and enforce, laws that should not be immoral. Morality may ultimately be a personal matter, or a matter for organised religion. But morality is certainly, at whatever level, within the remit of governance.
It is the failure of morality in centre politics that drives people away towards extreme politics.
In Bangladesh there has been a total breakdown in morality in centre politics. There is no mention of morals, no expectation of morals and no claim of moral responsibility. This has pushed many people into the arms of radical Islam.
Until centre politics can prove that it is worthy of trust there is no chance at all of even negotiating with Islamic radicals.
All our brightest minds combined with all our liberal geniuses combined with all the logical minds in the world will not defeat radical Islam if they cannot prove that morality is at the heart of centre politics. In Bangladesh Khaleda and Hasina have destroyed morality in centre politics and thus radical Islam has grown stronger and stronger during their democratic governments.
It is hilarious to see that so many people across the board condemn Jamaati Islam as traitors and criminals â€" and Jamaati Islam just gets stronger day by day. In 1971 one would have been lynched for even suggesting that one day the men of Jamaati Islam could become ministers. And yet Mujib, Zia, Ershad, Khaleda and Hasina all compromised with Jamaat. Why?
It is because the political parties could never compete with Jamaat when it came to perceived morality. This is because morality was never an issue for political parties.  Each of our leaders encouraged corruption â€" and therefore encouraged moral decay.
Even today some our most talented people, most educated people are attracted to Jamaati Islam.
If the cartoon is immoral then it sure isn’t going to be Awami League or BNP that are going to make a stand against it! Jamaat came out in force against the cartoons and there is nothing and nobody in Bangladesh that can do a thing about it. The courts may keep the cartoon in the paper â€" but they won’t stop Jamaat protesting emphatically!
As for the cartoon itself â€" I wasn’t offended. But I would be offended if the Danish cartoons were printed in Bangladesh! How does a cartoon depicting Prophet Mohammed as a dog sound? Liberal? Modern?
Looks like we’re half way to getting rid of Hasina and Khaleda. If and when that happens there can be true reform of centre politics in Bangladesh. If true reform happens then centre politics â€"where you and I belong â€" can take on the radicals.
Until then you just got to admire the confidence of Jamaat! The mad Mullahs sure don’t look worried!
Regards
Ezajur Rahman
Kuwait
 
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[ALOCHONA] Re: Islam and politics in Bangladesh

Dear Alochok Ezajur               ,

Greetings. before I go into your current discussion let me ask you a question in refer to your posting on August 31st of 2007 (#8329 of 8436) with Alochona forum.

 

Brother, I do not remember I ever posed as a neutral person, so what you discovered from my posting is not clear to me till today!  Since I started writing in the net, I openly said I am a member of Bangladesh Awami League. You can search the net with my name and you will find in plentiful posting where I claimed my self as Awami worker, and I am proud of that.

 

I am not sure whether you will agree or not but I found it is interesting that predominance of Awami supporter are not covert but overt. On the other hand majority of Jamaat, BNP and present army back government are ashamed of their identity therefore do not want to disclose their political distinctiveness!  May I hope you will come forward and let the netters know your political affiliation or you may choose to act same as those characters I mentioned above?

 

Anyway, let me come to your recent posting and present my two cents. I do agree with a hefty area of your thoughts. Yes indeed, it is shameless unquestionable defeat of morality of mainstream politics that triggered the rise of politics of religion based on falls perception not only in Bangladesh but in almost all countries of the world especially in Muslim majority country.

 

However, that dose not proves by any means that the standing of religion-based politics is right. It remains as one of the most inhuman unworthy system to try that failed miserably many moons ago. With all its shortcoming democracy remains most compassionate and trustworthy political system yet until we find something new and obviously better.

 

Politics based on theology and theocratic state is nothing new but a very old phenomenon, perhaps the oldest among all other school of politics. World has witnessed the rise and fall of theological political estate from east to west and north to south of our dear globe. Especially theocratic states based on Christianity and Islam become chunk of our medieval history.

 

Whether it is Christian or Islamic state, all of theology based statehood collapsed not by outsiders but insiders.  Who saw it as blockade for human development and against the very essence of why God created his kingdom with different skin colors, difference of opinion, creed, linguistic barrier, physical differences and so many other significant dissimilarity to test how we coincide and coexist with each other and still do justice?

