--- On Wed, 5/27/09, saeva@aol.com <saeva@aol.com> wrote:
Dr. Sultan Ahmad has correctly pointed out how the armed forces have crept into the politics of Bangladesh. The DGFI's failure to forewarn about any conspiracy and then to create a culture within the country that benefits the military to extract more concessions in all sectors - from grabbing lucrative positions in civil administration of the country to floating military-appeasing parties - has not been all that beneficial to our nation.
I remember how active the DGFI was during the previous caretaker government in trying to float a new party - Jagroto Bangladesh (or whatever it wanted to name). The DGFI hosted a program in Dhaka for the expatriates in December 2007 and before that with the cooperation of the Military Attache to the NY High Commission hastily arranged some meetings in some major U.S. cities when Gen. Moeen U. Ahmed was visiting the USA. In all these events the guests included DGFI-selected expatriates that were deemed supportive.
Many observers of the Peelkhana carnage believe that the same DGFI and Military Intelligence had failed not only to warn the government of the conspiracy but also deliberately leaked out the proceedings of the meeting between the prime minister and the family members of the victims. The BDR carnage created such a commotion within the Army that within the first couple of days of the event many young officers were on the brink of taking power in a military coup. They approached some top ranking officers to get the blessing for the coup, and fortunately for our nation, one such officer approached was able to cool them down. Unfortunately, this same patriotic, non-partisan (without any party favoritism) officer who had stopped the coup from taking shape was asked to step down and forced to retire by mid-March, just few days before I was scheduled to meet him and give a talk in a seminar that he had arranged for me. One can only take pity on those decision makers in Bangladesh - as to how they transfer and retire honest good officers!
For quite some time, the armed forces of Bangladesh have been pushing for greater role in the model of Turkey and Indonesia. As any neutral analyst would testify none of those models has proven to be beneficial to those countries. In all likelihood, Bangladesh would not have a honeymoon experience either with such an experimentation. The unfortunate fact, however, is it is our corrupt politicians that have only helped the appetite of military elitists within Bangladesh through foul policies and vices. Little thought has ever been given in the last four decades to the betterment of the real people - the downtrodden masses - the Salimuddin-Kalimuddins and Rahima Bibis within our society that work in the fields and factori es, pull the rickshaws and break the bricks. Thus, rather than investing more on social projects that help boost education and economy, thereby bettering the quality of life, we have been spending hard-earned foreign currency in the military sector, something that we can ill-afford on a long-term basis.
What is needed is a paradigm shift - a new and fresh way of introspection that helps our politicians and military guys to know their boundaries of acceptable engagement in the public sector. People expect them to perform their specific duties honestly, diligently and transparently. When they deliver those deliverables that would be the day we can all rejoice.
Regards,
Habib Siddiqui
-----Original Message----- From: Isha Khan <bd_mailer@yahoo.com> To: Dhaka Mails <dhakamails@yahoogroups.com> Sent: Wed, 27 May 2009 10:40 am Subject: Entry of Armed Force in Politics and Controversy? Entry of Armed Force in Politics and Controversy?
By Dr Sultan Ahmad , USA
After the organized killing of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib with his most family members and relatives by a gang of junior army officers, it is believed that General Zia was associated at least informally. After this inhumane massacre, general Zia not only managed for them impunity but also rewarded them through posting in the Bangladesh missions abroad.Later he killed a lot of brave freedom fighter officers in the army and air force in the name of army mutiny through court Martial and firing squad during his tenure in office as Martial Law administrator and President of the country.
Then he started to form a political party by using army officers by instigating and forcing many political activists from different political parties, especially NAP (Bhasani), in many cases, using the countries security and intelligence organizations like DGFI and NSI. Not only that, army officers were given a quota in foreign assignments, appointed them as head of many state organizations that are being continued even by the so-called democratically elected governments.
Even during the Pakistan period, although most of the time the country was run by military rulers, there is no proof that army personnel were elected either members of Parliament or they were appointed ministers. It was general Zia who organized army officers to retire and join politics. Subsequently, major, Lt. Col, Brigadier, Major General and Lt. Generals were elected member of the parliament and even appointed ministers.
Subsequently, General Ershad, a non freedom fighter and repatriate army officer, took power illegally, used the intelligence and security organizations for launching his party and also his own political game. He managed to assassinate brilliant army officers in the pretext of their involvement in the killing of General Zia.. That Ershad is now established him as a major political pin even in our democratic culture.
These DGFI and NSI failed to provide prior information before the massacre of the Sheikh and members of his family and relatives; in providing information before the killing of genera l Zia, massacres of army officers recently in the BDR head quarter. The chief of these organizations are suspected to be engaged in the smuggling of huge amount of arms in Chittagong during the tenure of the last BNP-Jammat government. It is indicative that these organizations are not functioning for the safety and security of our beloved motherland, but for serving interests of the political parties. After 1990, all parties in power also used the intelligence to harass the opposition political parties? Why the army Personnel is appointed always as the head of NSI? Why then using taxpayers' money these organizations are run?
Lastly, the army chief told the press that the report of the enquiry committee on BDR massacre formed by the Armed Forces Division is an army property. Mr. Chief, it is the property of the state and you are under the ministry of defense. You are bound to submit the report to the defense minister for necessary action. Even, you have no right to open this report, but the defense minister.
Massacre of talented army officers in BDR head quarter in February 2009 may have been due to a mutiny organized by a few, but ultimately joined by a big group of BDR members willingly or forced to join , from their long term deprivation (they might think) of facilities, harsh punishment procedures normally practiced for army discipline, and the thought of alien force controlling and supervising them with different dress and attitude but enjoying much better facilities. BDR is patrolling the country's boarder day and night, in rain and hot sun; but the army is having their training in the cantonments. So army discipline rules should be the same for BDR and the army.
Believe it or not, army in Bangladesh has established it as a major partner in the political process of Bangladesh. The question is, should our political system continue this culture or develop a process that puts an end to it.
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Dr. Sultan Ahmad from USA.
E Mail : sahmad4321@yahoo.com
http://newsfrombangladesh.net/view.php?hidRecord=265862
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