| India On Edge with Bangladesh By Dr Shahid Qureshi, UK It seems US and India are using same script on Bangladesh what they are using on Pakistan? Pseudo inflated threats of petty groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba (Let), some times imaginary militants and threats from probably dead people like Osama? What Indians couldn't get on Pakistani side they are trying to achieve on the Bangladeshi side? No matter how much corrupt BeeBee (Benazir), Begums (Hasina –Khalida-Sonia) and Babu (Zardari) policy is in practice for a while in the Sub-continent? -- Thinking big and being big are two different things. Indians seem to be lured into the fantasy virtual policeman in the region and it has seemingly accepted that role at a policy level? Indians might have bought approximately $7 billion arms from its friends in the past few months. Those who have seen Oscar winning movie 'slum dog millionaire' wonder why Indians not building more toilets for its millions of semi naked hungry people dying with poverty? Any direct action in Bangladesh to save Sheikh Hasina's pro India government would destabilise the region and Indian dream of safe route to its troubled states might become route to hell? General Moin might have been having sleepless night in his expansive 'dollar' made home, but reportedly General Kiyani Pakistan Army Chief apparently didn't have any problem in showing a Pakistan Air Force's F-16 cockpit photo of missile locked Indian Air Force Jet in Pakistani territory to a US General with a warning, 'we will bring down next time'! It seems US and India are using same script on Bangladesh what they are using on Pakistan? Pseudo inflated threats of petty groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba (Let), some times imaginary militants and threats from probably dead people like Osama? What Indians couldn't get on Pakistani side they are trying to achieve on the Bangladeshi side? No matter how much corrupt BeeBee (Benazir), Begums (Hasina –Khalida-Sonia) and Babu (Zardari) policy is in practice for a while in the Sub-continent? After the Mumbai bombings a senior Indian journalist at Foreign and Commonwealth Office repetition said, 'then they will sell arms to us'. He kind of agreed with the fact that Mumbai Bombings was an inside and international multi agencies operation, which could have lead to a full scale war with the nuclear armed Pakistan with catastrophic results for the world? US seem to be playing double game with the India in the night and Pakistan in the day? While China and Russia sitting on the edge keeping their powder dry. US has reportedly supported in installing pro India government of Sheikh Hasina paving the way for the Indian local policemanship? Sheikh Hasina's track record with the army was never smooth. The recent release of the audio tape on the YOUTUBE, where army officers literally 'shouted at her' for inaction during the Bangladesh Rifles killings of seconded army officers and escape of large number BDR personals who could be involved in cold blood killings. Many analysts are pointing fingers to Indian involvement in the whole operation. Indian bullying tactics did not work with Pakistan at least at with armed forces and nation. So they decided to bully apparently another weak neighbour? When China and Russia are resolving their disputes peacefully like super powers do India is picking fights with all its neighbours. Pro India Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sehikh Hasina's son Sajib Wajid Joy, had been extremely vocal against Bangladesh Armed Forces. Mr Joy has close ties with several think-tanks might have hired one for the lobbying? He has launched a massive campaign against Directorate General of Forces Intelligence, Rapid Action Battalion, and Bangladesh Army. Sunita Paul wrote in American Chronicle March 19, 2009, 'Leaving Crocodile tear for the killers in Bangladesh', 'what happened in Dhaka during February 25-26 is unimaginable and intolerable. But, what is happening now is even worst. An elected government in Dhaka is rather active in salvaging the killers and their patrons instead of ensuring proper investigation and trial. On the other hand, it is also learnt that, investigations are unnecessarily delayed and interfered by the influential members of the government. Human Rights Watch (HRW), a New York City based non-governmental organization, which sent a letter to Bangladeshi Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina Wajed only few weeks back with the plea of dismantling Forces Intelligences of Bangladesh Armed Forces." Sunita wrote, 'Before I discuss the untold mystery of the sudden enthusiasm of Human Rights Watch, let me give here one more important fact. Bangladeshi government has asked a team of the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) working in its capital Dhaka to help uncover any foreign links to last month's border guard's mutiny. Guess who made such request! Yes, absolutely, it is none but the same Lt. Col. Faruk Khan. Experts opining on this specific request from the