 

Theological state remains viable as long there was good leaders who evidently created state based on theology but ruled with justice of universality. But as time passed by morality of those leaders collapsed and it not only left a chilling effect on the society but also bankrupt the very base of religion it self. The very mathematics of ruling statehood changed. Theology for mankind replaced by rule of aristocracy of royals in the name of thology. Thus, the end of the morally of bankrupt theological state collapsed and usher the rise of state with collective leadership now what we call democracy.

 

If you look at the history of our Islamic statehood that started in the hand of the most noblemen, Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) in Medina collapsed completely not long after his departure. However, there are many arguments whether we should call the statehood of Medina or it was a mere community hood in agreement.

 

In absence of Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) Islamic state or community in agreement failed as able leaders of caliphate died or killed by insiders. After the disappearance of Caliphate a Rashidun.

 

Hazrat Abū Bakr (RA) nominated Hazrat Umar (RA) as his successor on his deathbed, and there was consensus in the Muslim community to his choice. His successor, Hazrat Uthman, was elected by a council of electors (Majlis), but was soon perceived by some to be ruling as a "king" rather than an elected leader. Hazrat Uthman was killed by members of a disaffected group. Hazrat Alī then took control, and although very popular, he was not universally accepted as caliph by the governors of Egypt, and later by some of his own guard. He had two major rebellions and was assassinated after a tumultuous rule of only five years. This period is known as the Fitna, or the first Islamic civil war.

 

Muāwiyya, a relative of Uthman, and governor (Wali) of Syria became one of Hazrat Alī's (RA) challengers. After Hazrat Alī's (RA) death, Muāwiyya managed to overcome other claimants to the Caliphate. Under Muāwiyya, the caliphate became a hereditary office for the first time. He founded the Umayyad dynasty. We know the sad story of Karbala where Prophet Muhammad’s grandsons were killed in the hands of Umayyad who eventually formed the Umayyad dynasty.

 

From the time of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) the Umayyad, Abbasid, and finally Ottoman (sultans of Turkey) dynasties held successive caliphates. Caliphate ended when Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, as part of his reforms, constitutionally abolished the institution of the Caliphate in 1924.

 

Scattered attempts to revive the Caliphate elsewhere in the Muslim World were made in the years immediately following its abandonment by Turkey, but none were successful.

 

Hussein bin Ali, a former Ottoman governor of the Hejaz who aided the British during World War I and revolted against Istanbul, declared himself Caliph two days after Turkey relinquished the title. But his claim was largely ignored, and he was soon ousted and driven out of Arabia by the Saudis, a rival clan that had no interest in the Caliphate.

The last Ottoman Sultan Mehmed VI made a similar attempt to re-establish himself as Caliph in the Hejaz after leaving Turkey, but he was also unsuccessful. A summit was convened at Cairo in 1926 to discuss the revival of the Caliphate, but most Muslim countries did not participate and no action was taken to implement the summit's resolutions.

 

However, the King of Morocco adopted the title Ameer al-Mumineen and Mullah Mohammed Omar, former head of the now-defunct Taliban regime of Afghanistan, claimed neither any legal standing nor authority over Muslims outside the borders of their respective countries.

 

Brother Ezajur, the only reason why I explained (Lot of these are not mine but from facts copied from history) is only to explain one and one reason.

 

Degradation of morality not only happened in democratic politics today but also long before that we witnessed the similar or perhaps more cynical and dangerously sleeping down in politics based in religion.

 

Now let me come to my point, with above said it is clear that there is no consensus among Muslim since the end of Caliphate of Rashidun to reestablish the statehood in its true essence. What we see in the name of Islamic statehood is nothing but mockery of Islam and rather rule of dynasty instead of rule of collectiveness. A mad man like Mullah Mohammad Omar of Afghanistan can claimed to establish some sort of Caliphate. On the other hand, there is country like Bangladesh who created a façade of Islamic Republic, which is based on nothing but so-called utopian Islamic state. It character is such that drunk womanizer a dishonest man like Gen. Ershad has to give the legitimacy by his military sermon to declare Bangladesh a Islamic Republic.

 

Jamaat-E-Islami and most of Islamic political entity in Bangladesh (elsewhere too) wants to establish the state based on Islamic theology such as Caliphate is nothing but another travesty and a slap over our religion. Jamaat or no other Islamic leader in Bangladesh or else where has the moral authority to form such government.

