There is a decent, brave man sitting in a dungeon in a country where the British empire began - a country of poets, singers, artists, free thinkers and petty tyrants. I have known him since a moonless night in 1971 when he led me clandestinely into what was then East Pakistan and is now Bangladesh, past villages the Pakistani army had raped and razed. His name is Moudud Ahmed and he was then a young lawyer who had defended the Bengali independence leader Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
"Why have you come when even crows are afraid to fly over our house," said Begum Mujib, the sheikh's wife. This was typical of Moudud, whose tumultuous life carries more than a hint of Tom Paine.
As a schoolboy, Moudud wet his shirt with the blood of a young man killed demonstrating against the imposition of "Urdu and only Urdu" as the official language of Bangla-speaking East Pakistan. When the British attacked Egypt in 1956, he tried to haul down the union flag at the British consulate in Dhaka, and was bayoneted by police: a wound he still suffers.
When Bangladesh - free Bengal - was declared in 1971, Moudud brought a rally to its feet when he held up the front page of the Daily Mirror, which carried my report beneath the headline, BIRTH OF A NATION. "We are alive, but we are not yet free," he said, prophetically.
Once in power, Sheikh Mujib turned on his own democrats and held show trials at which Moudud was their indefatigable defender until he himself was arrested.
Assassination, coup and counter coup eventually led to a parliamentary period headed by Zia ur-Rahman, a liberation general with whom Moudud agreed to serve as deputy prime minister on condition Zia resigned from the army. Together they formed a grassroots party, but when Moudud insisted that it must be democratic, he was sacked.
Whenever he came to London he would phone those of us who had reported the liberation of Bangladesh and we would meet for a curry. His pinstriped suit and inns-of-court manner belied his own enduring struggle and that of his homeland: recurring floods and the conflict between feudalists and democrats and, later, fundamentalists.
"I am the prime minister now," he once said, as if we had not heard. Outspoken about his people's "right to social and economic justice", especially women, he was duly arrested again, then won his parliamentary seat from prison.
On April 12 last year, late at night, 25 soldiers smashed into Moudud's house in Dhaka. They had no warrant. They stripped his home and "rendered" him, blindfolded, to a place known only as "the black hole". There, he was interrogated and tortured and forced to sign a confession. He was finally charged with the possession of alcohol - a few bottles of wine and cans of beer had been found. The supreme court declared his prosecution and detention illegal. This was ignored by the government, which calls itself a "caretaker" administration, but is a front for a military dictatorship.
Moudud is suffering from a pituitary tumour and has been denied medication for six months. He is terribly ill, says his wife, the poet Hasna Jasimuddin Moudud. "Thousands of people have been detained for being activists, or just supporters," she says. "The country is a prison, and the world must know."
There are striking similarities between Moudud's case and that of the Malaysian opposition leader, Anwar Ibrahim, who this week all but overturned the old, autocratic regime. Both were framed in order to silence them. The difference is that Anwar Ibrahim's case became an international cause celebre, whereas there is only silence for Moudud Ahmed, locked in his cell, ill, without charge or trial.
In the next few days, Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed, the "chief adviser" to the caretaker government - in effect, the head of Bangladesh's government - will visit London. He is said to have a meeting arranged at 10 Downing Street. I and others have written to Dr Fakhruddin, asking him to comply with the supreme court's ruling and to release Moudud. He has not replied. If Gordon Brown's recent pronouncements on liberty have a shred of meaning, it is the question he must ask
To: alochona@yahoogroups.com
From: MHossain@YorkTech.com
Date: Tue, 13 Jan 2009 12:27:04 -0500
Subject: Re: [ALOCHONA] Great Mistakes
Dear Mr. Mohd. Haque:
I hate to bust your bubble about people changing their minds. However, from my experience, people do not change their fundamental beliefs, especially once they become adults. Core beliefs remain the same for everyone. Just ask any psychiatrist they will tell you the same. I recently watched a demonstration of this mindset at a conference. The speaker was a nationally known orator. He asked people about their opinion on an important issue. He then went on to lecture in great detail about changing their mind. At the end of his speech he asked the audience again how many of them changed their minds. Not a single hand went up. The speaker concluded that that was normal "People do not change their fundamental beliefs".