Bangladeshi authorities said, does the government want FBI to investigate foreign links or discover foreign link? Some even believe that, government must be inclined in using FBI in painting an imaginary foreign link story. It is even learnt from valid sources that, Bangladeshi authorities have requested FBI and other foreign investigators in identifying possible militant link to this sordid Massacre.7-member FBI team is now in Dhaka, while a team of the Scotland Yard of the United Kingdom also came to Bangladesh to help probe into the last month's BDR carnage". Again, let us get back to the HRW issue. Prior to sending their representative to Bangladesh only a couple of days back, this group had series of meetings with a number of important players in the ruling party in United States, including the son of the present Prime Minister. It was reported that Sajib Wajed Joy, who lives in United States for years, proclaims to be the advisor to his mother, Prime Minister Hasina." Sunita wrote, 'Many of the front-ranking Awami League leaders were directly or indirectly involved behind the BDR Mutiny. Meanwhile, two of the most controversial figures, whose names came at the front right after the mutiny, Jahangir Kabir Nanak (present a state minister for local government ministry) and Mirza Azam (ruling party's whip in the parliament), have suddenly disappeared from the media. It is even reported that, both were ready to flee the country, once the investigation reports were already done. Investigators so far have identified more than 15 Awami League and 8 BNP men held responsible for patronizing or instigating or funding the mutiny. Another city leader of the ruling party named Torab Ali Akhand (who earlier served in BDR) is already being grilled by investigation agencies after arrest. Akhand already mentioned names of a few influential Awami League leaders, including a close relative of the Prime Minister as his patron in the bloody mutiny. He also told interrogators that a few dozens of arms and thousands of round of ammunitions as well as ´some´ Arges grenades were taken from him by some leaders of Bangladesh Chatra League (Student's front of the ruling party) and Jubo League (youth front of the ruling party). Torab was the custodian of looted arms, ammunitions, and explosives from BDR headquarters after the mutiny. He also, at the instruction of an influential Awami League leader brought out procession in favour of the mutiny to give encouragement to the mutineers. On the other hand, it is also learnt that, investigations are unnecessarily delayed and interfered by the influential members of the government". "The March 16 issue of Indian news magazine Outlook quoted Pranab Mukharjee disclosing at a close-door meeting of Congress leaders at New Delhi's Mavalankar Hall as saying: "I had to go out of my way to issue a stern warning to those trying to (topple) the Sheikh Hasina government in Bangladesh that if they continue with their attempts, India would not sit idle". Does it portend a direct intervention in the internal affairs of Bangladesh? Is it a reminder of Sikkim annexation? No doubt, as a big neighbour, India has some genuine reasons to be concerned about the happenings in Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, or Nepal. But the experience of the peoples of neighbouring countries from the point of view of their stability, security, and sovereignty has often been dangerous and destructive". It sounds like US-Indian propaganda against ISI and Pakistan Armed Forces by the same kind of writers like Selig S.Harrison, who writing about Bangladesh, identified "Jamaat inroads in the government security machinery at all levels, starting with Home Secretary Muhammad Omar Farooq, widely regarded as close to the Jamaat, have opened the way for suicide bombings, political assassinations, harassment of the Hindu minority, and an unchecked influx of funds from Islamic charities in Saudi Arabia and the Persian Gulf to Jamaat-oriented madrassas (religious schools) that in some cases are fronts for terrorist activity." The Tribune in its article, "Bangladesh-new hub for terrorism", continued further to describe the future prospects in Bangladesh thus: "...especially alarming is that the Jamaat and its allies appear to be penetrating the higher ranks of the armed forces". It seems US and India are using same script on Bangladesh what they are using on Pakistan? Pseudo inflated threats of petty groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba (Let), some times imaginary militants and threats from probably dead people like Osama? What US really need is to catch the perpetrators of 'Financial 9/11' who ran of with $ trillions. President Obama just should not only look at the bonuses but also for the original amount stolen by the financial terrorists? -------------------- Dr Shahid Qureshi is senior award wining investigative journalist and writer on security, foreign policy, and terrorism based in London . His e mail : ukcorrespondent@hotmail.com |
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