 

Just think who are the people who lead this so-called Islamic party in Bangladesh, Golam Azam, Matiur Rahman Nizami self-proclaimed war criminals, master minder of thousands of Bengali during our liberation war are in the forefront of Jamaat-E-Islami of Bangladesh. Mr. Ezaj, please think and then tell me what morality you see on these traders of religion, murderers and thugs

 

It is sad that people with conscious mind are not uniting to start a movement not just to wipeout these religious traders for the sake of Bangladesh but for the sake of Islam as well. Just few days ago so called Islamic party in Bangladesh name Hizbut Tahrir which even does not believe in Bangladesh constitution (read their own statement from their website and speeches) carried out a rally under police protection violating emergency rule. In different time, government allowed these organizations to grow or at least sustain to carry their agenda.

 

Jamaat-E-Islami is the most undemocratic political organization in Bangladesh, it is not just my saying but there constitution reveals that. I will urge readers of this forum to collect Jamaat-E-Islam’s constitution to read and verify my claim.

 

I have intention to write about deception of Jamaat-E-Islam’s constitution from its cover page to its entirety in near future along with need of reform of all other political party including my own ideological platform Bangladesh Awami League.

 

For the betterment of Bangladesh and Islam, we ought to stand against Jamaat-E-Islami and all other traders of religion and must not be recognized them as a political or religious entity but a clandestine organization to create Fitna among Muslim just as the first Fitna or Islamic Civil War created during Caliphate of Hazrat Ali (RA).

 

Sincerely

Shamim Chowdhury

======================================================================
--- In alochona@yahoogroups.com, "Ezajur Rahman" <ezajur.rahman@...> wrote:
>
> Dear Alochoks
>
>
>
> I would just like to make the following comments -
>
>
>
> It may be argued that governments should not be the custodians of
> morality. This is the case in the West. On the other hand, governments
> have many moral obligations and are required to pass, and enforce, laws
> that should not be immoral. Morality may ultimately be a personal
> matter, or a matter for organised religion. But morality is certainly,
> at whatever level, within the remit of governance.
>
>
>
> It is the failure of morality in centre politics that drives people away
> towards extreme politics.
>
>
>
> In Bangladesh there has been a total breakdown in morality in centre
> politics. There is no mention of morals, no expectation of morals and no
> claim of moral responsibility. This has pushed many people into the arms
> of radical Islam.
>
>
>
> Until centre politics can prove that it is worthy of trust there is no
> chance at all of even negotiating with Islamic radicals.
>
>
>
> All our brightest minds combined with all our liberal geniuses combined
> with all the logical minds in the world will not defeat radical Islam if
> they cannot prove that morality is at the heart of centre politics. In
> Bangladesh Khaleda and Hasina have destroyed morality in centre politics
> and thus radical Islam has grown stronger and stronger during their
> democratic governments.
>
>
>
> It is hilarious to see that so many people across the board condemn
> Jamaati Islam as traitors and criminals - and Jamaati Islam just gets
> stronger day by day. In 1971 one would have been lynched for even
> suggesting that one day the men of Jamaati Islam could become ministers.
> And yet Mujib, Zia, Ershad, Khaleda and Hasina all compromised with
> Jamaat. Why?
>
>
>
> It is because the political parties could never compete with Jamaat when
> it came to perceived morality. This is because morality was never an
> issue for political parties. Each of our leaders encouraged corruption
> - and therefore encouraged moral decay.
>
>
>
> Even today some our most talented people, most educated people are
> attracted to Jamaati Islam.
>
>
>
> If the cartoon is immoral then it sure isn't going to be Awami League or
> BNP that are going to make a stand against it! Jamaat came out in force
> against the cartoons and there is nothing and nobody in Bangladesh that
> can do a thing about it. The courts may keep the cartoon in the paper -
> but they won't stop Jamaat protesting emphatically!
>
>
>
> As for the cartoon itself - I wasn't offended. But I would be offended
> if the Danish cartoons were printed in Bangladesh! How does a cartoon
> depicting Prophet Mohammed as a dog sound? Liberal? Modern?
>
>
>
> Looks like we're half way to getting rid of Hasina and Khaleda. If and
> when that happens there can be true reform of centre politics in
> Bangladesh. If true reform happens then centre politics -where you and I
> belong - can take on the radicals.
>
>
>
> Until then you just got to admire the confidence of Jamaat! The mad
> Mullahs sure don't look worried!
>
>
>
> Regards
>
>
>
> Ezajur Rahman
>
> Kuwait
> --------------------------------------------------------
>
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