Question is then why people change political parties? Well, to achieve greater benefits; authority, influence, power and financial. What I would do is "keep my hopes up but expectations checked".
Take care,
Nurul Hossain
USA
From: alochona@yahoogroups.com [mailto:alochona@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Mohd. Haque
Sent: Tuesday, January 13, 2009 8:24 AM
To: alochona@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [POSSIBLE SPAM] Re: [ALOCHONA] Great Mistakes
Importance: Low
Communist, where do you see them? Did you hear what Menon said other day on Ershad's regime, you would lough. Though I do not know the new education minister as a communist but I can reasonably say it is not that communism has failed a greater extent (capitalism too) but these so called communists they have lost everything in BD. Butterfly left the cocoon, you can not weave anything out of it. I am saying this because if anything would have left within them from that ism - they wouldn't have join AL. What do you say?
--- On Tue, 13/1/09, mufassil islam <mufassili@hotmail.com> wrote: From: mufassil islam <mufassili@hotmail.com>
Subject: [ALOCHONA] Great Mistakes
To: alochona@yahoogroups.com
Date: Tuesday, 13 January, 2009, 12:53 AM Sheikh Mujib was a Great revolutionary leader..
And his mistakes were Great too!
After all..
He was only a human.
Mufassil Islam
Human Rights Advocate
To: alochona@yahoogroup s.com
From: maqsudo@hotmail. com
Date: Mon, 12 Jan 2009 11:58:03 +0000
Subject: RE: [ALOCHONA] Awami League's Rajakar Minister
re: J A chowdhry
------------ ----
R u the new moron in the block? What is " we are AL and Bakshal">>>
Bakshal is one of the darkest chapter in Bdesh, why u want to bring it back?
Don't you think, you should double check your mails, before you send it for publication?
Why our idealism will be " Bangabandhu" ...what is that idealism???? Is there any document
on your rubbish idea?
Sk. Mujib is just a lucky man...that ordinary, kind Bdeshis have re-accepted him as the father of nation, after all his historic corruption, inefficeincy, nepotism, rigidity, anti-democratic policies, mal-administration,
and many many other blunders.
Khoda hafez.
dr. maqsud omar
To: alochona@yahoogroup s.com
From: Chwdhury@hotmail. com
Date: Sun, 11 Jan 2009 17:40:13 +0000
Subject: RE: [ALOCHONA] Awami League's Rajakar Minister
Mufassil
You introduce ur-self as a human right advocate.I am in dought actually what u are.I thing if you
introduce us as a Jamaat Sibir activist,it will be appropiate for u.Think about it.
Do not forget, we are namly Awami League.Our idealism and goal is Bangabondhu and his BKSAL.
Jai Bangla
To: alochona@yahoogroup s.com
From: mufassili@hotmail. com
Date: Sat, 10 Jan 2009 02:35:36 +0000
Subject: [ALOCHONA] Awami League's Rajakar Minister
Dear Readers,
If you had to click this letter as you were shocked at its caption, then my question is 'Why'? Why is it so surprising to even imagine that Awami League would allow a Rajakar to be amongst its chosen league of Ministers? An offshoot of Islami Oikko Jote is already with them. How many of the voters who voted for our new Education Minister knew that this man was a hard-bone Communist and a Chhatro Union activist during his earlier political life? During Hitler's time - Fascism was taught to the children and during Stalin's time - Russian Fascism was taught to the youth. Awami League is often blinded by Bengali Fascism and this Fascist idea leads to the issue of people of non-Bengali origin and their rights to be Bangladeshis even when they are not Bengalis. My good friend Dr. Ohiduzzaman Chand of Dhaka University had recently done a PhD on the issue and I am sure that he has a better response.
Nevertheless, as I had predicted in my earlier letter, Awami League has grounded footing of West Bengal style communism in Bangladesh with Mr. Menon and Mr. Inu and now with this Communist Education Minister (in the new camouflage of Awami League) - who I am sure will change the texts massively. If we feel butterflies in our tummies about a Fanatic Religious man as our Education Minister - then what about a Fanatic Communist? I am sure not many know about this man's political convictions and history. Did u know this reader?
Mufassil Islam
Human Rights Advocate
To: alochona@yahoogroup s.com
From: mufassili@hotmail. com
Date: Thu, 8 Jan 2009 12:39:51 +0000
Subject: RE: [ALOCHONA] Bangladesh stunned by Awami victory
U simply have to prove me wrong with references. PLEASEprove me wrong and I will be happy to retract my comments.
In support of my references to Jalil:
He is stooping all the time and he has had been power blind always. Amassed enrmous wealth and formed a bank when he was a pauper only a few years ago. He was apparently grilled by Armed Forces and yet won his seat. He was side-lined by Hasina rightly. When he was asked about MPs procurement of vehciles at tax redemption by a TV journalist in UK - he lost his temper. Hmm...I wonder what sort of illness he has that kept on taking him to hospital all the time during his captive life with the Armed Forces. Hmm..I bet u know!
Munni Shaha? U simply need to make an equation of all the TV interviews she has recorded thus far which I have done. You need to watch her coverage of Avishek's wedding and her reactions to that. Well - pls DO get back to me with YOUR references. AWAMI League is an Indian enunch ( I am no BNP or Jamaat lover of present time) and YOU will soon find out. I don't know whether u have had first hand experience of their rule. Why prices come down and crime rate goes up? U need to do a research on cross border smuggling and the relevant criminal records pertaining from that. Well I have done that which many of the so called intellects willingly avoid to expose.
Mufassil Islam
Human Rights Advocate
To: alochona@yahoogroup s.com
From: kareem871@hotmail. com
Date: Thu, 8 Jan 2009 06:15:31 +0000
Subject: RE: [ALOCHONA] Bangladesh stunned by Awami victory
What a shallow analysis of BNP's election debacle. Keep it up and BNP will cease to exist - Inshallah. NB: As an aside, as one who claims to be a human rights advocate your reference to Munni Saha was irreverent and absolutely unnecessary. Likewise, if you expect to be taken seriously, you must stick to your analysis professionally without making crude remarks like Jalil being a drunkard.
To: alochona@yahoogroup s.com
From: mufassili@hotmail. com
Date: Tue, 6 Jan 2009 13:05:21 +0000
Subject: RE: [ALOCHONA] Bangladesh stunned by Awami victory Dear Readers,
The equation is very simple. The factors that played into Awami League's victory:
1. Awami League and BNP are originally almost at par with their number of supporters. Awami league's regular supporters did vote for Awami League as usual and they had no reason to love BNP - so Awami League grabbed the regular devoted votes;
2. The Swing Voters wanted to teach BNP a lesson for their corruption and had no other alternative than Mohajot as voting for BNP would have justified Tarek's corrupt practice - so they voted for alternative - ie., Awami League - having no other alternative;
3. The BNP supporters or activists were divided as to pro-change and anti-change groups, the defelctors like Bodrudouza and Oli gave reasons to the exploiters and anti-BNP lobbies reason to ponder upon BNP's coordination and disciplined approach;
4. BNP stalwarts or the pivotal leaders were kept behind the bars until the last few days on very simple cases which were easily bailable when Awami League had almost all their pivotal figures out of jail all the time (well even drunkard Jalil was out of jail);
5. Awami League had always supported the caretaker Govt and had promised to legalise their unconstitutional (although I think constitution itself has become a laugh) works if voted to power;
6. Hasina had a few anti-Jamaati Islamic groups in her pocket which got the votes of anti-Jamaati pro-Islamic ppl on their side and Hasian promised not to enact any anti-Islamic laws;
7. Ershad commands a few BNP votes as well owing to his military past;
8. New generation of voters did not have the experience of seeing Awami League's rule as adults rather they saw the corrupt rule of Tarek which made them anti-BNP and they read Awami League made ppl drink 'Vaater Fan' in drains from adults like us and they were too young to understand that Awami League always failed to control crime;
9. Awami League is better in price control when BNP is not good at that and owing to present price hike - ppl could not afford to take chances with any more price hike as that would have meant playing with starvation;
10. women voters were successfully convinced that BNP meant oppression on women;
11. The media which is ruled by Foortibaaj and Aamodi pro-Bollywood dedicated Amitabh loving reporters like Munni Shaha (who always talks for Hindu greats) ruled non-political channel news rooms like that of ATN and the so called cultural ppl are dying to have a amorous relationship with Indian medias to extend their workfield where Pakistan is a total failure;
12. Bangladesh is surrounded by Maoists and communists and Islam has been pocketed by idiots like JMBs and without true Islamic wise leaders - communism in the camouflage of secularism has taken root in newspapers;
13. Awami League banked on the issue of bringing the Jamaat leaders to war-tribunals when BNP owing to failure of its leaders (only Salauddin Qader recently accused Awami League of letting thousands of Pakistani soldiers leave the country without war compensations) could not successfully defend the issue with a counter challenge;
14. Hasina lobbied abroad (with kaaney betha issue) to win international support for Awami League when BNP concentrated on domestic support only.
Hence, I and many like me are not shocked or surprised at all at Awami League's win and I am sure the readers do recall I DID forecast this scenario even in this ALOCHONA online many months ago.
I NOW forecast that Awami League will become a good ruler as they may not act like BNP idiots but they will soon find out that Bangladeshi ppl are pro-Islamic when they will start enacting anti-Islamic India loving enactments and this will give rise to a wise and revolutionary Islamic power in Bangladesh with BNP at the helm.
Sincerely,
Mufassil Islam
Human Rights Advocate
To: alochona@yahoogroup s.com
From: mkra12@aol.com
Date: Mon, 5 Jan 2009 09:20:44 -0500
Subject: Re: [ALOCHONA] Bangladesh stunned by Awami victory
The extraordinary support for AWL is definitely a mandate for change in the affairs of the country.
That change is not some quantitative change here & there but fundamental change in the system of governance in the country. After all, they have the two third majority.
Can Sheikh Hasina & Awami League deliver that change?Can she liberate the country's folk from the yokes of colonial bureaucratic system of governance?
After everything settles down and the elected government begins functioning. The country will go back to the age old colonial system of governance,despite the overwhelming participation of the nation in the election.
From the Secreteriate to the Mahakuma offices, it's the non elected, non answerable bureaucrats who will be the supreme rulers of the day to day affairs of the country. The Minister is not the executive head of the Ministry but the Secretery. Ministers orders cannot be issued as Government orders unless approved by the Secretary. The scenario at the districts, Upozilla's, Cities & Mahakuma's are more bleak. There is zero representation of the public in the governance of those levels.
The notorious system that was devised by the colonial rulers to keep us under subjugation by our own people continues to this day, despite two independences.
Hope her Government will hand over the total administration of the Upozillas to the elected chairman & council members.She will face a lot of resistance from the bureaucracy by way of government rules & regulations but she has the backing of the vast majority as well as the two third majority to do and undo anything in the greater interest of the nation. All administrative powers which are excercised by the bureaucrats at those levels should be vested in the elected chairman & council of representatives. This will empower the Upozilla people to be their own rulers.They will truly be independent.
Until & unless we establish Democracy,self rule at the grassroot levels Democracy will not have its foundation.Opinions of the majority of citizens, their hopes & aspirations, likings ,dislikings will not be expressed in the affairs of the country, nor their support be of any strength to the elected government. The handful of elected ministers at the center will be cut off from the people by way of the clandestine bureaucracy. Its imperative that we have elected local government.at the varios administrative levels;bureaucrats at these levels should be answerable to the elected local body.
The vast majority of Bangladeshi' s has shown the keen judgement of right & wrong by routing out the parties of anti liberation past & fundamentalist in nature.They also opted for the less corrupt of the two parties. Is it too much to ask that these good majority will be allowed to be their own rulers?
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